FIA approves Power Unit regulations for 2026 F1 season

The 2026 F1 Power Unit (PU) regulations have finally been approved and confirmed by the FIA after extensive deliberations.

The FIA signed off on the new regulations during the latest World Motorsport Council Meeting after being satisfied with the framework in place for the changes in plan.

Speaking about the new F1 PU regulations, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said:

“The FIA continues to push forward on innovation and sustainability, across our entire motorsport portfolio. The 2026 Formula 1 Power Unit Regulations are the most high-profile example of that mission. The introduction of advanced PU technology, along with synthetic sustainable fuels, aligns with our objective of delivering benefits for road car users and meeting our objective of net zero carbon by 2030. Formula 1 is currently enjoying immense growth and we are confident these regulations will build on the excitement our 2022 changes have produced.”

Ben Sulayem went on to add:

“I want to thank all of the FIA management and technical staff involved in this process for their diligence and commitment in working together with all of our Formula 1 stakeholders to deliver this. I also want to thank our WMSC members for their consideration and approval of these regulations.”

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What are the key changes in the 2026 F1 Power Unit regulations?

F1 plans to chart a course towards a more sustainable future with the new PU regulations that could be a major step in making the sport more ecologically responsible.

The updated next-generation PUs will retain the V6 engines and aim to deliver similar performance while being sustainable by using less energy and producing net zero carbon emissions.

The new PUs will be designed in a way to allow the usage of 100% sustainable fuels to ensure no new carbon is burnt during operation. F1 intends to try and extract carbon from genuine food waste, non-food biological resources, and even directly from the atmosphere.

F1 is also revamping the fuel flow system for PUs, moving away from the current maximum mass flow rate to a maximum energy flow rate to be more efficient. This, in conjunction with more reliance on electric power, will reduce the fuel load for all cars in the future.

The maximum fuel allowance in 2013 was 160 kg and dropped to the current standard of 100 kg in 2020. Once the new PUs come in, this could drop to between 70-80 kg while still maintaining the same level of power output.

The V6 Turbo Hybrid PU currently in use will go through an evolution when the new regulations kick in in 2026. The Motor Generator Unit-Heat (MGU-H) will be dropped from the Energy Recovery System (ERS). The Motor Generator Unit-Kinetic (MGU-K), however, will get a major bump in power from its current capacity of 120 kW to 350 kW. F1 hopes this will allow the new PUs to produce as much as 1000 hp through this technology.

The aforementioned MGU-K will also be relocated for safety purposes. Under the new regulations, it will be housed inside the Safety Cell within the chassis, beside the battery pack and control electronics.

The sport also plans to introduce a separate budget cap for PU development only and expects costs to be lowered by removing components like the MGU-H. They also intend to standardize certain parts to come from a single source to keep spending by all teams from spiraling out of control.

All these changes could also herald the return of turbo lag and make life difficult for drivers on track, especially in corner exits. This could prove to be a challenge for them to adapt to and eventually overcome. Strategizing will also be equally vital.

Recycling batteries will be mandatory under the new regulations as the sport tries to move towards the future sustainably and responsibly.

The confirmation of these changes opens the door for the likes of Porsche and Audi to make their impending arrival into the sport official. Recently, Porsche trademarked #F1NALLY amid rumors that their deal with Red Bull was all but confirmed.