Concerns have emerged that F1’s incumbent power unit makers will retain their dominance ahead of the 2026 F1 regulation changes.
F1 is eyeing the next generation of the turbo-hybrids currently in use, with new F1 power unit regulations being voted on by the FIA Motorsport World Council last month.
Key to the 2026 F1 power unit rules are the introduction of cost caps and the simplification of hybrid elements to lower barriers to entry for future manufacturers.
Audi has already announced its intention to enter F1, while Porsche is keen to return to the grid. The possibility of a partnership with Red Bull has disappeared in recent weeks.
The new F1 power unit regulations aim to provide a clean slate to level the playing field for both new and existing manufacturers.
For F1 power units to be homologated in 2026, manufacturers must comply with the regulations even before then.
However, technical changes to the specifications of the internal combustion engine set back from initial plans, leaving concerns that incumbent manufacturers could maintain their dominance.
But that’s not the case, according to Hywel Thomas, head of Mercedes-AMG high-performance powertrains.
“There is a non-competitive part of the internal combustion engine when it comes to carryover,” Hywel-Thomas explains.
“The regulations in that area are quite strict in terms of dimensions, technology of materials that can be used, and they are very much in line with what we are currently racing.”
“There’s a lot of carryover in those areas of technology, but it’s not really carryover because the components are very close to the current regulations, but they’re not exactly the same.”
“Combustion engines are divided into competitive and non-competitive halves. The non-competitive halves are very similar, but not completely carried over.”
