Tech Lab · Power Unit
Power Unit
Internal combustion engines, hybrid systems, energy recovery — the 1,000+ horsepower heart of an F1 car.
Explainers
Component Profiles
- Component
Internal Combustion Engine
A 1.6-litre, single-turbocharged V6 producing approximately 550-600bhp at up to 15,000rpm. One of the most thermally efficient combustion engines ever built — exceeding 50% thermal efficiency.
- Configuration
- V6 Turbo
- Displacement
- 1,600 cc
- Component
MGU-K — Kinetic Motor Generator
The electric motor that harvests energy under braking and deploys it as extra power. Post-2026, output triples from 120kW to 350kW — nearly matching the combustion engine for instantaneous power delivery.
- Current peak output
- 120 kW (161bhp)
- 2026 peak output
- 350 kW (469bhp)
- ComponentEliminated 2025
MGU-H — Heat Motor Generator
A generator connected to the turbocharger shaft that harvests wasted heat energy from exhaust gases. The most technically demanding component in F1 history — and eliminated from 2026 to reduce cost and complexity.
- Turbocharger shaft speed
- up to 125,000 rpm
- Peak output (motor mode)
- ~120 kW
- Component
Energy Store
The high-voltage battery pack at the core of the hybrid system. Stores harvested electrical energy for deployment via MGU-K, and must survive extreme temperatures, vibration, and the unique charge/discharge cycles of a Grand Prix.
- Max. energy
- 4 MJ
- Max. voltage
- up to 1,000 V
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