The FIA’s shiny new power unit power unit regulations for the Formula One 2026 season were revealed in June this year. They build on the current V6 Turbo hybrid architecture which drew concern from a number of senior F1 figures.

Gone will be the uber complex heat recovery system yet the battery output will increase three fold to deliver 50% of the power along with the internal combustion engine. This means much bigger batteries which in turn means even more weight from the new PU’s all of which tosses into the long grass the FIA’s ambition to develop lighter and more nimble F1 cars.

As the FIA working party discussed the way forward for 2026, a number present suggested a return to V8 internal combustion beings powered by 100% carbon free fuel. Yet Mercedes in particular argued the future for road car manufacturers was hybrid and supported by Porsche who indicated they would be joining the sport, it was agreed to continue with something akin to the current V6 architecture.

 

 

 

To hybrid or not to hybrid – the FIA question

Red Bull were clearly opposed to continuing with the V6 hybrids, a view derived from an interview Christian Horner gave back in 2021. “We see that costs of the current engine are extremely prohibitive,” explained Horner to Motorsport.com.

“It was not thought of when this engine was conceived, and I think there’s a fantastic opportunity for what could arguably be the engine for 10 years, when it’s introduced, to do something a little bit different,” revealed the Red Bull boss.

Horner persists the new power units must bring back “the emotion” to an F1 circuit and argued the song of the V10 and V8 eras must be considered. More electric Horner felt was the wrong move, “otherwise, we should all go and do Formula E,” he concluded.

Of course Red Bull had been burned by Renault’s failure to invest properly in the new 2014 V6 Turbo hybrids and for a brief time around 2016/17 it appeared the Milton Keynes team may have no power unit supplier in the near future. This is when the first seeds were sown for what has become the Red Bull Powertrains division.

Bottas dispute with Audi opens the door for Schumacher

 

 

 

Red Bull pushed for V8’s

For Red Bull proposing a return to the V8’s was seen as a vested interest, given this would be far less taxing to develop for a non-OEM than the full hybrid systems we have today. Given the bitter rivalry between the teams, this may well have made Mercedes even more intransigent in their push for another turbo hybrid power unit knowing it would be incrementally more difficult for Red Bull to develop than a V10 or V8.

In the end the FIA’s push for more power unit manufacturers to join F1 resulted in Porsche failing to agree a deal to join F1 and now Renault are on their way out. Audi are committed to their F1 project so without Red Bull Powertrains the FIA net gain in power unit manufacturers is exactly zero.

Renault’s recent announcement that they were scrapping the development of its new 2026 power unit it stated there would be an “F1 monitoring unit” established in place of the current power unit programme. The unit, to be based at Viry-Chatillon’s rebranded ‘Alpine Hypertech’ facility, “will aim to maintain employees’ knowledge and skills in this sport”, said the Renault press release.

Further, Renault CEO Luca de Meo revealed to French publication L’Equipe: “There will be an F1 technology group to think about the next (F1) engine regulations cycle after 2030.”

Why the current F1 safety car drought

 

 

 

Renault not capable of building complicated power units

This appears to be a tacit admission that Renault are not currently capable of delivering a competitive V6 turbo hybrid power unit as is evidenced by the Alpine team who currently lie second to last in the constructors’ championship.

Bernard Dudot, a central figure in Renault’s F1 engine programmes since the 1970’s is sad to see the 2026 project mothballed but explains how a corporate board of a huge global auto manufacturer views a commitment to F1 differently than an independently owned and run team.

“The current project was very promising,” he told France’s Auto Hebdo. “All of this is very disappointing. The problem is that F1 in the hands of a large group like Renault is always an adventure whose outcome is very uncertain.”

In Dudot’s lengthy experience with Renault he accepts that from time to time the management team of Renault would pull the brand from F1, but never fully close the door.

Audi concerns following Renault F1 engine exit

 

 

 

“A blow to French motorsport”

“You have to expect shocks of this type that are episodic, that sometimes don’t last, that reveal other things, that allow you to change direction or come back again,” said Dudot.

He believes the decision “is a blow to French motorsport, but as we have already seen in F1, there are always unexpected twists and turns. Opportunities will arise again.”

Dudot does accept the establishment of the “F1 monitoring unit” is good news and by mothballing the current set up in Viry-Chatillon, “That is what will allow us to return in the best possible conditions the day when, for one reason or another, the president – Luca de Meo or someone else – changes his mind.”

For Renault it seems the continuation with the dubious V6 turbo hybrid F1 power units was in fact what signalled the end of the line for the French F1 brand who are third in the all time pecking order in terms of races won and championship victories.

Hopes raised again of an African GP

 

 

 

F1 supremo backs ditching hybrid power units

There’s hope on the horizon for F1 when its next engine cycle begins again as a topic for discussion in that Liberty Media chief, Stefano Domenicali, has already indicated he was not persuaded that F1 should continue with hybrids in 2026.

“My personal opinion is that it would [have been] enough to run on climate-neutral fuel. But we had to take into account the wishes of the manufacturers. Developments have gone so fast that a decision today might be different from what it was two years ago,” he told AMuS when the FIA announced the final specifications for the 2026 powertrains. 

“I am not an engineer, but I have to have a vision of what the sport will look like in the future. And I can imagine that with the next regulations, we can focus on sustainable fuel,” Domenicali concluded.

Its yet to be seen whether newcomers Audi/Red Bull-Ford can design and build competitive hybrid units for era beginning in 2026 and if they were to fail, this will hasten the appointment of the next FIA working party on power units and hopefully then a return to a combustion engines run on sustainable fuels and lubricants.

The man who convinced Newey to join Aston Martin

 

 

 

Colapinto angers Albon already

There’s something about the audacity of prodigious talent which excuses the apparent clumsiness of a rookie stepping on established toes. Lewis Hamilton demonstrated this back in 2007 when in his first full season with McLaren he went toe to toe with reigning double world champion Fernando Alonso.

The result was not pretty. Firstly both drivers were level at the end of the season, but their infighting had allowed Kimi Raikkonen to slip past the pair and claim the drivers’ championship by a single point.

Ayrton Senna marched into Alain Prost’s McLaren team in 1988 and immediately took the fight to the then double world champion. In what was the most dominant F1 car before last seasons RB19, Senna outclassed his experienced team mate to take the first of his three world titles… READ MORE