The FIA World Motorsport Council has approved power unit regulations set to come into effect for the 2026 season with increased electrical power and 100% sustainable fuels two of the key aspects of the newly-approved rules.
The 2026 power units will maintain the current V6 internal combustion engine architecture, with the FIA setting out four key pillars of the new regulations, which are:
- Maintaining the spectacle – the 2026 power unit will have similar performance to current designs, utilising high-power, high-revving V6 internal combustion engines and avoiding excessive performance differentiation to allow for improved raceability.
- Environmental sustainability – the power unit will include an increase in the development of electrical power to up to 50% and utilise a 100% sustainable fuel.
- Financial sustainability – financial regulations regarding the power units will reduce the overall costs for competitors whilst retaining the cutting edge technological of Formula 1.
- Attractive to new power unit manufacturers – the new regulations are intended to make it possible and attractive for newcomers to join the sport at a competitive level.
The regulations will see the current Motor Generator Unit Heat or MGU-H element removed whilst the power output on the power units’ Energy Recovery Systems will be increased to 350 kilowatts.
The FIA continues to push forward on innovation and sustainability – across our entire motor sport 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. 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.
FIA President, Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
2022 & 2023 porpoising and roll hoop regulations approved-
The WMSC also approved changes to the 2022 and 2023 Technical Regulations, designed to address both the issue of aerodynamic porpoising and of safety standards for roll hoops.
With regards to porpoising, it has now been approved that from this months Belgian Grand Prix until the end of the season, there will be changes to re-define the stiffness requirements of the plank and skids around the thickness measurement holes on the cars.
From 2023, meanwhile the following changes will be made:
- The floor edges will be raised by 15mm
- The diffuser throat height will be raised
- The diffuser edge stiffness will be increased
- An additional sensor will be mandated to monitor the porpoising phenomenon more effectively.
Additionally, follow Zhou Guanyu’s crash at the 2022 British Grand Prix, the following changes surrounding safety standards for the roll hoops on F1 cars were also approved to become of the 2023 Technical Regulations:
- A rounded top will now be required on the roll hoop, which will reduce the chance of it digging into the ground during an incident.
- A change will be made to ensure a minimum height for the point of application of the homologation test.
- There will be a new physical homologation test where the load pushes the roll hoop in the forward direction.
- There will be a definition of new tests, to be carried out by calculation.
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