At a glance
A modern F1 power unit combines a 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 internal-combustion engine with an energy-recovery system, energy store, control electronics and turbocharger. The 2026 rules retain the MGU-K but remove the MGU-H; the FIA lists a 350 kW maximum for the MGU-K. This is a component limit, not a guaranteed continuous electrical output on every part of a lap.
- Engine1.6 L V6turbocharged ICE retained in 2026
- MGU-K maximum350 kW2026 technical limit
- MGU-HRemovedfrom 2026 regulations
- Energy storeBatterystores recovered electrical energy
Follow the energy through the system
The internal-combustion engine (ICE) burns fuel to produce mechanical power. A turbocharger uses exhaust energy to compress intake air. The MGU-K, or Motor Generator Unit–Kinetic, can recover energy from the drivetrain during braking and later return electrical power to the drivetrain. That energy is stored in the battery, known in the regulations as the Energy Store (ES), and managed by control electronics.
Through 2014–2025, the system also included the MGU-H, which recovered energy from the turbocharger’s exhaust-driven turbine. The 2026 regulations remove it. The FIA and Formula 1 describe the new direction as a larger electrical contribution alongside a simplified system. In broad explanations this is often summarized as a roughly 50:50 split between combustion and electrical power, but that is an overall design objective, not a fixed output ratio at every speed or point on track.
What changed in the published limits
| Item | 2014–2025 rules | 2026 rules | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|---|
| ICE | 1.6-litre turbo V6 | 1.6-litre turbo V6 retained | Combustion engine remains a central source of power |
| MGU-K maximum power | 120 kW | 350 kW | Regulation ceiling; usable deployment is also governed by energy and operating rules |
| MGU-H | Present; recovers exhaust heat energy through the turbo system | Removed | One energy-recovery subsystem is no longer part of the 2026 package |
| Energy store | Electrical energy store | Electrical energy store | Stores recovered energy for controlled deployment |
The FIA’s current technical rules set a maximum MGU-K power of 350 kW. The regulations and their 2026 refinements also constrain when and how electrical power can be deployed. In April 2026 the FIA announced an update: MGU-K deployment remains at 350 kW in key acceleration zones, while it is limited to 250 kW elsewhere. Maximum permitted recharge was reduced from 8 MJ to 7 MJ per lap under that refinement. Those operating limits matter: a 350 kW headline is not the same as 350 kW available continuously through a lap.
Why a lap is an energy-management problem
Energy recovery and deployment connect braking zones to acceleration zones. A driver may harvest energy while slowing, store it, and use electrical output later. The power rating describes a rate of energy transfer; the megajoule limit describes an amount. They use different units and answer different questions. For example, 350 kW is 350 kilojoules per second of power, while 7 MJ is a per-lap energy quantity under the 2026 refinement.
That arithmetic does not predict a particular lap time. Actual deployment depends on FIA operating restrictions, energy recovered, battery state, speed, circuit profile and the team’s control strategy. Public regulations define limits; they do not reveal the confidential energy maps of Mercedes, Ferrari or another manufacturer. Race telemetry may show selected signals, but it is not a full internal power-unit data stream.
For a related look at published evidence limits, read our telemetry guide. See how wings trade downforce and drag and browse the Technology hub for other car systems. These components work together, so a power-unit specification alone cannot explain a car’s race performance.
Sources and method
Primary technical source: FIA 2026 Technical Regulations, Section C, Issue 20 (5 August 2026), including the power-unit definitions and C5 energy-flow requirements. Official context: Formula 1’s 2026 power-unit explainer. The revised limits are from the FIA’s 21 April 2026 regulations-refinement announcement. The chart compares FIA maximum MGU-K power limits for two rules eras (120 vs 350 kW); it is not a measurement of delivered race power. The 2026 recharge limit (7 MJ/lap) is shown in prose because it is a different quantity and must not share the chart scale.