Formula 1 has significantly increased the performance of the electrical systems in its new power units for 2026 but Honda believes the classic combustion engine will remain the key to success.
The Japanese engine manufacturer is returning to F1 this year as the exclusive power unit supplier to Aston Martin.
F1 has introduced its first change in power unit regulations since 2014. Engines may no longer incorporate an MGU-H (motor generator unit – heat) but the amount of power the MGU-K (kinetic) may produce has increased.
But although the internal combustion engine specifications remain largely unchanged, Honda Racing Corporation’s large project leader Tetsushi Kakuda believes this is the area which will make the greatest difference between rival designs.
“Other than the basic architecture of [the] V6 turbo internal combustion engine, everything is new, so it was essentially a complete reset,” he said. “The basic structure, such as engine mounting distances and positions, does change, but overall it’s not dramatically different from before.
“However, the internals are completely different: the combustion system and the fuel have changed, so the requirements are entirely new. In that sense, it really is a new engine.
“With the elimination of the MGU-H, we have to rethink how we use the turbocharger. The compression ratio is more restricted, variable intake systems are no longer allowed, and deciding what kind of engine to build has become a completely new challenge.
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“On the electrical side, the output increases significantly, and the amount of energy flowing in and out of the battery and the control electronics (CE) becomes enormous to match the motor. That means we have to develop an optimal battery and CE capable of controlling it optimally. In short, this is a power unit that requires entirely new development across the board.”
Kakuda identified the ICE as a key differentiator between manufacturers’ approaches. “There are many new elements, all of them important, so there’s nothing we can afford to neglect,” he explained. “That said, I believe the ICE is where differences are most likely to emerge. How much output you can extract from the ICE, and how you achieve high performance together with the new fuel, is extremely important.”
Some power unit manufacturers are believed to have found ways to achieve higher compression ratios within their engines than the regulations intended. Kakuda indicated this could be an area where advantages can be gained.
“From our perspective, the high-speed combustion approach that delivered results with the previous PU is now largely unusable due to compression ratio limits and changes in fuel flow,” he said. “That means we have to find new ideas to improve performance.
“Other manufacturers are in the same situation, so it really becomes a competition of ideas.”
The increase in electrical power generation will also place batteries under greater strain, said Kakuda, leading to a potential drop-off in performance.
“The total capacity doesn’t change, but the amount of energy flowing in and out increases, so differences will appear in terms of energy loss and deployment duration,” he said. “Performance degradation due to aging will also become a factor affecting overall performance.”
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