Winners and losers in F1's new engine era

With electrical power now accounting for about 40% of a power unit’s total output – depending on circuit-specific rules – many fans have concluded that F1 has become an energy management competition as much as an engineering one.

However, beneath the headlines another battle is unfolding – one centred on the internal combustion engine (ICE). While energy recovery systems determine how effectively teams harvest and deploy electrical power, outright combustion efficiency and reliability remain equally critical.

The FIA’s Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) framework has highlighted just how important the conventional ICE is, even in F1’s most electrified era. The current competitive picture suggests that three engine manufacturers have emerged as the principal protagonists: Mercedes, Red Bull Powertrains-Ford and Ferrari.

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