In 2026, will we experience a remake of the 2014 season, the date of the last technical revolution in terms of engines? F1 ? It is quite possible… and that is the fear of Adrian Newey. The iconic British engineer, who will join the ranks ofAston Martin on March 1, 2025, as the main technical partner (and shareholder), is concerned about seeing a team and/or an engine manufacturer largely dominate the rest of the grid.
In 2026, if the power units will be quite similar to those used since 2014 (6L V1,6 turbo hybrid engine), These will leave a much larger share to electrical power (350 kW or 475 horsepower in 2026, compared to 120 kW or 160 horsepower currently), while thermal engines will see their power reduced to around 400 kW (or 535 horsepower). The MGU-H (thermal energy motor-generator), considered expensive, complex and fragile, will be eliminated.
Un "engine championship" in 2026?
According to Adrian Newey, the introduction of changes to the chassis and engine regulations opens the door to an era of dominance similar to what we saw in 2014 with Mercedes, who had won 16 of the 19 Grands Prix that year. "I think there's a good chance it's going to be an 'engine championship' at the start., "Concedes Adrian Newey in an interview with Auto Motor und Sport. "I actually can't remember another time in Formula 1 where the chassis and engine regulations changed simultaneously. In this case [of 2026], the chassis regulations were written to try to compensate for the power unit regulations. So there's an extra dimension."
"I think the engine manufacturers will have learned – to some extent – about the lack of preparation of Mercedes' rivals before this change [in 2014]. But there is certainly a chance that one manufacturer will do much better [than the others] and that the regulations will allow for power unit dominance, at least initially, adds the British engineer, referring to the 2014 season and the arrival of hybrid engines. There is a chance that if someone comes along with a more efficient combustion engine, [the engine manufacturer's dominance] will last for the duration of the regulations (until 2030, Ed.) because with the way the regulations are written, it will be quite difficult for those behind to catch up. It will be much easier to catch up if this dominance is based on the electric engine."
Newey still in the unknown
Adrian Newey, Aston Martin's star recruit last year, will take up his new role at his new team in March and will focus on the development of the car British for 2026. Sidelined by Red Bull just after the announcement of his departure from the Austrian team in May 2024, the British engineer admits that he hasn't really been able to work on the 2026 concept… and that he doesn't yet know to what extent a competitive chassis can compensate for a powertrain that isn't.
“As I have not worked in Formula 1 since the end of April [2024], I have only limited knowledge of the new regulations, recognizes Adrian Newey. Of course, the power unit aspect has been known for some time, but when it comes to chassis, aerodynamics and vehicle dynamics, I don't have a lot of knowledge. So there will be a lot to learn when I start [with Aston Martin, in March 2025]." It remains to be seen whether his genius will continue to work for Aston Martin in the coming years, given that he has been in the habit of transforming what he touches into gold for over thirty years.
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Yves-Henri RANDIER
27/01/2025 at 06:03 a.m.
Even though he is one of the geniuses of F1, Adrian Newey has not always succeeded in all his single-seaters. He seems to have fears at the 2026 Power Unit level but he has known Honda well for a few years. That being said, the fear that a team has found a trick and repeats Mercedes' performance in 2014 exists but such domination would be short-lived because new regulations are in sight for 2030 unless there is a turnaround!
vincent moyet
27/01/2025 at 05:45 a.m.
Obviously, the 2022 regulations seem to have given a significant share back to the chassis when we see that the 2024 constructors' title went to a customer team. It's therefore a shame to throw that away (and rather disputed seasons), to return in 2026 to a soporific F1 like that of 2014-2020, but it seems that it is the constructors and engine manufacturers who want to take back control, and they probably have more influence. It's still shooting themselves in the foot. What is their goal? That it be an engine championship at the risk that it no longer interests anyone and that F1 goes back years in terms of popularity?