An F1 engine is not just an engine. It is a power unit (PU), a hybrid that combines a petrol engine with an electric system. You do not need the engineering detail to follow a race, but a basic grasp explains a lot of the radio chatter.
Two sources of power
The PU pairs a small 1.6-litre V6 turbo petrol engine with an electric system, the ERS (Energy Recovery System). The petrol engine provides the bulk of the grunt; the electric motor adds a hefty boost on top. Together they produce around 1,000 horsepower. For the 2026 rules the balance shifts dramatically: the electric side grows to roughly half of total power, an even split with the combustion engine, all running on fully sustainable fuel.
Harvesting and deployment
The electric system works on a simple cycle. Under braking and on the straights, the car harvests energy and stores it in a battery. The driver then deploys that stored energy for an extra surge of power, typically out of corners and down straights, where it counts most.
The catch is that the battery is finite. Deploy the full electric boost everywhere and you will run out before the lap is done; you hear drivers told they are “out of battery” or managing deployment. From 2026 this energy management becomes the single biggest performance lever, which is why teams obsess over it.
Going deeper
That is all you need to enjoy a race. If you want the full technical picture of the 2026 reset (the deleted MGU-H, the tripled electric output and the sustainable fuel), we have written it up in detail in The 2026 F1 Power Unit, Explained. The active-aero package that replaces DRS in 2026 is part of the same overhaul.