F1 2026 Regulations: What has happened to the MGU-H?

Power Unit, motor, 2024, generic, F1 — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 2026 Explained

F1 2026 Regulations: What has happened to the MGU-H?

The new power unit regulations mean the MGU-H is no longer

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Wednesday 18 February 2026 16:18 Updated: 10:09

There are lots of new regulations sweeping into F1 in 2026, and here at GPFans, we've got you covered if you're a little confused about them!

New aerodynamic car design rules are hard enough to get your head around, but when you've got brand new power units in the back of the cars too, it can get a little overwhelming, with a plethora of new 'F1 jargon' being mentioned when talking about the rule changes.

But there are also a few things which have previously been used in F1 which are no longer a part of the sport, including DRS and the MGU-H.

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The new power units remain a 1.6-litre V6 turbo hybrid - as they have been since 2014 - but these new 2026 versions have had the emphasis on their electrical energy output tripled, so why has the MGU-H within the power units been banished?

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What is an MGU-H?

The Motor Generator Unit - Heat (MGU-H) was an aspect of the hybrid power units since 2014 which converted exhaust thermal energy into electricity, and controlled the turbocharger speed.

It worked as a generator to charge the battery side of the power unit, and helped to reduce turbo lag by acting as a motor to spin the turbine.

The MGU-H worked alongside the Motor Generator Unit - Kinetic (MGU-K) to recharge the battery, with the MGU-K linked to energy being recovered through the act of braking.

There is only an MGU-K in the new 2026 power units, but it is much more powerful, meaning F1 has been able to wave goodbye altogether to the MGU-H.

Why has F1 dropped the MGU-H?

Reigning F1 champion Lando Norris recently suggested during pre-season testing that the new F1 cars suffer quite badly from turbo lag, in a throwback to 1980s F1.

Meanwhile, there has been lots of talk in the off-season about the difficulties in starting the new F1 cars and getting a good purchase off the line for grands prix, with the new turbos taking longer to wind themselves up without the presence of the MGU-H.

So why exactly has F1 opted to get rid of it?

Well, the MGU-H was a very expensive piece of kit to produce and maintain throughout the season, and didn't actually produce particularly big gains in power output.

It's also something that is not adaptable for hybrid road cars. Mercedes did try in their AMG model but reported that it just was not suitable for a standard road car, meaning the technology was unique to racing.

The development of the enhanced MGU-Ks as well as drivers' increased responsibility to manage their battery capacity mean the energy recovery system (ERS) can now recharge the battery with twice as much energy per lap compared to in 2025.

Drivers will need to do more lifting and coasting without the MGU-H, however, and this may even be the case during a single qualifying lap, while the starting procedure during grands prix may need to be altered by the FIA with the new turbos taking longer to get spooled up.

Which engine will each team use in F1 2026?

Alongside Audi's debut as a power unit manufacturer, Red Bull are also making their own power units for the first time in partnership with Ford, having parted ways with Honda.

Honda will instead supply the Aston Martin team with power units, as the Silverstone-based outfit look to become a championship-contending team.

Ferrari are another power unit manufacturer in the sport in 2026, and they are supplying the works team, Haas and Cadillac.

The fifth power unit manufacturer is of course Mercedes, who supply the most teams, with McLaren, Williams, Alpine and the works Mercedes team on their list of customers in 2026.

Which engine each F1 team is using in 2026
Team	Engine
Red Bull	Red Bull Powertrains
Racing Bulls	Red Bull Powertrains
Ferrari	Ferrari
Haas	Ferrari
Cadillac	Ferrari
Alpine	Mercedes
Mercedes	Mercedes
Williams	Mercedes
McLaren	Mercedes
Aston Martin	Honda
Audi	Audi

Written by

Sam Cook - Digital Journalist

Sam Cook is a talented young sports journalist and social media professional who now specialises in Formula 1, having previously worked as a football journalist and a local news reporter for a variety of different brands.

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