Christian Horner and Toto Wolff were back at their usual antics trading accusations and jabs, this time regarding the upcoming Formula 1 power unit regulations in 2026.
F1 will be debuting a new set of regulations for the power units in 2026, with the main change being dropping the MGU-H hybrid component, an over complicated part of the current hybrid side of the power units that car manufacturers insisted was not road relevant.
F1 dropped the MGU-H hoping to lure new manufacturers into the sport with Audi joining with its works team collaborating with Sauber, while Ford are joining forces with Red Bull supporting their Red Bull Powertrains program the Melton Keynes outfit started after Honda decided to leave F1, before coming back again with Aston Martin.
The 2026 power unit regs mean there will be three times the electric power, the MGU-K should produce around 350kW in 2026 compared to 120kW currently.
The new regs also target less fuel consumption, just 70kg of fuel consumed by cheaper engines built to a cost cap during a full Grand Prix, while the current figure set in 2020 is 100kg. The fuel will also be sustainable fuel.
A report by the Motorsport network claimed there is some concern within the F1 community that the new for 2026 power units will not deliver enough power for the cars to run flat out for a full lap based on how the Internal Combustion/Electric power output ratio is currently set, something Horner claims will be sorted by a 5% swing towards Internal Combustion and away from Electric.
We need to ensure we don’t create a Frankenstein
“I think that perhaps where we need to pay urgent attention, before it’s too late, is to look at the ratio between combustion power and electrical power,” Horner said, quoted by Sky Sports F1.
“[We need] to ensure that we’re not creating a technical Frankenstein, which will require the chassis to compensate to such a degree with moveable aero and reduce the drag to such a level that the racing will be affected – and that there will be no tow effect and no DRS because effectively you’re running like that at all points in time.
“Plus, with the characteristics of these engines, that the combustion engine just doesn’t become a generator to recharge a battery,” the Briton added, speaking over the weekend of the 2023 Austrian Grand Prix.
“We still have two and a half years, and I think if there is a slight redress it would then create potentially a better platform for the chassis. Otherwise, the chassis regulations that are undefined yet and uncommitted, we’re going to be trying to cater for those compromises,” Horner continued.
“You have got to look at the thing holistically from both the technical point of view, and most importantly what is F1. F1 needs to be wheel-to-wheel racing. We can’t afford to lose that challenge and have drivers downshifting on the straights to regenerate batteries.
“I know the FIA taking it very seriously, and they’re looking at it very closely as the simulations become more advanced,” he maintained.
Wolff: There will be ZERO CHANGES
Wolff on the other hand played down any chance of changing the regulations for 2026, he said: “That’s not going to happen, zero chance, capital letters.
“So I don’t know why these things are even coming up. We’ve developed those regulations over many years with all the auto manufacturers being involved. It was a compromise that attracted Audi to finally join the sport, for Honda to stay in there – the best possible case that one could imagine for F1.
“Is it challenging? Our chassis designers are saying ‘well, how are we going to do this?’ Yeah, super (challenging). But zero, these regulations are not going to change any more, they’re not going to be postponed any more, because the world needs to show innovation around sustainability, we need to reduce emissions, and we are super excited,” he explained.
When presented with what his Red Bull counterpart said; Wolff – naturally – went on the offensive, he said: “I think what frightens him more maybe is that his engine programme is not coming along and that maybe he wants to kill it that way.
“So you always have to question what’s the real motivation to say something like that,” the Austrian pointed out.
And of course Horner disagrees…
Horner, on the other hand did not hold back responding to his archrival saying: “Unfortunately that’s typically Toto where he’s just focused on self-performance. My interest is actually about the sport rather than self-gain.
“It’s still way too early to say who’s going to have a competitive or uncompetitive engine in 2026,” he insisted. “For me the most important thing is from a sports point of view, that we all have a collective responsibility to work with the FIA and the commercial rights holder to ensure that the product is as good as it can be, otherwise we’ve all failed.”
Quizzed whether Wolff’s reasoning that the new regs take the credit for attracting new manufacturers; the Red Bull boss said: “The regulations are a hybrid of what was originally intended.
“And of course it’s only as you work through a set of regulations that you find out where their limitations are.
“I think the FIA is being very responsible in terms of doing its due diligence, and I think certain teams share very similar opinions to that of our own. I think they have a capable team, I think they’re aware of what the challenges are,” Horner concluded.