How much does an F1 engine cost? The numbers are exorbitant

F1 has adopted a new path in terms of engines since 2014, focusing on power units. Here’s how much it costs.

The world of Formula One faced one of the biggest regulatory revolutions ever in 2014, when naturally aspirated V8 engines These have been replaced by turbo-hybrid V6s. And so we entered the era of power units, a term that over time replaced the concept of engines, since we are talking about a group of components that are really difficult to understand and distinguish.

There are many who regretted the old Formula 1 cars, which were much easier for enthusiasts to understand. Moreover, one of the problems that is often mentioned by both television and the press is the problem of dimensions, which have increased over time to accommodate these massive propulsion units, and also due to the increase in the tank due to lack of supplies.

In the next few lines we will explain in detail the cost of these power units, which is also at the regulatory level It caused a huge tremor. Indeed, the rules have become really strange, but the situation will definitely not improve over the next few years.

F1, the engine compartment cost is very high

The power unit is certainly the most complex part of today’s single-seater F1 cars, and it can cost millions. Indeed, according to estimates, we are talking about costs ranging from 8 to 14 million euros, given that compared to the old naturally aspirated V8 or V10 engines, we are talking about a real engineering masterpiece, which includes many different components.

As far as the thermal part is concerned, the engine is a 1600 cc V6, which forms the heart of the power unit. Among the elements that make up the power unit, the turbo also stands out, which brought many problems to the car Ferrari in these years. This part is actually the part that failed several times in 2022 on single seats Charles Locklear And Carlos Sainzalong with MGU-H, which will however be phased out from 2026.

This element caused Honda a lot of problems In his early years with McLaren between 2015 and 2017, and precisely for this reason, theAudi He lobbied so hard he could be eliminated to enter F1, with Merge Sauber Starting in 2026. However, the MGU-K will remain, as well as the control unit and batteries.

Again, regarding those two items, it was Ferrari A few days ago, given the failures that led to the withdrawal Locklear in Bahrain. According to the first rumors, it seems that excessive jumping and single-seat pressures led to the crash, but it is clear that there is still a lot to investigate before definitive conclusions can be reached.

Exorbitant engine costs that break the rules

Modern F1 power units, introduced since 2014, have led the circus to various problems. Design and production costs were, according to estimates, at least three times that of the older naturally aspirated engines, which did not have the electric part, and this resulted in the FIA ​​imposing a cap of three per season.

After that, it goes to shootouts, and with 23 races and 6 Sprints to go, it makes sense that every team would plan at least one more change this year. Moreover, one of the main problems associated with these drive units is the lack of an engine, which is really annoying especially in the early years.

Then, with new developments and technologies, we returned to having at least an acceptable sound, but nothing to do with the old V8s, which disappeared at the end of 2013, or the V10s, with which we said goodbye at the end of the 2005 season. The feeling is that they wanted to exaggerate The complexity of a world is already difficult to comprehend, and the results are there for all to see.

Moreover, since last year the freeze has been applied to power units, since it will not be possible to intervene until 2025 to improve performance, but only on reliability. A revolution that will come from the year 2026 will enhance the electrical part at the expense of the thermal part, and we will enter a new era again.