Jul.24 (GMM) Mercedes engine boss Hywel Thomas says Formula 1 fans will need to get used to a “completely new soundscape” when the next-generation power units debut in 2026.
While the new engines will retain the 1.6-litre V6 format and drop the MGU-H, the most noticeable change from trackside may be how the cars sound – particularly in unexpected parts of the lap.
“Normally, the engines run at low revs when braking and cornering,” Thomas explained. “In the future, the revs and thus the noise level will increase noticeably, even though the cars aren’t actually accelerating.”
The reason lies in how teams will be forced to manage energy recovery without the MGU-H. Although braking will still charge the battery, it’s not enough to meet the much higher electrical demands of the new power units. As a result, teams have devised a workaround that will significantly affect how the cars behave – and sound.
“We had to come up with something,” said Thomas. “The engine switches to full-throttle mode when braking and cornering to produce additional energy, which we feed directly into the battery. So, for parts of a lap, the engine acts as a generator.”
That means fans can expect high-rev engine noise even in slow-speed sections – a quirk that may be jarring at first.
And while the removal of the MGU-H raised hopes of a louder, more traditional engine sound, Thomas urged caution.
“The sound will only change slightly,” he said. “This isn’t necessarily due to the removal of the MGU-H, but rather due to the changes to the turbo. The backpressure is reduced because the turbo doesn’t have to drive the electric motor. This results in a slightly louder sound.”
“But on the other hand, only three-quarters of the amount of fuel that goes into the engine is available. On the test bench, we observed a similar noise level as before.”
The first 2026-spec Mercedes engines, destined for McLaren, Williams, Alpine and the factory team, will begin production soon at Brixworth.
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