Mercedes would drop MGU-H from the F1 engine to make it easier for VW to get started

F1 will be at their latest crunch meeting on Sunday on the upcoming engine formula, slated to roll out in 2026.

F1’s engine manufacturers have discussed options to build a simpler, more sustainable, and more cost-effective engine, and have generated interest from outside parties.

One of the strongest interested parties is the VW Group, which was represented with two of its brands – Audi and Porsche – at the last big meeting in Austria in July.

Part of the push to simplify the gensets is to remove the MGU-H element, which is used to recover or store energy to and from the car’s turbocharger.

Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff confirmed the plan was to remove the MGU-H from the incoming engines and said it was a compromise Mercedes wanted to make to get the VW concern into series production.

Wolff added, however, that there was still a need for agreement in a number of other areas.

“The MGU-H will be dropped when we can reconcile many other points,” said Wolff.

“I think it’s a compromise that I can’t speak to anyone else, but at Mercedes we’re ready to step in to make the Volkswagen Group’s entry easier.

“But there are a few other issues that need to be compromised.

“And if no compromise can be found, we will likely go back to governance and have regulations for 2026 that the FIA ​​and FOM will work out.”

Christian Horner, Team Principal Red Bull Racing, at the Team Principal Press Conference

Photo by: FIA Pool

Formula 1 is looking to strengthen its manufacturer commitment after Honda decided to leave the series at the end of the current season.

While Red Bull will take over Honda’s IP next year and supply its own engines through a new company called Red Bull Powertrains, only Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari will remain on the grid as full-fledged road car manufacturers.

Sustainable fuels are a big focus of the talks to ensure that the power units meet the manufacturers’ environmental standards.

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Red Bull F1 boss Christian Horner has encouraged the series to take a “clean” approach to incoming engines as he believes it would be the best way to attract new parties.

“I would say that every new manufacturer that comes in obviously likes to go to zero, I would have thought,” Horner said in July.

“You can understand that existing manufacturers have invested in these engines and want to move IP into the new engine.

“But of course this current engine is extremely expensive, and how to cut costs has not been achieved at the moment in all of the discussions I have participated in.

“So I think it’s not that easy to implement a cost cap because of course an engine is a lot harder to monitor when the combustion is on many other aspects, especially if you are an OEM in-house team or an engine manufacturer in the formula 1 are.”