Formula 1 is a highly intricate machine. These world-class racing cars are built from thousands of components, including precision-engineered bodywork, advanced suspension systems, turbo-hybrid power units, eight-speed paddle-shift gearboxes, and 18-inch tires. At the core of an F1 car lies its engine, which functions much like an inverted airplane, generating immense thrust and delivering exceptional grip on the track.
The engines are fed with fully synthetic fuels capable of generating the same amount of energy as the internal combustion alone. They also use an innovative energy recovery system to recycle kinetic energy from the brakes and propellant, enabling the car to generate more than 1,000 horsepower at its peak.
Combined with the battery and electric motors, that gives each F1 car its phenomenal acceleration. This high output has been one of the key factors in the sport’s current revival, attracting new teams like Haas and Ferrari-powered Williams and persuading existing ones to stay.
But 2026 is where the big stakes will be played out, with faded former champions determined to get back on top. For some of them, such as Williams, that means deciding at what point this year they should stop improving their car and start planning for the future.
That future might include a more permanent change in engine supplier, with the Williams nameplate switching to Mercedes power from 2026 onwards. That move will give the team the same resources it has enjoyed since 2014 and help it to continue its recent progress, with the Faenza-based outfit finishing ninth in the constructors’ championship last season. It was also aided by the arrival of several senior hires, including technical director Tim Goss and racing director Alan Permane, who came from Ferrari, and chief aerodynamicist Guillaume Cattelani, who brought expertise from Mercedes.
In addition to its engine deal, Williams has an arrangement with Red Bull Powertrains to supply its sister squad, Racing Bulls, for the next two seasons. This will help the new-look sister team establish a presence in the midfield, with the yet-to-be-renamed team aiming to build on the momentum it gained under its previous identity as Oracle Red Bull Racing.
The sister team’s driver line-up for the upcoming season includes a strong group of rookie drivers. Alongside Sainz, it features Aston Martin rookie Liam Lawson, who was runner-up in F2 last year and is making his Grand Prix debut at the age of 24, and the 20-year-old Frenchman Isack Hadjar, who will step up from the FIA Formula 2 championship with the team this year.
Other notable additions to the grid for the 2026 season include Audi, which acquired Sauber to make it an entire works team with its engine, and Cadillac, which will debut with Ferrari power units to mark the first time an eleventh team has entered since 2016. There will also be a return to the fold of Honda, which is supporting its Red Bull Powertrains-developed package at Red Bull Racing and its yet-to-be-renamed sister squad, formerly known as the Stake F1 team.
