Formula 1 v IndyCar: How open-wheel racing’s hybrid powertrains compare

IndyCar v F1-hybrid

Next weekend, IndyCar will debut its first-ever hybrid powertrains at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, joining Formula 1 in an era of electrification. But how do those two hybrid engines compare?

Formula 1 introduced hybrid power units back in 2014, and the series will introduce its latest evolution on the technology in 2026. Thanks to the smaller nature of IndyCar, the American open-wheel series has been far slower to adopt a similar set of technology. Today, we’re comparing power unit specs head to head in order to get a better sense of what the IndyCar machines will be like out on track.

F1 v IndyCar hybrids: An overview

Before we get started delving into the specifics of the hybrid powertrains in different open-wheel racing series, let’s start with a quick overview about the history of engine development in both F1 and IndyCar.

Formula 1 is often hailed as the pinnacle of motorsport technology. Though there have been some hiccups along the way, F1 rulesets generally strive to implement the latest and greatest trends when it comes to automotive and motorsport technology — whether that be in engine displacement, aerodynamics, or even software.

By contrast, IndyCar has often balanced its push for technological growth with its desire to keep on-track action affordable and competitive. Part of that stems from the fact that different factions of American open-wheel racing have had different goals and intentions for the sport in mind — and so the sport has been unable to progress in the same linear fashion as European open wheel.

Both series therefore have vastly different goals and intentions when it comes to introducing new rulesets or technologies. That doesn’t make one series “better” than the other; rather, it simply indicates that both series will have had distinct reasons for introducing hybrid powertrains and will have distinct rules dictating their development and implementation.

Basic Components

Formula 1’s current hybrid engine is composed of a turbocharged 1.6-liter V6 engine paired an Energy Recovery System, which composes the hybrid element of the engine. There are two primary components to the ERS, the MGU-H and the MGU-K, both of which capture energy that can be stored.

Meanwhile, IndyCar’s hybrid engine pairs a 2.2-liter twin-turbocharged V6 combustion engine to “ultracapacitor hybrid technology.” That includes a low-voltage 48V motor generator unit (MGU) paired to an energy storage system (ESS), both of which fit into the bellhousing. The MGU creates power that is stored in the ESS.

Both systems draw on the same hybrid structure — a combustion engine is mated to an electric motor, which is paired to some kind of energy storage component. The F1 system is just more sophisticated.

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Horsepower

Right now, IndyCar has kept is exact horsepower numbers close to its chest, but current estimates state that the engines will be capable of implementing over 800 hp upon debut — though that 800-hp figure is generally tied to IndyCar’s push-to-pass system, which adds a boost of power for short durations.

RACER reported in February that the 2.2-liter V6 engine is expected to make somewhere between 725 and 750 hp when in high-boost configuration. The energy recovery system will enable drivers to activate an additional 60 hp from the ESS, while there will be 50 hp available via push-to-pass.

IndyCar expects those horsepower numbers will increase as manufacturers continue to refine the hybrid technology.

Current F1 power units can make up to 1,000 hp. The combustion engines alone produce somewhere between 830 to 850 horsepower, while the hybrid energy generators can help produce an additional 160 hp that can be used in short bursts.

Energy harvesting, storage and regeneration

Formula 1’s Energy Recovery System is composed of Energy Storage, the MGU-H, and the MGU-K.

The MGU-H stands for Motor Generator Unit-Heat; this unit captures energy in the form of heat released by exhausted gases. That energy can be transformed into electricity and stored in the ES.

The MGU-K stands for Motor Generator Unit-Kinetic; this unit is connected to the internal combustion engine and captures energy created by braking, which can be redeployed as power when accelerating.

All of these systems are linked by a component called Control Electronics, which is a form of technology designed to make sure that all parts of the ERS are effectively speaking to one another.

IndyCar’s system is much simpler. The Motor Generator Unit (MGU) will provide drivers with different opportunities to build power that can be stored in the Energy Storage System (ESS). There is an option to regenerate power automatically, via braking or throttle position, as well as manually.

There is not yet much word on how that manual regeneration will work, but drivers will be able to control that regeneration via their steering wheel. Further, energy deployment will also be done manually. Energy deployment will be different than the current push-to-pass system, but both systems will coexist.

Manufacturers

Perhaps the primary difference between the hybrid power units utilized in Formula 1 and IndyCar comes from the fact that both series feature a different number of power unit manufacturers, which can impact how the PUs develop and evolve.

In IndyCar, there are only two manufacturers: Honda and Chevrolet. Though some automakers have toyed with the idea of joining the IndyCar field, those rumors have yet to materialize; in fact, the series’ long delay in implementing hybrid technology has often been pegged as a leading factor in the lack of diverse manufacturers.

The two-manufacturer format also means that both currently have a similar amount of sway when it comes to introducing regulatory changes. This year, rumors have persisted that one manufacturer has long been ready for the hybrid swap, while the other has fallen behind on development.

Over in Formula 1, there are four engine suppliers: Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault, and Honda (though Honda now operates under the Red Bull Powertrains banner). There are also rumors that Audi and Cadillac intend to introduce powertrains in the future.

A greater diversity of powertrain manufacturers means that there’s a greater push to develop better technology, though that can often mean teams using an incorrectly developed powertrain will all struggle to make up for the performance gap.

The electrified future

Will IndyCar or Formula 1 ever go fully electric? Probably not, at least not for a while — and that may be a good thing.

Though many pundits in the automotive technology space have hailed fully electrified vehicles as the future of the automobile, opinions are changing. Battery technology has not evolved as quickly as expected, which means those batteries can be expensive to manufacture and inefficient to use when compared to other forms of propulsion. Further, the production of batteries may still be very bad for the environment.

Those issues would likely resolve themselves if consumers were interested… but they aren’t.

Prospective EV buyers often cite range anxiety as a primary reason as to why they’re hesitant to go fully electric, and unfortunately, there have been few wholesale efforts to develop the robust charging infrastructure that would both eliminate those fears and also enable more drivers to go electric.

Instead, industry tides are turning to prioritize more effective and efficient hybridization instead — and it is through partial electrification that we will likely see the continued growth and evolution of motorsport.

As we’ve mentioned, IndyCar is still a bit behind the hybrid curve, and so it can be difficult to predict what its electrified future may look like when it has yet to compete with a hybrid powertrain.

But Formula 1 shows a fascinating path forward thanks to its 2026 engine regulations. The cars will retain a turbocharged 1.6-liter V6 engine, but electrical power will triple while more braking energy will be harvested. That means that the cars will be able to produce over 1,000 horsepower, despite using less fuel.