On the eve of the season-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, McLaren Racing and Mercedes-Benz as we speak introduced that the McLaren F1 crew will proceed to get pleasure from Mercedes-AMG energy from 2026 to 2030, thereby turning into the model’s first buyer for the brand new 2026 energy unit rules alongside the works crew.
McLaren has been powered by Mercedes-AMG since 2021, and in a earlier period from 1995 to 2014 constantly. 2026 will subsequently mark the twenty sixth 12 months of collaboration between the 2 prestigious manufacturers, each of which have dedicated to and invested within the sport over many many years and at the moment are cornerstones of the game.
Mercedes powered the primary ever hybrid race win in F1 on the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix with the KERS system and has led the best way in innovation and efficiency because the introduction of the present energy unit rules in 2014. Mercedes-AMG has powered 114 victories in 203 Grands Prix, together with two for buyer groups. Throughout, sturdy buyer groups have performed a key position in growth and studying, alongside the works crew.
Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport Toto Wolff mentioned: “It has been a cornerstone of our motorsport technique to work with sturdy buyer groups. This has many benefits: it provides a transparent aggressive benchmark, accelerates our technical studying, and strengthens the general F1 enterprise case for Mercedes-Benz.
“McLaren have been fierce and fair competitors since 2021, especially in the second half of this season. McLaren’s strong performances underline the importance of transparent and equal supply to all customer teams in the sport, if we wish to achieve the goal of ten teams capable of fighting for podium finishes.”
Markus Schaefer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Chief Technology Officer added: “We are delighted to continue our partnership with McLaren Racing to at least the end of this decade. The long-term nature of this agreement reflects our shared trust and commitment to our future power unit strategy. Together, we look forward to building momentum towards 2026 and the beginning of another new era of an electrified innovative power unit design in Formula One.”
For 2026, Formula One will welcome two new energy unit producers to the present 4 incumbents, because it tackles one other paradigm shift in technical rules. The new energy items will get pleasure from 50% inner combustion and 50% electrical energy. This has been achieved by rising electrical efficiency and rebalancing the efficiency of the interior combustion engine, to ship a most output of over 1000 horsepower.
The new energy items will run on 100% sustainable gasoline – which is able to conform to strict sustainability standards in each its manufacturing and formulation – and general gasoline consumption can be decreased. The electrical methods on the ability unit have been taken to the subsequent efficiency stage, and it’ll characteristic a single 350 kW electrical motor – which is sort of 3 times extra highly effective than the present MGU-Ok, and would require the event of an acceptable high-performance battery system.
Furthermore, growth of the brand new technology of energy items will happen below price cap rules, designed to restrict most technical spend on the challenge and consolidate the funding case for energy unit provide within the sport.
Hywel Thomas, Managing Director, Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains added: “Looking forward to 2026, growth of the brand new energy unit has been underway since mid-2022 at Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains in Brixworth, UK.
“This high-performance R&D centre has produced every Mercedes-AMG F1 powertrain, but is also a cutting-edge development facility for the wider group when it comes to high-performance electric propulsion technology. Preparation for 2026 is a long-term game, in which clarity and continuity will be extremely important; and a healthy portfolio of the best possible customer teams will deliver faster learning when the cars hit the track in 2026.”
Speaking of the announcement, McLaren CEO Zak Brown commented: “Mercedes-Benz have been a superb and dependable accomplice of the McLaren Formula 1 crew.
“The extension signifies the confidence that our shareholders and the wider team have in their powertrains and the direction we’re taking with them into the new era of regulations ahead. We have been successful together, both in the last three seasons and when they previously powered the team, so we look forward to the success to come as we continue our journey to fight consistently at the front of the grid.”
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