On the eve of Method 1’s new period, the plain query is the place all groups and producers stand, but additionally what the largest efficiency differentiator might be this season.
FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis has shared the expectation that the interior combustion engine will largely decide the pecking order in 2026. Ben Hodgkinson, director of Pink Bull Ford Powertrains, shares that view partly, however not solely.
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Requested by Motorsport whether or not the interior combustion engine (ICE) can be the principle efficiency differentiator in 2026, Hodgkinson acknowledged this was probably for the brand new energy models – regardless of the elevated share {of electrical} energy – however added that the aerodynamic facet of the rules shouldn’t be underestimated.
“I feel inside the energy unit house itself it may very well be true that the interior combustion engine is perhaps the largest differentiator,” Hodgkinson mentioned. “I feel that on the ERS facet everybody might be kind of 99% environment friendly on their energy electronics and their motor.
“I feel the largest variations are most likely going to be on the ICE facet, and that does work along with your gasoline companion quite a bit as properly. So in our case, ExxonMobil has been actually important in making an attempt to get as a lot efficiency as we are able to out of the ICE.”
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That mentioned, he doesn’t count on a repeat of 2014. Again then, Hodgkinson’s former employer Mercedes was up to now forward with the facility unit that its dominance was successfully locked in for years.
“I feel the variations between the facility models are going to be lower than we have seen in 2014, as a result of the facility unit or the ICE specifically could be very, very comparable,” he defined. “Sure, it is received sustainable fuels and sure, we have misplaced the MGU-H and there is been a compression ratio restrict. There’s been numerous tweaks to the rules that intentionally type of reset combustion know-how, but it surely’s not 1,000,000 miles away [from what we had].”
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In sure respects, the rules have turn into much more accessible than earlier than, which was additionally the intention for newcomers corresponding to Audi.
“It isn’t like we’re all of the sudden growing a special configuration,” Hodgkinson identified. “It is nonetheless a V6, and it is nonetheless essentially the identical. All of the decreasing of issues like compression ratio and increase limits have truly made the masses a bit much less, so the stress the elements should undergo is a little bit simpler.
“I feel the facility models may very well be comparable. Possibly I am saying that as a result of technically we’re newcomers as Pink Bull Powertrains, though an terrible lot of my workers have numerous F1 expertise. Possibly I do not really feel a lot like a newcomer as maybe we must always do, and possibly that is why I am saying that.
“It’s going to be fascinating to see the place all the opposite groups are, however I suppose there is a greater danger on the aero facet.”
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The FIA has acknowledged that it expects variations on that entrance as properly, though the governing physique added that there might be vital convergence within the months – as was the case in 2022. Hodgkinson, nevertheless, nonetheless believes it may very well be a significant efficiency differentiator in 2026.
“However aerodynamics shouldn’t be actually my experience, so that you should not actually take it as an official assertion,” he laughed. “Nevertheless it’s a whole reset with the entire automobile, it is not only a reset for the facility models. So yeah, there ought to be variations, and we’ll see what they’re.”
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