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Mercedes, Ferrari, and Honda are all registered suppliers for Formula 1’s 2026–2030 rules cycle, but the public evidence does not establish which makes the best overall power unit. The FIA’s published comparison covers one part of the engine—the internal-combustion engine (ICE)—and withholds the underlying measurements. To compare suppliers fairly, separate that limited disclosure from electrical performance, reliability, chassis integration, and race results.
What changed for 2026 F1 engines?
The 2026 rules give all suppliers the same basic technical framework: the power unit retains a 1.6-litre V6, electrical power rises to 350 kW, and the MGU-H is removed. The FIA presented the changes as part of a broader effort to simplify the power unit, reduce costs, and support sustainability. These are shared regulations, not advantages unique to Mercedes, Ferrari, or Honda. See the FIA’s 2026 power-unit framework announcement.
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Which suppliers are registered for the 2026–2030 cycle?
The FIA named six registered power-unit manufacturers on 3 February 2023: Alpine Racing, Audi, Ferrari S.p.A., Honda Racing Corporation, Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains Ltd., and Red Bull Ford. That confirms Mercedes, Ferrari, and Honda are participants in the cycle; registration is not a measure of performance. The FIA announcement lists the manufacturers.
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What does the FIA’s 2026 performance disclosure say?
Under the Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) mechanism, the FIA assessed ICE performance against regulatory thresholds. Its notice covering the first and second 2026 review periods placed Mercedes in the 2–4% ICE performance-deficit window in the first period. Ferrari and Honda, along with Audi, were above 4% in that same period. These are FIA categories for ICE performance under ADUO—not published measurements of each supplier’s total power-unit output or a precise head-to-head percentage ranking.
The FIA said no additional homologations were granted to any manufacturer in the second review period. It also stated: “Due to the confidential nature of this information, no further details on Power Unit performance index measurements will be communicated.” The FIA notice on the first and second 2026 ADUO review periods describes the findings and the limits on disclosure.
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A useful comparison keeps unlike evidence separate. An ICE performance band can inform one part of the picture, but it cannot stand in for a complete assessment of a power unit or a race car.
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Internal-combustion performance
Use the FIA’s ADUO disclosure as evidence about the ICE categories it actually covers. The confidential index prevents readers from seeing the detailed measurements, and the category bands do not reveal exact supplier-to-supplier gaps. Avoid turning “2–4%” or “above 4%” into a claim about overall power, lap time, or the size of the difference between two named suppliers.
Electrical performance and energy use
The 350 kW figure describes the 2026 framework, not a public supplier-by-supplier comparison. The cited FIA disclosure does not provide comparable results for electrical output, deployment, or energy efficiency. Without equivalent data for each supplier, those areas cannot support a defensible ranking here.
Reliability and race results
A reliability or results comparison needs a defined period and like-for-like evidence, such as comparable failure counts or race outcomes across the same conditions. The FIA ADUO categories do not establish either. A team’s race result also reflects more than its power unit, so it should not automatically be credited to or blamed on the supplier.
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Chassis integration and team execution
The power unit works within a complete car. Chassis design, aerodynamics, software, cooling, energy management, and team execution can all shape what appears on track. A supplier comparison should distinguish those factors rather than treating a team’s pace as a direct measurement of its engine.
Development allowances
ADUO is a regulatory mechanism for development opportunities, not a direct measure of lap time or a forecast of future performance. The FIA’s report of additional homologations in the first review period and none in the second describes the allowances granted at those reviews; it does not, by itself, show how much performance any supplier gained or will gain.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which F1 power unit is best?
The published evidence does not support a complete overall winner among Mercedes, Ferrari, and Honda. It does support a narrower statement: in the first 2026 ADUO review period, Mercedes was in the 2–4% ICE deficit window, while Ferrari and Honda were above 4%. Because the FIA has not published the detailed index and the disclosure does not measure electrical performance, reliability, integration, or race pace, that finding should not be stretched into a verdict on the best complete power unit.
