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Formula 1’s new power units are the biggest talking point of the year, with the entire new regulations cycle built around the engine and how it works.
Up until now, the story has been about how much electrical and conventional power the engines use, but recently Oscar Piastri’s comments on the power unit have taken focus.
Power units now have an AI component that calculates how to deploy energy and power.
The computer in the engine can essentially self-teach in real time and figure out, accounting for all the necessary variables.
May 23, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CANADA; McLaren driver Oscar Piastri (81) and team member during Lenovo Grand Prix Du Canada sprint race at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
Piastri found it quite frustrating that at times he lacked power on some laps or had too much on others, mainly complicating qualifying push laps.
“It sucks. I can’t really say it any other way than that,” Piastri said.
“When you’ve got qualifying grids decided by computers behaving or misbehaving, it’s a pretty c–p way of going racing.”
MONTREAL, QUEBEC – JUNE 15: George Russell of Great Britain driving the (63) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team W16 leads Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB21 Oscar Piastri of Australia driving the (81) McLaren MCL39 Mercedes and the rest of the field at the start during the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on June 15, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec. (Photo by James Sutton/LAT Images)
Additionally, Lando Norris, the other McLaren driver, explained how powerless the drivers can be and how the engines can take hold of the situation.
“It’s got nothing to do with you as a driver, really. Sometimes it does and we’re talking about being a few metres early on the button or whatever. It just makes a big difference at times, but there are certain things within your control and a lot of things, way too many things, that are out of your control,” Norris said.
“It’s a shame that there’s so many things that can dictate your own pace in qualifying. It’s not down to the driver. It’s just down to hoping you get lucky that the power unit does what it should do and doesn’t do something silly.”
Factors like wind, grip level, and temperature can cause changes drivers don’t want.
Luckily, the summer break is coming soon and McLaren, along with the other teams, can tune their power units as they learn how the algorithm is performing.
While F1 has changed the regulations to rely less on electrical power, the teams are still at the mercy of this software that will continue to cause fits during its infancy.
Over the years, as they take in more data, they should become better and more optimized.
Continue reading...
Up until now, the story has been about how much electrical and conventional power the engines use, but recently Oscar Piastri’s comments on the power unit have taken focus.
Power units now have an AI component that calculates how to deploy energy and power.
The computer in the engine can essentially self-teach in real time and figure out, accounting for all the necessary variables.
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May 23, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CANADA; McLaren driver Oscar Piastri (81) and team member during Lenovo Grand Prix Du Canada sprint race at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
Piastri found it quite frustrating that at times he lacked power on some laps or had too much on others, mainly complicating qualifying push laps.
“It sucks. I can’t really say it any other way than that,” Piastri said.
“When you’ve got qualifying grids decided by computers behaving or misbehaving, it’s a pretty c–p way of going racing.”
You must be registered for see images attach
MONTREAL, QUEBEC – JUNE 15: George Russell of Great Britain driving the (63) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team W16 leads Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB21 Oscar Piastri of Australia driving the (81) McLaren MCL39 Mercedes and the rest of the field at the start during the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on June 15, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec. (Photo by James Sutton/LAT Images)
Additionally, Lando Norris, the other McLaren driver, explained how powerless the drivers can be and how the engines can take hold of the situation.
“It’s got nothing to do with you as a driver, really. Sometimes it does and we’re talking about being a few metres early on the button or whatever. It just makes a big difference at times, but there are certain things within your control and a lot of things, way too many things, that are out of your control,” Norris said.
“It’s a shame that there’s so many things that can dictate your own pace in qualifying. It’s not down to the driver. It’s just down to hoping you get lucky that the power unit does what it should do and doesn’t do something silly.”
Factors like wind, grip level, and temperature can cause changes drivers don’t want.
Luckily, the summer break is coming soon and McLaren, along with the other teams, can tune their power units as they learn how the algorithm is performing.
While F1 has changed the regulations to rely less on electrical power, the teams are still at the mercy of this software that will continue to cause fits during its infancy.
Over the years, as they take in more data, they should become better and more optimized.
Continue reading...
