24/11/2023
NEWS STORY
McLaren has announced that it will continue to use Mercedes power units once the new regulations are introduced in 2026 as it extends partnership until 2030.
The Woking team thereby becomes Mercedes first customer for the new 2026 power unit regulations alongside the works team.
McLaren has been powered by Mercedes-AMG since 2021, and in a previous era from 1995 to 2014 continuously. 2026 will therefore mark the 26th year of collaboration between the two, both of which have committed to and invested in the sport over many decades and are now cornerstones of the sport.
"We are delighted to continue our partnership with McLaren Racing to at least the end of this decade," said Markus Schaefer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Chief Technology Officer. "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 1."
Mercedes powered the first ever hybrid race win in F1 at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix with the KERS system and has led the way in innovation and performance since the introduction of the current power unit regulations in 2014.
Mercedes has powered 114 victories in 203 grands prix, including two for customer teams. Throughout, strong customer teams have played a key role in development and learning, alongside the works team.
"It has been a cornerstone of our motorsport strategy to work with strong customer teams," said Toto Wolff. "This has many advantages: it gives a clear competitive benchmark, accelerates our technical learning, and strengthens the overall F1 business 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 10 teams capable of fighting for podium finishes."
For 2026, Formula 1 will welcome two new power unit manufacturers to the current four incumbents, as it tackles another paradigm shift in technical regulations. The new power units will enjoy 50% internal combustion and 50% electrical power. This has been achieved by increasing electrical performance and rebalancing the performance of the internal combustion engine, to deliver a maximum output of over 1000 horsepower.
The new power units will run on 100% sustainable fuel - which will conform to strict sustainability criteria in both its production and formulation - and overall fuel consumption will be reduced. The electrical systems on the power unit have been taken to the next performance level, and it will feature a single 350 kW electric motor - which is nearly three times more powerful than the current MGU-K, and will require the development of a suitable high-performance battery system.
Furthermore, development of the new generation of power units will take place under cost cap regulations, designed to limit maximum technical spend on the project and consolidate the investment case for power unit supply in the sport.
"The team at HPP enjoys a long and successful history with McLaren, and we're delighted to confirm the extension of the relationship into the new regulation cycle," said Hywel Thomas, Managing Director, Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains. "Securing this agreement now, with two full seasons until we race the 2026 power unit, gives us a great opportunity to optimise our combined efforts for lap time. We are looking forward to renewing our relationship and working together towards that goal."
Looking ahead to 2026, development of the new power unit has been underway since mid-2022 at Brixworth. 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.
"Mercedes-Benz have been a brilliant and reliable partner of the team," said Zak Brown. "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."
McLaren returned to Mercedes-AMG power in 2021. Since then, the team has won the 2021 Italian Grand Prix, which is the most recent victory for any customer team in Formula 1. McLaren have scored 15 grands prix podium finishes in the past three seasons, as well as pole at the F1 Sprint in Brazil, and pole and victory in the F1 Sprint in Qatar this season.
"We are pleased to confirm a long-term renewal of our power unit deal with Mercedes into the new era of regulations," said Andrea Stella. "We have great confidence in Mercedes and our relationship with them. They've supported our journey back to the front of the grid so far, and the security and stability this partnership brings is vital in ensuring we remain on this upward trajectory. I would like to thank them for their collaboration so far and we look forward to the years to come."
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