Matt Harman, Technical Director of Engineering at Grove, and Angelos Tsiaparas, Head of Trackside Engineering, have admitted that teams will utilize every possible option this year to ensure the necessary electrical energy to complete a lap. This is because traditional braking recovery alone will simply not be enough for the 2026 regulations.
The issue is a major talking point in the paddock and risks becoming a thorny subject: the electric motor on the new Power Units has nearly tripled in power, jumping from the 120 kW used last year to a staggering 350 kW. However, the battery capacity is only marginally larger than the units utilized through 2025.
Given these parameters, it is clear that the available electrical energy is insufficient to cover an entire lap at full tilt. While active aerodynamics were introduced specifically to reduce drag and ease the load on the ERS, it is evidently not enough. Consequently, teams are developing fascinating alternative solutions to avoid finding themselves halfway down a straight with only half their power available.
Engines “singing” in the corners: The Williams confirmation
Speaking at the launch of the FW48 livery, Matt Harman addressed the technical details, confirming a theory long discussed by specialists: in 2026, we will hear internal combustion engines “singing” even mid-corner, as teams burn fuel specifically to recharge the battery.
“Fundamentally, energy recovery on the new F1 cars will be a massive challenge. We know we have active aerodynamics on the car, but we must ensure we can maximize energy recovery, especially at certain circuits,” Harman explained.
“We shouldn’t be surprised if we hear drivers using a lower gear than what would normally be necessary to try and recover energy at very important points of the lap. As it stands, it’s rare to even hear first gear being engaged, but this year it can’t be ruled out in certain situations.”
“It will be vital to understand how to exploit the Power Unit to its fullest; with these regulations, there are several options and systems to do so. In fact, drivers will be required to adapt their driving style because they will be asked to perform actions that aren’t exactly natural.”
Will energy recovery happen exclusively during braking?
“Not all of it, no. So, we will look to promote maximum electricity recovery during the lap in every way possible,” Harman noted.
When asked if we would hear engines at high RPMs even while cornering, Harman was definitive: “In practice, that’s how it will be. Absolutely.”
Harman then handed over to Angelos Tsiaparas, Head of Trackside Engineering, to elaborate on the mechanical reality of this strategy.
“Think of a hybrid road car: suppose it has equal thermal and electrical power. You don’t necessarily have to press the brake pedal to gather energy through the electric motor. At any moment, it’s possible for the electric motor to produce negative torque. Essentially, you can use fuel to generate electrical energy. It’s not an absolute novelty at all.”
“We have to feed an electric motor-generator that is three times more powerful than in the past, so using the internal combustion engine for charging will become an attractive strategy. In fact, a very powerful one.”
The key factor for early season performance
As for what will determine the pecking order at the start of the championship, Tsiaparas believes integration is everything.
“I think the determining factor will depend on the performance of individual subsystems. If you have a very advanced integration between the Power Unit and the chassis, you could be very far ahead in optimization. If, on the other hand, difficulties emerge in certain aspects, then there will be a risk of having to overhaul the management of the car.”
The candid admissions from Matt Harman and Angelos Tsiaparas regarding Williams’ 2026 energy strategy highlight the extreme engineering compromises required by the new Power Unit regulations. By utilizing the internal combustion engine to “charge” the battery during corners—essentially turning the V6 into a generator—teams are venturing into a new era of tactical driving where auditory cues like high RPMs in slow bends will become the new normal. The success of the FW48 will hinge on how seamlessly Williams can integrate this unconventional “negative torque” charging into their chassis software, ensuring that drivers like Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon have the full 350 kW punch exactly when they need it most during the race.
Williams has therefore confirmed that 2026 F1 cars will rely on “burning fuel to charge” strategies, forcing drivers to adapt to an unnatural style of driving to maintain electrical energy throughout the lap.
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