The current Formula 1 power units are in their final year of use and are regulated so strictly that there is little room for potential developments to improve performance and reliability.
Yet, all the teams that have already presented their 2025 cars have done the same thing—worked on the few areas allowed by the technical regulations to find the last milliseconds, which this season could mean the difference between success and failure by the blink of an eye.
Today, Mercedes unveiled the W16, the car that will be entrusted to Andrea Kimi Antonelli and George Russell, also discussing the work done on the power unit to help the team extract performance from the “heart” of the new car.
Hywel Thomas, head of Mercedes’ power unit division, broadly outlined where his team at the Brixworth factory focused their efforts to meet the objectives set by the German team’s leadership.
“We have studied updates to improve reliability and introduced targeted innovations to ensure greater robustness, squeeze the last bit of performance out of the power unit, and give ourselves the best possible opportunities this season.”
“We have made good progress and hope that this work translates into performance and reliability on track.”
Given that hardware modifications to the power unit are nearly nonexistent due to regulatory restrictions, Mercedes has continued working on software—one of the few areas where teams can still tweak certain parameters to try and extract extra performance from frozen engines.
“With the major regulatory overhaul coming next year, 2025 marks the swan song of the current generation of power units. It is the end of an era. The success we have achieved since 2014 was only possible thanks to the hard work of a vast and talented group of people.”
“It is a source of pride to have been part of that team, and we would love to close this incredible chapter by adding to our achievements with another Mercedes team success. We are all focused on this goal.”
“Given the level of regulation, lap time gains are modest. There is still a chance to find small details that can make a difference between Saturday and Sunday. Last year, especially in qualifying, we saw how close some teams were, particularly at the front. Finding those 10 or 20 milliseconds is crucial—it can mean the difference between pole and second place, or even between the second and third row. We will continue chasing these small gains and hope to be in the title fight in Abu Dhabi.”
There were also comments on 2026, the year Formula 1 will undergo a major transformation due to new technical regulations that will require teams to design not only new cars but also different power units (for example, the MGU-H will be eliminated).
“The 2026 regulation change is a huge challenge, but it is one we welcome. It is an exciting evolution, particularly the work on sustainable fuels. Our partnership with Petronas and its expertise are crucial in this field. It is a massive project, and we are working hard to maximize every opportunity ahead of us,” Thomas concluded.
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