KERS has since been renamed Motor Generator Unit – Heat, and heat energy recovery systems have been permitted, and are known as Motor Generator Unit – Heat. With complaints from the fans growing louder than the engines, turbo wastegates were introduced in an attempt to bring the more familiar buzz back to being trackside.Īlthough the power output of the engines was reduced, the introduction of energy recovery systems (known as KERS) saw a boost of 160hp and two megajoules per lap. The new regulations included multiple Energy Recovery Systems and fuel flow restrictions to entice more commercial partners to the sport, however, the changes alienated fans as the MGU-H and MGU-K hybrid units produced a much different engine noise than their predecessors. The most recent rule changes for F1 engines were introduced for the 2014 season, when engines were changed from the high-pitched screaming 2.4 litre V8 to a vacuum-cleaner sounding 1.6 litre V6 turbo, which were not popular on their debut at Albert Park in Melbourne. The complexity of the hybrid system power-unit also adds to the complexity of answering the question of how long an F1 engine lasts. While ‘boring’ is highly subjective, most agree that overall Formula 1 is better served when costs are reduced and more cars finish races. The rule changes, coupled with improvements in reliability, has seen many armchair experts complaining that F1 is boring. On the other hand, if we look back to the engineering of the 80’s and 90’s, we would often have races with only a handful of finishers, due to such high numbers of drivers retiring from races with reliability issues. If we take the 2000’s as an example, a driver would use one highly-tuned engine specifically for qualifying, then another for the race, then use brand new engines for the next round – although the engine performance was majestical this was highly unsustainable. Today, as per several rule changes that allow for three engines (known as Power Units) to be used throughout a season, an F1 engine is designed to last much longer than their predecessors. Have you ever wondered how long an F1 engine can last? Thankfully, today they last a lot longer than they did in the ’80s, ’90s, and even 2000s. What was the most powerful F1 car ever?.What are the 2022 Formula 1 engine changes?.When were new F1 engine rules introduced?.

2018 f1 car changes