Formula 1 is always on the precipice of automotive innovation, with drivers and manufacturers constantly pushing the limits of automotive power, efficiency, and technology. Just as manufacturing, electronic, chemical, and software technology has advanced into the new century, Formula 1 racing technology has changed drastically since its inception in 1946.
Most notably, recent engine restrictions and utilization of the energy recovery system in the overall power unit have paved the way into a new dimension for Formula 1 racing. Let's explore the modern Formula 1 power unit to understand better how it works and why it's so innovative.
F1 Engine History
In the early 2000s, most Formula 1 race cars boasted high-RPM, naturally aspirated V-10 engines―such as the Ferrari 050 and BMW P80―which could achieve up to 900 horsepower. By the late 2000s, the large gas-guzzling V10s were on their way out, replaced by the RPM-limited, 2.4-liter V8s. The V8 engines promised to increase efficiency while still achieving close to 800 hp. However, with the innovation of electric motor and battery technology in the first decade of the 21st century, and the gradual acceptance of both technologies in the automotive world, a renaissance in Formula 1 was quickly approaching.
In 2014, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) revised Formula 1 race car engine requirements, requiring that all vehicles feature RPM-limited, 1.6-liter turbocharged V6 engines with an energy recovery power unit. Although engine size had dropped to nearly half the capacity of a decade earlier, the engineering genius of the 2014 turbocharged V6 power unit combination has still allowed Formula 1 race cars to achieve up to 850hp. By the 2019 Formula 1 racing season, multiple engines have achieved up to 1,000 hp based on the same configuration.
How does an F1 Engine Work?
To achieve the power necessary for Formula 1 racing, the F1 power unit engines require absolute efficiency. While nearly all components in an F1 engine are custom to some capacity, their ability to work together is what gives these engines their true capacity to shine on the track. These engines are capable of capturing over 50% of the available energy in the fuel using a combination of innovative features:
1. Mechanical Muscle
The first component of the F1 power unit is the mechanical engine. Fundamentally similar to the V6 engine you'd find in a common road car, these internal combustion engines turn thermal energy into mechanical energy to drive a crankshaft. Custom-designed lubricants, mechanically brilliant machining, and other proprietary optimizations maximize thermal efficiency throughout the entire combustion engine. These engines can turn more energy into crankshaft power than ever before, minimizing wasted energy in exhaust and other heat.
2. Energy Recapture
Even though the internal combustion has reached record-breaking efficiency, it still outputs a significant amount of wasted energy. To offset that waste, turbochargers attempt to recapture as much of the waste energy as possible. The FIA refers to these turbos as MGU-H, which stands for Motor Generating Unit-Heat.
The innovative nature of Formula 1 turbochargers comes from their ability to force more air into the engine while also doubling as a generator. During acceleration events, these turbines spin at almost 100,000 RPM by the energy contained in the exhaust. Like most commercial turbos, they then spin a secondary turbine compressor and force fresh air into the combustion chamber of the mechanical engine to optimize combustion. The spinning shaft of the turbine also spins an electrical motor that acts as a generator, creating electrical power that's stored in the onboard energy storage system or transferred to the Kinetic Motor Generating Unit (MGU-K).
3. F1 Engine Recovery and Reinvestment
The MGU-K connects to the motor's crankshaft and acts as a secondary motor, adding mechanical power to the crankshaft during acceleration events. When in acceleration mode, MGU-K supplements the crankshaft's energy output. Keep in mind that the turbine in MGU-H harvests 100% of the energy that the MGU-K uses.
The genius of the modern F1 power unit's energy recovery unit is its omnidirectional nature. Not only can MGU-K act as a motor, but it can also generate energy. Similarly, MGU-H does not always act as a generator, but it can also act as a motor. Whether the driver is accelerating or braking, the power unit is harvesting energy from processes that would naturally waste energy.
4. "Braking" the Glass
During braking events, MGU-K harvests energy from the kinetically driven crankshaft. MGU-K transfers this electrical power to the energy storage system where it awaits transfer to MGU-H. As the vehicle slows down during braking and non-acceleration events, the turbo speed also declines, which decreases the efficiency of the compressor pumping air into the vehicle. As an acceleration event starts, the time that a turbo takes to reach optimum speed is referred to as 'turbo lag.' This turbo lag negatively affects efficiency. To counteract this inefficiency, MGU-H steps in. It uses the energy that the MGU-K gathers to keep the turbo spinning at optimum speeds, effectively eliminating turbo lag.
The modern Formula 1 power unit's energy recovery system is one of the sport's most innovative developments. It pushes the bounds of mechanical and electrical systems, working together to optimize efficiency and power simultaneously. While the FIA will continue to challenge Formula 1 to meet stringent specifications around efficiencies―such as the upcoming requirement of 20% biofuels in the 2021 season―F1 engineers will continue to push the bounds of power and innovation.