Modern Formula 1 cars don’t shout their numbers from a spec sheet — but under the bodywork, they’re putting out power levels that would make a hypercar blush.
The current figure
- Today’s 1.6-litre V6 turbo-hybrid power units produce around 1,000 horsepower in total.
- Roughly 750 hp comes from the internal combustion engine.
- Another 150–160 hp comes from the hybrid system (the MGU-K harvesting energy under braking and redeploying it on acceleration).
What it means
- Power-to-weight ratio is where F1 cars destroy everything else: over 1,000 hp per ~800 kg. That’s more than 1.2 hp per kilo, double most hypercars.
- All that shove is delivered through just the rear wheels, with no traction control, which is why drivers constantly fight wheelspin on corner exits.
The future (2026 regs)
- The next-gen engines will keep the 1.6 V6 but lean harder on electrification: nearly a 50/50 split between engine and electric.
- Still around 1,000 hp total, but with a bigger electric punch and 100% sustainable fuels.
The drivertalk take
An F1 car doesn’t just have 1,000 horsepower — it uses it like no other machine can. Forget straight-line bragging rights. The point is unleashing that power while cornering at 5G, braking at 6G, and surviving a race distance without the whole thing exploding. That’s Formula 1 horsepower.
