Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have reached the 2026 F1 power unit limit in three separate categories as the season reaches its halfway point at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Both Ferrari drivers have used the maximum permitted allocation of three MGU-Ks, three energy stores and three power unit control electronics, leaving them at risk of future grid penalties if another replacement becomes necessary.
Neither Ferrari driver received an automatic power unit penalty in Budapest, as their four power unit ancillary components remain within the limit of six. Across the wider grid, however, Lando Norris, Carlos Sainz, Isack Hadjar, Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso have already exceeded at least one of the regulatory limits.
Why 2026 F1 power unit limits are becoming crucial
The World Championship has reached the 11th round of the 22 races currently remaining on the 2026 Formula 1 calendar. That number could increase if one of the two cancelled events in the Middle East is recovered, or decrease if the final two rounds are also cancelled.
The Hungarian Grand Prix weekend therefore represents the halfway point of the season, and power unit management is entering an increasingly delicate phase. Several drivers have already reached or surpassed the maximum number of components allowed in individual categories.
With another 11 Grands Prix still scheduled after Budapest, the available margin is becoming increasingly important. Drivers who have already reached a limit must either complete the season without introducing another component in that category or accept a future grid penalty.
How teams rotate power unit components
Teams do not install a new power unit component only when the previous one can no longer be used. Instead, individual elements are rotated between free practice, qualifying and the race, with the least worn components preserved for the most demanding events.
Parts with higher mileage can be assigned to Friday practice sessions or circuits that place less strain on the power unit. The number of components used is therefore not simply an indication of reliability; it also reflects the rotation strategy chosen by each team.
How ADUO affects the power unit picture
The situation is further complicated by the FIA’s ADUO mechanism. Introduced to allow struggling power unit manufacturers to recover part of their performance deficit, the system can accelerate the arrival of new specifications and indirectly influence the management of each manufacturer’s available engine pool.
A newly homologated component can enter the rotation before the earlier specification has reached the end of its useful life. The FIA has clarified that ADUO permits changes to the existing homologated package rather than the development of a completely new engine, defining the scope of the upgrades manufacturers may introduce.
For Ferrari, this factor is particularly relevant after the manufacturer received its first ADUO allocation for power unit development. The raw component count must consequently be considered alongside the specifications and rotation programmes being used by each manufacturer.
Updated 2026 F1 power unit usage table
Data updated from the FIA documents covering the new power unit components introduced for the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix.
Abbreviations: ICE – internal combustion engine; TC – turbocharger; EXH – exhaust; MGU-K – motor generator unit-kinetic; ES – energy store; PU-CE – power unit control electronics; PU-ANC – power unit ancillary components.
| No. | Team | Driver | ICE | TC | EXH | MGU-K | ES | PU-CE | PU-ANC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 81 | McLaren | Oscar Piastri | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 01 | McLaren | Lando Norris | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| 63 | Mercedes | George Russell | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 5 |
| 12 | Mercedes | Kimi Antonelli | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 5 |
| 03 | Red Bull | Max Verstappen | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 06 | Red Bull | Isack Hadjar | 5 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| 16 | Ferrari | Charles Leclerc | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| 44 | Ferrari | Lewis Hamilton | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| 23 | Williams | Alexander Albon | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| 55 | Williams | Carlos Sainz | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| 41 | Racing Bulls | Arvid Lindblad | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 30 | Racing Bulls | Liam Lawson | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 18 | Aston Martin | Lance Stroll | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| 14 | Aston Martin | Fernando Alonso | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 7 |
| 31 | Haas | Esteban Ocon | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| 87 | Haas | Oliver Bearman | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 27 | Audi | Nico Hülkenberg | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 05 | Audi | Gabriel Bortoleto | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 10 | Alpine | Pierre Gasly | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 43 | Alpine | Franco Colapinto | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 11 | Cadillac | Sergio Perez | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 77 | Cadillac | Valtteri Bottas | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
FIA power unit limits and grid penalties for 2026
The regulatory framework is defined by Article B8.2, titled Power Unit Limitations & Usage. This section establishes the maximum number of components that may be used, the counting criteria and the penalties imposed when those limits are exceeded.
For 2026 only, as the first season of the new technical cycle, the regulations grant every driver one additional component in each category. The seasonal limits therefore rise to four ICEs, four turbochargers, four exhausts, three MGU-Ks, three energy stores, three power unit control electronics and six power unit ancillary components.
When a driver exceeds one of these limits, a grid penalty is imposed. The first additional unit brings a 10-place grid drop, while every subsequent extra component of the same type results in a five-place penalty. These sanctions are cumulative and are applied at the event during which the new component is fitted.
If several additional units of the same type are introduced during one weekend, only the final one may be reused at subsequent Grands Prix without triggering another penalty. Certain EXC components or minor parts can still be replaced without a penalty, provided that the work is completed under FIA supervision and compliant components are used.
No new automatic power unit penalties in Budapest
The new documents published in Budapest produced no additional automatic penalties. Charles Leclerc, Arvid Lindblad and Gabriel Bortoleto moved from their third to their fourth PU-ANC, remaining comfortably within the six permitted under Article B8.2.2 g).
A second document concerning Arvid Lindblad, published on 25 July, also did not place the Racing Bulls driver in penalty territory.
Which drivers have already exceeded the limits?
The drivers who have already exceeded at least one regulatory limit are Lando Norris, Carlos Sainz, Isack Hadjar, Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso. Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz have each used four PU-CEs against an allocation of three.
Isack Hadjar is in the most difficult position, having used five ICEs, five turbochargers, five exhausts, four energy stores and four power unit control electronics. The Red Bull driver has therefore exceeded the permitted allocation in five separate categories.
Aston Martin also face an extremely challenging management situation. Lance Stroll has reached four MGU-Ks, five energy stores and five power unit control electronics. Fernando Alonso has used four MGU-Ks, five energy stores, five control electronics and seven power unit ancillary components.
Fernando Alonso has therefore exceeded the 2026 limit of six ancillary components, in addition to having already exhausted the available margin for the main electrical components.
Ferrari drivers among those on their final components
A particularly large group of drivers is now using the final permitted component in one or more categories. Kimi Antonelli has reached four ICEs and four exhausts, as well as three energy stores and three power unit control electronics.
George Russell, Alexander Albon and Franco Colapinto have reached the limit for both the energy store and control electronics. George Russell’s component management has also come under attention following the Mercedes engine change prompted by a water leak in Hungary.
Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, Esteban Ocon, Oliver Bearman, Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas have no remaining margin for the MGU-K, energy store or power unit control electronics. Lando Norris, who is already over the limit for control electronics, has also reached his allocation of three energy stores.
Among the Audi drivers, Nico Hülkenberg still has a considerable margin with only one energy store and one power unit control electronics used. However, Nico Hülkenberg has already used all three permitted MGU-Ks.
Gabriel Bortoleto is in the same position with the MGU-K and has also reached the limit for power unit control electronics. Moving onto a fourth power unit ancillary component does not yet create a regulatory problem for Gabriel Bortoleto.
Oscar Piastri, Max Verstappen, Liam Lawson, Pierre Gasly and Arvid Lindblad remain in more favourable positions, with spare capacity available in most categories. Overall, however, the greatest power unit penalty risk during the second half of the season concerns the MGU-K, energy store and control electronics. These are the categories in which the largest number of drivers can no longer introduce another replacement without a grid penalty.
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