Monaco could reveal both the strengths and weaknesses of the 2026 power units
Just two weeks ago, Formula 1 visited Canada, one of the most challenging circuits of the season when it comes to energy recovery. In qualifying trim, drivers were limited to recovering just 6 MJ per lap, making energy management a critical part of performance.
The situation could not be more different in Monaco. The tight streets of the Principality, packed with heavy braking zones and slow-speed corners, provide ideal conditions for energy recovery. As a result, the Monaco Grand Prix is expected to showcase some of the best qualities of the 2026 Formula 1 cars and their new-generation power units.
With so many opportunities to recharge the battery while keeping engine speeds relatively high, energy management should be far less restrictive than at most circuits. In fact, the FIA has allowed teams to use the maximum qualifying allocation of 9 MJ, matching the figure previously seen in China.
There is, however, a crucial difference. Unlike Shanghai, Monaco does not feature long straights where significant derating or aggressive clipping becomes unavoidable.
The FIA has already taken steps to slow the cars down
In many ways, Monaco presents the opposite problem.
The effectiveness of the electric motor when accelerating out of slow corners would naturally produce extremely high speeds by the standards of the Principality. To avoid excessive top speeds, the FIA has introduced specific measures for the weekend. The MGU-K will begin reducing its power output from 200 km/h rather than the 290 km/h threshold used at most other circuits. The intention is simple: keep speeds under control on a track where safety margins are already minimal.
All these factors should allow teams to fully exploit the available 9 MJ of electrical energy. Yet an intriguing question remains: can having too much energy actually become a disadvantage?
When a full battery becomes a problem
According to Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson, that possibility is very real.
“We could actually face the opposite risk, which is having too much energy, and that could make things much more complicated,” Lawson explained ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix.
“Normally we struggle with having too little energy, but on a circuit like this it is not simply a case of having the battery permanently full and everything being perfect. It can actually create many other issues that we will need to manage.
“On the first lap, at the race start, when everyone is moving slowly, we cannot deploy the energy, and that can make things complicated for us.”
The concept may seem counterintuitive, but Formula 1 engineers have encountered similar situations before. Even under previous regulations, there were circumstances where starting a lap with a fully charged battery was not always the optimal solution.
The same challenge has now returned under the 2026 rules.
The turbo challenge without the MGU-H
The most significant issue concerns turbocharger behaviour.
With the removal of the MGU-H, managing turbo response and reducing turbo lag has become substantially more difficult. As a result, power unit performance now depends even more heavily on how the electrical systems interact with the combustion engine. The MGU-K does far more than simply provide extra power. Under certain conditions, it also helps the turbo reach its ideal operating window more quickly.
That becomes particularly important at low speeds. During a qualifying lap, after exiting a slow corner, or in the opening metres of a race, drivers often need assistance to bring the turbo up to speed quickly enough to deliver maximum combustion-engine performance.
The problem arises when the battery reaches its recovery limit. Once the battery is effectively full, the MGU-K can no longer convert additional mechanical power into stored electrical energy. As a consequence, it also loses some of its ability to help the turbo spool up efficiently.
The result can be increased turbo lag and weaker acceleration when exiting corners.
Under high engine loads, the turbo naturally spins up more effectively because larger volumes of air pass through the engine. However, during the first moments of acceleration from a slow corner, airflow remains relatively low, making it harder for the turbo to reach peak efficiency.
In these situations, the MGU-K can create additional load on the engine, helping the turbo accelerate more rapidly and improving throttle response.
However, this is only possible if the battery still has room to accept energy. If it is already fully charged, that artificial assistance disappears.
Why Ferrari could have an advantage
McLaren driver Oscar Piastri believes this characteristic could work in Ferrari’s favour.
Ferrari’s 2026 power unit is understood to feature a smaller turbocharger than some of its rivals, reducing the negative effects associated with losing boost pressure. As a result, the Scuderia may be less vulnerable to the turbo-management complications that could emerge around Monaco.
“We all know these turbos take an incredible amount of time to come onto boost,” Piastri explained.
“Some do it faster than others, obviously. Essentially, there are situations where if you are already at maximum electrical power and then lose boost pressure, you no longer have the combustion-engine power available either.”
“That means you lose a significant amount of performance. And I think that is definitely one of Ferrari’s strengths. They do not have to be quite as critical in their management because they lose less performance when turbo boost drops away. So it will still be something teams need to manage here. We will probably see first gear being used quite frequently.”
The Australian believes drivers may increasingly rely on first gear and very short gear ratios throughout the Monaco weekend in order to keep engine revs high, maintain turbo speed and minimise lag.
While Monaco appears to be the ideal environment for Formula 1’s new hybrid power units, the weekend could ultimately highlight an unexpected reality: sometimes having too much electrical energy can be almost as challenging as having too little.
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