This decision could prove decisive in a context where every detail of the power unit suddenly becomes more delicate and crucial.
Ferrari and the small-turbo philosophy: an unexpected advantage?
Since 2014, engine manufacturers have had to work with a complex system, where the internal combustion engine power and the electric power were balanced thanks to the MGU-H, the electric motor mounted on the turbo shaft. This component ensured immediate response, controlled the turbo when necessary, generated energy, and kept the boost pressure stable.
With 2026, all of this disappears, and the turbo now depends solely on the exhaust gas flow. This change makes the size of the turbo and the ability to control it without electric assistance suddenly critical.
In this scenario, Ferrari seems to have found itself in the best position. During the hybrid years, it was the only team to use a smaller turbo, while other manufacturers opted for larger units.
As long as the MGU-H existed, both approaches worked: a large turbo could be “assisted” at low revs, while a small one could be braked when at risk of overspeed. Now, everything depends only on the exhaust flow, radically changing the picture.
A small turbo responds more quickly, is easier to control, and requires fewer interventions from the blow-off valves. A large turbo, on the other hand, risks being slower in critical phases and harder to manage without electric help, often requiring the pop-off or exhaust valves to open more frequently, wasting precious energy.
Turbo management in the new F1: responsiveness versus waste
Without the MGU-H, managing the turbo becomes an exercise in balance. The blow-off valves — one on the compressor side and one on the exhaust — become the only tools to prevent overspeed or overpressure. But every opening represents a real energy loss, no longer compensated electrically.
In 2026 Formula 1, where every joule counts, waste is the enemy. This is where Ferrari’s choice seems to show its full logic. A smaller turbo allows a quicker response during restarts, slow corners, and low-speed phases, as seen in standing starts and pit-lane exits during testing. It’s a behavior that suggests a more reactive system, easier to control, precisely in the conditions where a large turbo without the MGU-H risks showing its limits.
Looking at the bigger picture, the question arises: how is it possible that other manufacturers did not anticipate how much they depended on the MGU-H to manage their larger turbos? The feeling is that Ferrari understood the impact of removing the MGU-H before the others and built a design more suited to the new era.
If this intuition proves correct, 2026 could start with a technical surprise capable of shaking up the hierarchy. Maranello has not just found a solution — it may have found the technical key to 2026, while the others are still figuring out how to adapt.
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