Pat Symonds Blasts F1's 2026 Power Unit as a 'Camel'
F1 technical guru Pat Symonds calls the 2026 power unit a 'camel,' blaming a flawed committee design process that rejected his energy recovery ideas, resulting in an engine that will be 'sparse on energy' and compromise the new era of racing.
Pat Symonds, a chief architect of F1's current ground-effect era, has delivered a scathing critique of the sport's 2026 power unit, labeling it a 'camel' born from flawed committee decisions. The former technical director, now part of Cadillac's incoming F1 project, believes the compromises made during its design have resulted in a subpar engine, a key factor in his departure from his previous role at Formula One Management.
Why it matters:
The power unit is the heart of a Formula 1 car, and its design fundamentally shapes the on-track spectacle. Symonds' warning that the 2026 unit will be 'sparse on energy' suggests drivers may be forced into excessive lift-and-coast tactics, potentially leading to less exciting racing. Furthermore, his critique highlights a significant tension in F1's governance, questioning whether a committee-led approach with heavy team input can produce the bold, innovative regulations needed to advance the sport.
The details:
- The 'Camel' vs. 'Racehorse': Symonds contrasts the 2026 engine process with the 2022 chassis rules, where he claims FOM ruled with a 'firm hand' against team agendas. For 2026, he feels the FIA's more democratic, committee-based approach with manufacturers led to a compromised design, famously stating, 'when you get a committee to design a racehorse, you end up with a camel.'
- The MGU-H Trade-off: The complex MGU-H was removed to attract new manufacturers like Audi and Ford. While successful in that regard, it eliminated a massive source of highly efficient electrical energy recovery, creating a significant deficit in the new power unit's design.
- A Rejected Solution: Symonds proposed recovering energy from the front axle to replace the lost MGU-H power. This, he argued, would have perfectly balanced the energy budget and allowed for greater electrification without compromising performance.
- A Costly Misunderstanding: The front-axle system was reportedly vetoed. Symonds claims then-FIA president Jean Todt mistakenly believed it was a form of four-wheel drive, and a single team's opposition was enough to kill the proposal in the 'democratic' process.
- The Result: The final power unit is, in Symonds' view, 'sparse on energy,' which will likely force drivers to manage electrical deployment carefully rather than pushing flat-out.
What's next:
Despite his harsh words for the engine, Symonds is optimistic about the 2026 chassis and the introduction of active aerodynamics, calling them a 'good step forward.' As a key figure at Cadillac, he is now in the position of having to build a competitive car around this very 'camel' of an engine he publicly derided. The regulations are now set, and the entire grid, including new entrants like his own team, must find clever ways to maximize performance within the energy-constrained framework he helped criticize.