Hywel Thomas, head of engine development at Mercedes, must navigate a huge challenge. This involves managing the team’s projects for 2024 and 2026 without neglecting the crucial 2026 season.
After starting the turbo hybrid era with a huge advantage over its rivals, Mercedes has lost its advantage over the years. This is especially true post-2022 to the progress of Ferrari and Honda.
The departure of high-profile personnel has also played a role. One of the biggest losses was Andy Cowell, ex-managing Director of HPP Mercedes, at the end of 2020.
Therefore, 2026 is a new opportunity for the Brixworth team to regain leadership in the sector. This can help bring Mercedes back to the dominance they enjoyed between 2014 and 2021.
What is HPP’s focus in 2024?
“At this stage of the regulatory cycle, the opportunities for us to develop the Power Unit are limited.
“We are allowed to make reliability updates where necessary and have a single software release each year, so we have been working on this.
“We took the opportunity to upgrade the engine in both of these areas. Despite the freeze, this is a major reliability challenge for all powertrain manufacturers.
“Not finishing races is detrimental to the final championship standings, so reliability is always a priority. And, of course, we are always looking at performance. Looking for those milliseconds that remain to be found within the regulations.
“The other thing that makes this more difficult is the number of hours on the benches, which is reducing year on year as we focus more on the 2026 rules.”
Can you describe the work done between Brackley and Brixworth to help with this process for the 2024 car?
“It was business as usual, with the Powertrain team working closely with Brackley to ensure any changes we made to the car were reflected.
“This is to ensure that parts do not function properly, such as cooling systems. We’ve done some testing on the Brackley dyno. This helps us prepare for shakedown and pre-season testing.
“We want to be ready because there are only three days in Bahrain, and every lap is vital.”
How impressed have you been with the teamwork between Brixworth and Brackley to overcome the challenges of the last two years?
“For us, it’s about ensuring we supply a reliable product in which we can find performance. We need to make sure we don’t limit what the machine can do.
“This is where we work closely with the Brackley team to explore how we can use the engine to increase performance. We must be open to pushing our limits.
“‘If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.’ That’s what we’re trying to do: be part of the solution.”
Teams can still use four Power Units per driver this season after a late rule change. How important is this?
“We know that a power unit will not produce the same number of kilowatts at the end of its life as it does at the beginning.
“We also know that not finishing races is extremely detrimental to your points. So, reliability is key. The recent change to the regulations that allow us to have four engines throughout the season is useful.
“But we know that with the longest calendar in F1 history, our ability to create the most reliable and high-performance product possible will still be put to the test.”
Do the excellent performances of the customer teams last season also give a boost to those of HPP?
“There is enormous pride in every single power unit we put together, in every installation we do, in every race weekend we support. There are many people representing HPP on those teams. We are proud to be able to provide a power unit that allows these teams to compete at the top of the sport.”
Looking ahead to 2026, can you update us on how the project is progressing at the moment?
“The regulations for the next two seasons are limiting, so more and more people from the technical and operational staff become part of the 2026 project. It’s an exciting time.
“We get these regulatory changes every decade or so. There will be many people who have never experienced this before. Equally, there are those of us who have previous experience.
“So, however you look at it, these new regulations give everyone a boost. There’s a real chance to see what you can do from an engineering perspective. It’s a wonderful time.
“It’s hard work, and there are many failures as well as many breakthroughs. But in the end, it’s really inspiring to work on a new product, implement some of the ideas we’ve had over the years and see them come to fruition.”
How exciting is it to be at the forefront of F1 innovation from a power unit perspective?
“It is excellent to have standards that have attracted new producers and have clear real-world relevance.
“They are applicable to what happens at Mercedes-Benz and in our research and development areas. For example, we have a 50-50 split between the combustion engine and the electric vehicle side. That’s a fascinating prospect.
“It’s an opportunity to showcase our talent, our innovation and the possibilities that sport can offer. It’s amazing, and people have smiles on their faces as they tackle this project.
“We’re busy experimenting, knowing that the final product will end up on the track to be judged by millions of people every weekend.”
Author: Piergiuseppe Donadoni
Translation: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
