F1 power units: every component used and Mexico penalties

With five rounds remaining in the 2026 World Championship, provided Qatar and Abu Dhabi are confirmed, the scope to manage the remaining available components has effectively disappeared for much of the grid.

The latest official FIA documents allow the season-long picture of component usage to be updated. The most significant situations in Mexico concern Valtteri Bottas, who has received a 50-place penalty, and Liam Lawson, whose Racing Bulls team elected to make extensive changes to his car after his qualifying disqualification.

The 2026 regulations allow each driver to use four internal combustion engines (ICE), four turbochargers (TC), four exhaust sets (EXH), three MGU-Ks, three Energy Stores (ES), three control electronics (PU-CE) and six auxiliary components (PU-ANC).

F1 2026 power units: the updated picture in Mexico

Table updated using the FIA Technical Delegate's reports of 30 October and 1 November 2026, including replacements made before the race. The changes made after qualifying are also included for Liam Lawson. Ryo Hirakawa replaces Esteban Ocon in the number 50 Haas.

Orange = seasonal allocation exhausted. Red = regulatory limit exceeded. Red values do not automatically mean a further penalty in Mexico, as they also include replacements already penalised at previous Grands Prix. The figures represent the number of components used during the season, not necessarily new elements fitted to the car at the same time.

Bottas receives 50-place grid penalty

Cadillac has introduced five components beyond the seasonal allocation: a fifth internal combustion engine, fifth turbocharger, fourth MGU-K, fourth Energy Store and fourth control electronics. The stewards' decision is the expected one: a 50-place grid penalty. Ten places for each of the five components exceeding its respective regulatory limit for the first time.

The regulations state that a driver who has accumulated at least 15 places of power-unit replacement penalties must be placed at the back of the grid, according to the criteria governing grid formation.

As expected, Cadillac has therefore opted to group several replacements into a single round, a strategy that provides fresher components for the closing stages of the season while effectively paying the price only once in terms of starting position.

Lawson changes power unit and starts from pit lane

Liam Lawson's situation is even more complex. Following his disqualification from qualifying over the technical irregularity found on the Racing Bulls, the Faenza-based team decided to make radical changes to the VCARB-03.

The FIA Technical Delegate's report of 1 November confirms the introduction of a fifth internal combustion engine, fifth turbocharger, fifth exhaust set and seventh auxiliary component. All of these replacements exceed their respective seasonal limits. Lawson therefore faces an uphill race, but will be able to rely on a refreshed power unit.

Ferrari and Verstappen have virtually no margin left

Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton's situations remain unchanged from Austin. Both have used four ICEs, four turbos, four exhaust sets, three MGU-Ks, three Energy Stores, three PU-CEs and six auxiliary components.

Ferrari has exhausted every available allocation for both drivers without exceeding any of them. It has been particularly careful management so far, but it will compel Maranello to assess any further replacement with extreme caution.

The situation is delicate above all because the championship is approaching its conclusion and every new component beyond the allocation would bring a penalty. It remains possible, of course, to reuse components already deployed in previous races, as Hamilton did after Friday's power-unit problem, provided they remain efficient and compliant with the regulations.

Max Verstappen's figures are almost identical to those of the Ferrari drivers, the sole difference being the auxiliary components, which stand at five of the six permitted. The Dutchman therefore still has a small margin, while the comparison with team-mate Isack Hadjar tells an entirely different story.

Red Bull and Aston Martin: the most concerning figures

Isack Hadjar continues to hold the record for internal combustion engine replacements: eight ICEs used against the four permitted, in addition to seven turbochargers, seven exhaust sets and eight auxiliary components. The Frenchman has also already exceeded the limits for the MGU-K, Energy Store and control electronics.

Even more problematic, given the overall number of excess components, is the situation of the two Honda-powered Aston Martins. Fernando Alonso has used nine auxiliary components and seven Energy Stores, while Lance Stroll has reached nine and eight respectively.

Stroll has also reached six internal combustion engines, seven turbochargers, five MGU-Ks and seven control electronics. Figures that confirm how demanding the season has been for the Honda project on the reliability front.

Alonso's situation is slightly less critical in some categories, but on his car too every major component apart from the exhausts has now exceeded the seasonal limit.

Mercedes: Russell and Antonelli already over the limit

George Russell arrives in Mexico with five internal combustion engines, five turbochargers, five exhaust sets, four MGU-Ks, four Energy Stores and four control electronics. This situation is primarily the result of replacements made at previous rounds, for which the Briton has already served the respective penalties.

Kimi Antonelli, meanwhile, has used five ICEs, four Energy Stores and four PU-CEs, exceeding the allocation in those three categories. The Italian still has one unit available for turbochargers and exhausts, as well as one MGU-K, while the auxiliary components have reached the maximum permitted six.

Other drivers already over the limit include Lando Norris, Alexander Albon, Carlos Sainz, Franco Colapinto and Oliver Bearman. Oscar Piastri has also reached the limit for ICEs, Energy Stores and control electronics, without exceeding it.

Audi, Racing Bulls and Haas: the other replacements in Mexico

The FIA documents record new Energy Stores for Arvid Lindblad, Liam Lawson and Nico Hülkenberg. For all three, this is their third unit of the season and therefore still within the permitted limit.

Lindblad and Lawson have also introduced their third control electronics, while Gabriel Bortoleto fitted his fifth PU-CE after already exceeding the allocation at previous races. The Brazilian now stands at five ICEs, five turbos, five exhaust sets, four MGU-Ks, five Energy Stores, five PU-CEs and seven auxiliary components.

Cover photo by Ryan fleming / WHYOUT images

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