Era · 2014–2021
The hybrid era
The most complex power units ever raced, and the longest period of single-team dominance in the sport's history.
- Dominant
- Mercedes, Red Bull
- Technology
- 1.6 L V6 turbo hybrids, 50%+ thermal efficiency, eight consecutive Mercedes constructors' titles
- Confidence
- medium
The seasons 8
| Season | Rounds | Drivers' champion | Driving for | Points | Wins | Runner-up | Margin | Title race | Constructors' champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 22 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 395.5 | 10 | Sir Lewis Hamilton | 8 | Mercedes | |
| 2020 | 17 | Sir Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 347 | 11 | Valtteri Bottas | 124 | Mercedes | |
| 2019 | 21 | Sir Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 413 | 11 | Valtteri Bottas | 87 | Mercedes | |
| 2018 | 21 | Sir Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 408 | 11 | Sebastian Vettel | 88 | Mercedes | |
| 2017 | 20 | Sir Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 363 | 9 | Sebastian Vettel | 46 | Mercedes | |
| 2016 | 21 | Nico Rosberg | Mercedes | 385 | 9 | Sir Lewis Hamilton | 5 | Mercedes | |
| 2015 | 19 | Sir Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 381 | 10 | Nico Rosberg | 59 | Mercedes | |
| 2014 | 19 | Sir Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 384 | 11 | Nico Rosberg | 67 | Mercedes |
Margin is the points gap between champion and runner-up at the end of the season; before 1991 that is net of dropped scores, so it can look small beside the wins. A row marked “so far” is the season still running: its leader, not its champion. The title race is the champion’s lead over the runner-up after each round, above the line when ahead and below it when behind, each season drawn to its own scale. A row reading “not yet run” is a calendar that has been announced and not yet raced. A blank constructors’ champion before 1958 is not a gap — the championship did not exist yet.
Engine formulae 1
| Era | Formula | Typical | Power (bhp) | Revs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The turbo-hybrid era 2014–2025 | 1.6 L V6 turbocharged hybrid | V6 + MGU-K + MGU-H | ~850-1,050 combined | 15,000 rpm limit (practically ~12,000) | Thermal efficiency passed 50% — roughly double a road engine. Mercedes's split-turbo layout, with compressor and turbine at opposite ends of the engine, gave it a multi-year advantage. |
Regulation changes 8
| Year | Category | Change | Detail | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | financial | Cost cap introduced | A budget cap of $145 m for 2021, excluding driver salaries, marketing and the three highest-paid staff. | The most consequential governance change since the Concorde Agreement; designed to compress the competitive order. |
| 2021 | sporting | Sprint format trialled | Three events ran a short Saturday race setting the grid, with points to the top three. | Extended to six events; sprint results decoupled from the Grand Prix grid from 2024. |
| 2019 | sporting | Point for fastest lap | One point for the fastest lap, if finishing in the top ten. | Removed again from 2025. |
| 2018 | safety | Halo mandated | A titanium cockpit protection structure able to withstand 12 tonnes. | Initially unpopular on aesthetic grounds; credited with saving Leclerc at Spa 2018, Grosjean at Bahrain 2020 and Zhou at Silverstone 2022. |
| 2017 | technical | Wider cars and tyres | Cars widened to 2.0 m, wider tyres, larger diffuser and lower rear wing. | Lap records fell across the calendar; following became harder. |
| 2015 | safety | Virtual Safety Car | A field-wide delta-time speed restriction introduced after Jules Bianchi's accident at Suzuka. | Allows yellow-flag conditions to be enforced without bunching the field. |
| 2014 | technical | 1.6 L V6 turbo-hybrid power units | ERS with MGU-K and MGU-H, 100 kg fuel limit and 100 kg/h flow limit; five power-unit elements per season. | The most radical technical change in the sport's history. Thermal efficiency passed 50%. Development costs pushed several independent engine builders out. |
| 2014 | sporting | Double points at the finale | The last race awarded double points. | Used once, universally disliked, and dropped. |
Technical innovations 4
| Year | Innovation | Originator | What it was | What became of it | Banned |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Split-turbo layout | Mercedes PU106A | Compressor at the front of the engine and turbine at the rear, joined by a shaft through the vee, with the MGU-H between them. | Gave Mercedes a package advantage that took rivals several seasons to answer. | — |
| 2014 | Pre-chamber / jet ignition combustion | Mercedes and others | A small pre-combustion chamber igniting an ultra-lean main charge. | Took thermal efficiency past 50%, roughly double a typical road petrol engine. | — |
| 2017 | Bargeboard complexity | Multiple | Elaborate flow-conditioning structures ahead of the sidepods. | Largely legislated away for 2022 to reduce wake sensitivity. | 2022 |
| 2020 | DAS (dual-axis steering) | Mercedes W11 | Pushing and pulling the steering column altered front wheel toe on the move. | Legal in 2020, explicitly banned for 2021. | 2021 |
Safety 5
Virtual Safety Car and closed pit-lane research2014
After: Jules Bianchi's accident at Suzuka
VSC introduced for 2015; the accident also began the closed-cockpit research programme.
Standardised recovery-vehicle procedures2015
After: Bianchi
Recovery vehicles may not be on track without VSC or safety car.
Halo2018
After: Bianchi's death and the Justin Wilson and Henry Surtees fatalities in other categories
A titanium structure withstanding 12 tonnes, roughly the weight of a London bus. Credited with saving lives at Spa 2018, Bahrain 2020 and Silverstone 2022.
Stronger chassis and higher-load survival cell2019
Front and side impact loads increased substantially.
Roll hoop load test increase2021
Preceded further increases after Zhou Guanyu's 2022 Silverstone crash, in which the roll hoop failed.