Behind a single-seater on monitor lies an especially advanced world of know-how, technicians, and engineers. Components 1 and Components E share a number of features but additionally signify two utterly totally different classes in how they conceive automobile growth, each as a result of nature of the vehicles themselves and a few financial constraints.
In Components 1, for instance, whereas remaining inside the regulatory quantity limits, groups have important design freedom on the aerodynamic and chassis fronts, permitting them to discover totally different ideas from staff to staff. Conversely, in Components E, it was determined to depend on a single producer for aerodynamics and chassis, leaving extra room for powertrain growth.
It’s exactly within the powertrain area {that a} central distinction emerges within the strategy to growth. Earlier than the freeze on present items, Components 1 allowed steady growth of each {hardware} and software program, for each the inner combustion and electrical elements, making important efficiency leaps potential even in the course of the season.
Why FE focuses on software program
Conversely, in FE, growth is split into two approaches: {hardware} growth is restricted to a two-year cycle, whereas software program growth is totally unrestricted. On the {hardware} aspect, as soon as the unit has been homologated, elements can’t be modified for the subsequent two seasons, a minimum of till the automobile’s evolution is launched. This additionally permits producers to homologate a brand new powertrain that can bear one other two-year cycle.
Nonetheless, whereas {hardware} growth follows a cyclical sample to assist include prices in a financially sustainable collection—the place the annual price range per staff is capped at round €15 million in comparison with Components 1’s present €140 million—the true battleground in Components E is software program, which is arguably extra straight linked to the automotive business.
In Components 1, till the freeze in 2022, groups had been allowed 5 updates per season for the facility unit software program linked to the ECU, in addition to for the ERS and management unit functions. Since 2023, just one software program model per season has been permitted. As soon as the database is ready, groups can regulate its utilization primarily based on monitor layouts and particular wants. Nonetheless, the core software program stays unchanged, with uncommon alternatives for updates.
In distinction, in Components E, given the FIA-imposed limitations on {hardware} growth, there’s important freedom in software program, which producers usually replace each two to 3 races after a validation part within the simulator. This can be a essential facet for a number of causes: first, as seen up to now two years, it permits important progress within the standings, and second, as a result of nature of the vehicles themselves.
Software program growth improves effectivity
In Components E, effectivity is essential. Every automotive has a set quantity of vitality to finish the ePrix, however a part of that vitality doesn’t come from the battery; moderately, it’s recovered throughout braking. The extra environment friendly a automotive is at managing vitality restoration and cost, the higher the benefit it positive factors.
Improvement additionally revolves round how the system recovers vitality throughout braking or elevate and coast, requiring shut collaboration with the driving force’s preferences. Moreover, software program influences how vitality is deployed and impacts the automotive’s steadiness.
It’s no coincidence that after being developed in specialised departments, software program is validated by drivers within the simulator to evaluate not solely its effectiveness but additionally its influence on automobile habits. In FE, software program growth is twofold: whereas the bottom software program is designed by the powertrain producer, buyer groups also can modify it.
Usually, past the fastened framework set by the producer for system operation, buyer groups have entry to switch 10 to fifteen% of the code for personalization. This may occasionally seem to be a small margin, nevertheless it impacts vital features corresponding to vitality restoration parameters, which is why buyer groups can generally problem the producer’s efficiency.
Software program shall be a key consider F1 once more from 2026
In F1, software program growth is at the moment restricted by laws, however from 2026 it would change into a key facet as soon as once more. This isn’t solely as a result of vitality administration will change into considerably extra advanced, as beforehand analyzed, but additionally as a result of groups shall be allowed to replace software program a number of occasions in the course of the season.
From 2026, every producer shall be permitted to make use of 5 totally different software program variations per season, reducing to 4 in 2027 and three from 2028 onward. As a result of very nature of the long run energy items, which is able to remove the MGU-H, groups might undertake vastly totally different vitality deployment methods all through a lap, with various acceleration curves relying on whether or not they prioritize higher acceleration or a unique vitality distribution.
With the 2026 laws making {the electrical} part the point of interest—the place energy output is cut up 50/50 between the inner combustion engine and the electrical system—vitality administration will change into a vital issue, and extra environment friendly software program may make a decisive distinction. This won’t solely contain software program growth for enhancing CFD fashions or automobile habits within the simulator however, maybe most significantly, for optimizing the administration of future energy items.
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