F1's 2026 power unit rules mark the sport's biggest engineering shake-up in years, fundamentally altering how cars generate and manage energy. Tripled electric output replaces the MGU-H, while the combustion engine is significantly weakened. Estanis Buigues Mahiques, Powertrains Engineer at Mercedes-AMG Petronas, explains these changes are forcing teams into a new energy management philosophy closer to Formula E than traditional F1. The shift creates immediate on-track quirks like turbo lag at race starts and cars dropping into first gear through slow corners, as teams scramble to adapt.