Behind a single-seater on observe lies a particularly advanced world of know-how, technicians, and engineers. System 1 and System E share a number of features but additionally signify two fully completely different classes in how they conceive car improvement, each as a result of nature of the vehicles themselves and a few financial constraints.
In System 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 completely different ideas from workforce to workforce. Conversely, in System E, it was determined to depend on a single producer for aerodynamics and chassis, leaving extra room for powertrain improvement.
It’s exactly within the powertrain area {that a} central distinction emerges within the method to improvement. Earlier than the freeze on present items, System 1 allowed steady improvement of each {hardware} and software program, for each the inner combustion and electrical parts, making important efficiency leaps attainable even through the season.
Why FE focuses on software program
Conversely, in FE, improvement is split into two approaches: {hardware} improvement is proscribed to a two-year cycle, whereas software program improvement is totally unrestricted. On the {hardware} aspect, as soon as the unit has been homologated, parts can’t be modified for the following two seasons, at the very least till the car’s evolution is launched. This additionally permits producers to homologate a brand new powertrain that may bear one other two-year cycle.
Nevertheless, whereas {hardware} improvement follows a cyclical sample to assist comprise prices in a financially sustainable sequence—the place the annual funds per workforce is capped at round €15 million in comparison with System 1’s present €140 million—the true battleground in System E is software program, which is arguably extra instantly linked to the automotive trade.
In System 1, till the freeze in 2022, groups had been allowed 5 updates per season for the ability unit software program linked to the ECU, in addition to for the ERS and management unit purposes. Since 2023, just one software program model per season has been permitted. As soon as the database is ready, groups can regulate its utilization based mostly on observe layouts and particular wants. Nevertheless, the core software program stays unchanged, with uncommon alternatives for updates.
In distinction, in System E, given the FIA-imposed limitations on {hardware} improvement, there’s important freedom in software program, which producers usually replace each two to 3 races after a validation part within the simulator. It is a essential facet for a number of causes: first, as seen prior to now two years, it permits important progress within the standings, and second, as a result of nature of the vehicles themselves.
Software program improvement improves effectivity
In System 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; slightly, it’s recovered throughout braking. The extra environment friendly a automotive is at managing vitality restoration and cost, the better the benefit it features.
Growth additionally revolves round how the system recovers vitality throughout braking or raise and coast, requiring shut collaboration with the motive force’s preferences. Moreover, software program influences how vitality is deployed and impacts the automotive’s stability.
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 affect on car habits. In FE, software program improvement is twofold: whereas the bottom software program is designed by the powertrain producer, buyer groups may also modify it.
Sometimes, past the fastened framework set by the producer for system operation, buyer groups have entry to change 10 to fifteen% of the code for personalisation. This may increasingly seem to be a small margin, but it surely impacts vital features reminiscent of vitality restoration parameters, which is why buyer groups can generally problem the producer’s efficiency.
Software program shall be a key think about F1 once more from 2026
In F1, software program improvement is presently restricted by rules, however from 2026 it’s going to grow to be a key facet as soon as once more. This isn’t solely as a result of vitality administration will grow to be considerably extra advanced, as beforehand analyzed, but additionally as a result of groups shall be allowed to replace software program a number of occasions through the season.
From 2026, every producer shall be permitted to make use of 5 completely different software program variations per season, lowering to 4 in 2027 and three from 2028 onward. Because of the very nature of the long run energy items, which is able to remove the MGU-H, groups might undertake vastly completely different vitality deployment methods all through a lap, with various acceleration curves relying on whether or not they prioritize higher acceleration or a distinct vitality distribution.
With the 2026 rules making {the electrical} part the focus—the place energy output is break up 50/50 between the inner combustion engine and the electrical system—vitality administration will grow to be a vital issue, and extra environment friendly software program might make a decisive distinction. This won’t solely contain software program improvement for enhancing CFD fashions or car habits within the simulator however, maybe most significantly, for optimizing the administration of future energy items.
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