Which engine has the most horsepower? Close difference between Honda and Mercedes

Mercedes has had the fastest engine on the grid for eight years almost continuously. Ferrari took on the German manufacturer for a time and then Honda came along. Using the Honda engine figures, there is now an estimate of the horsepower of the different F1 engines.

The era of Honda and McLaren was a particularly big failure, but with Red Bull Racing, Honda rose to the occasion. It didn't just stop at victories, the partnership also made it possible for Max Verstappen to take the world title in 2021. The Japanese manufacturer has developed the engine magisterially.

Ferrari swaying, Mercedes steady up

On the Japanese website F1-motorsports-gp.com an analysis has been made of the four engines of Mercedes, Honda, Renault and Ferrari and the increase in horsepower over four years. Last year's Honda engine has been taken as a starting point, this power source possessed 994 Horsepower. From that point the figures were calculated back to 2018 and forward to 2021, creating a table that doesn't show definitive results, but does show how the different developers have done between 2018 and 2021.

The figures on display consist of the self-developed ICE along with the MGU-K which is the same for everyone and produces 161bhp. Mercedes only grew; from 980bhp in 2018, to 995 the year after, to 1005 in 2020 and 1015 last year. That 1015bhp is not the most powerful engine F1 has had, the table shows. Ferrari shows a somewhat more meandering progression over the years, with a high of 1030bhp in 2019 and a low of 970bhp in 2020. It should be noted, however, that these figures have to do with Ferrari's alleged foul play regarding fuel.

Straight line up at Honda

Honda worked its way up from a 'paltry' 943bhp in 2018 to a whopping 1014bho in 2021. In doing so, it loses out to Mercedes by one point. Especially in the later races of last season, it was very noticeable how much faster Mercedes' engine turned on the straights, with Lewis Hamilton's fresh engine in the Brazil GP as a highlight.

Renault worked their way up from 915bhp to 1000. A final interesting fact is that by 2021, it was estimated that each engine supplier possessed at least 1000bhp. Ferrari and Renault were both on the round number, while Honda and Mercedes fought it out with slightly more horsepower. Mercedes, with one horse more, seems to have deservedly become champion among the constructors.