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Ferrari’s Formula 1 V6 engines have played a major role in two very different periods of Grand Prix racing. The first began in 1981, when Ferrari replaced its naturally aspirated flat twelve with a compact, turbocharged V6. The second began in 2014, when Formula 1 introduced 1.6 litre turbocharged hybrid power units.
Although both generations use six cylinders arranged in a V shape, their technology and purpose are very different. The original engines were developed during an era of rapidly increasing turbo power. The modern engines combine a combustion engine with electrical energy recovery, making efficiency as important as outright performance.
This Ferrari F1 V6 engine overview follows the main engine families from 1981 to 2026, explains their technical development and identifies the Formula 1 cars that used them. It also distinguishes between works engines, customer specifications and model years.
Ferrari Formula 1 V6 engine explained
The V6 engine has six cylinders arranged in two banks of three. The angle between those banks is called the V angle. Ferrari used a 120 degree layout for its first turbocharged Formula 1 engines, before moving to a 90 degree arrangement in 1987. The hybrid engines introduced in 2014 also use a 90 degree V6.
The turbocharger uses energy from the engine’s exhaust gases to compress incoming air. More air allows the engine to burn more fuel and produce more power from a relatively small displacement.
Ferrari’s first turbo V6 displaced 1,496.43 cc, usually rounded to 1,496 cc. The modern hybrid engines have a displacement of approximately 1,600 cc. Despite the similar sizes, the two generations operate under very different technical regulations.
The First Ferrari Turbo V6: 1981 to 1988
Ferrari entered the turbo era with Tipo 021 in the 126 CK in 1981. Its 120 degree V6 was a major departure from the naturally aspirated 12-cylinder engines that had defined the Scuderia’s previous Formula 1 cars.
1981 Ferrari 126 CK
The wide V angle helped Ferrari package the engine within the car, while the shorter six cylinder layout offered advantages over the larger twelve cylinder unit. However, turbocharging introduced new challenges, particularly heat management and reliability.
1981 Ferrari 126 CX
Ferrari also experimented with a Comprex pressure wave supercharger in the 126CX, but the twin turbocharged solution became the chosen racing configuration. The 126CK produced approximately 540 hp according to Ferrari’s published specifications. Gilles Villeneuve gave the car victories at Monaco and Spain, demonstrating the potential of the new engine despite a difficult season.
1982 to 1983: Tipo 021/1 and Tipo 021/2
The 1982 Tipo 021/1 powered the Ferrari 126C2. The engine retained the 120 degree V6 layout and 1,496 cc displacement, but development improved its performance and integration with the chassis. Ferrari lists the 126C2 at approximately 580 hp.
1983 Ferrari 126 C3
The 1982 season brought Ferrari the Constructors’ Championship, although it was overshadowed by the death of Gilles Villeneuve and Didier Pironi’s serious accident. The following year, the Tipo 021/2 continued the development of the same basic engine architecture in the 126C3. Ferrari won another Constructors’ Championship in 1983, confirming that its turbocharged V6 had become a competitive foundation.
1984 to 1986: Tipo 031 and Tipo 032
For 1984, Ferrari introduced the Tipo 031 in the 126C4. The engine continued with the 120 degree layout and a displacement of 1,496.43 cc. Ferrari’s historical specifications list approximately 660 hp for the 126C4.
1984 Ferrari 126 C4
The Tipo 031/2 followed in the 156/85 for 1985, while the Tipo 032 powered the F1-86 in 1986. These engines belonged to the period when Formula 1 manufacturers were extracting extraordinary power from small turbocharged engines.
However, maximum power alone did not determine success. Fuel consumption, turbo response, reliability and chassis performance all affected race results. Ferrari’s V6 development continued, but the team could not consistently match its strongest rivals during the middle of the decade.
1987 to 1988: Tipo 033 and the Final Turbo V6
Ferrari changed to a 90 degree V6 for the 1987 F1-87. The Tipo 033 represented a significant change in engine architecture rather than a simple continuation of the earlier 120 degree design.
1987 Ferrari F1-87
The Tipo 033A powered the F1-87/88C in 1988. Formula 1’s turbo regulations had become increasingly restrictive, and Ferrari’s published specifications list approximately 620 hp for the final car. This figure should not be compared directly with earlier peak power claims because the operating conditions and regulations were different.
The 1988 Italian Grand Prix became the defining victory of Ferrari’s final turbo season. Gerhard Berger and Michele Alboreto finished first and second at Monza, less than a month after Enzo Ferrari’s death. Ferrari finished second in the Constructors’ Championship, and the F1-87/88C became the Scuderia’s last turbocharged six cylinder Formula 1 car before the return to naturally aspirated engines in 1989.
The Return of the Ferrari V6 in 2014
Formula 1 introduced a new power unit formula in 2014. Ferrari returned to a turbocharged V6, but the new engine was part of a much more complex hybrid system.
Photo: Formula 1
This power unit includes the internal combustion engine and electrical components that recover, store and deliver energy. The original hybrid regulations included an MGU-K, which recovered energy during braking, and an MGU-H, which recovered energy associated with the turbocharger. The stored energy could then be used to provide additional power.
This changed the engineering challenge. Ferrari had to develop not only combustion performance, but also electrical efficiency, cooling, energy management and the way the complete system fitted inside the car.
Ferrari V6 Turbocharged Hybrid Engines: 2014 to 2026
The Tipo 059 introduced Ferrari’s modern 90 degree V6 hybrid architecture in 2014. It powered the F14 T and was also supplied to customer teams. Development versions continued into 2015, including the engine used by the SF15-T.
2014 Ferrari F14 T
The Tipo 060 designation is associated with the 2015 specification supplied to Toro Rosso for its 2016 STR11. This is an important distinction because the year a customer uses an engine does not always match the year in which that specification was originally developed.
Ferrari’s 2016 works engine was the Tipo 061, used in the SF16-H. Haas and Sauber also received Ferrari power units. The Tipo 061 designation continued to appear in connection with Sauber’s 2017 car, which used a previous season specification.
2017 to 2019: Tipo 062 and Tipo 064
The Tipo 062 powered Ferrari’s SF70H in 2017, while the Tipo 062 EVO followed in 2018. These engines formed part of Ferrari’s increasingly competitive hybrid package, particularly as the team challenged Mercedes during the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
2017 Ferrari SF70H
The Tipo 064 arrived for 2019 in the SF90. Ferrari also supplied engines to Alfa Romeo and Haas. The 2019 season demonstrated the importance of power unit performance, although engine output must always be considered alongside aerodynamics, tyres, reliability and race strategy.
2020 to 2021: Tipo 065 and Tipo 065/6
The Tipo 065 powered the SF1000 in 2020, a difficult season for Ferrari. The team’s reduced competitiveness showed how strongly modern Formula 1 performance depends on the complete power unit and chassis package.
2021 Ferrari SF21
The Tipo 065/6 followed in 2021 for the SF21. Ferrari continued developing its hybrid technology while working within the restrictions imposed by Formula 1’s technical regulations. Customer teams also used Ferrari power units during this period.
2022 to 2024: Tipo 066 Development
The Tipo 066 family became the basis of Ferrari’s power units under the regulations introduced in 2022. The Tipo 066/7 powered the F1-75, followed by the Tipo 066/10 in the SF-23 and the Tipo 066/12 in the SF-24.
These engines retained the 1.6 litre, 90 degree V6 architecture. Development increasingly focused on reliability, efficiency and the permitted areas of improvement as Formula 1 introduced restrictions on power unit development.
2024 Haas VF-24
Photo: Formula 1
The Haas VF-24 competed in 2024, although its engine belongs to the wider Tipo 066 family. While customer engine specifications and chassis model years do not always align, they are grouped together in the table to provide a clearer overview of Ferrari’s V6 engine development.
2025: Tipo 066/15 and the Ferrari SF-25
The Tipo 066/15 continued Ferrari’s 1.6 litre, 90 degree V6 turbocharged hybrid architecture for the 2025 season. It powered the Ferrari SF-25 and was also supplied to the Sauber C45 and Haas VF-25.
2025 Ferrari SF-25
The engine represented the final stage of Ferrari’s V6 development under the hybrid regulations introduced in 2014. The basic architecture remained familiar, with a turbocharged combustion engine supported by electrical energy recovery.
The 2025 season is particularly important in Ferrari’s engine history because it marks the end of the original hybrid power unit formula before the major regulatory changes of 2026. The Tipo 066/15 therefore forms the closing chapter of the generation that began with the Tipo 059.
The 2026 Ferrari Formula 1 V6: Tipo 067/6
The 2026 Formula 1 regulations introduce a new generation of hybrid power units. Ferrari continues to use a 1.6 litre, 90 degree turbocharged V6, but the electrical system changes significantly.
The Tipo 067/6 is the Ferrari engine designation supplied for the 2026 season. It powers the Ferrari SF-26, Cadillac MAC-26 and Haas VF-26.
2026 Cadillac MAC-26
Photo: Formula 1
The addition of Cadillac is an important development in Ferrari’s customer engine programme. It expands the number of Formula 1 teams using Ferrari power units and gives the new Tipo 067/6 a wider presence on the grid.
2026 power unit changes
The most important change is the removal of the MGU-H. In the previous hybrid generation, this component recovered energy associated with the turbocharger. The 2026 regulations remove it, simplifying one part of the power unit architecture.
Photo: Formula 1
At the same time, the electrical contribution increases substantially. The MGU-K, which recovers energy during braking and can deliver electrical power to the drivetrain, becomes more important. The regulations also introduce a greater emphasis on sustainable fuel.
These changes mean that the 2026 Ferrari V6 is not simply an updated version of the Tipo 066 family. It belongs to a new regulatory generation with different requirements for combustion efficiency, electrical energy management and overall power unit integration.
Turbo V6 vs Hybrid V6
The most important difference is the way the engine produces and manages power.
The 1981 to 1988 engines relied on turbocharging to extract very high output from a small combustion engine. Engineers worked with changing boost limits, fuel restrictions and the difficulty of controlling heat and turbo response. The 120 degree and later 90 degree layouts reflected the packaging and performance requirements of their respective periods.
1986 Ferrari F1-86
The hybrid engines introduced in 2014 combine combustion power with electrical energy recovery. Their performance depends on how efficiently the complete system converts fuel and recovered energy into useful power.
The 2026 generation takes this approach further by increasing the importance of electrical power while removing the MGU-H. Ferrari’s V6 history can therefore be divided into three clear technical periods: the original turbo era, the first hybrid era and the new hybrid regulations introduced in 2026.
Ferrari’s Formula 1 V6 legacy
Ferrari’s Formula 1 V6 history connects several important periods of racing technology. The original turbocharged engines helped the Scuderia win Constructors’ Championships in 1982 and 1983 and produced memorable victories with drivers including Gilles Villeneuve, René Arnoux, Michele Alboreto and Gerhard Berger.
2026 Ferrari SF-26
From the 126CK to the SF-26, the Ferrari F1 V6 remains an important part of the company’s engineering and racing history. Its evolution shows how the same basic six cylinder configuration can serve very different technical purposes across decades of Formula 1 competition.
Ferrari V6 turbocharged Formula 1 engines table
|
Year |
Tipo |
Engine type |
Displacement |
Model(s) |
|
1981 |
Tipo 021 |
V6 120° |
1,496 cc |
Ferrari 126CK |
|
1982 |
Tipo 021/1 |
V6 120° |
1,496 cc |
Ferrari 126C2 |
|
1983 |
Tipo 021/2 |
V6 120° |
1,496 cc |
Ferrari 126C3 |
|
1984 |
Tipo 031 |
V6 120° |
1,496 cc |
Ferrari 126C4 |
|
1985 |
Tipo 031/2 |
V6 120° |
1,496 cc |
Ferrari 156/85 |
|
1986 |
Tipo 032 |
V6 120° |
1,496 cc |
Ferrari F1-86 |
|
1987 |
Tipo 033 |
V6 90° |
1,496 cc |
Ferrari F1-87 |
|
1988 |
Tipo 033A |
V6 90° |
1,496 cc |
Ferrari F1-87/88C |
Ferrari V6 turbocharged hybrid Formula 1 engines table
|
Year |
Tipo |
Engine type |
Displacement |
Models |
|
2014 |
Tipo 059 |
V6 90° |
1,598 cc |
Ferrari F14 T/SF15-T, Marussia MR-03/MR-03B, Sauber C33/C34 |
|
2016 |
Tipo 060 |
V6 90° |
1,600 cc |
Toro Rosso STR11 |
|
2016 |
Tipo 061 |
V6 90° |
1,600 cc |
Ferrari SF16-H, Haas VF-16, Sauber C35 |
|
2017 |
Tipo 061 |
V6 90° |
1,600 cc |
Sauber C36 |
|
2017 |
Tipo 062 |
V6 90° |
1,600 cc |
Ferrari SF70H, Haas VF-17 |
|
2018 |
Tipo 062 EVO |
V6 90° |
1,600 cc |
SF71H, Sauber C37, Haas VF-18 |
|
2019 |
Tipo 064 |
V6 90° |
1,600 cc |
SF90, Alfa C38, Haas VF-19 |
|
2020 |
Tipo 065 |
V6 90° |
1,600 cc |
SF1000, Alfa C39, Haas VF-20 |
|
2021 |
Tipo 065/6 |
V6 90° |
1,600 cc |
SF21, Alfa C41, Haas VF-21 |
|
2022 |
Tipo 066/7 |
V6 90° |
1,600 cc |
F1-75, Alfa C42, Haas VF-22 |
|
2023 |
Tipo 066/10 |
V6 90° |
1,600 cc |
SF-23, Alfa C43, Haas VF-23/VF-24 |
|
2024 |
Tipo 066/12 |
V6 90° |
1,600 cc |
SF-24, Sauber C44 |
|
2025 |
Tipo 066/15 |
V6 90° |
1,600 cc |
SF-25, Sauber C45, Haas VF-25 |
|
2026 |
Tipo 067/6 |
V6 90° |
1,600 cc |
SF-26, Cadillac MAC-26, Haas VF-26 |
What’s your favourite Ferrari F1 car powered by a turbocharged V6?
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