The 2018 Formula One season is fast approaching and both the Mercedes-AMG Petronas and Scuderia Ferrari F1 teams have fired up their engines for this year.

Like in all other seasons of the sport’s current hybrid era, the 2018 cars will feature turbocharged 1.6-liter six-cylinder engines and two separate energy recovery systems. However, one key change is that each driver will only have three engines to last the entire 21-race season, down from the four engines that were available last year.

Consequently, 2018 won’t just see engine manufacturers trying to increase the output of their powertrains. Additionally, they’ll have to work hard to ensure they remain reliable over seven race weekends each.

Since 2014, Mercedes-AMG has consistently produced the most powerful and reliable engines in the sport. Their 2017 unit even managed to achieve a thermal efficiency figure of over 50 per cent during dyno testing.

Meanwhile, in Maranello, engineers are looking to right the wrongs that saw the outfit relinquish a lead in the drivers’ championship during the second half of the 2017 season. Like Mercedes, Ferrari will also be looking to push the boundaries of its latest internal combustion engine.

Both Ferrari and Mercedes will unveil their 2018 F1 cars on February 22 in Maranello and Silverstone respectively.

VIDEO