Winning formula: Inside the Mercedes PU106A power unit

When Formula One (F1) teammates Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg first unveiled the car they will be driving for the 2015 season in Spain earlier this year, expectations for the new vehicle were understandably high.

Not only did the Mercedes team win both the drivers’ and constructors’ titles last season, but its car, the Mercedes F1 W05, won 16 races, including 11 in which it took both first and second place. It also racked up 18 pole positions and 12 fastest laps, making it one of the most dominant cars in the history of F1 racing.

Perhaps most remarkable of all, however, is that it achieved this success without the noisy gas-guzzling 2.4-litre V8 engines used in previous F1 seasons, but with a 1.6-litre V6 hybrid.

Developed by Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains in Brixworth, Northamptonshire, the PU106A Hybrid was designed to achieve the same power output as its V8 predecessors — around 750 horsepower — while using one-third less fuel.