Turbocharger

A turbocharger is a device that uses exhaust gases from an engine to force more air into the combustion chambers, allowing the engine to produce significantly more power without increasing its size.

Think of a turbocharger as a power multiplier for an engine. In motorsport, teams are always looking for ways to make their cars faster, and turbochargers offer a clever solution: they let a small engine perform like a much larger one. This is especially valuable in racing series where engine size is restricted by regulations.

The turbocharger works through a simple but ingenious process. When exhaust gases exit the engine, instead of just disappearing out the tailpipe, they spin a small turbine wheel at incredibly high speeds—sometimes over 150,000 revolutions per minute. This turbine is connected by a shaft to a compressor on the other side. As the turbine spins, it drives the compressor, which sucks in outside air, squeezes it together, and pushes it into the engine under pressure. This compressed air is denser than normal air, meaning it contains more oxygen molecules in the same space, allowing the engine to burn more fuel and create more power.

One challenge with turbochargers is something called "turbo lag." This is the brief delay you might feel between pressing the accelerator and actually getting the extra power. It happens because the exhaust gases need a moment to get the turbine spinning fast enough to deliver boost pressure. Modern turbochargers use lighter materials and smarter designs to minimize this delay, making the power delivery feel more immediate.

Turbochargers have a long history in motorsport, dating back to 1952. They became especially famous during Formula 1's "turbo era" of the 1980s, when turbocharged engines produced staggering amounts of power. Formula 1 returned to turbocharged engines in 2014, this time with smaller, more efficient V6 units. Today, you'll find turbochargers in rally cars, touring cars, sports car racing, and even drift competitions.

Most turbocharged racing engines include additional components to manage the system. A wastegate acts as a pressure relief valve, preventing the turbocharger from creating too much boost and damaging the engine. An intercooler is a radiator-like device that cools the compressed air before it enters the engine, making it even denser and more effective for combustion.

The key advantage of a turbocharger over a supercharger—another type of forced induction device—is that turbochargers run on "free" energy from exhaust gases that would otherwise be wasted. Superchargers, by contrast, are driven directly by the engine using a belt, which consumes some of the engine's power to create boost.

For racing teams, turbochargers represent an excellent trade-off. They add relatively little weight to the car while delivering substantial power increases, and they can improve fuel efficiency—an important consideration in endurance racing where pit stops cost valuable time. This combination of benefits explains why turbocharged engines have become so common across different forms of motorsport.