Car

Horse Powertrain’s Caterham collaboration brings next-gen technology to an old-school racing series

March 01, 2026

by Samarth Kanal

4min read

Caterham cars look like they’ve remained largely unchanged since 1973, and it’s easy to see why. They’re lightweight and pure with a timeless design. Under the hood, however, there is one massive change coming this year - and it will soon be on the racetrack thanks to Horse Powertrain.

The series in question is the Caterham Academy, a one-make series for rookie drivers who race in road-legal racing Caterham Seven cars. Since 1995, more than 1,400 drivers have competed in this series, which makes a massive technical leap in 2026.

That evolution comes courtesy of Horse Technologies, a division of Horse Powertrain - a global joint venture between Renault, Geely and Aramco - that develops and manufactures next-generation hybrid and combustion engines and systems. Along with complete powertrains, Horse Technologies also produces cutting-edge engines, gearboxes, motors, batteries, and power electronics systems.

From 2026, Horse Powertrain provides its 1.3-litre, four-cylinder ‘H13’ turbocharged units to the Caterham Academy. These engines feature direct injection technology and deliver a peak power of 130 brake horsepower and a peak torque of 175 Newton-metres at 5,150rpm - plenty of power, given the Caterham Academy car weighs under 600 kilogrammes.

Just as the Caterham Seven is a lightweight, track-honed machine, the H13 engine follows this same philosophy with a low centre of gravity and a triangular or ‘delta-shaped’ cylinder head, both design choices that reduce space and mass.

Alejandro Ruiz Luque - Horse Powertrain’s business development manager - reveals to Raceteq why the H13 is suited to the Caterham Seven and the Academy series in which it races.

“The Horse H13 is a lightweight all-aluminium engine,” he says. “With a low-pressure turbo that delivers a soft power curve, it is ideal for beginners starting out in the Academy programme.

“Its linear output is a perfect beginner's choice, mimicking a naturally-aspirated engine, and allowing the driver to have a sensation of control. The pilot can predict the engine behaviour, without any turbo lag.”

The Horse H13 makes its motorsport debut in the 2026 Caterham Academy series, and it will be applied elsewhere

Luque adds: “What makes the H13 engine unique is its combination of technological features. For example, the Bore Spray Coating: this plasma coating acts as a substitute for the liner in the cylinder block, improving overall efficiency due to the reduced friction, while also making the engine lighter overall.

“This aligns with Caterham’s ethos of continually innovating to produce lighter products.”

Exhaust manifolds are cast into the cylinder head, a design that Horse Powertrain says lends faster turbocharger response and ‘exceptional’ low-speed torque delivery.

Luque says that the H13 is suited to numerous other grassroots and competitive motorsport series, where cost is of concern and parity between competitors’ cars is essential.

“The Horse H13 is simple to maintain and proven to be reliable. This technology is democratising the world of motorsport, opening it to everyone.

“Horse Powertrain is committed to keeping the motorsport spirit alive, and we are open to collaborating with any manufacturer that shares this ambition.”

A side view of the Horse H13 engine

Not only is the H13 suited to lightweight motorsport machines, but it will also feature in a Brazilian pickup-truck racing category run by Sports and Racing Brazil (SRB), which is set to debut in 2027. Furthermore, it is a ‘flex-fuel’ engine that can run on conventional gasoline or ethanol - and it can also be configured to include an electrical component for hybrid power.

Patrice Haettel, CEO of Horse Technologies, said: “Entering Brazilian motorsport is a clear demonstration of who we are and what we can offer. Competition is the perfect environment to test technology, reliability, and performance, and doing so alongside SRB allows us to showcase the full capability of our HORSE H13 engine - produced right here in Brazil.

“This partnership combines two values we fully share: innovation and competitive spirit.”

Luque says that this versatile engine is also a “perfect choice” for off-road uses, including in the marine sector for small boats - underlining the flexibility offered by its small form factor and reliable design.

Haettel added: “We are very proud to see our technology achieve this new milestone.

“This collaboration with Caterham is a world-first application of the Horse Technologies H13 engine to the world of racing, and reflects the performance, reliability, and expertise that drive everything we do.

“Motorsport is a real and demanding laboratory, and we are proud to see the HORSE H13, manufactured locally, take centre stage.”

The H13’s upcoming high-speed debut underlines why motorsport is such an effective testbed for powertrain manufacturers - and its various applications provide a prime opportunity to gain valuable insight from racetracks around the world.

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