The modern Formula 1 rear braking system relies entirely on electronic blending to map the driver's physical foot travel from 0 percent to 100 percent into a combined output of hydraulic pressure and electric-motor interruption (MGU-K regeneration).

Because the MGU-K's capacity to absorb energy changes based on vehicle speed, battery state, and powertrain limits, the proportion of hydraulic braking versus electric braking shifts dynamically across the pedal stroke.

The 100% Pedal Travel Breakdown

As the driver depresses the brake pedal from initial touch to maximum threshold pressure, the Brake-by-Wire (BBW) system continuously calculates and adjusts the balance between the two forces:

• Phase 1: Initial Touch and Trail Braking (0% to 20% Pedal Travel)
  The driver applies light pressure, typically entering a corner or trailing off the brakes. At high speeds, the electric motor handles a large portion of the deceleration request through MGU-K energy harvesting, while hydraulics are kept minimal to avoid grabbing.
• Phase 2: Heavy Deceleration and Peak Braking (20% to 80% Pedal Travel)
  The driver stamps hard on the pedal at the end of a straightaway, decelerating from high speeds. The electric motor ramps up to its peak electrical generation limit while hydraulic pressure surges rapidly to provide massive stopping power.
• Phase 3: Threshold and Low-Speed Trail-Off (80% to 100% Pedal Travel)
  As the car slows down, electric generation physics change because an electric motor cannot generate resistance when the car is nearly stationary. The MGU-K drops off sharply, and the BBW system instantaneously ramps up hydraulic pressure to 100% for the final meters before a dead stop.

Rolling Proportion Contribution Across Brake Pedal Travel

Pedal Travel Range	Driver Intent / Vehicle State	Hydraulic Contribution (%)	Electric-Motor (MGU-K) Contribution (%)	Core Blending Mechanism and Logic
0% – 10%	Initial pedal touch / Light drag	10% – 20%	80% – 90%	Electric motor takes priority for light harvesting; minimal hydraulics applied to prevent sudden pad drag.
10% – 30%	Initial bite / High-speed entry	30% – 50%	50% – 70%	Balanced blend as the driver increases pedal pressure; MGU-K operates near its high-speed electrical limit.
30% – 60%	Peak braking zone (Max G-Force)	50% – 65%	35% – 50%	Hydraulics scale up steeply to meet heavy deceleration demands alongside peak MGU-K electrical load.
60% – 85%	Mid-corner approach / Decelerating speed	70% – 90%	10% – 30%	As vehicle speed drops, MGU-K generation efficiency decreases; BBW automatically injects more hydraulic pressure.
85% – 100%	Final stop / Low-speed trail-off	100%	0%	Electric motor completely disengages (zero speed means zero generation); 100% pure hydraulic clamping handles the final stop.