The F1 teams as well as the championship leaders have reached a principle agreement to accelerate hardware changes to power units starting in 2027, without a 50/50 split.
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The main idea would be to abandon the theoretical 50/50 power split between the internal combustion engine and the electric part to move closer to a roughly 60/40 distribution in order to fix several problems that have appeared with the current regulations.
The goal is clear: to increase the power delivered by the internal combustion engine and reduce dependence on the battery to allow cars to run at full power more often, without suffering from a lack of energy on certain parts of the circuit.
Cars considered too limited by energy
This evolution also aims to make the single-seaters more natural to drive. Since the start of the season, constraints related to managing electrical energy have caused several unexpected side effects and made the cars particularly complex to operate for the drivers.
During an online meeting held on Friday between the teams, engine manufacturers, F1, and the FIA, it was agreed that action needed to be taken quickly to implement these changes as early as 2027.
Even though the deadlines are very tight — notably due to the extra work required to strengthen engine reliability and modify chassis to increase fuel tank sizes — a consensus was reached not to wait until 2028.
Envisioned changes
In a statement released after the meeting, the FIA indicated that the project consisted of increasing the thermal engine power by 50 kW through a fuel flow increase. At the same time, the power of the electric part would be reduced from 350 kW to 300 kW.
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The FIA specified: “It was agreed that more detailed technical discussions between the teams and engine manufacturers were necessary before finalizing the definitive package.”
The meeting also allowed for an assessment of the regulatory changes introduced in Miami regarding energy recovery and deployment.
Other adjustments already under study
The door remains open for new short-term adjustments.
The FIA added: “The evaluation of the package introduced in Miami is still ongoing with a view to possible additional adjustments during upcoming events. These include safety improvements at the start as well as measures aimed at improving safety in the rain.”
The governing body is also working on new visual signaling systems that could be introduced as early as the Canadian Grand Prix.
A long process before validation
The proposals to abandon the concept of a 50/50 thermal/electric split will now be studied in detail before going through the official regulatory validation process. This notably includes: the F1 Commission, the Power Unit Advisory Committee, then the FIA World Motor Sport Council.
These changes could profoundly modify the philosophy of future Formula 1 cars and respond to criticisms from many drivers and teams regarding the new hybrid power units.
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