Formula 1 officials have reached an agreement to modify engine specifications for the 2027 campaign, responding to driver complaints about the current power units introduced this year.
Competitors have voiced concerns that the near-even split between combustion and electrical power, combined with heavy energy management requirements, has reduced the difficulty and excitement of qualifying sessions.
During a meeting on Friday involving teams, commercial rights holder F1, and the FIA, a preliminary agreement was reached to boost the internal combustion engine’s power contribution by 50kW (67bhp) while reducing electrical output by the same margin. The adjustment is designed to allow drivers to adopt a more conventional driving style during qualifying.
Currently, cars must employ energy recovery techniques even while at full throttle, causing noticeable speed drops before corners and through fast turns. The change is expected to nearly eliminate this issue, except at circuits with the most demanding energy constraints.
An FIA statement confirmed unanimous support for the alterations. Technical groups comprising teams and power-unit manufacturers will now work out specifics before a final package is approved. These groups will also explore additional measures aimed at reducing the importance or difficulty of energy harvesting.
Several approaches are under consideration to tackle this key challenge. Implementing the changes will require further development of existing engines, but one senior insider noted, “Everyone is embracing the challenge.”
Technical hurdles remain—for example, some teams want to carry over the same chassis into 2027 to cut costs, making fuel tank enlargements problematic.
The meeting also endorsed the F1 drivers’ view that engine operation changes introduced at last weekend’s Miami Grand Prix represented “a step in the right direction.” Drivers were almost unanimous in that assessment.
McLaren’s world champion Lando Norris, who finished second in Miami, commented: “It’s a small step forward, but F1 still isn’t where it should be. If you push flat-out everywhere like in previous years, you’re still penalized. You can’t go full throttle everywhere, and you shouldn’t be penalized for that—but you still are.”