Start, Suzuka, 2026

The FIA has confirmed a major change to Formula 1’s widely-criticised engine regulations for the 2027 season.

The championship will abandon the even power split between the combustion engine and electrical systems, which was a much-lauded feature of the rules when they were announced.

“The measures agreed in principle today for 2027 would see a nominal increase in internal combustion engine (ICE) power by [approximately] 50kW alongside a fuel-flow increase and a nominal reduction of the energy recovery system (ERS) deployment power by [approximately] 50kW,” said the FIA in a statement.

The change will shift the balance of power generation back towards the combustion engine. However the split will remain weighted further in favour of the battery than under the pre-2026 regulations.

Nonetheless the change should reduce the phenomenon of “clipping” which has been a much-criticised aspect of the rules since they were introduced. The FIA made several minor changes to the rules ahead of last weekend’s Miami Grand Prix but the effect appeared negligible at a track where the negative characteristics of the new power units were expected to be less obvious.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has recently indicated an even more drastic change is under consideration for future seasons. He has publicly spoken of bringing forward the next change in engine rules to 2030 and reintroducing V8 engines, last seen in 2013.

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FIA statement on F1 engine rules changes for 2027

A number of proposals to introduce further evolutionary changes to the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship regulations have been agreed in principle following an online meeting convened by the FIA today and attended by Team Principals, Formula 1 Management and representatives of the sport’s five power unit manufacturers.

The meeting began with a review of the recently agreed rule changes introduced at the Miami Grand Prix. These measures, designed to improve safety and reduce excessive harvesting, were deemed to have delivered improved competition and represent a positive step in the continued refinement of the 2026 framework. The FIA also reported that no material issues or safety concerns had been identified following implementation in Miami.

Further evaluation of the Miami package is ongoing with a view to the introduction of further adjustments at future events. These include improved start-safety revisions and measures to improve safety under wet conditions. These will be communicated to teams once defined.

Turning to the longer-term refinement of the regulations, it was agreed in principle to introduce evolutionary changes to the rules regarding hardware components, making competition safer, fairer and more intuitive for drivers and teams.
The measures agreed in principle today for 2027 would see a nominal increase in Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) power by ~50kW alongside a fuel-flow increase and a nominal reduction of the Energy Recovery System (ERS) deployment power by ~50kW.

It was agreed that further detailed discussion in technical groups comprising teams and Power Unit Manufacturers is required before the final package is decided.

The final proposals presented during today’s meeting are the result of a series of consultations over the past few weeks between the FIA and multi-stakeholders with input from F1 drivers.

The next step is to formally present these regulatory changes, once refined, for a World Motor Sport Council e-vote once the power unit manufacturers voted on the package.

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Keith Collantine

Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 – when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring journalist, Keith began running the site full-time in 2010, achieving a long-held ambition to dedicate his full attention to his passion for motor racing. View all posts by Keith Collantine