Racing
© Jonathan Borba
The FIA has formally approved a major rewrite of Formula 1’s 2027 and 2028 power-unit rules, moving the category away from the near-50/50 hybrid split planned for 2026 after fears that cars would run short of electrical energy on straights and force drivers into lift-and-recharge racing.
The changes were ratified at the World Motor Sport Council meeting in Macau on 23 June, locking in a shift from the 2026 53/47 ICE-electric balance to 58/42 in 2027 and 60/40 in 2028. In practical terms, that means the internal-combustion engine will carry more of the load, with maximum ICE output rising from 400 kW in 2026 to 420 kW in 2027 and 450 kW in 2028.
Fuel flow will also increase to support that move, by 5% in 2027 and 13% in 2028 compared with the 2026 baseline. At the same time, standard-mode MGU-K output will be cut from the originally planned 350 kW to 300 kW, although Overtake Mode will still allow the full 350 kW deployment during battle phases.
The FIA and stakeholders were pushed into the rethink by alarming early-season simulations and complaints from teams and drivers about the risk of clipping on long straights. Under the original concept, engineers feared drivers could run out of battery deployment before the end of full-throttle sections and would have to lift to recover energy, a scenario seen as damaging both racing and the character of the new rules.
The approved package also targets qualifying and overall drivability. Regeneration capacity will rise from 350 kW in 2026 to 375 kW in 2027 and 400 kW in 2028, while the FIA said the rules will offer more flexibility in energy recovery system deployment to help drivers complete attack laps without artificial energy-saving compromises.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA president, said the governing body sees the latest changes as part of an ongoing process rather than a closed rulebook. “As with every major regulatory change, the process does not end when the cars first take to the track,” he said. “Continuous dialogue and collaboration are essential to ensuring that the regulations meet the needs of the sport, its drivers, and its fans.”
The agreement had been reached with Formula One Management, the teams and the engine manufacturers, including Ferrari, Mercedes, Renault, Honda, Audi and Red Bull-Ford, before receiving its formal WMSC sign-off. That ratification now gives manufacturers and teams the technical certainty they need for 2027-28 development, alongside related financial-regulation measures and power-unit supply provisions intended to ease the cost of adapting to the revised formula on a tight timeline.