Formula 1 agrees to engine design change after criticism
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- FIA announced a two‑step plan to adjust the power‑unit split after drivers’ criticism of the 2023 rules.
- Drivers – led by Max Verstappen – complained that the roughly 50‑50 ICE/electric split made qualifying “not flat‑out” and demanded a change; all other drivers agreed the issue needed fixing.
- Engine suppliers agreed to shift the split to 58‑42 in 2027 and 60‑40 in 2028, favouring the internal‑combustion engine.
- Fuel‑flow limits for the ICE will rise 5% in 2027 and 13% in 2028, boosting ICE power from ~400 kW to 420 kW (2027) and 450 kW (2028) while electrical power falls from 350 kW to 300 kW from 2024.
- Harvesting power of the electric system will increase to 375 kW in 2027 and 400 kW in 2028, allowing faster energy recovery without changing the 350 kW overtake‑mode limit.
- FIA released a performance ranking that lets manufacturers more than 2% behind the leader upgrade engines; Red Bull leads, Mercedes gets one upgrade this season, while Ferrari, Audi and Honda each get two, though Honda’s 8‑10% deficit excludes it from the $19 m funding.
Why it matters: Drivers gain a more traditional, full‑throttle qualifying experience as ICE power rises and electric constraints ease, while manufacturers trailing the performance leader can upgrade under the new ranking, though Honda’s modest deficit bars it from the $19 m boost. The shift also reshapes the competitive balance between ICE and hybrid output.
