Formula 1 changes direction: from 2027, more power will once again come from the internal combustion engine
Formula 1, the FIA, the teams and the power unit manufacturers have agreed on a package of regulatory changes for the 2027 and 2028 seasons that will gradually reduce reliance on the electrical part of the new hybrid system, while shifting a larger share of power back to the internal combustion engine. According to Formula 1's official announcement of June 10, 2026, these are changes to the Technical, Sporting and Financial Regulations that were agreed after discussions launched following the opening races of the 2026 season. The package still has to go through the formal approval procedure, but the governing bodies of the competition have announced an accelerated process so that all parties have enough time to adapt. According to Formula 1's announcement, the proposal is expected to be submitted to the World Motor Sport Council for approval on June 23 in Macau.
The changes are a response to the problems that emerged after the introduction of the new generation of power units in 2026. Those regulations increased the role of electrical energy in the overall power delivery and opened a new phase of hybrid technology in Formula 1, but at the same time led to criticism because of a driving style that required drivers to manage the battery, regeneration and available energy much more. The FIA and Formula 1 state that the aim of the new changes is not to abandon the hybrid concept, but to remove operational difficulties related to energy management and fuel flow. The official explanation emphasizes that qualifying should once again become closer to driving "flat out", while there is no desire to undermine the positive and exciting racing that the new regulations have brought.
A gradual transition toward a 60:40 ratio
The most important change concerns the ratio between the power of the internal combustion engine and the MGU-K electrical system, that is, the unit for recovering and delivering kinetic energy. According to data published on Formula 1's official website, the ICE/MGU-K ratio in 2026 is 53:47, in 2027 it should move to 58:42, and in 2028 reach 60:40 in favour of the internal combustion engine. This confirms the direction that had already been announced after meetings in May, when the FIA stated that a nominal increase in internal combustion engine power was being considered, alongside a simultaneous reduction in energy delivery from the ERS.
In practice, this means that the maximum power of the internal combustion engine would increase from 400 kW in 2026 to 420 kW in 2027, and then to 450 kW in 2028. At the same time, the maximum power of the MGU-K, which under the 2026 rules is 350 kW, would be reduced from 2027 to 300 kW and remain at that level in 2028 as well. Formula 1 also states that the overtaking mode would retain a maximum of 350 kW, while the maximum energy harvesting power would rise from 350 kW in 2026 to 375 kW in 2027 and 400 kW in 2028. The package also includes an increase in fuel flow, by five percent in 2027 and by 13 percent in 2028, which is important for increasing power from the internal combustion engine.
Why the 2026 regulations provoked resistance
The 2026 rules were designed as one of the biggest technical shifts in modern Formula 1. According to earlier explanations from Formula 1 and the FIA, the new power unit retained the 1.6-litre V6 turbo-hybrid engine, but the electrical part of the system was significantly strengthened: the power of the battery and MGU-K assembly rose from 120 kW to 350 kW, while power from the internal combustion engine was reduced compared with the previous generation. The regulations were also linked to the introduction of 100-percent sustainable fuel and the broader objective of ensuring that Formula 1 remains technologically relevant to car manufacturers. When approving the regulations, the FIA emphasized innovation, sustainability, financial control and attracting new manufacturers as the key pillars of the new cycle.
The problem, however, appeared on the track. According to reports from specialist media and official explanations after the first races of 2026, drivers complained that the new cars required an unnaturally high amount of saving, charging and distributing electrical energy. Instead of driving intuitively and aggressively in all parts of the lap, drivers had to think about when to use the battery, when to harvest energy and how to avoid running out of electrical assistance on the straights. Autosport reported in May that the cars were slowing before braking zones in some situations in order to save or regenerate energy, which changed the driving rhythm and raised safety questions because of large speed differences between cars.
Even before the agreement for 2027 and 2028, the FIA introduced the first corrections for the Miami Grand Prix. According to the official announcement after the meeting held on May 8, 2026, those measures were intended to improve safety and reduce excessive energy harvesting. The FIA said at the time that no significant safety problems had been recorded after the application of the package in Miami and that competition had improved, but discussion about longer-term changes continued at the same time. It was precisely from that process that the broader package for 2027 and 2028 emerged, because software and operational adjustments could ease part of the problem, but could not fully change the fundamental power ratio.
Qualifying, racing and the question of "artificial" energy management
One of the main objectives of the new measures is to restore a more natural driving feel, especially in qualifying. In its official announcement, Formula 1 stated that the changes are intended to address the problem of energy management and fuel flow characteristics, so that qualifying laps can be driven more decisively, without an excessive compromise between speed in one sector and available energy in another. This is important because qualifying in Formula 1 traditionally represents the purest form of the battle for speed over a single lap. If the driver at that moment has to pay too much attention to the battery and can attack the car's limits too little, the sporting impression becomes different from what the audience and participants expect.
The changes do not mean that energy management will disappear. The hybrid system remains part of the power unit, and the increased maximum energy harvesting power shows that the FIA and Formula 1 still want to retain an important role for regeneration. The difference is that reducing the maximum continuous delivery of the MGU-K and increasing the power of the internal combustion engine should reduce the car's dependence on the battery in the most critical phases of the lap. This should give drivers more consistent power delivery, less extreme differences between attacking and saving, and fewer situations in which tactical battery charging is perceived as more important than the racing itself.
In races, the consequences should be more subtle. In its official announcement, Formula 1 stresses that it does not want to undo the positive effects of the new regulations on overtaking and race dynamics. This means that a balance is being sought between two goals: retaining the possibility of strategic energy use, while removing the impression that a car's pace too often depends on artificially defined saving modes. If the ratio is indeed stabilized at 60:40 in favour of the internal combustion engine, drivers should have more consistent power throughout the lap, and teams less reason to build a race around extreme energy harvesting scenarios.
Manufacturers receive a clearer development framework
For power unit manufacturers, the agreement is important because the changes relate to hardware, fuel flow, the method of power delivery and the financial aspects of development. According to Formula 1's official announcement, the package was agreed by the FIA, Formula One Management, the teams and the power unit manufacturers, and it also includes supporting measures related to power unit supply, operations during races and the Financial Regulations. Such changes are not simple because they affect engine construction, cooling, consumption, fuel tanks and chassis design. That is why it is crucial for teams and manufacturers to receive confirmed parameters as early as possible.
In the May statement, issued after a meeting of the FIA, Formula 1, team principals and representatives of power unit manufacturers, it was stated that changes for 2027 had been agreed in principle and would include around 50 kW more power from the internal combustion engine and around 50 kW less available power from the ERS. The current package specifies the further transition toward 2028, so it is no longer only about a single correction for the next season, but about a two-year path toward a more stable ratio. This gives manufacturers a clearer target, although formal approval by the World Motor Sport Council remains a necessary step before entry into the regulations.
In addition to the basic changes, there is also a separate ADUO mechanism, or Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities, which was introduced into the regulations for the 2026 to 2030 cycle. According to Formula 1's explanation, ADUO enables additional development opportunities for manufacturers whose internal combustion engine has fallen behind the reference level in the FIA's performance index. This mechanism is not the same as the package announced for 2027 and 2028, but it shows how aware the FIA is of the danger that the new generation of engines could create large differences between manufacturers. In a period of major technical change, the stability of the rules is just as important as the possibility of correction when problems appear on the track.
The hybrid philosophy remains, but the emphasis changes
The agreed changes do not represent a return to the old Formula 1 without electrical assistance. On the contrary, the hybrid V6 remains the foundation of the regulations, sustainable fuel continues to be an important part of the technical strategy, and the MGU-K remains a key element of performance. What is changing is the emphasis. The 2026 regulations attempted to bring the power unit closer to a balance between the electrical and thermal parts, but after the first races it became clear that such a ratio could produce unwanted consequences for the driving style. The new direction recognizes that electrification remains important, but also that Formula 1 must preserve its recognizable sporting character: late braking, attacking through fast corners, battling on corner exits and as few situations as possible in which the driver has to drop out of rhythm because of the battery state.
That is why the changes can be read as a compromise between technological and sporting requirements. Manufacturers still receive a platform for developing high-efficiency hybrid systems, while drivers and teams receive regulations that should be more intuitive in real racing conditions. For fans, the most important question is whether the changes will reduce the impression that the result is shaped too much behind the scenes, through energy maps and restrictions, and too little by direct battle on the track. The final answer will only be provided by the races of 2027 and 2028, but the direction is now much clearer: Formula 1 is not abandoning hybrid technology, but is trying to restore the balance between efficiency, safety and aggressive racing.
Until formal confirmation by the World Motor Sport Council, the agreed package remains a proposal with very strong political and technical support from the key actors. If it is approved on June 23, the teams will enter the next phase of design with clearer boundaries for 2027 and 2028. The biggest challenge will be to implement the changes quickly enough to solve the problems observed in 2026, but carefully enough not to create a new wave of costs, imbalance and unforeseen consequences. That is precisely why the current agreement is important: it shows that Formula 1 is ready to adapt when new technology changes the sporting product more than the participants expected.
Sources:
- Formula1.com / FIA – agreed package of regulatory changes for 2027 and 2028, technical values and deadline for formal approval (link)
- Formula1.com / FIA – proposals agreed in principle after the meeting on May 8, 2026, and the context of measures introduced after the Miami Grand Prix (link)
- Formula1.com – explanation of the 2026 power units, increases in electrical power and sustainable fuel (link)
- Autosport – context of driver reactions, energy management problems and safety questions in the first races of the 2026 season (link)
- Formula1.com – explanation of the ADUO mechanism for additional power unit development in the 2026-2030 regulatory cycle (link)