Formula 1 Overhauls Engine Rules With Two-Phase Power Shift Plan

Formula 1 Agrees Two-Step Engine Overhaul Amid Driver Backlash

Formula 1 officials have reached a landmark agreement to restructure engine power distribution following intense criticism from drivers about this season's regulations. The plan, developed after approximately a month of negotiations, will be implemented in two distinct phases across 2027 and 2028.

Why Drivers Were Unhappy

The core of the controversy stems from this season's near-equal split between internal combustion engine (ICE) power and electrical power. Drivers have voiced strong frustration that the demands of energy management under the current setup have stripped qualifying of its raw, flat-out character.

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen was among the most vocal critics, going so far as to threaten retirement from the sport if meaningful changes weren't introduced. His sentiments were widely shared across the paddock, with the entire driver community calling for urgent action.

Two-time champion Fernando Alonso colorfully described fast corners as having become nothing more than a "charging station for the car" — a damning indictment of how the new rules have altered the racing experience.

The Two-Step Solution

Engine suppliers have now committed to shifting the power ratio in favor of the internal combustion engine, moving from the current near 50-50 split to a 60-40 balance by 2028. Rather than making the full transition in a single step for 2027 — a move pushed hard by Ferrari and Audi — the agreement lands on a more gradual approach.

The phased plan breaks down as follows:

• 2027: Power ratio shifts to 58-42 in favor of the ICE, achieved by increasing fuel-flow to the internal combustion engine by 5%
• 2028: The ratio reaches the target 60-40 split, with fuel-flow increasing by 13% from current levels

ICE Power Output Changes

The increased fuel-flow will translate directly into greater power from the combustion engine:

• 2025 (current): ~400kW (536bhp)
• 2027: ~420kW (563bhp)
• 2028: ~450kW (603bhp)

Electrical System Adjustments

While ICE power climbs, the electrical motor's standard output will be reduced from 350kW (470bhp) this season down to 300kW (402bhp) from next year onward. However, the overtake mode ceiling remains at 350kW, preserving the tactical element that allows a driver within one second of the car ahead to deploy an additional 0.5MJ of energy per lap.

Interestingly, the maximum energy harvesting capacity will actually increase — rising from 350kW currently to 375kW in 2027 and 400kW in 2028. This enhancement will allow teams to replenish electrical energy more rapidly, reducing the time drivers must spend in energy recovery mode.

What Was Going Wrong This Season

The fundamental issue with the new power units was that they were effectively energy-starved. Recovering enough electrical energy across a single lap to utilize the permitted maximum proved extremely difficult in practice.

This produced some peculiar on-track behaviors during the early rounds of the season, including drivers coasting through sections of qualifying laps and harvesting energy mid-corner — all of which undermined the spirit of flat-out single-lap pace that makes qualifying compelling.

A preliminary fix was introduced after the first three races, reducing the maximum recoverable energy per lap and boosting the harvesting power available at full throttle. Drivers acknowledged this as a step in the right direction, though consensus was that more substantial change was still needed.

The FIA confirmed the intent behind the latest agreement in an official statement: "The proposed changes are intended to address issues related to energy management and fuel energy-flow characteristics and make qualifying more flat-out while not impacting the positive and exciting racing generated by the new regulations."

Engine Performance Rankings Revealed

Alongside the rules revision, the FIA has privately communicated official engine performance rankings to all power-unit manufacturers. These rankings carry significant financial and technical implications, as any manufacturer found to be more than 2% behind the leading engine is permitted to introduce upgrade packages both this season and in 2027.

While the FIA has not made its findings public, sources indicate that Red Bull holds the distinction of running the most powerful engine — with only ICE output factored into the assessment, excluding electrical system efficiency.

Upgrade Allocations by Manufacturer

• Mercedes: One permitted upgrade this season, one more in 2027
• Ferrari, Audi, Honda: Two permitted upgrades available in both 2025 and 2027

Manufacturers receiving permitted upgrades are also granted additional spending allowance beyond the standard engine budget cap, with the financial relief scaled according to the size of their performance deficit.

Honda was identified as the least powerful engine supplier — a result that was broadly anticipated. However, sources familiar with the FIA's assessment suggest Honda's deficit was categorized in the 8–10% range below the benchmark. This classification means Honda narrowly misses out on a substantial extra funding allocation that was made available to any manufacturer falling more than 10% behind — a pot worth as much as $19 million (approximately £14 million).