F1's 2027 engine rules to be decided by mid-May

Formula 1’s 2027 power unit rules will be decided in the next 15 days, with significant changes under discussion including a 60/40 power split between engine and electrical.

After the mixed reception to the new power unit regulations, talks have intensified over changes both in the short- and long-term to appease drivers and fans.

One idea has been a 60/40 split between thermal and electric power, but time is running out because this would also require a larger fuel tank and therefore a major overhaul to car designs and dimensions.

To implement a change of this kind for next year, a supermajority is required, with at least four out of five engine manufacturers needing to vote in favour of the change.

A formal meeting has not yet taken place, but the timeframe to push for the idea is closing. If F1 opts to stick with the power units in their current specification, limiting changes to those made on the eve of the Miami Grand Prix, there will still be room to discuss, debate, and potentially introduce corrective measures with the existing hardware.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images

For those pushing for a technical shift towards 60/40, the main obstacle remains the time factor. According to several teams, the window of opportunity to approve such a significant change will close in mid-May. This is because an increase in internal combustion power from the current 530 horsepower to approximately 600 horsepower would result in higher fuel consumption, necessitating a larger fuel tank that would have a significant impact on the car dimensions.

“If a decision is made within two weeks, there is time to get everything done,” explained a team principal wishing to remain anonymous, noting that regarding fuel, in the worst-case scenario, the race distance could be shortened by three laps.

The goal of this change is to allow drivers to race like they were able to with the previous generation of F1 cars, which ended in 2025, restoring the ‘natural’ feeling for drivers that has come under fire in this early part of the season.

The utmost discretion reigns regarding each teams’ position, with no official statements made.

It is plausible that Mercedes is not in favour of changes, but faced with a united front from its rivals, it may be forced to comply. The battle is therefore between Honda, Audi, Red Bull Powertrains, and Ferrari: according to paddock rumours, Honda and Red Bull are in favour of the change, while the positions of Ferrari and Audi remain to be clarified.