F1 power unit changes announced for 2027 and 2028 seasons

Formula 1 stakeholders have agreed to a gradual increase in power from the internal combustion engine to alleviate energy management concerns.

On Wednesday, the FIA announced F1's stakeholders have agreed to a moderate increase from 2027 onwards before committing to a 60/40 split in 2028.

Concretely, it means power units will see their fuel flow increase by five percent next year, upping power output from 400kW to 420kW without required significant hardware changes.

At the same time, the maximum power from the electric motor drops from 350kW to 300kW. Overtake Mode remains the same at 350kW to ensure cars are still able to use the boost mode, while the maximum harvesting limit has been increased to 375kW, up from 250kW. It effectively means the power split moves from 53/47 to 58/42 next season.

A bigger fuel flow increase of 13%, which boost ICE power to 450kW, will have to wait until 2028 to give power unit manufacturers more time to prepare for the 60/40 split. From 2028, the maximum harvest limit will be increased once more to 400kW, while the max deployment and overtake mode will remain the same.

The Red Bull power unit

Photo by: AG Photo

The FIA added there have also been tweaks to the power unit financial regulations to give manufacturers the cost cap headroom to make the changes. The proposed changes will be submitted to the FIA's World Motor Sport Council for ratification, which will happen on June 23 in Macau.

The FIA said: "The 2026 Formula 1 regulations were developed and agreed in close partnership between the FIA, FOM, teams, OEMs and Power Unit Manufacturers. These latest amendments reflect the continuation of this collaboration with all stakeholders working collectively to refine the framework and address identified operational challenges."

The step changes are designed to further improve the new 2026 power unit regulations which have to led more action-packed racing but also prompted safety concerns over the high closing speeds between cars. The biggest complaints from the drivers, however, involve the huge workload behind the wheel and the level of energy management needed on several circuits, preventing qualifying from an being a flat-out contest.

Some manufacturers, like Mercedes and Red Bull Ford Powertrains, were keen to make bigger changes as soon as 2027, while the likes of Audi and Ferrari were concerned over the resources and ambitious lead times involved. The end result is now a compromise that will gradually see the 2026 regulations fine-tuned rather than overhauled in one go.