PARIS — Formula 1 leaders have agreed to an engine design change for 2027 that will slightly increase internal combustion output.
F1 started the year with big changes for the international open-wheel series, including a 50-50 split in power between a traditional engine and the onboard battery pack, but driver criticism was immediate.
FIA, the governing body whose oversight includes F1, said it met with teams and series officials in an online session Friday and that the changes were agreed to in principle.
“The measures agreed in principle today for 2027 would see a nominal increase in Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) power by ~50kW alongside a fuel-flow increase and a nominal reduction of the Energy Recovery System (ERS) deployment power by ~50kW,” the FIA statement read.
The changes, it added, will be “intuitive for drivers and teams.”
After just three GP races this season, tweaks were made that slightly curbed the influence of the electrical power. They answered driver criticism by promoting pure driving skill over electrical recharging, especially in qualifying.
Last weekend’s Miami Grand Prix was the first under those changes. Sunday’s race was one of the most wide-open competitions in recent F1 history with drivers from four different teams leading before Kimi Antonelli took his third win of 2026 for Mercedes.
F1 has used V6 engines with electrical hybrid power since 2014, and an increase in the amount of electrical power has forced drivers to adjust. Timing the electrical boost and recharging is the key to tactical racing. Red Bull star Max Verstappen, who won his four F1 titles in consecutive seasons from 2021-24 and ranks third in all-time GP victories, loathes it so much he has questioned his future in F1.
The FIA said Friday’s session began with a review of the changes put in place before Miami.
“The conclusion from the deployment of modifications in Miami, designed to improve safety and reduce excessive harvesting, was that they resulted in improved competition and were a step in the right direction,” it said. “Evaluation of the Miami package is ongoing with a view to the introduction of further adjustments at future events.”
The next event on F1’s 2026 schedule is the Canadian Grand Prix, which is set for May 24 in Montreal.