Formula 1 has plans to change the engines hated by most drivers as soon as next season
The Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix was one of the best races we’ve seen so far this season, and that’s thanks in part to some new regulations introduced to improve qualifying and make racing safer.
They follow drivers’ complaints that qualifying has become more about managing their cars’ batteries rather than speed and driver skill, and safety concerns after Haas driver Ollie Bearman suffered a horror crash in Japan.
Both of these relate to the new 2026 engine’s 50-50 power split between the internal combustion engine and the electrical system known as the Energy Recovery System, or ERS.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. GET THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
The new rules introduced at the Miami Grand Prix weekend appeared to improve both qualifying and the race. (Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)
Now the series and its governing body, the FIA, have announced that more changes are coming, and they will be coming quickly.
On Friday, team bosses, Formula 1 Management and the FIA met to discuss the implications of the Miami rule changes and agreed to make some changes for next season.
“The measures agreed in principle today for 2027 will see a ~50kW nominal increase in Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) power, as well as an increase in fuel flow and a ~50kW nominal reduction in Energy Recovery System (ERS) delivery power.”
This means: “The internal combustion engine will be more powerful, but the battery will not be more powerful.”
CADILLAC INTRODUCES SINGLE EXCLUSIVE STARS-AND-Stripes Livery AHEAD OF THE TEAM’S FIRST RACE ON US SOIL
Accordingly Sky SportsThis results in a further split of power from ICE to ERS around 60-40; This means there will be less focus on charging the batteries and instead back to driver skill and straight-up speed.
Kudos to the FIA and Formula 1 for not trying too hard on this. Drivers, particularly Red Bull’s four-time champion Max Verstappen, have been highly critical of the rules since they were announced.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has been one of the biggest critics of the 2026 engine regulations. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
The 50-50 parity didn’t work after the first three weekends, and there was a noticeable improvement on the track in Miami.
So this will require some work from the series’ engine manufacturers, but if something isn’t working you need to make some changes.
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FOX NEWS APPLICATION
