Formula 1 power unit changes for 2027 are under threat?

As it currently stands, the ICE and the electric motor are equally responsible for power generation in an F1 power unit, and that has resulted in the disastrous racing we have seen so far with battery charge dictating passes while qualifying sessions have become energy management exercises with the situation getting worse on power-demanding tracks.

While changes to charging and deployment parameters ahead of the Miami Grand Prix have made the situation less bad, we still have to endure F1 cars running out of juice at the end of straights and excessive lifting and coasting, while qualifying is yet to return to the flat-out driving it should be.

No radical changes are possible until 2030/31, when the V8s are expected to be back, if FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem delivers on his promise.

In the meantime, the FIA and Formula 1 have announced that changes will be applied for 2027 to modify the power units in a way that the ICE will deliver 60% of the overall power output.

Four-time F1 Champion and Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen said the 2027 changes were the minimum the sport could do in order to fix the situation, but it now seems even this may not be achievable.

The changes have to be voted on, with four of the six power unit manufacturers on the Power Unit Advisory Committee backing the changes for the proposal to go through.

While the manufacturers were on board before, it seems some are backing down now with only Mercedes and Red Bull backing the changes. Ferrari, Audi, and Cadillac are against it, while Honda has yet to decide.

There are several reasons behind this opposition; the requirement of having a new chassis for 2027 is one of them. The new power units will require bigger fuel tanks, hence a revised chassis, and Audi in particular are not happy about this.

But the main reason Ferrari and Audi are unhappy with the changes is that they would open the homologation and allow manufacturers to develop their power units.

Ferrari, reportedly having the worst power unit among the top teams, and Audi are worried Mercedes and Red Bull will gain an advantage if the changes are confirmed.

The Mercedes and Red Bull power units are the best units on the grid, and Ferrari were hoping to catch up through the Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) mechanism.

For the 2027 changes to be ratified, the decision has to be taken by June to allow enough time for the manufacturers to respond; otherwise, the FIA will have no option but to push the whole proposal to 2028.