Many Formula 1 drivers have voiced their (negative) opinions about this year's regulations, but none have been more vocal than Max Verstappen. The four-time World Champion has said he would consider walking away from the sport if changes aren't made...and changes are coming in 2027.
While there's only so much that can be done before the highly anticipated return of V8 engines, the FIA has confirmed that the sport is moving away from the 50/50 split between electric and combustion power.
Next year, the balance would be more along the lines of 60/40; it's an admittedly small step in the right direction, albeit one drivers and fans will surely welcome after the noticeable improvements from the very minor tweaks in Miami last weekend.
During Friday's meeting, F1's stakeholders agreed that the alterations to the rules during the first race since Japan—a result of the Saudi Arabia and Bahrain races being cancelled—were encouraging. That's because they improved the experience for drivers pushing flat-out without excessive energy-saving, and enhanced safety.
Any design changes to power units require longer lead times. This is why there will be further discussion on the matter, to solidify the plans and allow stakeholders to fully assess all possible knock-on effects before the introduction in 2027.
You can read a full breakdown of the alterations that have been discussed in the official FIA press release below.
A number of proposals to introduce further evolutionary changes to the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship regulations have been agreed in principle following an online meeting convened by the FIA today and attended by Team Principals, Formula 1 Management and representatives of the sport’s five Power Unit Manufacturers.
The meeting began with a review of the recently agreed rule changes introduced at the Miami Grand Prix. These measures, designed to improve safety and reduce excessive harvesting, were deemed to have delivered improved competition and represent a positive step in the continued refinement of the 2026 framework. The FIA also reported that no material issues or safety concerns had been identified following implementation in Miami.
Further evaluation of the Miami package is ongoing with a view to the introduction of further adjustments at future events. These include improved start-safety revisions and measures to improve safety under wet conditions. These will be communicated to teams once defined.
Turning to the longer-term refinement of the regulations, it was agreed in principle to introduce evolutionary changes to the rules regarding hardware components, making competition safer, fairer and more intuitive for drivers and teams.
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.
It was agreed that further detailed discussion in technical groups comprising teams and Power Unit Manufacturers is required before the final package is decided.
The final proposals presented during today’s meeting are the result of a series of consultations over the past few weeks between the FIA and multi-stakeholders with input from F1 drivers.
The next step is to formally present these regulatory changes, once refined, for a World Motor Sport Council e-vote once the Power Unit Manufacturers voted on the package.