On 8 May 2026, the FIA announced that agreement had been reached in principle to alter Formula 1’s power unit regulations for the 2027 season. Following an online meeting attended by all eleven team principals, Formula One Management and representatives from the five power unit manufacturers, the governing body confirmed that the proposed changes would see internal combustion engine output increase by around 50 kW alongside a fuel-flow increase, with ERS deployment power reduced by approximately the same amount. The near-equal split between combustion and electrical power that had been written into the 2026 regulations with considerable care would shift to something closer to 60-40 in favour of the ICE. The 2026 season had been running for four races. The sport had already seen enough.
What the 2026 rules were meant to do
The 2026 regulations represented the most significant overhaul of Formula 1’s power unit architecture in years.
The electrical element of the hybrid system was substantially increased, producing a near-even split between ICE and ERS output.
The idea was a cleaner, more sustainable formula: more electric power, more energy harvesting, a step toward the carbon neutrality targets the sport had committed to by 2030.
What it produced on track was a different kind of driving altogether.
When the electrical energy runs out, the power unit begins harvesting, effectively working against the ICE and causing speeds to reduce despite drivers still being at full throttle.
This manifested as what quickly became known as super-clipping: cars decelerating noticeably at the end of straights not because drivers had touched the brakes, but because the power unit had switched modes.
Lifting and coasting returned in a form that made qualifying laps feel managed rather than flat-out, and made race situations unpredictable in ways the regulations had not anticipated.
Overtaking increased, with 197 recorded moves in grands prix so far compared to 84 in the same races last year, but concerns swiftly emerged about the closing speeds between cars deploying energy and harvesting it.
Those concerns were not theoretical for long.
Suzuka and Miami
The safety concerns were unfortunately vindicated by Oliver Bearman’s hefty Suzuka accident, as he attempted to avoid a slower Franco Colapinto who wasn’t even harvesting energy.
The speed differential between a car in deployment and a car in harvest had become large enough to create genuine danger, and the sport moved quickly to acknowledge it.
Ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, a series of rule tweaks were introduced.
These included a new low-power start detection system, which identifies cars with abnormally low acceleration shortly after clutch release and triggers an automatic MGU-K deployment to ensure a minimum level of acceleration. Reduced maximum ERS deployment in low-grip conditions was also trialled, along with increased tyre blanket temperatures for intermediate tyres.
The conclusion from the Miami package was that the measures resulted in improved competition and were a step in the right direction, with no material issues or safety concerns identified.
Drivers were broadly positive about the qualifying feel.
Oscar Piastri noted the races were still not fully resolved.
The FIA read the room and started planning something more substantial.
What the 8 May agreement changes
The thinking behind the 2027 changes is that an increase in power from the ICE would make it easier to harvest the lower amount of power permitted for deployment by the ERS, reducing the amount of super-clipping at the end of straights to charge the battery.
The combustion engine does more of the work. The electrical system does less.
The driver can push more of the time without triggering the harvesting behaviour that had made the 2026 cars feel so counterintuitive.
Limiting the ERS deployment power should mean that drivers will not have to do quite so much harvesting via super-clipping or lifting and coasting.
Whether the precise numbers are sufficient to resolve the complaints entirely will depend on the detailed technical work still to come.
The agreement on 8 May was in principle, with further detailed discussion in technical groups comprising teams and power unit manufacturers required before the final package is decided.
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 have voted on the package.
The broader picture
The May 8 announcement did not arrive in isolation.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem had announced plans for F1 to return to V8 engines by 2031 with minimal electrical power during the Miami weekend, a statement that signalled a more fundamental rethinking of the sport’s power unit direction than any single 50 kW adjustment.
The 2027 changes are evolutionary. The 2031 ambition, if it proceeds, would be something closer to a reversal.
For now, the 2026 season continues under regulations that are being refined as it runs. The FIA spent years designing a 50-50 hybrid formula and four races watching drivers hate it.
The 8 May agreement is the sport’s formal acknowledgement that the balance was wrong, dressed in the careful language of evolutionary refinement and multi-stakeholder consultation.
What it says plainly is that the combustion engine is going back up, the electrical system is coming down, and the drivers’ complaints were, on this occasion, heard.
FAQ
What exactly was agreed on 8 May 2026?
The FIA and F1 stakeholders agreed in principle to increase ICE output by around 50 kW alongside a fuel-flow increase, and reduce ERS deployment power by around 50 kW for the 2027 season. The changes still require votes from power unit manufacturers and the World Motor Sport Council before they are formally adopted.
Why is the 50-50 split being changed?
Drivers found the near-equal ICE and ERS split produced difficult racing behaviour, particularly super-clipping, where cars slow at the end of straights while harvesting energy. The speed differentials this created between harvesting and deploying cars raised safety concerns, most visibly in Bearman’s heavy crash at Suzuka.
When will the changes take effect?
The agreed changes are targeted at the 2027 season. The 2026 season will continue under the current regulations with smaller refinements, including those introduced at Miami, in the meantime.
