F1's 2027 Rule Change Hits Major Practical Hurdles

The FIA's achievement in getting unanimous support 'in principle' for a hardware shift to a 60/40 internal combustion/electric power split has raised hopes for less energy-starved Formula 1 cars. However, as with most F1 rule changes, the devil is in the detail.

Why it matters:

The change is meant to address the qualifying spectacle and counterintuitive driving caused by current energy limits. But technical and political hurdles threaten its timely implementation for 2027. Critical decisions on fuel tank capacity, chassis reuse, and engine development rules are still unresolved.

The details:

• Fuel flow increase: Boosting ICE output by 50kW requires ~10% more fuel, meaning larger fuel tanks. However, several teams planned to carry over their 2026 chassis into 2027 to save costs under the budget cap – incompatible with bigger tanks.
• Three options on the table:
  • Grant a cost cap concession for new chassis.
  • Reduce race distance by ~10% to compensate for unchanged tank size.
  • Increase fuel flow only for qualifying (Saturday) while keeping current levels for the race, with full implementation delayed to 2028.
• The ADUO complication: The Additional Design and Upgrade Opportunities mechanism allows struggling manufacturers like Honda extra development time. Changing fuel flow effectively redesigns power units, giving those already with ADUO a material advantage heading into 2027 unless benefits are reset – politically sensitive.

What's next:

Technical experts will evaluate these issues over the coming weeks. The FIA's cautious phrasing ('in principle') reflects the real difficulty. Resolving the chassis and ADUO problems will be crucial for any 2027 rule change to proceed without unfair advantages or excessive cost.