FIA and Liberty push for F1 2027 engine fix to approve…

There is now an impending deadline for the final approval of the 2027 Formula 1 power unit regulations. The FIA and Liberty Media are exerting strong pressure on the current engine manufacturers to find a compromise capable of satisfying all parties involved, with a target of agreeing a deal over the Spanish Grand Prix on 12-14 June.

The FIA is hoping to tweak the engine rules for 2027, moving away from the near-50:50 split between electric and combustion power that they feature this year. However, the federation did not positively view a sudden change of position by Ferrari and Audi.

The two manufacturers changed their tune just a few days after a meeting that preceded the Canadian Grand Prix, in which all the engine manufacturers seemed to converge on the need to intervene on the future power units.

At that meeting, the FIA put a precise proposal on the table: a 14% increase in fuel flow, thus increasing internal combustion power by 50 kW and at the same time reducing the electric component by 50 kW. With a ratio of 450 kW coming from the combustion engine and 300 kW from the MGU-K, it would have been possible to eliminate critical issues such as superclipping and excessive battery management during the qualifying lap, according to the FIA.

Mohammed ben Sulayem, presidente FIA e Stefano Domenicali, CEO di F1 Group (Foto di: James Sutton / LAT Images via Getty Images)

When the paddock arrived in Montreal, the position of Audi and Ferrari was no longer the same as the one that had emerged just a week earlier: the two manufacturers highlighted how a modification of this scale would require significant intervention on the power units, with inevitable implications in terms of reliability as well as costs and internal work management.

At the root of the change of course there was the fear of losing the benefits guaranteed by the ADUO. In the days following the Canadian GP and before the Monte Carlo weekend, an alternative solution gained traction that, at least on paper, would make it possible to achieve the 60/40 ratio between internal combustion and electric power without requiring substantial modifications to the power units that are already at an advanced stage of development.

Meanwhile, the Formula 1 Commission has already approved a reduction in the aerodynamic load of the 2027 single-seaters. There is talk of a cut of between 40 and 50 points, with the aim of reducing drag and lowering cornering speeds, thus favouring the energy recovery phases. By combining this intervention with an increase in fuel flow limited to 5%, it is considered possible to significantly reduce the lift and coast phenomenon without intervening heavily on the architecture of the power units.

The time window for finding an agreement, however, is now reduced to a minimum. Whatever direction is chosen, it will have to be defined quickly. The FIA and Liberty Media hope to reach a shared position by the end of this weekend, so as to be able to bring the final package for approval during the Spanish Grand Prix.