Formula 1 and the FIA recently released news ahead of the 2027 regulation. Last winter, manufacturers realized they had underestimated the potential of fuels from sustainable processes, and as a result, they considered increasing the power input provided by thermal energy by partially sacrificing what currently comes from electric energy.
The changes introduced for Regulation 2027 do not represent a real change. This is mostly a corrective to current regulations, and the writer mostly doesn't even believe it's a change related to the problems encountered this year, but rather linked to a natural evolution resulting from the normal development process that will affect internal combustion engines throughout 2026.
The FIA statement speaks of a ratio that will go from the current 50-50 to 60-40. Thermal power will be able to generate 50 kW more power, while electric power will be reduced by the same 50 kW. Anyone who knows a little’ about math will have wrinkled their nose a little’ at the news. Let's imagine he may have said: “But how? Is it just 50 kW enough to change bringing 10% to the thermal side?”
F1 doesn't change, it just adapts
Indeed, those who made such a consideration were right. The FIA and F1 have repeatedly claimed to have a 50/50 power split in 2026. Which, with the fixed value of the power generated by the electric of 350 kW, one might think that a maximum of 350 kW could also be obtained from the thermal. In truth, as we have said several times this year, more can already be gained from ICE.
The FIA is hiding a fact from us at this time. The upper limit is set at 400 kW and the best manufacturers should be close to that threshold. We will see who specifically once the data collected by the FIA for the ADUO system have been made official (expected result, according to the new provisions, after Canada).
We are therefore already talking about a power distribution that is biased towards thermal power. For this reason, in 2027, by adding and removing 50 kW of power from both sides, we could achieve such a different energy distribution. In fact, when doing the math, it can be quickly concluded that having 450 kW of power generated by thermal and 300 kW by electric, there will be a corresponding 60/40 division ratio.
This means that, F1 manufacturers and their parteners regarding fuel development, expect to enormously improve the combustion efficiency threshold that occurs inside the cylinder by the 2027 season.
Cover photo: Red Bull Racing
Read also in italian language: La FIA ci sta nascondendo qualcosa
