FIA and FOM urged to ‘be tough’ as F1 2027 engine split faces politics

The FIA and FOM have been urged to be “tough” in ensuring the proposed 60/40 power unit split for F1 2027 actually goes through, in the face of potential political adversity.

A meeting following the Miami Grand Prix resulted in an agreement “in principle” to tweak the power unit electrification ratio to a 60/40 split with the internal combustion engine, reducing the electrical dependency from the current near 50/50 split.

Carlos Sainz calls for FIA to stand firm on 2027 power unit changes

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While the decision has been made in principle, there are hurdles to overcome before the 60/40 split is actually written into the regulations for 2027.

With the agreement to change made by the members of the F1 Commission, without being a formal F1C meeting, proposals on how to actually achieve the 60/40 split will now be explored and refined by relevant technical experts from the TAC [Technical Advisory Committee] before being put before the Power Unit Advisory Committee [PUAC] for formal voting. Once voted through, the proposed regulation changes can go before the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council [WMSC] for ratification.

But getting to that point is not the work of a moment – with the teams and power unit manufacturers having invested significant time and resources in creating the new power units, there is a reticence to move too quickly away from the current formula, particularly given the vested interests in terms of competitiveness.

While the new power units have been broadly decried by the drivers, and social media is awash with dismayed fans due to their unique driving requirements, the energy tweaks made for the Miami Grand Prix were a step in the right direction, but there is a long five years ahead before a significant change in the engine formula.

The FIA President, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, has been clear about wanting to move back towards simpler engines for the new formula, with less input and consideration for the desires of the power unit manufacturers’ push for road relevance in the sporting arena, but the governing body is likely to face pushback from the PUMs in order to make the 60/40 split happen as soon as 2027.

The need for this split, according to some of the drivers, will require the FIA to “get tough” in order to ensure the changes are made.

“From what I hear, I think there’s a very interesting proposal for 2027, a proposal that I think goes exactly in line with where the sport should go,” Carlos Sainz said in Canada of the mooted changes.

Sainz has been particularly vocal about calling for change ever since the realities of the new formula became apparent, and he urged the powers-that-be to hold firm in the face of vested interests.

“Unfortunately, like always in this sport, there will be politics involved and different interests involved across the main manufacturers that will push back and push forward depending on what they’re looking for,” he said.

“That’s why, if anything from here, I can just ask the FIA and FOM to be tough with what they believe is the right thing for the sport, and even if you need the vote… I don’t know how exactly the whole system works to agree and vote in whatever commission there is, but they can still stand firm and believe in what’s right for the sport.

“Because I think what we saw in Miami, even though it was a very small step forward and still not exactly where we should be, there’s a very positive and interesting set of changes for 2027 that I think if you were to ask just the drivers, we would all be in favour of pushing for that direction.”

More on the proposed 60/40 engine split

Why F1’s agreed 60/40 engine split could still unravel

Max Verstappen makes ominous F1 future warning over 2027 PU tweaks

Even at 60/40, a change that sees an increase in combustion power by around 50kW with a corresponding drop in electrical deployment by 50kW, Sainz said this isn’t likely to fully fix F1’s current issues.

“I think, for us drivers, that will never be enough,” he said.

“I think we all love what we love, which is that if there is electrical, it should be an add-on rather than a dependency on electrical power as we have now.

“In the past, we’ve had KERS, we’ve had the previous PU regulations, which the electrical felt more like an add-on on top of already what was a solid PU, and I think for drivers, purists, even I think journalists, I think we will always believe a 60/40 probably still also not enough, but at least something you can race with until real racing and real engines come back in 2030.”

Max Verstappen, who has held the threat of potentially leaving F1 behind as a consequence of the direction of the sport over FOM and the FIA ever since the pre-season, was even firmer, suggesting that he wouldn’t be interested in participating if the changes aren’t agreed.

“Well, if it stays like this, it’s going to be a long year next year, which I don’t want,” he said.

“I can tell you, if it stays like this, it’s just mentally not doable.

“There’s a lot of other fun things out there.

“Let’s stay on the positive side. We’re still, I think, looking towards making those changes, and of course, some people who at the moment maybe have a bit of an advantage will try to be difficult about it, but if the FIA is strong, and also from the FOM side, they just need to do it.

“It would be better for the sport as a whole.”

Racing Bull’s Liam Lawson has dodged the question of whether the current F1 cars are enjoyable to drive ever since the pre-season, and did so again on Thursday in Canada, instead pointing to how he knows he is fortunate to be a Formula 1 driver and to be in the position he is.

The Kiwi also said that it’s not surprising that the FIA is listening to the drivers’ input in the face of the criticism.

“I think it’s great that at least we’re sort of being heard, but I think we have to be as well,” he said.

“Because you can’t have a series where people don’t want to be racing or don’t want to be racing the cars that are not enjoyable to them as much, or something like that. So, yeah, I think it’s positive.”

Speculation has suggested that Audi, in particular, is a manufacturer that is eager to maintain the status quo, having signed up to Formula 1 on the basis of the new regulations.

Sources have indicated that the German manufacturer is “not wedded” to any specific ratio, although Mattia Binotto has been at pains to point to the general feelings of positivity from his drivers towards the regulations.

Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg was asked for his thoughts on the split heading into the Montreal weekend, and the veteran driver said he’s fine with any changes that are introduced.

“It’s not been decided and signed off yet, from what I understand. I knew it was everywhere in the media, but I don’t think it has actually been decided and voted for,” he said.

“For me personally, I think it’s fine. I think it puts a little bit less emphasis, obviously, on energy; it is quite sensitive now and critical, especially in quali.

“So I’m pretty open-minded, relaxed about it, but it’s definitely not something that I’m against.”

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