‘Nobody comfortable’ – Red Bull makes key admission over F1 2027 rules debate

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies has publicly confirmed it will back the agreement in principle to adjust power balance in F1 2027 power units.

And he says the team is prepared to step out of its “comfort zone” despite “nobody” being comfortable with a late tweak to the rules for next season.

Laurent Mekies confirms Red Bull support for F1 2027 engine rule changes

Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust.

Mekies confirmed Red Bull Ford Powertrains will be one manufacturer to back the proposed changes, with Mercedes also expected to approve at this stage.

These proposals would change the balance of power delivery next season, moving further in favour of internal combustion power in a 60:40 ratio to the electrical elements of the power units.

However, the Red Bull team principal admitted there are more discussions to be had among power unit makers and Formula 1 stakeholders to try and “land in the right place” with regulation tweaks.

Initial adjustments were made to the F1 2026 power units ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, with larger-scale changes having been agreed in principle by the FIA, FOM and power unit manufacturers, but those adjustments will still face scrutiny through the sport’s governance process before any changes become official.

The current balance of power delivery sits closer to 50-50 between internal combustion and electric power, with these proposed changes set to remove some of the need to recharge batteries over the course of a lap.

However, there has not yet been public backing from every manufacturer, with reported concerns over increased fuel flow leading to a potential change in size of fuel tank, which in turn could fundamentally alter the chassis layout.

Potential adjustments such as slightly shortening races to account for fuel consumption has been mooted among the teams, though nothing is yet confirmed for next season.

More about the F1 2026 power units

ADUO gamesmanship question as FIA evaluates F1 power units

Why F1 2026 power unit rules have delivered exactly what fans wanted

From Red Bull’s perspective, while acknowledging such conversations are difficult for every power unit manufacturer with this late adjustment, Mekies is in favour of such changes.

“We support any step that the sport wants to make to get closer to flat-out qualifying and to flat-out racing,” he said.

“As Red Bull Ford Powertrains, for sure, we support this change. You will find nobody comfortable with changing so late for next year and that’s why we have so many discussions.

“But certainly, we are happy to step out of that comfort zone for the benefit of the sport and to get something in place for ’27.

“Is there a sense of unanimity? Of course, because it’s conversations that put us all out of our comfort zone. It needs quite a few discussions. It’s a work in progress, and I have confidence we’ll land in the right place.”

Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.

You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!

Read next: BYD Formula 1 ambition raises major questions as Christian Horner talks emerge