F1 Power‑Unit Reform Stalled as Audi and Ferrari Block 60:40 Shift

Overview

• The FIA and Formula 1 have proposed changing the 2027 power‑unit split from 50:50 to 60:40 in favour of the internal combustion engine, but the plan lacks the required supermajority on the Power Unit Advisory Committee because Audi and Ferrari are opposed.
• Teams, drivers and officials cite clear on‑track problems with the 2026 50:50 units — including super‑clipping, lift‑and‑coast tactics and batteries running out on long straights — as the main reason for seeking the change.
• The FIA’s technical package to deliver 60:40 would raise fuel flow, increase tank capacity and alter electrical harvesting and deployment, which could require chassis changes and extra engineering work for some teams.
• Senior figures including Carlos Sainz, Toto Wolff, Laurent Mekies and Andrea Stella have publicly urged the FIA or F1 to force or broker the decision, and Max Verstappen has warned he may leave if meaningful fixes are not made for 2027.
• Time is urgent because manufacturers need lead time to redesign power‑unit architecture; if the impasse continues it risks degraded racing, added costs for teams and a broader rethink of engine rules toward the 2030–31 cycle.