Formula 1 is set to hold additional talks regarding a potential late alteration to the technical regulations for the 2026 power units. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff controversially described the proposed change as “a joke”.
During the most recent F1 Commission meeting held on Thursday, engine manufacturers participating in the 2026 season discussed reducing the electrical energy component of the new power units.
A vote on the matter was anticipated but did not occur. For the regulation modification to pass, it would have required approval from four out of the five engine suppliers: Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull-Ford Powertrains, Audi, and Honda.
According to the FIA, the F1 Commission engaged in preliminary discussions about refining the energy management strategy for 2026. They also addressed potential measures to mitigate financial challenges for manufacturers experiencing poor performance or significant reliability problems in the first year of the new rules.
The FIA stated that these subjects will be further explored by technical experts in relevant advisory committees.
The upcoming 2026 regulations stipulate that the power output from the engine will be evenly split between the internal combustion engine and electrical energy. This represents a substantial increase from the current 2025 power units, where electrical energy accounts for approximately 20 per cent of the output.
The specific proposal under consideration aimed to reduce the electrical power contribution from the electric motor during races, decreasing it from 350kW to 200kW. This adjustment would shift the power split to roughly 60% from the combustion engine and 40% from electricity.
This proposed change was motivated by concerns that drivers might deplete their battery charge on tracks with long straights, potentially forcing them to “lift and coast” (release the accelerator early to conserve energy) before braking zones, which could negatively impact racing.
In addition to the engine talks, the F1 Commission meeting in Geneva also addressed plans to investigate alternative materials for the cars` skid blocks. This is intended to prevent incidents like the grass fires observed during the Japanese Grand Prix weekend, which were caused by sparks from the cars igniting the trackside grass.
Team Reactions: Wolff`s “Joke” and Others` Openness
Mercedes is widely considered to have a strong position regarding the upcoming 2026 regulations, which represent one of the most significant technical overhauls in F1 history, affecting nearly every aspect of the cars.
An earlier meeting this month focused on the 2026 and future power unit rules, where teams reportedly agreed not to make changes for the 2025 season.
Team principals were questioned about the proposal after the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, prior to the anticipated Thursday vote, and Wolff did not mince words about his view.
Wolff commented, “Reading the agenda of the F1 Commission is almost as hilarious as reading some of the comments that I see on Twitter on American politics.”
He continued, “I really want to protect ourselves and make no comment, but it`s a joke. A week ago, there was an engine meeting and then things like this end up on the agenda again.”
Confirmed F1 2026 Power Unit Suppliers per Team
| Team | Engine |
|---|---|
| McLaren | Mercedes |
| Mercedes | Mercedes |
| Red Bull | Red Bull-Ford |
| Ferrari | Ferrari |
| Williams | Mercedes |
| Haas | Ferrari |
| Aston Martin | Honda |
| Racing Bulls | Red Bull-Ford |
| Alpine | Mercedes |
| Audi | Audi |
| Cadillac | Ferrari (until 2029) |
Red Bull is preparing for a new era with a technical partnership with Ford, developing their in-house Red Bull Powertrains engine.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner described the proposal as “pretty sensible” but noted that it would have been better to address it “two years ago”.
Horner commented, “Mercedes seem pretty confident with the job they have done [presumably referring to 2026 prep],” implicitly contrasting with his view on timing.
He stated, “This is something that we asked to be looked at two years ago, and it`s not something that we`ve pushed to be on the agenda this week at all.”
According to Horner, the FIA has conducted research and is keen to prevent extensive “lifting and coasting” during races, which would detract from the spectacle and frustrate drivers.
He concluded, “It`s not something that we`ve lobbied for or asked for, and if they`re doing it in the interest of the sport, then you`ve got to support it.”
Ferrari`s Frederic Vasseur and McLaren`s Andrea Stella expressed openness to considering the proposal.
Vasseur emphasized the need for openness, stating, “We have to be open with this and avoid to start to fight because we think that we have an advantage on the battery or whatever. This could be the worst case scenario for F1.”
He added, “It`s true that we are at a corner with the regulation. If you look at the last 25 or 30 years, we never had such a big change in the regulation.”
Vasseur highlighted the complexity, saying, “It`s the first time that we are doing chassis, engine, sporting at the same time. It`s a challenge for the teams. It`s a challenge for the FIA.”
Stella underlined the collective responsibility, stating, “My opinion is very clear. The principle I want to state very strongly is that it is a responsibility of all the stakeholders to make sure that the 2026 regulations are successful because there`s no point in teams competing with each other if we don`t have a good sport.”
He added, “The quality of the sport, the quality of the spectacle, the quality of racing is a function of the product.”
Stella concluded by advocating for continued discussion: “From a chassis and power unit point of view, so I think keeping the conversation open, that we really go into the details, considering overtaking, considering power deployment, considering power harvesting, everything that determines the quality of the product, therefore of the spectacle and therefore the health of the business, we should look into that and we shouldn`t say it`s frozen.”
Wesley Dunham