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The FIA has reached an agreement with engine manufacturers to progressively phase out the current 50-50 power split between combustion and electric components, addressing sustained criticism from Max Verstappen and other drivers. The four-time world champion had threatened to leave the sport over regulations he described as fundamentally flawed, and this compromise marks a significant regulatory U-turn just months into the new power unit era.
The revised framework will see internal combustion engine output rise to 420 kW next season, while the MGU-K will be reduced to 300 kW. That creates a 58-42 split in favour of the combustion unit. By 2028, the ICE will reach 450 kW, delivering the 60-40 distribution Verstappen and others have demanded since the current rules took effect this year.
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What triggered the reversal
Formula 1's 2026 engine regulations introduced a 50-50 power balance intended to underline the sport's hybrid credentials. The change was met with immediate resistance from drivers who argued the cars felt sluggish and unresponsive. Verstappen was the most vocal critic, stating publicly that the regulations could drive him out of the sport altogether. When the FIA first floated a principle agreement on a 60-40 split earlier this year, he expressed immediate support.
Resistance from certain manufacturers, widely understood to include Ferrari and particularly Audi, delayed formal confirmation. Ferrari has invested heavily in its hybrid architecture, while Audi's impending entry in 2026 was built around the original regulatory framework. Both faced the prospect of costly recalibration.
What happens next
The agreement still requires ratification by the World Motor Sport Council at its 23 June meeting in Macau. Approval at that level is typically procedural, meaning teams and manufacturers can now plan development around the revised targets.
For Verstappen, the regulatory shift removes one of his stated reasons for considering an early exit. He has repeatedly declined to commit categorically to racing beyond his current Red Bull contract, which runs through 2028. The Dutchman was spotted in Salzburg this week at Red Bull's Hangar 7 facility alongside his manager Raymond Vermeulen, co-owner Mark Mateschitz, and Oliver Mintzlaff, fuelling speculation about his medium-term future with the team.
Whether the engine compromise is enough to secure Verstappen's long-term participation remains to be seen. What is now certain is that Formula 1 will tilt back toward combustion power, a pragmatic acknowledgment that the sport's core audience and key stakeholders were not convinced by the original vision
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