F1's 60:40 Engine Proposal Faces Block From Audi and Ferrari

Overview

• The proposal to rebalance 2027 power units from a 50:50 combustion/electric split to about 60:40 has gained public backing from Mercedes HPP, Red Bull Powertrains and Honda but is opposed by Audi and Ferrari, a position that crystallised during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend this week.
• A formal change requires a supermajority on the Power Unit Advisory Committee — four of five power unit manufacturers plus F1 and the FIA — and the current opposition from two manufacturers means a vote would likely fail unless positions shift or governing bodies step in.
• Teams and drivers raised specific on‑track problems that prompted the push: super‑clipping, where excess energy harvesting disrupts lap performance, and lift‑and‑coast energy management that stops drivers from pushing flat‑out in qualifying.
• Technically, moving to 60:40 would be achieved mainly by increasing fuel flow, but that would likely force some teams to redesign chassis and fit larger fuel tanks, with knock‑on weight, packaging and development‑cost consequences under the cost cap.
• Political pressure is rising — Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has backed the change and GPDA head Carlos Sainz has urged the FIA and FOM to force the decision — so the next steps to watch are any formal committee vote, shifts in manufacturer positions, or direct intervention by the FIA.