Concerns continue to grow about F1’s power unit regulations for 2026, leading to increased urgency for discussion of issues that have already arisen before this season’s start.
Before the Miami Grand Prix, the F1 Commission met with manufacturers and the FIA to conduct meetings to assess the effects of the current energy management systems on the races.
What’s gone wrong so far
At the centre of the debate is how energy recovery and deployment are affecting on-track action. The biggest concern raised by drivers and analysts is the phenomenon known as “super clipping.”
This refers to power units deliberately reducing output on straights to recharge energy, controlled by complex software systems. While technically efficient, it has created an artificial feel, particularly during qualifying sessions where performance differences are exaggerated.
There is more to issues than just qualifying; race scenarios have also been negatively impacted due to their inconsistency, so there have been speed differences between cars due to the inconsistent power delivery to them.
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Incidents like the Oliver Bearman vs Franco Colapinto clash are indicative of how these inconsistencies present safety risks as well.
Immediate fixes under F1 discussion
Several short-term solutions are now being considered to reduce both the performance imbalance and safety concerns:
- Reducing energy recovery per lap
A key proposal is to lower the maximum recoverable energy to around 5MJ per lap. This would limit excessive recharging and reduce the need for aggressive power cutbacks on straights. - Adjusting fuel characteristics
Using fuel with a higher calorific value could help increase internal combustion engine (ICE) output without requiring major design changes. - Minor power boosts from existing systems
Small gains could also come from tweaking ignition timing or slightly increasing turbo pressure, although these changes carry potential reliability risks.
Not all of these solutions can be implemented at once. In the short term, a combination of reduced energy recovery and fuel adjustments is seen as the most practical and least disruptive approach.
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Not only is F1 looking at fixing some issues immediately, but they will also be considering changing some long-term issues with the engine concept.
One of these changes would be to change the way energy is distributed between electric and combustion engines to a 60/40 distribution instead of the current 50/50 setup.
Even though this would have the effect of decreasing the use of energy management in the races, it would still allow for the continuous advancement of hybrid technologies in the sport.
Formula 1 is expected to announce its decision on these issues in the coming weeks, and that decision will affect the 2026 season and the future direction of F1 itself.
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