Formula 1’s new generation of power unit regulations was supposed to be a strong show of where the auto industry was headed. Now, just a few years after the regulations were codified and just a handful of races, that assumption is already being tested.
FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis, whose team was responsible for developing the 2026 ruleset into a tangible product, admitted the guiding principles of the new engine formula are properly flawed during a media call ahead of the Miami Grand Prix.
A near 50/50 split between electric power and internal combustion engines has begun to fracture the narrative around the sport. Managing how energy is deployed and recovered, particularly with such a large reliance on electrical output, has forced several technical compromises just to make the system viable in a racing environment. What’s worse, drivers have started to call the new rules anti-racing. Max Verstappen hates the new rules so much that he might even just retire-a trashy look for the pinnacle of motorsport.
When the regulations were agreed to in 2022, the automotive industry was moving toward full electrification at a pace that seemed irreversible. Manufacturers giving their input into the new F1 engine rules were adamant that new internal combustion engine development would soon stop, and the sport’s rules needed to follow that logic.
“The automotive companies who were very involved told us that they’re never going to make another [new] internal combustion engine again,” Tombazis was quoted as saying by Motorsport.com.
Then look what happened. EV adoption has been uneven across global markets, and several automakers have since changed their long-term electrification plans, including two key players in pushing for the current engine formula: Audi and Honda. Renault was also a vocal proponent of more electrification, and it’s not even making engines for the sport anymore.
At the same time, the development of synthetic and sustainable fuels has given internal combustion engines a longer runway than many were ready to admit just a few years ago.
“In terms of where we want to be in the future, we do need to protect the sport from the world macroeconomic situation, meaning we cannot be hostage to automotive companies deciding to be part of our sport or not,” said Tombazis.
“We want them to be part of our sport, absolutely – that’s why we’ve worked so hard to secure new ones to participate. But we can also not be in a position where if they decide they don’t want to, we’re suddenly left vulnerable, so we need to keep working for cost reduction.”
Tombazis pointed out that while electrification remains an important part of the global picture, the original assumptions behind the regulations no longer fully align with reality. The clock is ticking. Even with the 2026 regulations less than six months old, discussions about the next engine formula-expected around 2031-are about to start.
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