The proposal to change the power split of Formula 1 engines from 2027 has gained an important ally. Honda has joined the group of manufacturers in favor of the change, bringing the category even closer to an agreement that could significantly modify the technical regulations.
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This change under discussion foresees that the power distribution between the combustion engine and the electric system will no longer be equally divided at 50% for each component. The idea is to adopt a configuration of 60% for the combustion engine and 40% for the electric part already in 2027, a measure supported by several names in the paddock.
The proposal arose after the FIA and manufacturers reached an initial understanding a few weeks ago. The goal is to improve the races by reducing the need for drivers to manage battery usage throughout the laps. Among the supporters of the change are Max Verstappen, Andrea Stella, and Carlos Sainz.
Even though an initial consensus was reached, the topic sparked discussions again during the Canadian GP weekend. Ferrari and Audi began to advocate postponing the change to 2028, creating a deadlock that prevented the formalization of the agreement.
Until then, officially Mercedes and Red Bull Powertrains-Ford were the only manufacturers clearly in favor of implementation already in 2027. The position of Honda and Cadillac remained undefined, increasing expectations about the future of the negotiations.
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During the event in Montreal, Shintaro Orihara, Honda’s general manager of track operations, avoided taking a definitive position when commenting on the matter. Initially, the executive stated that the manufacturer was awaiting the FIA’s decisions. When asked about Honda also participating in the vote, he acknowledged that it is a significant change and described the topic as complex.
However, the Japanese manufacturer that supplies power units to Aston Martin now does not oppose the proposal and may be included alongside Mercedes and Red Bull Powertrains-Ford among the supporters of the change. Talks among manufacturers continue to define the details of a possible implementation in 2027 instead of 2028.
For the change to be approved for the 2027 season, a supermajority will be required. This means that five of the six manufacturers involved, including Cadillac, as well as the FIA and Formula One Management (FOM), need to officially approve the proposal.
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