Autosport
- How F1's planned 60-40 power split for 2027 will affect each manufacturer
The internal combustion's maximum power output will be increased by 50kW, bringing it up to a total of 450kW (603bhp), and the electrical motor faces a 50kW cut for a maximum of 300kW (402bhp).
It won't be as simple as using more fuel and turning the motor down, however; the increased duty cycle of the engine running at power levels for it wasn't necessarily designed may yield an increase in the chance of reliability issues.
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But who will it affect the most ? We don't know what each manufacturer has up their sleeve for next year but, using the current-spec '26 power units as a baseline, one can ascertain the direction of travel expected in their respective development rooms.
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Mercedes - Engine should fill 50kW swing easily
Of all the five manufacturers, Mercedes likely has the least to lose; sure, it'll be giving up the performance from its MGU-K, but the German outfit's internal combustion engine is operating at the top end of the field. This has been visible in instances where the power delivery from the MGU-K begins to ramp down, as the speed loss is less obvious versus some of its rival manufacturers. This suggests that the ICE is in a good place in terms of output and, with the increase in fuel flow rate, it should be able to hit the targets set out by the 2027 revisions. It might even surpass them; Mercedes' engine is already above the 400kW output estimation set by the FIA.
Filling in the 50kW gap partly depends on how energy-dense Petronas' formulation of sustainable fuels is. It was estimated under the previous turbo-hybrid era that Mercedes had lost a little bit of power versus Honda owing to the switch to E10 fuels, although the differences in energy density of the current sustainable fuels used around the field are unknown.
Although it's been largely forgotten of late owing to the resolution in place, but let's not forget that F1 will implement compression ratio measurements at 130C from 1 June. Mercedes is adamant that this will have minimal effect and, from 2027, the ambient temperature measurement will be removed. Even if true, this likely only produces a swing of a few horsepower. Mercedes already has plenty of that to spare.
