The Chinese Grand Prix may well have been a bit of a borefest, but off track an incredible back story is taking shape. The FIA have now confirmed they are in talks to ditch the much hated F1 hybrid power units.
Formula One entered its hybrid era in 2014 as the global auto manufacturers predicted this would be the shape of the future of road cars. Yet due an acceleration in the net zero agenda, hybrid road cars are proving to be merely a bridge head to a full electric future.
Given that Formula One prides itself on being at the cutting edge of auto technology, the decision to continue with the hugely expensive and hefty hybrids is looking a poor one from the FIA. Not only will the 2026 power units continue with the hybrid technology, they will be upping the electrical power output to 50% of the total.
The future is hybrid
This means bigger batteries, which are heavy although by reducing the size of the 2026 F1 cars’ footprints, there should be a weight saving over the current crop but only by about 25 kilos. The FIA in their desperation to attract more manufacturers into the sport bowed to pressure from the likes Mercedes, Audi and Honda to retain the hybrid power trains despite calls from elsewhere in the paddock for a return to normally aspirated engines with bio fuel.
Renault have already bailed on their new 2026 F1 engine project, citing high costs and a pointless marketing offer for their road cars which are to become fully electric.
Red Bull have never been in favour of the hybrid power units and as early as 2014 Christian Horner was calling for a return to normally aspirated engines. Having fallen out with Renault three years later, Red Bull were struggling to agree a new power unit supply with Mercedes and Ferrari expected to refuse to provide such a powerful rival with their engines.
Along came Honda and solved Red Bull’s predicament temporarily until in 2021 the Japanese manufacturer decided the future hybrid F1 future was not aligned with their corporate goals. Again Horner spoke about the need for the sport to return to simpler and less costly oiler units, but the hybrid band wagon was in full flow now with Porsche muddying the waters with their two penneth.
George Russell “is demotivating the entire Mercedes team”
Politics decided F1 power future
On the day in June last year the FIA announced the final specifications for the 2026 power units, F1 supremo Stefano Domenicali re-opened the debate about F1 returning to normally aspirated engines. The CEO of FOM spoke of the political environment in which the decisions were made to continue with hybrid power.
“At the time, it was important to the manufacturers that the share of electric power was increased. Today they might think differently because the world has realised that there are several ways to achieve sustainability. Today they realise that our approach with the fuel could be of benefit to them in the series,” said the ex-Ferrari boss.
Previously Domenicali had spoken about the next generation of F1 engines arriving after 2030, but a number of stories of nightmares the teams are having with the new power unit monsters appear to have forced them into new thinking.
Rumours persist that with the 2026 hybrids, F1 drivers will have to drop a gear on certain long straights in order to generate more electrical power, in effect making the internal combustion engine merely a generator at times.
FIA: “Current power units – way too expensive”
The FIA’s head of single seaters and the de facto day to day manager of F1, Nicolas Tombazis, now reveals: “Certainly the progress with sustainable fuels has led to views that maybe the engines could be simpler. The world economy does lead to views that maybe we should try to cut costs a bit more, and the current power units are way too expensive. That is a fact.”
This is a remarkable turnaround from the FIA who have been almost pig headed to the point of refusing to discuss a future for F1 without hybrid power.
“And that is something we are evaluating with the PU manufacturers,” added Tombazis. “There’s no proposal on the table in that respect. There’s discussion. Either way – whether we stay with the current regulations or go with the already approved new regulations – I think Formula 1 would be in a good place.”
This is a shocking revelation that the hybrid’s which are under development for 2026 could be dropped and F1 continue with the current hybrids until the future is decided. This is not something lost in translation as Tombazis asks the question that if the new hybrids are scrapped, “what [do] we do in the intervening period?”
Chassis may change for 2026
Of course different power unit manufacturers may have a variety of feelings about this new position from the FIA. Audi are reportedly behind the curve with their 2026 power unit and may be happy to stop throwing good money after bad. Tombazis addresses the FIA’s previous purpose of attracting new manufacturers to F1.
“We will seek to be fair in a way that doesn’t disrespect any participant. And clearly, as people are investing money and so on, that is a very important factor in the final decision. We are very proud to have brought Audi to the sport, and we fully respect that. And we don’t want them to reverse that decision. We’re also very proud to have made Honda reconsider that, because they were leaving the sport and then decided to stay back,” added the FIA official.
Tombazis reveals the factors under consideration at the FIA currently include: “being fair, protecting the sport, cutting costs, protecting the PU manufacturers, protecting their investment. What we’re trying to do is find that sweet spot.”
“Any changes we do, depending on what type of regulations, etc., needs to have broad consensus. There’s a governance process. We don’t unilaterally change things and impose a position,” confirmed the FIA representative.
Chassis changes to be approved
Its clear that there are serious conversations taking place given Tombazis stated that a change in the 2026 chassis as a result of new power unit plans would require new regulations to be agreed, citing the fact that approval can be made via a, “governance process which is a combination of agreements with the teams like the Concorde Agreement and the International Sporting Code.”
When this story broke in TJ13 at the start of the Chinese GP weekend it was rumoured the new 2026 power units may have a limited shelf life of 2-3 years. Now from the words of Tombazis there is a realistic chance the planned 2026 F1 power units may never turn a drive shaft in anger.
Early paddock reactions were revealed by F1 veteran writer, Adam Cooper who posted: “Team bosses on talk of abandoning the ’26 F1 engines – Christian Horner: “Ten past midnight and Cinderella has left the building.” Zak Brown: “I’m not sure how you put the genie back in the bottle.” Oliver Oakes: “The train has left the station now for 2026…”
These responses would appear to suggest the FIA has not been listening to the feedback they have been given on how the development of the new V6 hybrids has been going, or not.
F1 rookie review: The good, the bad and the ugly
Why Red Bull must take the blame for Lawson’s performance
Liam Lawson is treading in the footsteps that others have taken and quickly lost their way. Over the winter the New Zealand born driver was promoted from the Red Bull sister team alongside Formula One champion Max Verstappen for 2025 – and its going horribly wrong.
The new Red Bull driver had eleven Grand Prix to his name before his first full season contract this year, having deputised for the injured Daniel Ricciardo in 2023 before eventually replacing him with six races to go last season.
Despite this experience, Lawson is finding the transition from one F1 car to another incredibly difficult and across the three qualifying sessions this year to date Liam has failed to make it out of the first session…. READ MORE
With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
Nothing can be done regarding next season at this point in time anymore, so all the planned technical regulation changes will occur.
The remaining lead time is simply too insufficient, given all the time, effort, & money spent on the upcoming PU (& aero) concept, not to mention Audi doesn’t even have any existing current-version V6 turbos or V10s to use if the planned powertrain concept changes were abandoned or postponed.
A different hybridless concept with synthetic fuel shouldn’t been agreed at the time of setting the 2026 technical regulations in stone, so that’s when the opportunity went away for good.
Long story short, simply a missed opportunity.
Btw, 768 kg is the provisional minimum car+driver weight limit for next season, so 30 down on the last three seasons & 32 on this season.