The much-anticipated new era of F1 power started with a bang, but not in a good way. Fans and drivers in unison were highly critical of the electrification of the powertrains as drivers ran out of battery at crucial times around their laps in qualifying and the race Down Under in Melbourne.
The “Anti-Racing” Hybrid Formula
Max Verstappen in particular was scathing over the new 50/50 engines which had been demanded by the manufacturers to, as they claimed, keep the sport ‘road-relevant.’ Yet in reality, none of the high-performance road cars produced by Mercedes, Audi, nor Ferrari have more than a third contribution from their hybrid power.
Many believe certain manufacturers in particular are using F1 as their test laboratory, spending hundreds of millions on research and development without much consideration for the racing it delivers on track. In fact, at the Australian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen described the new era of F1 power as “Formula E on steroids” and the decisions behind the spectacle as “anti-racing.”
Many of the other drivers have joined him in making their displeasure known, with world champion Lando Norris giving his candid opinion after the partial fix intended for Miami: “Honestly, I don’t really think you can fix that. You just have to get rid of the battery. So hopefully in a few years, that’s the case.”
The 2027 Hardware Lifeline
During the Miami Grand Prix weekend, the FIA indicated they were “… seeking consensus with the manufacturers for 2027 to ensure the racing remains pure. If we need to make adjustments to the power unit configuration to improve the show and prevent extreme energy management, we will do it, but we need everyone on the same page.”
The proposal to fix the energy-starved cars is to beef up the internal combustion engine (ICE) by increasing the allowed fuel flow, while tuning down the contribution of the hybrid to represent more of a 60/40 contribution in power in favor of the ICE.
Corporate Resistance and Boardroom Blocking
As TJ13 reported yesterday, paddock sources now suggest that Audi is complaining that any changes to the power unit regulations will impact them from a budgetary perspective, arguing they have already invested heavily in the current ruleset and are on a steep learning curve in F1. They claim that changing the goalposts will disadvantage them in particular, given they are newcomers to the sport.
Given the new voting rules, just two manufacturers are required to block proposals to improve the racing in 2027. Presently, it is unknown which other manufacturer is dragging its heels alongside Audi, although it is likely to be Honda, which reversed its decision to leave F1 based entirely on the proposed 50/50 hybrid era.
Verstappen Outlines His Ultimate F1 Priorities
Much has been written about Max Verstappen being so disillusioned with the new era of F1 power that he is considering leaving the sport in 2027, yet when asked about the FIA’s proposed hardware changes for next season, the four-time champion was surprisingly upbeat.
“It’s definitely heading in a very positive direction. It’s the minimum I was hoping for, and it’s really nice that that’s what they want to do. That’s definitely what I think the sport needs.” Again, the Dutch driver stated his views were not based around him merely having the quickest car, but ensuring that F1 reflects true racing values—not some laboratory experiment for the future of road cars.
“I just want a good product in Formula One, and that will for sure improve the product.” The four-time world champion points out that he has previously said his future partly depended on the upcoming regulations. According to Verstappen, next year’s adjustments will make a big difference: “I’ve always said it doesn’t matter if I had a good car or not, it’s just a product, and I think the product will improve like that, so naturally I think then the enjoyment will go up as well.”
A Lost Decade of Pure Racing
Red Bull teammate Isack Hadjar is less sure the future looks so rosy. “They are trying to patch a fundamentally broken concept. Tweaking the rules for 2027 is a confession that 2026 is going to be a disaster. If you have to change the hardware a year after introducing it, it means you got it completely wrong the first time,” said the French driver.
The grid’s elder statesman, Fernando Alonso, reflects on a lost generation of racing since the first hybrid power units were introduced back in 2014. He criticizes the method in which the hybrid solutions go about producing power and how the drivers are forced into counter-intuitive techniques never before used in racing.
“The DNA of these power units will always be the same, and it will always reward going slow in the corners,” says the Aston Martin driver. He further believes motorsport should be detached from the road-going variants the family drives to the supermarket.
Preserving the Sport’s DNA
“Unfortunately, we have this period from 2014 with the turbo year, and now even more, that we lost a little bit of nearly one decade or even more of pure racing,” noted the double world champion. As noted previously, the era when the horse and cart was the main form of public transportation came and went. It was surpassed by the automobile.
Yet millions today, over a century on, still enjoy horse racing. The same must become true of motorsport and the road-going family car. Max Verstappen, by pledging his support to the FIA’s efforts to improve matters for 2027, will now put Audi and any other naysayers under pressure to comply.
After all, Formula One has survived for three-quarters of a century without the support of Audi. Why should it be they who dictate the future of the sport with their road-car relevance obsession?
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A.J. Hunt is Senior Editor at TJ13, where Andrew oversees editorial standards and contributes to the site’s Formula 1 coverage. A career journalist with experience in both print and digital sports media, Andrew trained in investigative journalism and has written for a range of European sports outlets.
At TJ13, Andrew plays a central role in shaping the site’s output, working across breaking news, analysis, and long-form features. Andrew’s responsibilities include fact-checking, refining editorial structure, and ensuring consistency in reporting across a fast-moving news cycle.
Andrew’s work focuses particularly on the intersection of Formula 1 politics, regulation, and team strategy. Andrew closely follows developments involving the FIA, team leadership, and driver market dynamics, helping to provide context behind the sport’s biggest stories.
With experience covering multiple seasons of Formula 1’s modern hybrid era, Andrew has developed a detailed understanding of how regulatory changes and competitive shifts influence the grid. Andrew’s editorial approach prioritises clarity and context, aiming to help readers navigate complex developments within the sport.
In addition to editorial duties, Andrew is particularly interested in how media narratives shape fan perception of Formula 1, and how reporting can balance speed with accuracy in an increasingly digital news environment.
Understandably, but the reality is simply that minimal tweaks are the absolute maximum for the time being.
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Electrification DON’T EVEN WORK PN NORMAL ROAD CARS BECAUSE OF THEE MAXIMUM DISTANCE THEY CAN TRAVEL ON BATTERIES
THAT IS WHY, CERTAIN MANUFACTURERS, STIL INVEST BÌLLIONS OF DOLLARS TO BUILT NORMAL FUEL ENGINES TO IMPROVE THE OIL BASE FUEL ECONOMY ON NORMAL ENGINES
ELECTRIFICATION ON FAMILY CARS IS ONLY WORKING IF YOU TRAVEL LESS THAN APPROXIMATELY 300KMPER MONTH
IT WILL NEVER BE EXEPTABLE IN WIDE OPEN COUNTRIES LIKE AFRICA, THE USA AND AUSTRALIA