The FIA’s World Motor Sport Council ratified a package of Formula 1 regulatory changes for the 2027 and 2028 seasons during its mid-year meeting in Macau, approving rebalanced power unit contributions, extended pre-season testing and a first issue of 2027 Technical Regulations that incorporates early lessons from the current campaign.
The WMSC also approved updates to the 2026 Sporting, Technical and Financial Regulations, including safety-driven modifications to the boost mode system and revised heat hazard protocols.
Among the most significant decisions, the council ratified recently proposed changes to rebalance the contribution of the Internal Combustion Engine and Energy Recovery System across the next two seasons. The updates include targeted adjustments to ICE output, fuel energy flow and ERS deployment, together with increased flexibility in energy management. The move signals the governing body’s intent to fine-tune the hybrid power unit formula that debuted this year.
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem framed the decisions as part of an ongoing process. “As with every major regulatory change, the process does not end when the cars first take to the track,” he said. “Continuous dialogue and collaboration are essential to ensuring that the regulations meet the needs of the sport, its drivers, and its fans.”
Ben Sulayem also revealed that discussions about future power unit concepts are already underway. “The discussions around future power unit concepts, including V8 engines powered by sustainable fuels, demonstrate the willingness of all parties to engage in shaping the next chapter of the sport,” he said.
The first issue of the 2027 Technical Regulations was approved with what the FIA described as a broad set of structural, wording and targeted technical updates designed to improve clarity, consistency and enforceability. Pre-season testing will also be extended from three to four days starting in 2027, a concession to the general complexity of the current generation of cars. Additional measures relating to power unit supply, management of reconnaissance laps and race distances at selected circuits were similarly approved, alongside financial regulatory changes linked to the 2027-28 technical and sporting package.
For the remainder of the 2026 season, the WMSC approved two notable changes. The declaration of a Heat Hazard may now be split between the Sprint and Race, though it must still be declared 24 hours before the start of competition. In wet conditions with poor visibility, boost mode has been reintroduced but restricted solely to preventing power reduction without increasing output, while the overtake function will be disabled entirely. The FIA said both changes were made for safety reasons.
The regulatory activity underscores the pace at which the FIA is iterating on its current rules package while simultaneously laying the groundwork for the sport’s next era. Ben Sulayem said the governing body is exploring how F1 can “balance innovation, sustainability, performance and fan appeal in the years ahead.”