F1 2026 Engine Rules: Further Talks After Wolff’s ‘Joke’ Comment

Formula 1 is set to continue discussions regarding a potential late change to the technical regulations for the 2026 power units. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff previously described this proposal as `a joke`.

During the recent F1 Commission meeting, engine manufacturers discussed a proposal to decrease the electrical energy output in the 2026 technical regulations.

A vote was anticipated but did not occur. To pass, the change would require approval from four out of the five engine suppliers: Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull-Ford Powertrains, Audi, and Honda.

The FIA stated that the F1 Commission discussed “refinements to the energy management strategy for 2026, as well as measures to address financial issues that can be faced by Power Unit Manufacturers that experience either low performance or significant reliability issues in 2026.”

These topics, according to the FIA, will be discussed in more detail by specialists in the relevant advisory committees.

The new 2026 regulations currently mandate a 50-50 split in power output between the internal combustion engine and the electrical component. This represents a significant increase from the approximately 20 per cent electrical power used in the current 2025 power units.

However, the discussed change would have reduced the electrical motor`s output in race trim from 350kW to 200kW, resulting in a roughly 60-40 split (Internal Combustion Engine to Electric). The reasoning behind this proposed alteration was concern that drivers might deplete their batteries on tracks with long straights, potentially forcing them to `lift and coast` significantly before braking zones.

In other news from the F1 Commission in Geneva, plans are being considered to use alternative skid block materials underneath the cars. This measure aims to prevent the grass fires observed during the Japanese Grand Prix weekend, which were caused by sparks from the cars landing on the grass.

Wolff: Proposal is a joke | Other team bosses `open` to idea

Mercedes is widely believed to be well-prepared for the 2026 regulation changes, which are among the most significant in F1 history, affecting nearly every technical aspect.

A meeting earlier this month focused on 2026 and future power unit regulations, where teams had agreed not to make any rule changes for the upcoming year.

When questioned about the proposal after the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, ahead of the F1 Commission meeting, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff expressed his strong disapproval.

“Reading the agenda of the F1 Commission is almost as hilarious as reading some of the comments that I see on Twitter on American politics,” he commented.

“I really want to protect ourselves and make no comment, but it`s a joke. A week ago, there was an engine meeting and then things like this end up on the agenda again,” Wolff added.

F1 2026 teams and engines

Red Bull is set to begin a new technical partnership era with Ford, developing their own Red Bull Powertrains engine.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner described the proposal to change the electrical split as “pretty sensible,” although he suggested it should have been considered “two years ago.”

“Mercedes seem pretty confident with the job they have done for next year,” Horner said, referring to the 2026 engine preparations. “This is something that we asked to be looked at two years ago, and it`s not something that we`ve pushed to be on the agenda this week at all.”

He added, “The FIA have gone away and done their research, and I think what they want to desperately avoid is a lot of lifting and coasting in the Grand Prix itself, which is going to be not particularly good for the sport and hugely frustrating for the drivers.”

“It`s not something that we`ve lobbied for or asked for, and if they`re doing it in the interest of the sport, then you`ve got to support it,” Horner concluded.

Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur and McLaren team principal Andrea Stella both indicated they were `open` to discussing the proposal.

“We have to be open with this and avoid starting to fight because we think that `we have an advantage on the battery` or whatever. This could be the worst-case scenario for F1,” said Vasseur.

“It`s true that we are at a corner with the regulation. If you look at the last 25 or 30 years, we never had such a big change in the regulation,” he noted, highlighting the scale of the upcoming changes. “It`s the first time that we are doing chassis, engine, sporting at the same time. It`s a challenge for the teams. It`s a challenge for the FIA.”

Stella echoed this sentiment, stating, “My opinion is very clear. The principle I want to state very strongly is that it is a responsibility of all the stakeholders to make sure that the 2026 regulations are successful because there`s no point in teams competing with each other if we don`t have a good sport.”

“The quality of the sport, the quality of the spectacle, the quality of racing is a function of the product,” Stella continued, emphasizing the technical foundation. “From a chassis and power unit point of view, so I think keeping the conversation open, that we really go into the details, considering overtaking, considering power deployment, considering power harvesting, everything that determines the quality of the product, therefore of the spectacle and therefore the health of the business, we should look into that and we shouldn`t say it`s frozen.”