What are the changes F1 can make to fix broken 2026 power units?

In the weeks leading up to the Miami Grand Prix, Formula 1’s key decision-makers — the F1 Commission, manufacturers and the FIA — have scheduled a series of meetings to confront a growing concern: the competitive and safety impact of current power unit recharging requirements.

The rise of "Super Clipping"

At the heart of the debate lies what many drivers and external observers describe as the most distorted element of the weekend: qualifying.

While qualifying appears to be the most visibly affected phase, the race itself is far from immune. The incident involving Oliver Bearman and Franco Colapinto served as a tangible demonstration of the risks. Significant speed differentials between a car in the charging phase and another in full energy deployment create high closing speeds — a dynamic that carries clear safety implications.

Immediate countermeasures under discussion

Several corrective options are on the table, aimed at reducing artificial performance swings and mitigating dangerous speed disparities.

One immediate measure would be a further reduction in the amount of recoverable energy per lap. As outlined in the current regulations, lowering the maximum recoverable energy to 5MJ could deliver two key effects. On straights, it would eliminate clipping even when low power delivery strategies are adopted, thereby avoiding a tangible impact on top speed.

Complementary adjustments to the internal combustion engine (ICE) are also being considered. A partial increase in ICE power output could be achieved without fundamentally altering the current power unit architecture. This might involve:

• Adopting fuels with a higher calorific value.
• Increasing the ignition timing window within the combustion chamber.
• Slightly raising turbo pressure to enhance peak power at high revs.

However, it is clear that not all of these measures could be introduced simultaneously — and certainly not in the short term. Any intervention must balance effectiveness with minimal disruption.

For the immediate future, a single strategy — or a carefully selected combination — will likely be chosen as the least invasive and most efficient solution. A revision of fuel calorific value, paired with a reduction in recoverable MJ, appears to be a workable compromise for this season. By contrast, altering ignition timing and turbo pressure presents a more complex challenge due to the undeniable reliability implications.

Rethinking the long-term power split

Beyond short-term adjustments, a broader regulatory recalibration is under consideration.

A revised power distribution — shifting to a 60:40 split in favor of the ICE over battery power, instead of the current 50:50 balance — could represent a stable and sustainable compromise. Such an approach would maintain a significant role for electrical energy, preserving the sustainability principles underpinning the regulations.

At the same time, it would safeguard the core competitive essence of Formula 1: the clarity of the on-track contest between car and driver. That competitive purity, compared to the recent past of 2025, now appears increasingly nuanced and less tangible under the weight of aggressive energy management strategies.

As discussions intensify ahead of Miami, Formula 1 faces a pivotal choice — whether to fine-tune the current system or to more fundamentally rebalance the technical framework shaping modern competition.