Words from the Red Bull team principal
“A joke.” That’s how Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff dismissed the proposal to change the power distribution between the electric and internal combustion components of the 2026 power units. The regulation was designed to reach a 50/50 split between the two, but during the recent F1 Commission meeting on engines, the FIA technical group proposed reducing battery output during races from 350 kW to 200 kW. This would effectively shift the balance back to 65-35 instead of 50-50.
There is no official update yet on the final 2026 rules, but no last-minute surprises are expected since Mercedes opposed any late changes. In 2026, the regulations will be those agreed upon well in advance, and manufacturers facing poor performance or reliability issues will be allowed extra hours and additional budget to catch up with those who’ve better prepared for the new power units.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner shared some details from the Bahrain meeting and added that, from his perspective, reducing electric power during races could also offer the benefit of a kind of ‘push to pass’ system for overtaking, since the DRS effect will be largely neutralised as the rear wing will be allowed to remain open at all times:
“I think the FIA has finally taken a look at the regulations and realised that next year we could systematically see ‘lift and coast’ situations, with drivers forced to conserve electric energy or enter recharge mode – a scenario that will drive the drivers crazy,” said Christian Horner, according to planetf1.com. “The cars will always have DRS open, so that won’t make a difference anymore for overtaking. That’s why the FIA delegates proposed keeping all technical specifications the same but reducing battery energy during the race, so that electric power becomes a sort of push-to-pass. I think it’s a valid proposal. In the overall picture of Formula 1, I believe it’s worth considering. It doesn’t change the specifications. It doesn’t change the peak power of these engines. It only changes how that power is actually used.”
Essentially, Christian Horner argues that with less electric power available, it could be used strategically as a real push-to-pass tool rather than being deployed constantly throughout the lap to improve lap times.
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