Following the recent FIA-approved changes to the 2027 Formula 1 power unit regulations, Ford has reacted positively to the decision, describing it as an important step toward improving both the on-track spectacle and the overall technical balance of future Formula 1 cars.
The latest regulatory intervention will lead to a significant revision in the distribution of power between the internal combustion engine and electric energy deployment. Instead of the previously planned near 50/50 split, the future power units are now expected to move closer to a 60/40 balance in favor of the combustion engine.
The decision also comes after growing criticism throughout the 2026 Formula 1 season regarding the excessive dependence on the electric component and increasingly complex energy management demands placed on drivers.
Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance, commented positively on the FIA’s latest decision.
“Stakeholders are expressing their opinions and the people making the decisions are evaluating everything,” Mark Rushbrook explained. “But I think this is a good step to help the racing and the product on track.”
His comments reflect a broader feeling emerging inside the Formula 1 paddock, where several manufacturers, drivers and team representatives have recently expressed concerns about the direction originally planned for the next generation of hybrid engines.
Under the initial concept for the 2027 regulations, the balance between electric and thermal power was expected to become much more aggressive, placing greater emphasis on battery deployment and energy recovery systems. However, criticism quickly emerged regarding the risk of excessive energy saving, artificial race management and qualifying laps increasingly dictated by software and deployment limitations.
The FIA’s decision to shift the balance back toward the internal combustion engine is therefore being interpreted as an attempt to preserve the aggressive driving characteristics traditionally associated with Formula 1.
Mark Rushbrook also discussed the long-term partnership between Ford and Red Bull Powertrains, a project that will officially place Ford back into Formula 1 at the highest level of competition.
Despite a difficult beginning to the current season for Red Bull, Rushbrook insisted there are already encouraging signs emerging from the collaboration.
“We know there is still a lot of work required to reach where we want to be,” he admitted. “That is also one of the reasons why we chose to partner with Red Bull: they are racers, they are completely focused on winning.”
The Ford-Red Bull partnership represents one of the most important long-term projects linked to Formula 1’s upcoming engine era. Both companies are investing heavily in the development of the future power unit package, especially as the championship attempts to balance sustainability targets with the need to preserve the sporting identity of Formula 1.
Ford’s support for the latest FIA changes is particularly significant because manufacturers have become central figures in the debate surrounding Formula 1’s future technical direction. The challenge facing the FIA is no longer purely technological, but also philosophical: finding the correct balance between hybrid innovation, entertainment value and authentic racing competition.
The revised 2027 regulations appear designed to address precisely those concerns by reducing the overreliance on electric deployment while restoring greater importance to the combustion engine and overall drivability.
For Ford, the new direction seems to represent a positive compromise between modern hybrid technology and the core values that have historically defined Formula 1 as the pinnacle of motorsport.
As discussions continue over the future identity of the sport, support from major manufacturers like Ford could prove crucial in shaping a Formula 1 product capable of satisfying both technical partners and racing fans alike.
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