Sudden big change in Formula 1 rules: FIA bows down after Max Verstappen’s retirement threat and horrific crash of 50G

A very big and shocking news has come out for the fans and racers of the world’s most fast and exciting racing series Formula 1. There was a huge uproar in the motorsports world for the last several days regarding the already announced Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) and Motor Generator Unit Kinetic (MGUK) power split rules for the year 2026. Many veteran racers, including four-time current world champion Max Verstappen, were openly criticizing these rules and Verstappen had even given a serious hint of retiring from the sport. After this huge protest and accidents on the track, the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), Formula One Management (FOM), racing teams and power unit manufacturers have finally had to bow down. Together, all parties have given their final agreement on major amendments to the rules for the upcoming seasons of 2027 and 2028. Max Verstappen’s anger and Ollie Bearman’s horrific 50G accident at the Japanese GP were the reasons drivers were deeply dissatisfied with the new rules as the sudden drop in speed of the racing car, even without completely releasing the pedals, put the safety of the racers at risk. The most frightening form of this technical flaw was seen during the Japanese Grand Prix, when a malfunction in battery deployment caused budding racer Ollie Bearman’s car to suffer a horrific accident. The impact of this crash was so tremendous that Bearman faced a fatal gravitational force (G-Force) of 50G. This horrific accident forced the FIA ​​to immediately come into action mode and reform the power split rules, which has now been confirmed by all the stakeholders in a meeting. Know what will change from the next season: Engine output will be increased from 53/47 to 60/40. According to the new changes agreed, now a major change will be made in the engine output and energy utilization of the cars. The ICE/MGUK power ratio, which was set at 53/47 under the 2026 regulations, will now be increased to 58/42 for the next season (2027) on demand from the racers. After this, it has been decided to further upgrade it to 60/40 in the season of 2028. The main objective of this strategic change is to keep the speed of the cars stable during qualifying events and the main race and to enable more exciting and level racing on the track, so that the drivers do not have to deal with sudden drops in speed. The draft will be presented for final approval before the World Motor Sport Council in Macau on 23 June. The FIA ​​has made it clear in its official press release that the main objective of these proposed changes is to completely eliminate technical issues related to energy management and fuel energy flow characteristics. The Commission believes that this will make the qualifying rounds more exciting and safer than ever before, while also not having any adverse impact on the positive competition arising from the new rules. The FIA ​​will now move this formal approval process onto the superfast track to allow all racing teams and power unit manufacturers ample time to adapt to the revised requirements. This new draft will be presented for final approval at the World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) meeting to be held in Macau on June 23. FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said – It is our duty to protect the future of the sport and the thrill of the fans. Sharing his views on this historic agreement, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said that Formula 1 has always evolved to face new challenges and take advantage of new opportunities through technological innovations. He said these new changes reflect the ongoing collaborative and creative approach across the sporting world, which will ensure our rules promote exciting racing as well as long-term sustainability. He further said that protecting the future of the championship and the safety of the drivers is the FIA’s foremost responsibility and we thank all the teams, the Formula One Group and manufacturers for their support in providing the best and safest racing experience for millions of fans around the world.