Former W Series driver and Sky Sports Formula 1 analyst Naomi Schiff has noted the potential financial impact on smaller teams caused by the changes planned for the 2027 season.
After concerns were raised at the start of the new wave of regulations in 2026, the FIA has confirmed that changes to the engine hardware will be introduced in 2027 to make driving “more intuitive” via a 50 kW increase in power from the internal combustion engine and a decrease in the electric power of the same amount.
This means that instead of the almost 50:50 split between internal combustion and electric power that the cars currently have, it will be closer to 60:40 in 2027.
When asked by her co-host Jolie Sharpe during the Up To Speed podcast why smaller F1 teams should be paying for the “FIA’s mistakes”, Schiff said: “I think it’s a very good point because we haven’t even dived into what Audi are going to think of this because they came and agreed to enter F1 on the basis that it was going to be a 50:50 split, which is now not going to be the case.
“So that’s probably a tricky conversation and a very political one to have, but also from a financial perspective. The big manufacturers like Mercedes, like Ferrari, etc, these teams will have spent hundreds of millions, potentially in the billions, on development of these engines.
“So you would probably expect a return on that investment in three to four years down the line, but if we go back to designing and all of that stuff, does that not have a massive financial impact, not just on the big teams, but particularly the smaller teams who also need to make changes to the chassis as we’ve mentioned?”
Presenter Naomi Schiff, Sky Sports F1
Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images
Former F1 driver David Coulthard argued that the publicity that the brands receive from being in the championship would still make it a worthwhile investment.
“Let’s just take a step back for a moment. We are in one of the most complex eras of Formula 1 powertrains. They are billions. The investment from Red Bull in doing their powertrains, the investment for Ferrari, the investment for Mercedes is billions. If we are looking at the future of Formula 1 and Formula 1 as an entertainment business as well as a sport, having a normally aspirated V8, or however many cylinders you want to have, is 100% sustainable.
“All of the parts that go into that can be recycled, unlike most of the batteries, once they’ve run their course, they dig a hole and shove them in the ground. So we get into a very sustainable entertaining business, and Audi and all of these teams get publicity out of being in Formula 1, and the sport has grown massively.
“Whether you’re winning or not, you’re still gaining a lot of publicity. If you go to Le Mans and win Le Mans, it’s a fraction of the publicity of being on the grid in Formula 1. Imagine you get an invitation through, you’re a high-end Audi customer, the invitation comes through: ‘Please join us as a guest at the Monaco Grand Prix, or please join us at the Le Mans 24.’ Which one are you going to say yes to and which one are you going to say no to? Monaco.”
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