Four out of five power unit manufacturers are reportedly ready to support the FIA’s proposal to ban the blown exhaust concept from the 2027 Formula 1 regulations. That effectively leaves Ferrari isolated in continuing to defend a technical solution in which the Scuderia’s engineering department invested substantial time, effort, and financial resources during the development of the SF-26 project.
The FTM, or Flick Tail Mode, system has been one of the most intriguing and technically sophisticated concepts associated with Ferrari’s interpretation of the all-new Formula 1 regulations. In order to exploit the aerodynamic benefits of the flap positioned ahead of the exhaust outlet, Ferrari had to make significant packaging decisions very early in the car’s design phase. Specifically, the Maranello team approved a transmission configuration with the differential output relocated further toward the rear of the car, because the aerodynamic profile could only legally be installed within 60 millimeters of the rear axle.
This was not a straightforward design choice, nor was it something Ferrari could implement without detailed regulatory scrutiny. The Scuderia reportedly engaged in extensive and lengthy discussions with FIA technical delegates before the concept was ultimately approved. Only after this extended consultation process did the solution receive the green light, allowing Ferrari to debut the concept during the second Bahrain pre-season testing session that took place before the beginning of the 2026 Formula 1 championship.
Initially, the blown exhaust concept looked like a genuine Ferrari-exclusive innovation, a clever aerodynamic interpretation that could provide the Italian team with a unique performance advantage over its direct rivals. However, that exclusivity did not last for very long. Haas quickly gained access to the same solution, largely because the American team shares the same rear-end architecture as the Ferrari SF-26, including the power unit, gearbox, and suspension package. As a result, the team led by Andrea De Zordo was also able to benefit from the concept without having to independently create the same architecture from scratch. For the rest of the grid, though, the idea initially appeared to be well beyond practical reach.
Ferrari’s technical work on this area reportedly went even deeper than simply adding aerodynamic surfaces around the exhaust region. The Scuderia is also believed to have worked closely on a specific Garrett turbo configuration capable of ensuring the highest possible hot exhaust gas flow even at lower engine revolutions. This is a significant detail, because maintaining stronger exhaust energy at lower RPM can greatly improve the effectiveness of the aerodynamic concept, helping Ferrari maximize the performance gains offered by the innovative Maranello-developed solution.
Of course, partially restricting or redirecting the exhaust gases is not an ideal compromise from a pure power unit performance perspective. Every technical gain in one area tends to come with trade-offs elsewhere in Formula 1 engineering. Some reports claimed that Ferrari’s 067/6 power unit sacrificed as much as 13 horsepower in order to make the concept work effectively. However, according to our information, the actual performance loss may be closer to 7 or 8 horsepower. Regardless of the exact number, what many observers have perhaps underestimated is the aerodynamic performance benefit this solution can generate at the rear of the car.
There are varying opinions regarding exactly how much lap time this concept is worth. Some external estimates suggest that the advantage may be limited to only a couple of tenths of a second per lap. Inside Ferrari, however, there appears to be a much stronger belief in its potential. According to internal assessments, when the entire package works correctly and all conditions align as intended, the benefit may be worth at least half a second per lap. In the context of modern Formula 1, where margins between teams can be incredibly small, that is an enormous gain. Otherwise, Ferrari would never have justified the significant investment in personnel, development hours, wind tunnel resources, and budget cap allocation required to create and refine the system. Even Haas, using a less aggressive version of the concept, is reportedly seeing gains of around 0.25 seconds.
The aerodynamic reasoning behind the concept is highly compelling. Redirecting the exhaust gases helps accelerate the extraction of airflow from the diffuser, increasing the effectiveness of the car’s underbody aerodynamic performance. At the same time, it improves airflow behavior around the lower section of the rear wing, boosting overall aerodynamic efficiency in a critical performance area. In simple Formula 1 terms, this represents a highly valuable technical advantage capable of transforming rear-end performance characteristics.
Given these potential gains, it is hardly surprising that Ferrari continued developing the concept after its initial introduction. The original base specification, which remained in use until the Japanese Grand Prix, was eventually followed by an evolved version that made its first appearance at the Miami Grand Prix. This updated package reportedly featured a more refined and sophisticated airflow path around the transmission casing, showing that Ferrari had already identified opportunities for further gains beyond the original design.
Ferrari’s aerodynamic group, under the leadership of Diego Tondi and Franck Sanchez, is believed to have carried out extensive wind tunnel development work to improve and energize airflow behavior around the rear of the car. Observations from imagery reportedly reveal the combined effect of three separate airflow passages interacting together, creating a highly intricate cascade of aerodynamic flaps and surfaces. This is exactly the sort of highly detailed aerodynamic engineering that defines modern Formula 1 performance development.
Importantly, Ferrari’s work in this area does not appear to be finished. Development on the blown exhaust concept reportedly remains active, and it is entirely possible that another upgraded version could appear later in the summer as the team continues to push the boundaries of a particularly creative interpretation of the technical regulations. Ferrari clearly believes there is still untapped performance potential to extract.
From the drivers’ perspective, the benefits have apparently been noticeable. Ferrari’s drivers have reportedly appreciated the improved handling feel delivered by the concept, especially the stronger and more stable rear end. A more predictable rear axle gives drivers greater confidence when attacking corner entries, managing traction zones, and pushing the car closer to its absolute performance limit. In Formula 1, driver confidence is often just as important as raw aerodynamic numbers.
However, Ferrari’s competitive advantage in this area may now be under serious threat. The FIA significantly complicated matters for the Scuderia when it accepted a broader interpretation of the technical regulations in time for the Miami Grand Prix weekend. Article C3.9.2 originally referred to the presence of an exhaust support mounted on the rear deformable crash structure. Under a wider interpretation of that rule, what was initially conceived as a basic structural support effectively became an aerodynamic profile capable of imitating Ferrari’s FTM concept.
That interpretation dramatically changed the competitive landscape. Alongside Ferrari and Haas, six additional teams — Mercedes, McLaren, Red Bull, Alpine, Williams, and Cadillac — reportedly arrived in Miami with simplified, more rudimentary versions of the blown exhaust concept. While these versions may not match Ferrari’s sophistication or outright effectiveness, their presence nonetheless reduces the exclusivity and competitive edge Ferrari had originally secured through its innovation.
This development raises an obvious and intriguing question. If the concept is fundamentally aerodynamic in nature, why is the proposed 2027 ban being discussed primarily among power unit manufacturers rather than among the 11 Formula 1 teams themselves? That is where the situation becomes particularly fascinating from a regulatory and political perspective.
Because the system relies on exhaust gas behavior and power unit architecture to create aerodynamic benefits, it sits in a technical grey area between two normally separate development domains. Aerodynamics and power unit engineering are traditionally managed under distinct technical frameworks, yet Ferrari’s concept effectively blends the two into a single performance solution.
This may explain why rival manufacturers are so eager to shut it down before the 2027 regulations fully take effect. If Ferrari has discovered a method of gaining major aerodynamic advantages through clever power unit integration, then the concept could become a significant competitive differentiator for teams capable of executing it effectively. Manufacturers without the same design flexibility may naturally prefer regulatory intervention rather than expensive catch-up development.
For Ferrari, the timing is particularly frustrating. The Scuderia appears to have committed substantial strategic resources to a concept that was initially approved, only to see the regulatory environment evolve in ways that first diluted its exclusivity and may now eliminate it entirely in the near future. Should the 2027 ban be confirmed, Ferrari will almost certainly need to revisit important elements of Project 679, rethinking aspects of packaging, aerodynamic philosophy, and potentially even power unit integration strategy.
The central question, therefore, remains simple: how much will Ferrari actually lose? If external estimates are correct, perhaps the damage is manageable. But if Ferrari’s internal assessment is closer to reality, then losing a concept worth up to half a second per lap could represent a very significant competitive setback. And in Formula 1, half a second can be the difference between fighting for victories and merely fighting for points.
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