FIA boosts F1 power unit development allowances as dyno testing hours jump by 55%. The FIA will increase Formula 1 dyno testing hours from 2027.

Starting from next season, in agreement with the teams, the FIA will relax restrictions on dyno testing, significantly increasing the number of operational hours available to support power unit development. In 2027, the limit will rise to 635 hours—an increase of more than 50%—before gradually decreasing through a sliding-scale system that will return to the original figure by 2030.

Many in the paddock have described the current generation of power units as the most sensitive and complex in Formula 1 history. The presence of such a powerful electrical component forces manufacturers to make far more intricate decisions about how and where to deploy a limited amount of energy. That is also one of the reasons why the engines will evolve again from 2027.

Through an increase in fuel flow measured by the flow meter—a change that will require larger fuel tanks and therefore redesigned chassis—the internal combustion engine’s output will rise by around 50 kW, equivalent to just under 70 horsepower. At the same time, the MGU-K’s contribution will be reduced by the same amount, shifting the original 50/50 balance between thermal and electric power toward a 60/40 split in favour of the combustion engine.

This solution, combined with several other regulatory changes, is intended to make the power unit easier to manage. However, it is clear that as time passes, manufacturers will need room for development in order to refine these units. Some limitations will inevitably remain, because the electrical side carries constraints built into the original regulatory concept, but that does not mean the situation cannot improve significantly.

After all, teams are only at the beginning of this technical cycle and, just as happened with the first hybrid power units introduced in 2014, the scope for improvement is enormous—not only in reliability, but also in outright performance and energy management. That is precisely why the latest draft regulations, published shortly before the Miami Grand Prix, also introduced changes concerning bench testing restrictions.

Under the regulations, these tests fall into the category known as Restricted PUTB Testing, which includes all bench tests where a manufacturer runs the engine—either complete or partial—or the ERS in order to measure torque or other operating parameters used to evaluate performance and behaviour.

To prevent costs from spiralling out of control, the FIA imposes hourly limits divided into “Occupancy Hours” and “Operation Hours.” The latter are especially significant, as they represent periods when the engine exceeds 7,500 rpm and is therefore operating under more representative performance conditions.

From 2027, however, these restrictions will be partially relaxed to support all manufacturers during the development phase, regardless of ADUO eligibility. Operational hours will be increased, giving engine suppliers greater freedom to work on reliability, drivability and the integration between the internal combustion and electric components.

While this year’s limits will remain unchanged, the figures will rise sharply from 2027, increasing from 410 to 635 hours—roughly a 55% jump. Under the previous regulatory framework, the limit for every season between 2027 and 2030 had been fixed at 410 operational hours, with no annual variation.

Following the latest regulatory revision, a gradual year-by-year reduction system will instead be introduced. In 2028, the limit will increase from the original 410 to 560 hours, which is 75 fewer than in 2027. In 2029, it will fall again to 485 hours, marking another reduction compared to the previous year. Only in 2030—expected to be the final season of this technical cycle—will the number return to its original level, stabilising at 410 hours.