FIA to ban Ferrari blown-exit 2027

Motorsport en Español reported on May 14 that the FIA intends to outlaw the blown-exit exhaust concept Ferrari has used on its 2026 Formula 1 car from the start of the 2027 season. The outlet said the move follows an earlier FIA rules change around the so-called mini FTM system and is aimed at preventing a wider technical escalation around rear-end aero solutions. (es.motorsport.com) Ferrari has not publicly announced a rule change, and the FIA’s published 2026 technical regulations still contain the current framework for tail and exhaust-tailpipe bodywork. The report means teams are now watching whether the governing body turns that intent into formal 2027 wording. ### What exactly is the Ferrari concept the FIA is targeting? Ferrari’s 2026 rear-end package centers on a vane behind the exhaust and bodywork geometry that appears to direct exhaust flow toward the underside of the rear wing while also energizing airflow exiting the diffuser, according to Formula1.com technical analysis published in February. Formula1.com said Ferrari called the piece a “flow turning device” and linked it to a radical rear-wing arrangement tested in Bahrain. Mark Hughes wrote on Formula1.com that Ferrari’s layout was enabled by placing the differential far back and angling the driveshafts rearward, creating extra volume behind the diffuser for aerodynamic bodywork. (es.motorsport.com) The same analysis said the regulations allowed the differential to sit plus or minus 6 centimeters from the rear axle line, and Ferrari chose the maximum rearward position. ### Why is this being framed as a 2027 issue rather than an immediate ban? The FIA’s current published technical regulations are for the 2026 Formula 1 rules cycle, and Section C still includes articles covering “Tail and Exhaust Tailpipe” and rear bodywork geometry. (formula1.com) That means Ferrari’s existing interpretation appears to sit inside the current regulatory structure unless and until the FIA rewrites the text for 2027. Motorsport en Español reported that the governing body wants the prohibition to begin in 2027 rather than during the current season. The outlet said that timing would force teams to redesign before 2027 testing instead of requiring an in-season rework of 2026 cars. (formula1.com) ### How does the earlier mini-FTM fight connect to this exhaust debate? Motorsport en Español said the FIA had already moved to modify rules that had allowed six teams to equip a mini FTM concept. The outlet described the proposed exhaust change as part of the same effort to shut down aerodynamic interpretations that could spread through the field and increase development costs. (api.fia.com) Ferrari’s broader 2026 car concept has drawn attention well beyond the exhaust area. Motorsport en Español reported in March that Ferrari’s rear-end package, including the Flick Tail Mode and blown-exit exhaust, could be worth as much as half a second per lap, though that figure was presented by the outlet as analysis rather than an FIA finding. (es.motorsport.com) ### Is there evidence other teams were prepared to support the FIA? Franco Nugnes wrote in Motorsport en Español that four of the five manufacturers were ready to vote in favor of the FIA proposal, leaving Ferrari isolated. The report did not identify all of those manufacturers in the excerpt available, but it presented the matter as a political as well as technical defeat for Ferrari. (es.motorsport.com) Formula1.com’s February analysis also noted that Ferrari alone had exploited the packaging opportunity in that specific way at the time, even though the aerodynamic benefit appeared obvious. That detail helps explain why rivals and the FIA would monitor whether the concept spread across the grid. (es.motorsport.com) ### What still has to happen before this becomes a rule? The FIA regulation process still has to produce formal 2027 wording before any ban takes effect. The governing body’s published documents show that Formula 1 technical rules are issued and amended through dated versions approved by the World Motor Sport Council. (es.motorsport.com) The next milestone is the release of updated 2027 technical regulations or amendments covering rear bodywork and exhaust-tailpipe interaction. Teams including Ferrari would need that text in time to lock in their 2027 concepts before pre-season testing under the next rules cycle. (es.motorsport.com) (api.fia.com) (formula1.com)