F1 towards the return of V8s
The debate on the future of engines in Formula 1 has reignited strongly in recent weeks. The current power units will be revised as early as next year, confirming the error at the base of the new regulations, and by 2028, a 60-40 balance between internal combustion and electric will be reached. But even these changes will have a limited temporal scope, because V8 engines will soon return: strongly desired by FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, they are a concrete prospect as early as 2030, or at the latest by 2031.
The idea stems from the perplexities that have emerged around the new hybrid power units, deemed too complex, expensive, and unbalanced towards the electric component. The FIA’s proposal is to return to simpler, lighter, and more spectacular engines, powered by sustainable fuels and accompanied by a minimum share of electrification. During the Le Mans weekend, the Emirati president went into more detail about his vision for future F1 and emphasized that he has the support of the teams.
Ben Sulayem’s words
“The V8 is now decided, the decision is made. Its introduction is planned for 2031, but we are pushing for 2030. There will be a hybrid, but it will be light and simple: I am fighting against complexity,” these were his words reported by AUTOHebdo. “The turbo entails weight and costs. I want simplicity, cost control, and spectacle for the public. We have consulted the six engine manufacturers: they prefer lightness and simplicity with an engine cost reduced from 15 million to about 700 thousand euros. And I am also for the absence of the turbo.”
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The last step – the support of the teams – is not accidental and is linked to the “struggle” between FIA and Liberty Media. Which, for Ben Sulayem, at least in words, is overcome: “At the beginning of my mandate, it was necessary to clarify the relationship between the FIA, as the owner of the championship, and a good promoter like Formula One Management. Something was missing a few years ago. Today we respect each other.”
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