Marco Rossi · F1 Correspondent
Mohammed Ben Sulayem wants to bring back the V8 already in 2030, just one year into the new V6 hybrid era. A decision hasn't been made yet, but a vote is scheduled for year-end.
The stage was originally set for different news. On October 13, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, Rwanda's President Paul Kagame, and F1 Chief Stefano Domenicali unveiled the future Grand Prix of Africa in Kigali. But Ben Sulayem delivered the day's headline almost in passing: Formula 1 should return to V8 engines already in 2030, a year earlier than the 2031 he had previously mentioned. He cited support from Formula One Management and the manufacturers. However, the regulations haven't been finalized yet, with voting scheduled for the end of 2026.
An era that has barely begun is already up for discussion
Only since the current 2026 season has Formula 1 been racing with the new power unit regulations: V6 turbo-hybrids whose electric power has increased from 120 to 350 kW, so that combustion engine and electric drive now contribute roughly equally, running on 100 percent sustainable fuel. The concept was ambitious, but its on-track impact has been controversial. Drivers and fans have complained about battery management and the lack of engine sound. Max Verstappen called the cars, among other things, "Formula E on steroids."
That the FIA President is already discussing the next generation in the first year of this one says much about the mood in the paddock. Should the V8 actually arrive in 2030, the current engine generation would have lasted only four seasons, and the era of turbo-hybrids that began in 2014 would end after 16 years.
Lighter, cheaper, louder: what's confirmed so far
What's certain so far is mainly the cylinder count. "We know for sure it will be a V8, 2030 is the earliest introduction," said Mattia Binotto, who leads Audi's F1 project. Displacement, hybrid power, and fuel specifications remain open, with Binotto considering a turbo possible. According to him, discussions are underway about V8 engines running on sustainable fuel.
Ben Sulayem named three goals. The cars should be roughly 80 kilograms lighter, a figure that hasn't appeared in any previous regulations. Development and engine costs should drop by at least 50 percent. And fans should get back what they miss most: "It's about the sound, not the noise," the FIA President said. That sounds less like rulebook language and more like a promise to everyone who never quite forgot the howl of naturally aspirated engines.
Manufacturers caught between investment and new beginning
The timeline is tricky for the manufacturers. Mercedes, Ferrari, Honda, Red Bull with partner Ford, and Audi have invested heavily in the current formula, with Audi entering specifically for these regulations. General Motors arrives as an engine supplier only in 2029 and would have just a single season under the current rules. According to Binotto, the new regulations must be agreed upon and finalized by year-end, otherwise 2031 becomes the fallback date, which Ben Sulayem also left open.
How the disruption will shift the balance of power is hard to predict responsibly today. What seems certain is that Formula 1, after more than a decade of increasing technical complexity, is deliberately seeking the opposite path. Whether the gamble pays off will first be decided at the negotiating table, then on track.
