FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has raised the possibility of reintroducing V10 engines to Formula 1, two decades after they were phased out.
The F1 field was last fully powered by V10 engines in 2005. The championship moved to V8s the following year, though Red Bull’s second team, known at the time as Toro Rosso, was permitted to use rev-limited V10s for a single season in 2006.
Ben Sulayem made his comments in a social media post referencing the F1 75 launch event in London, which took place two days ago. “This week’s F1 launch in London has triggered a lot of positive discussion on the future of the sport,” he wrote.
“While we look forward to the introduction of the 2026 regulations on chassis and power unit, we must also lead the way on future technological motorsport trends. We should consider a range of directions including the roaring sound of the V10 running on sustainable fuel.”
F1 will introduce what it calls fully sustainable fuel next year, alongside the first change in power unit regulations since 2014. While the 1.6-litre V6 turbo engines used since then will remain largely unchanged, more powerful electric motors are expected to push power output as high as 820kW (1,100bhp).
Ben Sulayem indicated a return to V10 engines is among future changes to the power unit regulations under consideration.
“Whichever direction is chosen, we must support the teams and manufacturers in ensuring cost control on expenditure,” he said. “Delivering for our members and fans will always be at the heart of all we do alongside important work to make the sport safer and more sustainable for decades to come, ensuring future generations can enjoy F1.”
F1’s new power unit regulations have been credited with attracting more manufacturers to the sport. Audi will enter a full works team next year, Honda will return with Aston Martin and Ford will collaborate with Red Bull on their power unit. Cadillac intend to enter in 2028. However Renault will cease its F1 engine project at the end of this year.
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