The debate over F1’s 2030 engine regulations is intensifying, with former Ferrari engineer Luigi Mazzola warning the FIA against abandoning the current power unit philosophy and starting another technical revolution. With FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem openly considering a return to turbo-hybrid V8 engines with a smaller electrical component, Luigi Mazzola believes Formula 1 should instead fix the weaknesses of the existing concept.
The future of Formula 1 power units beyond the current regulatory cycle continues to divide the paddock. The discussion has gathered momentum following Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s public support for a possible V8 return, potentially around 2030 or 2031. The debate is unfolding while the championship is still dealing with the consequences of the major power unit revolution introduced under the latest regulations.
During an exclusive interview with Italian media, Luigi Mazzola took a firm position on the subject. In the former Ferrari engineer’s view, changing the entire engine philosophy again after only a few years could jeopardise a huge amount of development work already completed by Formula 1 manufacturers.
Luigi Mazzola questions the foundations of the current F1 power unit concept
For Luigi Mazzola, the problem begins even before considering whether Formula 1 should return to V8 engines. He believes some of the difficulties originated when the current technical direction itself was established.
“It is a choice that did not take into account all the variables that could arise. They followed the green wave without having a complete view of the project,” Luigi Mazzola explained.
According to the former Ferrari engineer, the regulations significantly increased the electrical contribution of the power unit without making corresponding changes to other fundamental elements of the car. The relationship between the energy available and the car’s ability to complete a race distance remains one of the aspects that leaves him unconvinced.
“If you increase electrical power to 350 kW while keeping the fuel tank practically unchanged, it was quite clear that problems would arise,” Luigi Mazzola said.
The broader debate over the balance of Formula 1’s latest power units has already extended beyond one individual opinion, with the relationship between electrical and combustion performance becoming a major talking point as Formula 1 considers what should come next.
Could a larger fuel tank have offered a simpler solution?
One of the most interesting parts of Luigi Mazzola’s analysis concerns a technical detail that often receives considerably less attention than the engine architecture itself: fuel tank capacity.
Rather than repeatedly revolutionising the entire philosophy behind Formula 1 power units, Luigi Mazzola believes it would have been more logical to intervene directly on the capacity of the fuel tank.
“What I still don’t understand is why they didn’t simply increase the fuel tank. It would have been an almost trivial change,” the former Ferrari engineer said.
In his assessment, the repeated changes required in energy management are evidence that the original concept contains structural weaknesses. Instead of responding to those difficulties with another completely different engine formula, the priority should be to understand where the existing architecture can be improved.
Luigi Mazzola warns against an F1 V8 return in 2030
The possibility of Formula 1 bringing V8 engines back around 2030 therefore does little to convince Luigi Mazzola. His objection is not based on nostalgia, nor does it concern the appeal of previous generations of Formula 1 engines. Instead, the issue is one of technical consistency and continuity.
“You chose a direction. Improve it. Don’t change everything again. Going back to the V8 would be a mistake on top of a mistake,” Luigi Mazzola warned.
Another important consideration is the position of manufacturers that have entered Formula 1 recently. Audi, for example, has built its industrial and technical programme around the current regulations. Changing the underlying power unit philosophy just as those investments are beginning to produce their first results could completely disrupt manufacturers’ long-term plans.
Resistance to rapid regulatory change has already become part of the wider discussion, with Formula 1 manufacturers previously pushing back against proposals for an earlier engine reset.
Improving the current F1 regulations instead of starting again
Rather than beginning from zero, Luigi Mazzola proposes a different approach. The former Ferrari engineer believes Formula 1 should refine the existing technical architecture, potentially through a different use of the ERS and changes to energy management, rather than introducing another sweeping regulatory revolution.
The objective, in his view, should be to correct the less convincing elements of the existing package without forcing the entire championship to start over once again. Such an approach would preserve much of the technical development already undertaken while allowing Formula 1 to address weaknesses that have become apparent under the current regulations.
The subject is particularly relevant for Ferrari because the Maranello manufacturer is itself involved in discussions over Formula 1’s future technical direction. Ferrari has already acknowledged talks surrounding the next generation of F1 power units as manufacturers and regulators consider how the championship should evolve.
FIA’s 2030 engine debate is only beginning
The FIA continues to work on the future of Formula 1 power units, and a return to V8 engines around 2030-2031 has become a concrete possibility. Mohammed Ben Sulayem has publicly supported the idea, while manufacturers are also discussing what direction the championship should take.
For Luigi Mazzola, however, the priority should be different. Rather than launching another technical revolution, Formula 1 should consolidate the project it already has and improve the areas that are not working as intended. In his view, changing direction once again risks creating additional problems after those that have already emerged with the current generation of power units.
The argument therefore goes beyond the simple appeal of bringing V8 engines back to Formula 1. Luigi Mazzola does not dispute the technical value of a simpler engine concept, but instead highlights an issue that can easily be overlooked in the debate: continuity of development.
Changing the regulations again after only a few years would effectively mean acknowledging that the previous direction was not the right one. It would also risk penalising manufacturers that have invested hundreds of millions in developing the new power units and building programmes around the existing regulatory framework.
For that reason, Luigi Mazzola believes Formula 1 should resist the temptation to start again from scratch. The alternative is to identify what does not work, correct those weaknesses and maintain a coherent long-term technical vision. As the 2030 power unit debate continues to evolve, that question of continuity could become just as important as the choice between one engine configuration and another.
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