F1 | Manufacturers support the return of V8 engines, but not before 2030
Ferrari and Mercedes are both in favour of bringing back V8 engines in Formula 1, but the two giants do not want to accelerate the timeline due to cost concerns. Audi has also aligned with this position: the German brand entered F1 with the expectation of using engines close to the 2026 regulations and has not changed its stance on the matter.
V8 engines are, as the English would say, “a real thing”. Something concrete, something real. The FIA revealed several months ago that it is exploring this direction, and Stefano Domenicali, the president and CEO of Formula 1, has not hidden his goal of moving toward a new generation of power units that are smaller, less expensive, and more attractive to both teams and fans.
The power unit manufacturers appear almost unanimously in favour of a V8 return, but there is one key aspect that could delay any decision, including the timeline for their adoption.
The FIA and Formula One Management were scheduled to meet in London on September 11 to discuss the potential V8 comeback, but the meeting has been postponed indefinitely. The main issue is not the combustion engine itself, but rather when it should be introduced.
From 2026, Formula 1 will enter a new era of hybrid V6 engines, using only the KERS (MGU-K) system as an energy generator, designed to share equally with the combustion engine the task of powering the new-generation cars. This regulation cycle is expected to last until 2030, covering five seasons.
The FIA has made no secret of wanting to accelerate the return of the V8, but the teams intend to respect the five-year plan of the new technical regulations for financial reasons. Developing the 2026 power units has already consumed money, time, and resources. Teams are unwilling to face the burden of designing an all-new engine while still managing the next generation within such a short span of time. The reason is always the same: costs.
Mercedes and Ferrari are open to introducing the V8 one year earlier than the natural end of the next technical cycle, but they will not support bringing it forward any further. This means they will not back the adoption of V8s from 2029, precisely for budgetary reasons.
“We all share the objective of having the best possible regulations, spectacular enough to attract the interest of fans,” said Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff. “In the end, the V8 was the best compromise, featuring a high-revving naturally aspirated engine combined with an energy recovery system that still created a performance differentiator. And all of this fits quite well with sustainable fuel.”
Wolff continued: “Most of the manufacturers have said, ‘We don’t want to run a dual-cost programme, because it would mean developing a new engine in just two years.’ That was not something we wanted.”
However, Wolff stressed that all current and future engine manufacturers, including Ford as Red Bull’s partner and Cadillac, which plans to produce its own power units from 2028 onward, were aligned on the future direction of Formula 1. “Now it’s about having a dialogue with Mohammed Ben Sulayem and with Stefano Domenicali. What are their expectations? And then bringing all the engine manufacturers together to ask: what are we doing now?”
He concluded: “I would say there is an alignment of interests. The conversations we are having now are very positive. Very balanced and rational.”
Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur also believes there is no urgency to make a decision, especially as the 2026 power units have not yet been introduced. “We are discussing it because it is not an easy choice,” he said. “We might find a common project soon enough, but we are in no hurry to decide today or tomorrow. Tomorrow in the factory everyone will be focused on 2026.”
He added: “We have a couple of points on which we can reach agreement between all the PU manufacturers, the FIA, and Formula 1. I think this is for the benefit of F1. It makes sense to discuss and find this kind of common ground.”
Jonathan Wheatley, team principal of Sauber, which will become Audi from next season, reiterated the German manufacturer’s position upon entering the sport. “Fundamentally, Audi’s entry into Formula 1 was based on three pillars,” he said. “One was a highly efficient engine, another was advanced hybrid technology, and the third was sustainable fuels. I don’t think our position has changed in this regard. As far as I know, we will sti
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