Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has expressed his belief in the potential comeback of V8 hybrid engines powered by sustainable fuels, considering them a viable option for the future of the sport.
The debate surrounding the new power unit regulations planned for 2026 has once again brought the engine question into the spotlight. Current Formula 1 engines are widely seen as too complex and extremely costly to develop and maintain. While the idea of reintroducing the naturally aspirated V8 or V10 engines for the upcoming generation of cars has not been officially included in the 2026 rules, Domenicali pointed out that it has also not been completely dismissed for future regulatory eras.
The potential advantages of a return to V8 engines are numerous. FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has repeatedly voiced his support for this direction, sharing the same outlook as Stefano Domenicali. Speaking to The Race, the Formula 1 CEO underlined how he sees a perfect balance between traditional performance and modern sustainability, explaining that in his view, sustainable fuels combined with V8 technology would represent an ideal mix. Domenicali added that hybridization remains, in his perspective, the natural next step for Formula 1’s technological evolution. He also stressed, however, that the immediate focus should remain firmly on the 2026 regulations and the new generation of power units, since these will define the sport in the coming years. According to him, discussions about what lies further ahead can come afterwards, once the next cycle of rules has been fully implemented.
Formula 1 is rapidly becoming more technologically advanced and sophisticated, which has inevitably led to a significant rise in development costs. This is why Stefano Domenicali and other stakeholders in the sport are carefully considering the possibility of standardizing certain non-crucial car components, such as gearboxes and batteries, in order to control expenses and simplify engineering.
Stefano Domenicali explained that gearboxes, for instance, are no longer the decisive performance differentiator they once were in Formula 1. While in the past a gearbox design could have a major impact on lap times, today the performance gap between different gearboxes amounts to just 0.001 seconds, a margin that is practically negligible. Instead, the real challenges for teams are reliability and costs. For this reason, Domenicali argued that it makes sense to evaluate whether components that are no longer critical from a technological perspective should be standardized across the grid. He added that the same reasoning could be applied to battery systems, even though some manufacturers still regard them as a potential area of competitive differentiation. Ultimately, he suggested that the right approach for the sport is a holistic one: identifying what technologies are truly relevant to Formula 1 today and which will remain so in the future.
On the subject of alternative energy, Stefano Domenicali also addressed the frequently mentioned possibility of hydrogen power in motorsport. While hydrogen is currently a topic of discussion in championships such as the World Endurance Championship (WEC), the Formula 1 CEO made clear that the premier category of motorsport is not ready for this technology.
He explained that although hydrogen could become a possibility one day, it will not be realistic within the next decade. The safety complexities associated with storing and using hydrogen in racing conditions are still too great, and Stefano Domenicali emphasized that it is crucial not to confuse motorsport with broader mobility projects. According to him, while hydrogen is an important subject for the automotive industry, it remains far too early and too complex to be adopted in Formula 1 at present.
A potential return to previous engine architectures, enhanced by hybrid systems and powered by sustainable fuels, would likely please both insiders and fans, as it would bring back some of the sound and spectacle that many supporters miss while aligning with modern environmental requirements. However, the final direction Formula 1 will take will only become clearer after the upcoming season, when the sport will assess how the new rules and technologies are shaping the future of racing.
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