Formula 1’s future is already being discussed. Although the new regulatory cycle has only just begun—bringing with it criticism and challenges surrounding the latest generation of hybrid power units, along with rule adjustments already planned for the 2027 and 2028 seasons—the sport’s decision-makers are already looking much further ahead.
Work has already started on shaping what Formula 1 could look like in 2030 and 2031. After the lessons learned from previous regulation changes, the governing bodies want to ensure they are fully prepared well in advance this time.
The ‘Ben Sulayem Formula’
No one has been more proactive in pushing the discussion around the next set of regulations than FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. He was the first to publicly raise the idea of bringing naturally aspirated engines back to Formula 1, and V8 power units now appear to have become the foundation of his long-term vision for the sport.
However, the FIA president is not stopping there. Speaking to journalists at Silverstone, Mohammed Ben Sulayem outlined several other intriguing ideas that could shape the future of Formula 1.
The key concepts are simplification and weight reduction. That is the reasoning behind the proposal for V8 engines, potentially retaining only a small electrical component responsible for no more than 10 to 15 percent of the car’s total power output. At the same time, reducing the weight of Formula 1 cars has become one of the FIA’s biggest priorities. To achieve that, Ben Sulayem is even willing to reconsider one of the sport’s defining rules of the last 15 years: the ban on race refuelling.
A return to the past?
Refuelling was a defining feature of Formula 1 throughout the 1990s and 2000s before being abolished from the 2010 season onward. Over the years, there have been occasional calls for its return to increase strategic variety and create more overtaking opportunities, but those proposals were consistently rejected, largely because of safety concerns.
According to The Race, however, the current FIA president is no longer ruling out a dramatic return to race refuelling. One of the main reasons is the significant impact that fuel load has on the weight of today’s Formula 1 cars.
During the final years of the refuelling era, up to the end of the 2009 season, fuel tanks typically held between 90 and 100 litres, equivalent to around 70 kilograms of fuel. When refuelling was banned in 2010, teams were forced to fit much larger tanks capable of holding approximately 200 litres, or around 150 kilograms. With the introduction of the turbo-hybrid era, the maximum permitted fuel load was reduced to 100 kilograms, roughly equivalent to 130–135 litres, while under the 2026 regulations the limit has now settled at around 105 kilograms.
The pros and cons
“How much fuel the cars start with and how much they should be allowed to refuel—that’s exactly what we’re studying right now,” the FIA president told The Race. “Obviously, if you want to complete the entire race without stopping, you need a larger fuel tank. Otherwise, you’ll have to pit. So this is one of the areas we’re evaluating.”
There are, however, important financial implications, particularly under Formula 1’s Budget Cap regulations. Each team could be required to spend around four million dollars per year on refuelling equipment and the logistics of transporting it to races around the world.
As for safety, Mohammed Ben Sulayem appeared far less concerned. “It’s not an issue if it’s done properly,” he said. “We’re studying the subject, but nothing has been decided yet.”
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