Stefano Domenicali assures: "Engine sound will increase in 2026, Formula 1 is not electric"

Formula 1 chief executive officer Stefano Domenicali has assured that the sound of the engines, which was lost with the start of the hybrid era in 2014, will be regained with the new regulations on power units starting with the 2026 Formula 1 championship. The new rules, as already known for some time, will indeed involve an increase in electric power, with a more powerful MGU-K compensating for the reduced power of the MGU-H.
However, Stefano Domenicali has assured that the sound will not resemble that of Formula E.

The former Ferrari boss assures: the sound of the power units will return with the new regulations in 2026

Since the beginning of the hybrid turbo era in 2014, many have complained about the lack of spectacle in terms of the sound of the new V6 power units compared to the previous generations of naturally aspirated engines. However, Stefano Domenicali wanted to reassure the fans, guaranteeing that the roar will be present again starting from the new regulations in 2026.

“If the new power units will be silent? No, clearly not,” the Italian CEO said to Australian radio station 3AW. “We need to have a different sound. It’s music to my ears. It’s true that we had the 12 cylinders, it was a different frequency, very loud. And then 10, 8, 6… we don’t go down anymore.”

“It’s just that the situation is different. It’s obvious that we have to be hybrid, we will be in the future as well. But the intention is to ensure that in the new regulations, the engine noise is louder because it’s part of our emotion. It’s really what our fans want to hear. And it’s our duty to commit to this.”

Stefano Domenicali promises, therefore, that the acoustic factor, which has always characterized Formula 1 engines, will become an important component in the new regulatory era. The power units themselves will be the main protagonists in the new Formula 1, unlike previous rule changes that focused more on aerodynamics.

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Despite the tripling of electric power in 2026, the former Ferrari team principal reiterates that the goal of Formula 1 is not to fully embrace electric in the future: “Formula 1 is not electric. As you know, there are some categories that have taken that direction. Electrification is a mobility choice that needs to go in that direction.”

“But the world of mobility and the landscape of mobility will follow different directions. We have chosen to use sustainable fuels with hybrid engines for the future. It is in this direction that we believe we will remain for many, many years.” – the former Ferrari boss concluded.