Formula 1 2026 Season Discussion

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JPNZ

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#3487969 6-May-2026 08:06

The biggest news I'm surprised nobody is commenting on is FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has come out and said F1 is moving back to V8's before 2030 and less electrification.

Formula 1's governing body, the FIA, is committed to replacing the sport's controversial V6 hybrid engines with simpler, louder V8s by 2030 or 2031.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said he would force the change through by 2031 if needed, but remains optimistic he will gain agreement from power unit manufacturers to make the switch a year earlier.

The plans have received early backing from current championship leaders Mercedes. "It's coming. At the end of the day, it's a matter of time," Ben Sulayem told Reuters ahead of Sunday's Miami Grand Prix.

"In 2031, the V8, the FIA will have the power to do it, without any votes from the PUMs [Power Unit Manufacturers]. That's the regulations. "But we want to bring it one year earlier, which everyone ⁠now is asking for."

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Handsomedan

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#3487974 6-May-2026 08:35

JPNZ:

The biggest news I'm surprised nobody is commenting on is FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has come out and said F1 is moving back to V8's before 2030 and less electrification.

Formula 1's governing body, the FIA, is committed to replacing the sport's controversial V6 hybrid engines with simpler, louder V8s by 2030 or 2031.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said he would force the change through by 2031 if needed, but remains optimistic he will gain agreement from power unit manufacturers to make the switch a year earlier.

The plans have received early backing from current championship leaders Mercedes. "It's coming. At the end of the day, it's a matter of time," Ben Sulayem told Reuters ahead of Sunday's Miami Grand Prix.

"In 2031, the V8, the FIA will have the power to do it, without any votes from the PUMs [Power Unit Manufacturers]. That's the regulations. "But we want to bring it one year earlier, which everyone ⁠now is asking for."

I read that yesterday.
There was talk of V8's and V12's in the article I read. But either way, as you've pointed out - he said they're doing it with or without the PUM's blessing.

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mudguard

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#3487983 6-May-2026 09:09

And that's the big question. Is there any benefit to a car manufacturer to spend millions on an NA engine that is likely to have to no real world benefits?

I can't see them going to say V8s and electric.

MyFriendAutism

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#3487993 6-May-2026 09:43

JPNZ:

The biggest news I'm surprised nobody is commenting on is FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has come out and said F1 is moving back to V8's before 2030 and less electrification.

Concord agreement ends in 2030(?) so I can see the FIA pushing for these changes for 2031 onwards. Esp since the FIA only need 50% of the engine manufacturers to agree to sign off on said changes, so saying the FIA will want everyone on board but I can see the switch back to V8 with an electrical component. Cutting costs, engine complexity, & pulling back on the increased electrification is something all teams can find common ground on & fans will love.

Handsomedan

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#3487998 6-May-2026 09:50

I don't see why they couldn't use a V8 Hybrid tech like that used in the Lexus V8 Hybrids.

Surely that would meet everyone's objectives?

Like this kind of thing

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mudguard

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#3488004 6-May-2026 10:19

Handsomedan:

I don't see why they couldn't use a V8 Hybrid tech like that used in the Lexus V8 Hybrids.

Surely that would meet everyone's objectives?

Like this kind of thing

It didn't really explain much. I'd assume the hybrid is the same as what we have in road cars. Small battery, which is charged up by either regenerative braking or from the motor itself.

I just don't see the point as that's what we have now but ditching a 1.6L turbo V6 for a what, 3.0 turbo V8? Probably not that big but if they're still turbo they won't need an electric component at all. Realistically they could get 1000bhp out of the current motors without the electric. V8 and NA would sound much, much better.

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thermonuclear

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#3488006 6-May-2026 10:20

F1 is at its core an ICE sport, it's etched into the DNA. This failed hybrid experiment they have been persisting with is little more than virtue signalling. If the FIA and FOM were actually serious about their environmental footprint they'd run a calendar that linked the 24 circuits by proximity, instead of this constant yo-yoing from one part of the globe to another at massive fuel cost.

I'd imagine there's very little to be learned about battery technology through it's use in F1 for any of the PU suppliers that can't already be learnt at their road car factories at a fraction of the price. And, if they really want to race electric cars, they already have a Formula for that.

Other than a battery to run the electronics that should be the extent of the "electrification" of any F1 car and, the sooner they get back to V8's or V10's, the better the sport will be for it.

mudguard

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#3488007 6-May-2026 10:21

I think the fundamental issue this year was a 50/50 power split and leaving the battery the same size. Should have let the petrol do the bulk of the work and leave the battery smaller and easier to charge with a a big stop.

Handsomedan

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#3488011 6-May-2026 10:35

mudguard:

Handsomedan:

I don't see why they couldn't use a V8 Hybrid tech like that used in the Lexus V8 Hybrids.

Surely that would meet everyone's objectives?

Like this kind of thing

It didn't really explain much. I'd assume the hybrid is the same as what we have in road cars. Small battery, which is charged up by either regenerative braking or from the motor itself.

I just don't see the point as that's what we have now but ditching a 1.6L turbo V6 for a what, 3.0 turbo V8? Probably not that big but if they're still turbo they won't need an electric component at all. Realistically they could get 1000bhp out of the current motors without the electric. V8 and NA would sound much, much better.

I 100% agree, but if they want to do some virtue signalling, I see this as a better-than-nothing compromise, which can be pointed at on road cars as a meaningful development.

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Jaxson

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#3488066 6-May-2026 13:47

Toyota non plug in hybrids are pretty much what I'd expect to see.

Toyota run a weaker but more efficient Atkinson cycle style ICE which is not great at launching, so they use a tiny battery/motor combo to help with this. The cars (like Yaris Hybrid etc) can technically run in low power electric only mode for a max of 2kms from memory, but it's purpose is to accelerate the car until in the power band region that better suits the engine.

eg

How about something like: All cars are sent onto the grid/race start with a full battery charge (hey and say only chargeable via solar or wind 😆), and from then on can only be recharged from kinetic braking recovery harvesting (not connected to the ICE - although they could over power into the corners to accelerate this I guess like we're seeing now), and then only when the battery has fully recharged again can be deployed whenever the driver wants it.

There are so many if buts maybes and workarounds in this space that it's all a bit silly and safer to just not have it and get back to racing...

mudguard

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#3488157 6-May-2026 15:50

Jaxson:

How about something like: All cars are sent onto the grid/race start with a full battery charge (hey and say only chargeable via solar or wind 😆), and from then on can only be recharged from kinetic braking recovery harvesting (not connected to the ICE - although they could over power into the corners to accelerate this I guess like we're seeing now), and then only when the battery has fully recharged again can be deployed whenever the driver wants it.

There are so many if buts maybes and workarounds in this space that it's all a bit silly and safer to just not have it and get back to racing...

The video link is broken in my browser?

The front brakes provide more than enough regen for a racecar. As I said earlier, the problem is someone being naughty and sending it back out the front wheels again. But yeah I'd rather something like that. However it still doesn't get around the fact that the car companies may not be that keen to return to bigger engines with more cylinders.

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Jaxson

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#3488252 6-May-2026 19:31

mudguard:

The video link is broken in my browser?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyrznATgRmA

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TwoSeven

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#3488257 6-May-2026 20:09

mudguard:

Handsomedan:

I don't see why they couldn't use a V8 Hybrid tech like that used in the Lexus V8 Hybrids.

Surely that would meet everyone's objectives?

Like this kind of thing

Realistically they could get 1000bhp out of the current motors without the electric. V8 and NA would sound much, much better.

the current combination ice/electric is capable of 1100 odd bhp. However, they don't need 1100bhp because they don’t need a high max speed - it is why they settled on 700bhp. What they need is good acceleration which is what the torque from the electric motor does.

Charging strategy and deployment strategy on a circuit is related to the race strategy being applied by the team and executed by the driver. Its part of the drivers race craft.

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