V8 nostalgia has hit F1, and a 'mega engine' could be the future

Mohammed Ben Sulayem (left) says F1 will go back to V8 engines, but Toto Wolff still wants some battery element. (Getty Images: Formula 1/Bryn Lennon) Link copiedShareShare articleWhen Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the president of motorsport's governing body the FIA, told media last weekend that Formula 1 was returning to V8 engines, everyone took notice. It has become the talking point in F1, precisely because it is an idea that seemed implausible just one year ago. But the much-maligned F1 power units, introduced this season and set to be the engines until the end of 2030, have caused such a stir that Ben Sulayem's V8 declaration felt ironclad. And Ben Sulayem was not suggesting F1 would completely change its direction; he stated it. "It's coming. At the end of the day, it's a matter of time," he told media at the 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." The idea of V8 engines may not evoke much emotion for the millions of fans who have joined the F1 over the past decade. As drivers continue to raise objections to Formula 1's new electrical power era, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has suggested a return to V8 power. But for those who have been on the ride for a little longer, the idea of F1 returning to the days of screaming V8s almost definitely brought a feeling of nostalgia. F1 last used V8 engines in 2013, before shifting to the 1.6 litre V6 hybrid engines, which are still used now. The hybrid era was introduced as a sign of the times. The automotive world was moving towards more electrification and F1 needed to reflect that. There was a modification to the engine regulations in 2022, but by and large, the engines remained the same for 12 seasons. But the 2026 model, while technically brilliant, comes with a lot of baggage. The new power units in F1 cars have not been an immediate hit. (Getty Images: LAT Images/Alastair Staley) It has almost tripled the amount of electric energy from 120 kilowatts to 350kW, resulting in a near 50-50 split between internal combustion and electric power. The increased reliance on electrical power means drivers need to spend a lot of their time harvesting energy in the batteries. This has led to drivers not being able to drive flat-out for longer periods, leading to some speaking against it. Four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen says the 2026 cars are "not so fun", claiming the increasing energy management demands on drivers are "just not Formula 1". The hybrid power unit is also heavy. It has a minimum weight of 185 kilograms, up 40kg from 2025, and is obese compared to the 2013 V8 engine, which was a minimum of 95kg. But arguably its biggest issue is the cost, and that is something F1 wants fixed. "The cost of the power unit is too high, that is definite," F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali told The Race last month. "We have the duty to make sure that this business is sustainable. We need to have products that are technologically relevant, and therefore, the cost of this is too high." There is a cost cap for power unit manufacturers of $US190 million ($265 million), after being allowed to spend $US95 million per year for the past three seasons developing these engines. This means about $660 million will have been spent by each manufacturer on their power units by the end of this season. But it is this cost that may be the reason why a return to the old days of the V8 could be a tough sell for manufacturers. While the FIA has the discretion on the F1 regulations for 2031, having buy-in from manufacturers is important, especially when they would have spent around $660 million by the end of this year on them. And these new engines, as problematic as they are, have greatly contributed to an increase in manufacturers in the sport. The 2026 power unit regulations, when written, reflected the automotive industry's push for engines that have more electrification and are simpler. The regulations not only increased the electrical output but also removed the MGU-H, a complex energy recovery system that recovered exhaust gas and turned it into electricity. As a result, Audi joined the sport and developed its own engine for the 2026 season, while General Motors is committed to Cadillac being a full works team by the end of the decade. But no manufacturer has demonstrated the appeal for hybrid power units more than Honda. Honda is manufacturing power units for Aston Martin. (Getty Images: LAT Images/Andy Hone) The Japanese automotive giant had exited the sport as a fully fledged manufacturer in 2021, only to make a U-turn on that decision two years later following the release of the 2026 regulations. The new power units were a major reason for Honda changing its mind because it saw value in investing in the technology to help its business as a wh

V8 nostalgia has hit F1, and a 'mega engine' could be the future

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