Formula 1 team principals do not believe a mooted return to V10 engines could happen in the near future as the sport prepares to introduce new power unit rules next year.
The series’ first change to its power unit regulations since 2014 was agreed three years ago. However FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem unexpectedly announced last month the championship should consider reintroducing V10 engines. The F1 grid was last powered entirely by V10s in 2005.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, who has committed his team to building its own power unit for the first time from next year, admitted the idea has emotional appeal. But he doubts it could happen in the short term.
“Obviously there’s a lot of debate about the future,” he said. “We’ve got a set of regulations for next year.
“I think there’s some limitations to those regulations as far as the show and the racing is concerned. We’ve ended up in a situation where the chassis is having to compensate a huge amount for, perhaps, some of the shortcomings of the split [between] electrification and combustion.
“But it’s ten-past-midnight and Cinderella’s left the building. [For] the romantic in you, a screaming V10, so long as it’s done responsibly, with fully sustainable fuels, is hugely attractive. I think the big question is: when would that be for? And what would be the game plan between where we sit today and then?”
Next year’s power unit will retain the current V6 engine format, drop the MGU-H and add a more powerful MGU-K. Peak power outputs are tipped to hit 1,000bhp.
| Become a RaceFans supporter and
Abandoning that to use an entirely conventional combustion engine “would be a massive departure” said Horner. “But I think, for the fan in me, the concept of a screaming V10 engine would be very exciting for the sport at whatever point it’s chosen for the future.”
Since the new rules were confirmed four manufacturers have announced plans to enter F1 to varying degrees. Ford will collaborate with Red Bull on their power unit, Honda will build its own, Audi will too as well as producing its own chassis and Cadillac intends to arrive in 2028. Even with Renault’s decision to cease producing F1 engines after this season, this represents a significant net increase in manufacturer involvement in the championship.
McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown said it’s hard to envisage how quickly a return to V10s could happen. “We’re happy to race and ready to race, whatever the rules may be,” he said. “I think a V10 definitely would be pretty cool with sustainable fuels.
“[But] I don’t really see how you can unwind what’s in place, really because of all the different power unit changes that are happening right now. Audi’s coming in, Alpine’s going to Merc for an engine. Logistically, I’m not sure how you put the genie back in the bottle. From our standpoint, we’re with [Mercedes] HPP, we’re very happy, they’re ready to go, or will be ready to go. So that wouldn’t impact us.
“But it is a bit of a head-scratcher of how you would put that in place if you did want to make a change. Every time there’s a rule change – I remember when hybrids came in last time there was some concern, and that’s worked out just fine. So I’m sure the engineers will get on the technical challenge and [it will] remain very exciting, as Formula 1’s always been.”
Alpine team principal Oliver Oakes agreed “it’s quite a romantic idea but obviously the train has left the station now for 2026.
| Become a RaceFans supporter and
“I think it’s probably something beyond that that will be looked at because it does sound quite good for Formula 1 to go that way a little bit. But as Zak said, we are quite far along already.”
codeform
Formula 1
Browse all Formula 1 articles
