F1 considers returning to traditional V8 engines, 'dropping electric' from 2030

Four races into Formula 1's new era with a 50-50 electrification split, speed sport officials believe the impact of electric power may have peaked. At the Miami Grand Prix on May 3, a small technical package was applied to limit the role of electric energy, after drivers complained that pure technical elements were being overshadowed by battery charging and discharging strategies. The result was one of the most open races in recent history, with four different teams leading at various points before Italian driver Kimi Antonelli claimed his third win of the season for Mercedes.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Miami GP, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem confirmed he wants to bring back the V8 engine by 2030 or 2031. This is not the first time the idea has been floated: last year, Ben Sulayem raised the issue in a meeting with manufacturers but got nowhere. However, with his second term underway and pushback from key drivers and fans, the plan now appears more serious. “You have sound, less complexity, lighter weight – it meets all criteria,” Ben Sulayem said. “There will be very little electrification, but mainly still an engine.”

Formula 1 has used V6 hybrid engines since 2014. This season's leap in electric energy has made timing of electric deployment and battery charging a strategic key. Four-time champion Max Verstappen once called his car “undriveable” and questioned his future in F1. A return to the V8 – a large-displacement internal combustion engine known for its distinctive roar – would bring a nostalgic feel for veteran drivers and fans, but such engines are increasingly rare in everyday cars outside super sports models.

The global political backdrop has also shifted, making electrification less certain than in the early 2020s. The Trump administration has tightened regulations on charging stations, and the European Union is reconsidering its 2035 ban on internal combustion engines. “When we discussed the current regulations, manufacturers said they would never produce new internal combustion engines again – that hasn't happened,” said FIA's top technical official Nikolas Tombazis.

Nevertheless, Ben Sulayem stressed that FIA needs consensus from engine manufacturers to switch to V8 by 2030 – five years before the current contract expires – but can decide on its own for 2031. He also warned: “We cannot be taken hostage by car companies. We want them to participate, but we also cannot let the sport be harmed if they decide to leave the game.”