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FIA Plans Loud V8 Return by 2030, Bypasses Vote

5/3/2026

Summary

Ben Sulayem V8

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem announced Formula 1 will bring back V8 engines in 2030.
He said the FIA can impose the V8 change in 2031 without a power-unit manufacturers (PUM) vote, despite 2026 rules needing four of six manufacturers to approve changes before then, and noted manufacturers support the V8 return but will proceed without their consent.
He added the V8s will have minor electrification, making them simpler, lighter and louder.

Summary

Drivers Warn

Drivers say lift-and-coast recharging creates concerns over start-line speed gaps.
Miami officials added superclipping limits and megajoule caps for energy recovery, complicating strategies.
Mercedes powers four teams, Ferrari three, Red Bull with Ford two, and Honda and Audi one.
General Motors plans a V8 for Cadillac, which uses Ferrari engines.
F1, which ran V8s from 2006-2013, saw the Cosworth DFV V8 dominate racing from the 1960s to early 1980s.

History

Historical Context

V8s arrived in F1 in the 1950s, with the 1954 Lancia D50 helping Juan Manuel Fangio win the 1956 championship and powering all four drivers’ titles in the 1.5-L era (1962-65). Cosworth’s DFV V8 debuted at the 1967 Dutch GP, earning 155 wins and 12 championships; after the 2006-13 NA-V8 rule, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s 2030 V8 plan now pits Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull-Ford together.

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Ben Sulayem V8

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem announced Formula 1 will bring back V8 engines in 2030.
He said the FIA can impose the V8 change in 2031 without a power-unit manufacturers (PUM) vote, despite 2026 rules needing four of six manufacturers to approve changes before then, and noted manufacturers support the V8 return but will proceed without their consent.
He added the V8s will have minor electrification, making them simpler, lighter and louder.

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