Formula 1 could be racing with V8 engines again in 2030. FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem wants lighter cars, lower development costs and a better soundtrack — but manufacturers are still waiting for the regulations that would make the change possible.
Just as Formula 1’s latest V6 hybrids are settling into their first season, the sport is looking towards another major engine change. Mohammed Ben Sulayem has reiterated his aim to bring back V8 power in 2030, potentially giving the current rules only four seasons before a replacement arrives.
The FIA president made his latest comments in Kigali on Tuesday 13 October, during the announcement of Rwanda’s future African Grand Prix. He wants cars roughly 80kg lighter, engine research and development costs cut by at least 50%, and a soundtrack with more of the character fans remember from F1’s previous V8 era.
Those are ambitious targets rather than settled rules. The V8 specification and the proposed 2030 start date have not been formally approved.
Why the FIA president is pushing for 2030
The idea of returning to V8 engines predates the Rwanda announcement. Ben Sulayem has been advocating the change for months, with 2030 his preferred date and 2031 another possibility. What changed in Kigali was the force of his commitment to the earlier timetable.
Speaking to journalists at the event, he said he believed Formula One Management and the power-unit manufacturers supported the move. PlanetF1, which attended the launch, reported his three priorities: weight, development costs and sound.
For now, that support remains the president’s assessment. There is no published, ratified V8 rulebook, and Formula 1’s engine suppliers still need the engineering details before they can plan their next programmes.
Audi F1 boss Mattia Binotto was more cautious at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in September. In the FIA’s official press conference transcript, he described 2030 as the earliest introduction and warned that a decision would need to be agreed and voted on before the end of this year to give manufacturers enough development time.
That is a reminder of the gap between agreeing on a direction and making it happen.
The challenge of making F1 cars 80kg lighter
Ben Sulayem’s proposed weight reduction applies to the car as a whole, not just to the engine. It is also a big ask for machines packed with safety equipment, electrical hardware, cooling systems and aerodynamic components.
The 2026 regulations have already made the cars smaller and set a lower minimum weight than the previous generation. Losing another 80kg would require changes well beyond replacing a V6 with a V8. Battery capacity, hybrid components and the wider chassis design could all come under scrutiny.
The FIA president also wants at least a 50% reduction in engine research and development costs. Simpler technology could reduce the long-term burden, particularly for smaller suppliers and customer teams, but no final specification exists against which that saving can be measured.
And there is an obvious short-term complication: the manufacturers have only just invested in the power units that began racing in 2026. An accelerated reset could mean starting another expensive development programme sooner than expected.
The problem with the current hybrid formula
Formula 1’s 2026 engines retain a 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 but rely far more heavily on electrical assistance. The MGU-K can deliver up to 350kW, with the regulations designed around a near-equal split between combustion and electric power. Fully sustainable fuel is another central part of the package.
Energy deployment and recovery have become major talking points, particularly when drivers need to harvest electricity rather than run flat out. The FIA has already agreed refinements to the 2026 regulations with stakeholders, although those adjustments are separate from any future V8 proposal.
A V8 with less electrical assistance could alter the way the cars accelerate, recover energy and sound. It would not automatically recreate the naturally aspirated 2.4-litre engines used before 2014. The future engine’s capacity, turbocharging and hybrid contribution have not been formally settled.
The attraction of a stronger combustion soundtrack is easy to understand. The difficult question is how to deliver it while retaining sustainable fuel, useful technology and a sensible cost base.
What it means for engine manufacturers
Ferrari, Mercedes, Honda, Audi and Red Bull Powertrains are already committed to the latest generation, while General Motors is developing its own Formula 1 power unit. A 2030 change would require each programme to reconsider its investment and development timetable.
There could be opportunities for customer teams if the rules reduce the price and complexity of obtaining an engine. In July, we explored the idea of an independent FIA-approved V8 supplier that might offer teams an alternative to the established manufacturers.
That proposal is still separate from the new 2030 timetable. An independent supplier has not been confirmed, nor have other previously discussed options such as bringing back refuelling.
For manufacturers, the question is not simply whether a V8 is desirable. They need to know what they would be building, how much it would cost and how long it would be used.
Why the announcement came in Rwanda
Ben Sulayem raised the V8 timetable as Formula 1 announced a 10-year deal to race in Rwanda. The event will return the World Championship to Africa for the first time since the 1993 South African Grand Prix.
A new circuit is planned in Bugesera, near Kigali, with the first race expected in the early 2030s once construction is complete. F1 has not fixed the inaugural date.
Ben Sulayem expects the new V8 engines to be in use by the time Rwanda hosts its first Grand Prix. That is plausible if his 2030 plan succeeds, but Rwanda’s confirmed race agreement should not be mistaken for formal approval of the engine rules.
What happens next?
Formula 1, the FIA and the power-unit manufacturers now need to agree the engine configuration, hybrid system, fuel requirements, cost limits and launch date. The chassis changes needed to deliver the proposed weight reduction would also require detailed work.
A formal regulatory vote and publication of the technical rules will matter more than another confident prediction. Until then, the 2026 framework remains the one manufacturers can rely upon.
Tech Torque Verdict
There is plenty to like about the aim of lighter, less complicated Formula 1 cars. A V8 could restore some of the engine character lost in the hybrid era, especially if sustainable fuel and a more modest electrical system remain part of the package.
But making a car 80kg lighter and halving development costs will take more than changing the number of cylinders. The FIA must also convince manufacturers that another technical reset so soon after 2026 makes financial and sporting sense.
Ben Sulayem has put 2030 back at the centre of the conversation. The next meaningful step is an agreed rulebook — and enough time for the teams building these engines to deliver it.
