The FIA has called a meeting with Formula 1 engine manufacturers to discuss plans to reintroduce V8 engines, potentially as early as 2030.
A return of more ‘traditional’ combustion engines has long been at the centre of potential plans for F1’s future, with a proposed move back to V10s mooted earlier this year.
The sport’s governing body‘s president Mohammed Ben Sulayem publicly spoke favourably of the plans, but they were shelved after a meeting took place over the weekend of the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Ben Sulayem sat with F1’s original engine manufacturers [OEMs] to discuss the viability of the idea, amid a public kickback from some, including Audi.
The German marque made its displeasure at the plans clear, citing F1’s further electrification as a reason for its entry into the sport in the first place.
F1 sees the introduction of radical new technical regulations from next year, which sees the current V6 hybrids remain, but with an equal split in power between electricity and the ICE.
It has already caused a stir amongst teams and drivers, who have spoken out on the current tackling of the cars in their respective simulators, casting a shadow on the new season ahead.
Many of the current drivers, including Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, spoke favourably for the opportunity to race with more traditional engines.
Why cost and weight gives the pro-V8 set support
Not only is the idea of engines such as V8s returning to F1 appealing to a certain generation of fans, but it is now generally accepted the environmental implications no longer exist.
The use of sustainable fuels is now at the forefront of such plans, as well as the ease on costs of building the engines, plus the weight of the cars would also be a bonus.
And now it appears that the idea is ramping up further, with The Race reporting that a meeting is scheduled for September 11 with manufacturer and team representatives.
The plans that are being slated for discussion is a 2.4 litre V8 engine to run on sustainable fuel, with the addition of a Kinetic Energy Recovery System [KERS], as in the previous iteration of the engine pre-2014.
This would mean that the usage of electric power for the cars would be reduced from around 50 per cent, what next year’s cars will have, to 10 per cent.
Early figures for costing are placing these engines at around 65 per cent cheaper than the current V6 hybrids, and could potentially see cars weigh up to 80 kilos less.
The plans are in keeping with Ben Sulayem’s assertion earlier this summer that the return of V8 engines would be inevitable.
“To us, the V8 is happening,” he said at the time. “With the teams now, I’m very optimistic, happy about it.
“FOM [Formula 1 Management] are supporting, the teams are realising it is the right way.”
Ben Sulayem is apparently keen to reintroduce the engines as early as possible, but the likelihood is that if such a pivot back to V8s are implemented, they will not go ahead until at least 2030, the year the forthcoming regulations are set to change.
READ MORE – Why an early season ‘scramble’ is expected during F1 2026
Discussion about this post