FIA Boss Wants to Bring V10s Back to F1 

Could the V10 engine make a banshee-shrieking Formula 1 comeback? That’s the suggestion from the head of the FIA following the racing series’ recent launch event in London.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile and F1’s governing body, said via Instagram: “While we look forward to the introduction of the 2026 regulations on chassis and power unit, we must also lead the way on future technological motorsport trends. We should consider a range of directions, including the roaring sound of the V10 running on sustainable fuel.” 

I’m sorry. I couldn’t hear what he said due to the slight deafness I incurred watching F1 during the aughts. Did you say V10? According to ESPN, the FIA confirmed that discussions were ongoing regarding F1’s “technical direction” from 2030 and beyond and that nothing was off the table. 

“A V10 power train running on sustainable fuel would be part of those considerations, which would be tied to environmental and cost-containment measures,” said the FIA spokesperson. “While we are fully focused on the introduction of the 2026 regulations, and the prospect of the competitive racing they will bring, we also need to keep an eye on the future.”

We should point out what most F1 fans who’ve been following the sport recently are likely thinking: there’s a non-zero chance this statement is simply a popularity play. The FIA and Ben Sulayem haven’t made many fans or friends recently after trotting out some deeply authoritarian new rules in regard to drivers swearing or making unapproved “political, religious, or personal statements.” The organization was even booed by the crowd at the sport’s glitzy F1 75 livery reveal party Tuesday night.

Regardless, the 2026 F1 season will be a little louder thanks to new regulations that include a redesigned powertrain. The pure power output from the 1.6-liter V6 will actually decrease a smidge, but the battery output will nearly triple, from 120 to 350 kW. So, overall, there will be more power available, and it’ll run on 100% fully sustainable fuel. 

However, the electrified V6, for all its advanced technology and efficiency, also happens to be the quietest engine utilized in the sport. And everyone wants it to be louder. Even F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali acknowledged as much back in 2023 when the latest rules were announced. The F1 boss was adamant that as the series strives toward sustainability, F1 would not do so quietly.

“Of course, we need to be hybrid, we’re [going to be] hybrid for the future but the intention is to make sure in the new regulation, the engine sound will be higher,” Domenicali said at the time. “It’s part of our emotion, it’s really what our fans want to hear and that’s our duty for us to commit to that.”

“If sustainable fuel is doing the right job to be zero emission… maybe we don’t need anymore to be so complicated or so expensive in terms of engine development,” said Domenicali last year, as quoted by ESPN. “So we may think to go back to engines that are much lighter and maybe with a good sound.”

We definitely heard that.

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