F1 abandons early V8 push as engine meeting postponed

Formula 1 will not switch to V8 power units before the original 2031 timeframe after an engine meeting in London to try and fast-track the switch was postponed by FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

Ben Sulayem has long been keen for F1 to switch to simpler and cheaper engines as soon as feasible, with a proposal on the table to move to a 2.4-litre V8 with a smaller hybrid element and sustainable fuel.

The push comes as the FIA remains concerned over the high cost, complexity and weight of the engines coming in next year, which feature a near-50/50 split between internal combustion power and electric energy.

Having commissioned a meeting with all power unit OEMs involved at the Bahrain Grand Prix in April, Ben Sulayem organised a follow-up meeting on Thursday 11 September in London to discuss the next steps. But Autosport understands the FIA president has now sent a letter to the manufacturers calling that meeting off over a lack of support for his 2029 push.

It is understood manufacturers are not against the idea of moving to V8 engines in the long term, but several parties questioned why they would have to commit another large-scale investment so soon after the hugely expensive 2026 regulations, which haven’t even been introduced yet.

Under F1’s current power unit governance agreements, at least four out of five manufacturers would have to be on board to make drastic changes before the end of the 2026-2030 rules cycle, with Audi and Honda believed to be among the OEMs against an early switch.

By postponing the London meeting, the governing body is now giving stakeholders more time to nail down the future engine formula for 2031 and beyond.

“To us, the V8 is happening,” Ben Sulayem said about the topic at July’s British Grand Prix. “With the teams now, I’m very optimistic, happy about it. FOM [Formula One Management] are supportive, the teams are realising it is the right way. 

“We need to do it soon. You need three years, so hopefully by 2029 we have something there, but the fuel is also very expensive, and we have to be very careful with that.”

Separate talks over ways to mitigate the rise in fuel costs due to the switch to sustainable fuels next year are still believed to be happening.