Formula 1 is debuting its new technical regulations in 2026, but there is already a plan to banish them. According to Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the president of the FIA, there is an agreement among the regulator, the teams, and the sport’s promoter to change the rules in 2030, one year earlier than planned.
Within four years, Formula 1 will undergo a 180-degree turn in its philosophy. The V8 engines will return, with only a small electric portion operating as a KERS-like system replacing the current power units that rely almost half on electricity. This will also help reduce the weight of the cars.
Formula 1 Moves Up Its Rules Change to 2030
It was an unveiling event for the new Formula 1 Rwanda Grand Prix, the return of the world championship to Africa, but Ben Sulayem seized the moment to drop the bombshell: “The new V8 will be in 2030, so Rwanda will have these engines at the first race.” It wasn’t a boast; he said it in front of Stefano Domenicali, the CEO of Liberty Media, the other half of the business.
For months there had been whispers that Formula 1 intended to return to V8s. Now it is official. The new engine will be 2.4 liters, turbocharged, and will feature only a small electric KERS, essentially a ‘push to pass’ to aid overtaking. Nothing more. This will achieve another desired side effect: lighter weight.
“We need lighter cars. The cars will weigh about 80 kilograms less. In addition, we want to keep the business viable, so we will have at least 50% less investment in engine research and development,” said Ben Sulayem. The premise is simple: simpler, louder engines that are harder to drive.
According to Ben Sulayem, both the championship promoter, Liberty Media, represented by its CEO in the room, and the teams are aligned on the change. The big novelty is the date. The current Concorde Agreement was signed through 2031, so until that year the FIA could not alter anything without permission. But there has been an agreement to bring it forward by one year.
Finally, the FIA president addressed the fans: “It’s about the sound, not the noise, and I think that has nothing to do with maturity. We can do it in 2031, it depends on the FIA. I count on the support of the FOM, of Formula 1 and the brands, so it will be launched here. I am sure we will have the launch here”.
It would be good news if not for the fact that it means waiting almost five years for a current regulation that no one is satisfied with to go away.
Images | Formula 1, FIA
