FIA’s Ben Sulayem claims F1 V8 return “is coming”, pushing for 2030 switch

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem claims Formula 1’s return to V8 engines is “coming” and is pushing for an early 2030 introduction.

F1 raced a V8 engine formula from 2006 to the end of 2013, before moving to V6 turbo-hybrids in a bid to keep the regulation framework road relevant to manufacturers.

The V6 turbo-hybrid remained for the major rules shake-up for 2026, though there is now a roughly 50/50 split between electrical power and internal combustion.

These new regulations were designed to entice new manufacturers, like Audi, back to F1, but they have been met with widespread dislike due to their complexity and extreme energy demands.

Tweaks to the rules have been made for this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix to try to eliminate some of the ‘superclipping’ seen in the opening three rounds.

But talk for the new 2031 engine rules cycle has already begun, with the FIA recently noting that F1 can’t be held “hostage” by the manufacturers.

Is fan-favourite V8 switch imminent?

Ben Sulayem now claims a return to V8s run on sustainable fuels with minor electrification is on the cards, and is pushing to have them in play as early as 2031.

“It’s coming; oh yes, it is coming. At the end of the day, it’s a matter of time,” he is quoted by RacingNews365 as saying.

“In 2031, the FIA will have the power to do it, without any votes from the PUMs [power unit manufacturers]. That’s the regulations.

“But we want to bring it one year earlier, which everyone now is asking for. When you try to tell them [the manufacturers] they say no, but what will come, will come, and it [the power] will come back to the FIA.”

Ben Sulayem says the idea behind his V8 vision is to make the power units less complicated.

He has also ruled out a return to V10s.

“I feel like a V10… if I ask any of the manufacturers who are in F1 now if they produce any cars with a V10, an era that many of the cars had, but now, no.

“The most popular and easiest to work with is the V8. You get the sound, less complexity, lightweight.

“You will hear about it very soon, and it will be with a very, very minor electrification, but the main one will be the engine. It will not be something like now, which is a 46-54 split. There will be very minimal [electric] power.

“The V8, you see it [in road cars] with Ferrari, Mercedes, Audi, Cadillac. You see it with most of the manufacturers, and that gives you a lightweight car.”

He added: “I'm targeting 2030. One year before the maturity [of the regulations]. It will happen.

“They [the PUMs] want it to happen.

“But let's say the manufacturers don't [vote for it], then one more year and it will be done. It's not a matter of, 'Do I need their support?' No, it will be done. V8 is coming.”