Simpler, cheaper hybrid V8s proposed for next F1 rules — SkimNews
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- FIA sent the six manufacturers a discussion framework for 2030 or 2031 engine rules, proposing cheaper, lighter, simpler V8 turbo hybrids with a more visceral sound and a stronger emphasis on driver skill.
- The V8 turbo hybrid proposal pairs a 2–2.3-litre V8 with a smaller, reduced-boost turbo and a 200kW recovery motor, providing 100kW continuously plus 100kW in push-to-pass or overtake mode, with the combustion engine supplying roughly 900bhp.
- F1 would continue using fully sustainable fuels under the proposal, but with less complex requirements intended to lower production costs; the package also targets an 80kg reduction in overall car weight.
- Mercedes and fellow incumbents Ferrari, Audi, Honda and Red Bull broadly accept the proposed architecture, while insiders say all six manufacturers want to design and build their own power units instead of using an externally supplied baseline; Cadillac plans to produce an engine for the new rules.
- FIA proposes cutting the engine budget cap by 50% from its current $190m per year, treating that figure as a discussion starting point while flagging the need for a glide path to manage the impact on current development and workforces.
- Ben Sulayem initially proposed a return to V10s and more recently pushed V8s as the FIA moved away from naturally aspirated engines; his threat to impose 2031 rules unilaterally appears to have receded, while existing contracts bind the FIA, teams and commercial rights holder through 2030.
- Max Verstappen called the current rules "Formula E on steroids" and anti-racing, while Fernando Alonso dubbed F1 the "battery world championship" and described fast corners as charging stations; both later tempered their criticism after immediate rule changes and work on the new engine direction.
Why it matters: For F1’s six manufacturers, the proposed 50% cut from the $190 million annual engine cap sits alongside their insistence on retaining in-house power-unit design. That puts engine affordability and manufacturer differentiation on the same December World Council agenda, with the funding glide path for existing teams still unresolved.
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