The FIA launches a working group to study a clean V10 engine
A clean V10 engine in F1? That's the idea launched by the FIA and supported by Hamilton and Horner. But with the hybrid transition planned for 2026, Wolff and Mercedes remind us that the future primarily involves sustainable innovation.
Since the introduction of hybrid engines in 2014, Formula 1 has turned its back on naturally aspirated engines that have captivated generations of fans. But a wave of nostalgia is sweeping through the paddock! The FIA president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, has recently reignited the debate about a potential return of V10 engines in F1. And he’s not the only one dreaming of this great comeback!
Lewis Hamilton, freshly arrived at Ferrari, spoke at a conference in Milan to share his point of view: « I hope that in 20 years, we will have great races and cars that sound good. I hope it won’t be completely electric, but sustainable with V10 or V12 engines, without a carbon footprint or something like that », he confides to F1 Chronicle.
2026, the year of change but the V10 is for later
Formula 1 in 2026 is already set to undergo a major overhaul. Smaller, lighter cars, and above all, a reinvented hybrid engine with a 50/50 split between electricity and combustion, using 100% sustainable biofuels. Toto Wolff, director of Mercedes, is a strong advocate of this new hybrid era and believes that we’re getting a bit ahead of ourselves with this V10 story.
« First of all, we should be excited about these new regulations that will arrive next year », he explains to the media. « We should make them talk. It’s our sport. » And he’s not wrong! Before dreaming of a return to the engines that thrilled our eardrums 20 years ago, perhaps we should see if the new 2026 project lives up to its promises.
On one hand, there’s Formula 1 which is increasingly pushing towards hybrids and sustainability. On the other, there are fans and some figures in the paddock who dream of the good old sound of V10s. For now, the FIA has set up a working group to seriously study the feasibility of the project. The idea would be to develop a clean combustion engine with no carbon footprint. A sort of compromise between noise and sustainability.
Stefano Domenicali, president of F1, is not against the idea, but he remains cautious. And then there is Wolff who tempers: « We risk diluting the message to the world if the year before we have even started these exciting new regulations, we talk about something that comes later. » In short, not everyone agrees yet…
Fans dream of it, but is F1 ready?
Let’s be honest, a return of the V10s would delight many people. The sound, the sensations, the nostalgia… It has it all. But is it realistic in an F1 that wants to become the ultimate example of sustainability and technological innovation? The debate is just beginning, and the new 2026 regulations must first prove their worth… but who knows? Maybe one day, these legendary engines will be back on the grid.
