The return of the V10? Drivers’ reactions to Bahrain

A meeting between the FIA, manufacturers, and teams is scheduled for this Friday to discuss a possible reintroduction of V10 engines in Formula 1, a proposal put forward by FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem. Drivers have been questioned about this potential return. Their opinions range from nostalgia to pragmatism, while technical and economic challenges complicate the situation.

Torn between emotion and reality

Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) was the most enthusiastic, but with reservations. His support for the V10 is directly linked to his skepticism towards the new rules planned for 2026: “I wouldn’t be such a strong advocate for the return of the V10 engine if what I saw for 2026 pleased me. But since I don’t really like what I see in terms of car behavior, engines, or overall functioning, then yes, I would say I’d like to see a V10 engine again, with some adjustments, and rather sooner than later.” For Sainz, the debate also falls into the realm of sports politics, far from being settled. He acknowledges that it wouldn’t be fair not to give the current regulations a chance, especially if there’s a general belief in their quality. However, he notes that the prevailing sentiment seems to be that these regulations are no longer considered good, which would explain why the topic is being brought up again.

Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) praised the mythical sound of the V10s but reminded that drivers’ priorities lie elsewhere: “The V10 has an incredible sound, so yes, it would clearly be cool. But as a driver, what we are looking for is primarily something that offers good handling, consistency, and reliability.” A point echoed by Oscar Piastri (McLaren), who didn’t experience the V10 era but acknowledges their appeal: “Yes, there’s obviously a lot of romanticism around the V10 engines. I wasn’t old enough to hear them when they were racing, so I might not have the same nostalgia. But it would still be something cool to have, of course.”

The Australian driver thinks, moreover, that approaching new regulations while already talking about another potential possibility requires caution, emphasizing the need not to underestimate what the coming years will bring.

Esteban Ocon (Alpine) highlighted a technical issue — the turbo present on the current engines muffles the sound of the hybrid V6s: « These engines are incredibly powerful and very pleasant to drive. There’s a lot of talk about the hybrid system, the complete absence of turbo lag, everything works very well on that front. But yes, it lacks sound. » For him, an intermediate solution could be explored, like a naturally aspirated engine coupled with a hybrid system, but the 2026 rules are already set.

Debate that divides the F1 ecosystem, unlikely return before 2031

Ben Sulayem’s proposal aims to replace future hybrid V6 engines (planned for 2026) with V10s running on sustainable fuels, which are cheaper to develop. Several options are currently being considered: maintaining the current plan, which calls for the introduction of new V6 hybrid engines in 2026 until 2030, returning to V10s as early as 2028 or 2029, or waiting until 2031 for a radical change in formula.

However, the manufacturers are massively opposed to it. Audi and Honda, who are joining or returning to F1 precisely for the hybrid V6 engines, have already rejected the idea. Mercedes, while open to discussion, fears a lack of regulatory stability. Toto Wolff recently stated on the matter: “We look a bit ridiculous in Formula 1 when we attract manufacturers like Audi, showcase an excellent hybrid engine with sustainable fuels, and suddenly say that we actually only want to keep it for three years instead of five.”

On the technical side, Pat Symonds, former head of F1 and current consultant for the Cadillac team, believes that a return to V10 engines before 2031 is unrealistic: « With so much investment in the 2026 engine, it would be irresponsible to discard this investment—especially for newcomers like Cadillac, Audi, or Red Bull Powertrains, who have had to start from scratch and develop an engine that needs a reasonable lifespan to make this investment worthwhile. » He rather suggests a long-term compromise, such as slightly hybridized V8s, which are more suited to racing than V10s.

For a regulatory change to be adopted, approval from at least four of the five manufacturers involved in F1 in 2026 (Mercedes, Ferrari, Honda, Audi, and Red Bull Powertrains) would be required. With the already marked opposition from Audi, Honda, and Mercedes, the proposal seems doomed to failure. The meeting in Bahrain is therefore expected to formally reject it, but the debate remains open for the post-2030 period.