‘Scaremongering’ or a cause for concern? Why the F1 engine debate is intensifying ahead of 2026

There was an increasing excitement within Formula One on a possible return V10 engines. This raging voice is part of the history and identity of sport.

But invitations from great figures in the F1 field, including the President of FIA, Muhammad bin Sulaim, to consider returning the loud engines used 20 years ago, also raised questions.

If simple V10 engines are offered, higher and cheaper, which are fully sustainable fuel and lead to smaller and lighter car designs, in the coming years, what happens in a merit? How will this affect the change of the imminent power unit scheduled for 2026?

The stakeholders in F1 work on the 2026 engine bases, while maintaining the hybrid foundation V6 for power units, for years. Since their approval in the summer of 2022, the Audi and Ford Group has encouraged (via Red Bull), and General Motors to join the network, in addition to the opposite of Honda’s decision to resign, all thanks to the commitment of sport to sustainable fuel and increase electrification. In the case of Audi and Red Bull, the development of new engine software requires great investment and employment, extending to hundreds of millions of dollars.

These rules were supposed to cover a five -year period from 2026 until the end of 2030. But will it happen at all?

At a round mode table, including Sports, On Sunday in Shanghai, Nicholas Tombasis, one director of the individual seat that helps in forming F1’s future bases, set the debate about future engine regulations as they depend on two questions.

The first relates to the long -term direction of sports and whether F1, in the next three or four years, wants a different type of power unit. “If the answer to this is yes, (this) we want to change something, then the second question is,” What do we do in the overlapping period? This period begins next year.

“What I want to say at the beginning of 2026 is that, in both cases, whether we stay with the current regulations or if we were doing the new regulations already approved, I think the Formula One will be in a good place.” “I don’t want to be seen as a kind of,” well, we feel panic around 2026, because this is far from reality. “

On Friday in China, the director of the Red Paul Christian Horner team claimed that there are “restrictions” with the rules of next year that may affect the sport scene on the path due to “shortcomings in division in electrification and combustion” with the new energy unit, which tends more on the electric power in the power unit. These “restrictions” are associated with the networking issues of the network, which may affect the quality of competition and the race.

But Tombazis said that he and the wider FIA did not share what he called the “Scaremonger” view that was raised about the impact of the 2026 regulations “on the race.

“I think there will be cars closely racing with each other, able to fight each other, use the driver’s skill, etc.,” said Tombaz. “Basically, I think I don’t share panic stories. I remember people that there are panic stories of 22 regulations on how to greatly slow cars.” This was when another F1 made a comprehensive repair of the dynamic dynamic regulations, which were not of 2026 when both car designs and power units change.

“I do not say that everything was perfect,” said Tospesin about the change of 2022. “There are things with the benefit of the late perception that we were doing differently. But I don’t think this disaster.”

Any change in the plans of next year depends on the position of all engines manufacturers. The investment and the effort that was already put forward led the sport to a point where it was “10 midnight 10, and left Cinderella the building,” Horner said.

Although Tombazis agreed that “the train has left the station to a large extent” for 2026, he indicated that talking about the “temporary” period was fueled by gossip in the aftermath of Ben Sulaim, the president of FIA, and called for an evaluation of a future key to V10S.

Tombazis added that FIA does not want to impose any changes that would make it impossible for the competing team. He said, “We will only go to the majority.” “We are trying to build a consensus here, and if that fails, we will remain where we (with the current 2026 plan).”

If the F1 energy unit manufacturers feel it is better to raise the 26 engines due to the possible negative effects on sports – if “ventilation” is widely and common – the mechanisms exist can lead to the current situation with the current specifications of the strong units is the temporary solution until it is a possible return to V10.

But this would lead to other major effects and issues, given that Audi and Red Bull PowerTrains/Ford did not produce a V6 hybrid engine for current regulations. Other existing manufacturers have turned all development into future engines. This, again, makes the idea of ​​changing the engine plans next year seem uncompromising.

Horner told reporters on Sunday in China that he “will be very surprised” if the current rules continue next year. “I think all the teams are currently present in the year 26,” Horner said. “So we have to understand what was all.” Red Ball also denied that he pressed to delay the new rules, saying it was “an aftermath and ready for” 26 “.

Toto Wolf, Mercedes team manager, did not think of the possibility not to move forward in 2026.

“Everything will be good,” he told reporters, describing the change as an “exciting adventure” of the F1 network, which means that it should be celebrated, and not ridicule by looking at the following change.

“This is where we should focus,” said Wolf. “This is what we should find and talk about, all the good that he will attend instead of looking forward.”

Audi spokesman issued a statement indicating that changing the next base and the design of the energy unit was “a major factor in Audi’s decision to enter Formula One. These energy unit regulations reflect the same technological progress that drives innovation in the AUDI roads.” The German manufacturer has created its F1 engine program and bought all the Sauper team on the basis of these rules – which may now last a few years.

Assuming that things are advancing as planned in 2026, and most of them still expect, the wind is currently heading towards a shorter session than the original five years to change the energy unit formula.

The desire for a long -term game plan is shared by the top characters throughout the ring, which means that it will be a point of discussion in the coming months. The positions of the various energy unit manufacturers can be affected by the relative competitive arrangement in political battles next year. If one of the team produces the best energy unit and has a difficult feature to overcome, it is natural that it seeks to protect this and kick any transformation in the regulations as much as possible – and that its competitors will try to fight.

Looking at how to celebrate the 2026 engine rules when it was announced in 2022, the credit granted to them when each new main factory joined the network, getting rid of it early will be strange. But Tombazis felt that two main factors have changed the situation. First, he cited the perception of manufacturers about the absorption of the electrification through the automotive industry with the slowdown of the consumer’s attention.

“In 2020, 2021, when these discussions were held, the trend was crucial in the direction of electricity,” he said. “I don’t say that this does not happen, but the opinions of the participants have definitely changed since then.”

It also highlighted the costs of making energy units, and admitting that the current designs are “very expensive”. When the rules of 2026 were announced, the cost control was involved as one of its benefits, but Topazine said that their expenses were considered.

He said: “Even if Formula is one in very good health, it has also become important to protect it from the fluctuations of the global economy, and I think we need to take these preventive measures during the appearance of the sun and not when the rain begins, perfectly.” “The drive to reduce costs is important to consider.

“All these things are not things that we dream of without trying to respect all the participants correctly.”

Wolf said that Mercedes is “always open” for different motor solutions, but F1 had to think about what fans also wanted, and whether their opinions have changed amid the shift towards a smaller and more diverse mass base than it was in the past. For those who came to sport by “driving to survive”, the V6 Hybrids voice is all they know.

“All this needs to be set.” “What are the goals of changing the future organization within a few years? Let’s analyze this based on data and find a conclusion is the best in our sport.

“Because this is the most important one between FIA, Formula One, the difference, which we want to get the largest product for our fans.”

(Supreme Image: Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images)