Formula 1 News: Series votes not to change 2026 Power Unit Regs
The FIA say all parties remain committed to the 2026 Power Unit regulations, following rumors that a drastic F1 switch to V10 or V8 engines was being proposed.
90% of fans and all the F1 drivers had hoped to make the move to screaming V8s or V10s happen as early as 2028, but the FIA have now confirmed the regulations for 2026 will remain the same for five years through the 2030 season.
The FIA convened a meeting in Bahrain today to discuss the current and future Power Unit direction for Formula 1.
The meeting, chaired by FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the CEO of FOM Stefano Domenicali and FIA Single-Seater Director Nikolas Tombazis, was attended by representatives in person and via videoconference from Audi, Ferrari, Ford, General Motors, Honda Racing, Mercedes and Red Bull Powertrains.
The list of representatives included:
- Gernot Döllner, CEO of Audi AG,
- Michael Moritz, COO Sauber Holding AG,
- Frédéric, Vasseur, Team Principal, Scuderia Ferrari HP,
- Mark Rushbrook, Global Director, Ford Performance,
- Mark Reuss, President of General Motors,
- Russ O’Blenes, CEO of GM Performance Power Units,
- Koji Watanabe, President of Honda Racing,
- Tetsushi Kakuda, Executive Chief Engineer, Honda Racing,
- Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Group,
- Toto Wolff, Team Principal and CEO, Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team,
- Christian Horner, Team Principal and CEO, Oracle Red Bull Racing
- Mattia Binotto, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technical Officer of Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber.
In opening the meeting, the FIA President was keen to stress that the purpose of the gathering was to seek cost-effective solutions to safeguard the long-term sustainability of the sport and the business of Formula 1.
The FIA has firmly committed to the 2026 Formula One regulations. The FIA technical department, together with a number of stakeholders, has invested a lot of time in the framing of the 2026 regulations on hybrid Power Units with 100% sustainable fuel.
The 2026 regulations, governing Power Unit and chassis, have attracted new Power Unit manufacturers to the sport – underlining that for the 2026 cycle, the correct technical path has been chosen.
Minor refinements and adjustments are still being constructively discussed with all stakeholders.
Besides the 2026 regulations, a range of options and timelines for the future were discussed. One of the topics under discussion was the adoption of normally-aspirated engines with sustainable fuel.
Discussions centered on:
– Reducing costs of research and development of F1 powertrains
– Building resilience against the fluctuations of the global economy
– Reducing the complexity of Formula 1 Power Units
– Considerations on sustainability, weight reduction in relation to safety, performance, road car relevance, sound and audience appeal
It is always the FIA’s intention to take a decision on future engine regulations in consultation with all stakeholders to agree a way forward.
The conclusion of today’s meeting was as follows:
– All parties are committed to the 2026 regulations and look forward to the prospect of exciting racing
– All parties agreed to continue discussions on the future technical direction of the sport
– A level of electrification will always be part of any future considerations
– The use of sustainable fuel will be an imperative
– Consideration will be given to adjustments on financial regulations relating to Power Units as part of broader cost reductions
– Policing of those regulations will be a priority
Whichever engine roadmap is decided upon, the FIA is supportive of the teams and PU manufacturers in ensuring containment of costs of R&D expenditure, taking account of environmental considerations and acting in the best interests of the sport and the fans.