Mercedes, Red Bull Keen on F1's All-But-Certain Return to V-8 Power by 2030 or 2031

F1 All But Certainly Returning to V-8s. How Soon? Kym Illman - Getty Images We're only four races into what was supposed to be a bold new era of Formula 1 power units with a 50/50 electrical split—and yet plans are already well under way to dump those powerplants as soon as possible.

Last weekend in Miami, FIA president Muhammed Ben Sulayem made it clear to journalists that a return to V-8 power in Formula 1 is coming at the first opportunity. That's supposed to be in 2031, when the current rule set expires. After that, in theory, the FIA can rubber stamp a replacement formula without any formal agreement from the teams and manufacturers.

However, there is the prospect that the change can be moved up a year to 2030, which means the hugely expensive power units created for current regulations will last just four seasons. That move, however, would require agreement from all parties. The V-8 idea has been in the air for a while, and it gained momentum through 2024 and 2025 as pessimistic reports about what the racing would be like in 2026 emerged from teams and drivers who had performed simulator running.

Now that the latest power units have proved so controversial and disappointing, there is hard evidence that the move was ill-judged. The sustainable fuel introduced in 2026 could just as easily power V-8s as it does the current V-6s, ticking the boxes for road relevance and sustainability just the same. And momentum is building, with drivers and fans alike backing a return to “proper” racing engines.