FIA president Ben Sulayem confident F1 will return to V8 engines

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem reiterated his support for Formula 1 to move to much cheaper V8 engines as soon as the 2029 season and also weighed up the chances of a 12th team joining the grid.

Speaking to Fleet Street journalists at last weekend’s British Grand Prix in Silverstone, Ben Sulayem urged the series to move to a cheaper engine formula as soon as it is viable and thinks that move could happen for 2029 – just three years after the introduction of the ambitious 2026 power units. 

“To us, the V8 is happening,” said Ben Sulayem. “With the teams now, I’m very optimistic, happy about it. FOM [Formula One Management] are supportive, the teams are realising it is the right way. 

“We need to do it soon. You need three years, so hopefully by 2029 we have something there, but the fuel is also very expensive, and we have to be very careful with that. Transmissions are very expensive. 

“The current engine is so complicated, you have no idea, and it is costly. R&D is reaching $200 million, and the engine is costing approximately $1.8m to $2.1m, so if we go with a straight V8, let’s see.” 

Ben Sulayem’s comments largely mirror the ones he and other FIA officials made earlier this season, when the president’s calls for cheaper engines led to a meeting with the various current and future power unit manufactures in Bahrain. 

The main conclusion from that meeting was that F1 must keep a form of electrification as well as sustainable fuels in its future engine regulations, with the exact formula to be discussed later through the appropriate channels. 

There have not been any formal discussions on future power units since that Bahrain meeting, with any decision requiring the support of the FIA and commercial rightsholder FOM, as well as a supermajority among manufacturers. 

Ben Sulayem earlier voiced a desire for V10 engines, but a V8 formula with a more modest and cheaper form of hybrid system would likely make more sense as it is more road relevant and lighter, which would answer calls to further cut down the minimum weight of F1 cars. 

“Many of the manufacturers produce V8s in their cars, so commercially it’s correct. How much is it? The target is more than 50 percent [cheaper] in everything,” the president added. 

Ben Sulayem also addressed a potential 12th team on the grid. After a protracted effort to land a US OEM in the form of GM brand Cadillac for 2026, he is eyeing participation from China next. 

There is no such bid at this time, however, and Ben Sulayem acknowledged any interested party would have to go through the same rigorous FIA and FOM procedures to ensure it is viable and adds value to the series. 

“The time will come when we feel it is right to open an expression of interest,” he said. “We are not here to upset other teams.

“It won’t be just go and do it for the sake of doing it. It has to be worth it for us. The team has to add value to sustaining the business of Formula 1.”