Formula 1 will bring back the V8 bespoke engine soon, and the FIA’s president vows to drop the car’s weight below 650 kg – a weight that the modern grids never even approached.
Ben Sulayem’s Ambitious Weight Targets
The 2026 cars sit on a 768‑kg minimum, but the president says “the whole vehicle can be 630 kg.” To reach that, he stresses the need for a simplified drivetrain, cutting electrical components and reducing battery mass so that electrification contributes only about ten percent of the total horsepower.
Natural‑Aspiration and Sound Re‑introduced
He insists the “V8 has to come,” a naturally aspirated, 760‑horsepower engine giving “the sound” that grips fans. Simpler technology, he argues, means cheaper R&D, lighter power units and a restored auditory experience that competitors complain about missing.
Balancing Safety, Cost and Sustainability
Safety measures have pushed the weight up by 50 kg over the last decade, yet the president believes a 650‑kg car can still meet sport‑class standards. He pairs the lightweight book‑keeping with the 2026 sustainable‑fuel mandate, affirming that a natural‑aspirated V8 will not compromise the series’ environmental goals in a grid that already runs on carbon‑neutral, low‑emission fuels.
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