Three engine manufacturers oppose the return of V10s, towards concessions for future V6s?

The hopes of the most dreamy and nostalgic have been dashed. V10 engines will not be making a comeback. Formula 1 in the medium term. In any case, not before 2029. This Friday, the FIA ​​​​held a meeting in Manama, a few kilometers from the Sakhir circuit where the Bahrain Grand Prix takes place. The six engine manufacturers for the period 2026-2030 – namely Ferrari, RBPT-Ford, Honda, Mercedes, Audi and Cadillac – were meeting to discuss the future of engines in F1 and obviously, the question of returning to V10 engines was at the centre of the debate.

The FIA ​​and its president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, have been discussing the return of this engine, which would be powered by sustainable synthetic fuel by 2028, for over an hour at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Manama. During the meeting, three of the six engine manufacturers expressed their opposition to a premature change in regulations to accommodate V10s: Mercedes, Audi, and Honda, who supported the regulations scheduled for 2026 and believe they should continue until 2030.

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… pic.twitter.com/JLbRT47y0P

- FIA (@fia) April 11, 2025

Although the meeting was never intended to reach a decisive vote on the direction of F1 engine rules, the opposition of these three engine manufacturers forced the FIA ​​to shelve the idea of ​​a return of V10s in 2028. However, this idea has not been abandoned and the return of V10 engines could be possible from 2029. Our colleagues at AMuS report that in a last-minute maneuver, in order to convince the most reluctant, the FIA ​​even proposed adding a hybrid system to the V10 engines with a 70% thermal / 30% electric power distribution, in vain.

"In opening the meeting, the FIA ​​President was keen to stress that the objective of this meeting was to seek cost-effective solutions to preserve the long-term viability of the sport and the Formula 1 business, can be read in the press release published by the governing bodyThe FIA ​​is firmly committed to the 1 Formula 2026 regulations. The FIA ​​Technical Department, in collaboration with a number of stakeholders, has devoted considerable time to developing the 2026 regulations for hybrid power units using 100% sustainable fuel. The 2026 regulations, which govern power units and chassis, have attracted new power unit manufacturers to the sport, demonstrating that the right technical path has been chosen for the 2026 cycle.

New discussions planned for 2026 engines

Audi and Honda have fully supported the long-planned 2026 regulations, pointing out that the V6 hybrid powertrain was the reason they entered or returned to Formula 1. Mercedes, the engine manufacturer that appears to be furthest along in the development of its 2026 engine according to reports from the paddock, has also reiterated its opposition to a premature return to V10s in 2028, claiming that it would take longer to implement them.

All engine manufacturers agreed that abandoning the 2026 rules was not a realistic option, given the human and financial investments already made by all manufacturers to develop future turbo-hybrid V6 engines. And even though Ferrari, Cadillac, and RBPT-Ford did not express opposition, but rather support for the return of the V10s, these three engine manufacturers will nevertheless be satisfied with this meeting.

Indeed, the FIA ​​and all parties seem to agree to make some concessions on the 6 V2026 engines. Engine manufacturers plan to meet again to discuss the possibility of relaxing the strict homologation rules for the next 2026-2030 cycle. The goal: to allow those struggling in terms of performance to catch up more quickly and at a lower cost. As a reminder, future engines introduced in 2026 will be frozen in mid-2027 according to the current version of the future technical regulations. However, the power distribution of the 2026 units, set at 50%/50% between the combustion engine and electric power, is not expected to change. This ratio could be corrected no earlier than 2029.

“The conclusion of today’s meeting is that all parties are committed to the 2026 regulations and look forward to 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 adjusting the financial regulations relating to power units as part of a broader cost reduction. Monitoring these regulations will be a priority.”, specifies the FIA ​​at the end of the press release.

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