Formula 1 to discuss potential return to V10 engines next week
Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool
SUZUKA, Japan -- Sources have confirmed to ESPN that Formula 1's engine manufacturers are set to meet ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix next week to discuss the potential return of V10 engines. The FIA is reportedly assessing the feasibility of reintroducing V10 engines as early as 2028 or 2029, following comments from the governing body’s president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, earlier this year about simplifying F1's engine formula.
Cost concerns and the new engine proposal
Ben Sulayem's proposal to reintroduce V10 engines is primarily viewed as an effort to reduce production costs. V10 engines are significantly less expensive to manufacture compared to the advanced hybrid V6 engines currently in use. However, the suggestion has raised concerns among existing manufacturers who have invested heavily in developing the new generation of hybrid V6 engines set to debut next year.
One of the notable concerns comes from Audi, which is set to take over the Sauber team under the new 2026 rules package, largely motivated by the strong focus on electric power. Similarly, Honda, becoming Aston Martin's sole engine supplier next season, committed to a more extended involvement in F1 based on these upcoming regulations.
Agenda for the Bahrain meeting
The meeting in Sakhir will focus on two primary points: the general feasibility of the V10 idea and the possibility of quickly cycling through the 2026 regulations to implement the switch before the end of the decade. Some teams are reportedly more receptive to the idea due to trends in the automotive industry favoring sustainable fuels over electrification.
Despite the streamlined 2026 rule changes aimed at reducing the cost and complexity of the current V6 engines, financial concerns remain. Honda's partner, Red Bull, is preparing to race with its own engines from 2026 — a significant project developed from the ground up at their UK headquarters in Milton Keynes. A V10 engine running on sustainable fuel would be significantly cheaper to produce and could address some of these cost concerns.
Views from the paddock
On Friday, Aston Martin boss Andy Cowell expressed his opinion that F1 should focus on the upcoming hybrid V6 engines rather than hastily introducing another change. Cowell also characterized the move to V10s, last used in F1 in 2005, as a regressive step, stating, "You refer to it as a new V10, I'd refer to it as an old V10."
The outcome of next week’s discussions in Bahrain could significantly impact the future direction of Formula 1’s engine regulations, balancing the need for technological advancement with cost control.
Up Next
