Formula One plans return to V8 engines as electrical revolution loses spark

Four races into Formula 1’s new era, and the peak of electrical power’s influence on the sport may already be in the rearview mirror, motorsport officials say. The Miami Grand Prix was the first race under changes that slightly limit the role of the electrical power which has redefined racing this year. The president of the sport’s governing body, the FIA, said in Miami that he wants traditional V8 engines back in a few years’ time. F1 started the year with some of the biggest changes in its 76-year history, headlined by a 50-50 split in power between a traditional engine and the onboard battery pack. There were only three Grand Prix races under those new rules before a package of tweaks was introduced, which curbed the influence of the electrical power. They addressed driver criticism by promoting pure driving skill over electrical recharging, especially in qualifying. Sunday’s race in Miami was one of the most wide-open in recent F1 history, with drivers from four different teams leading before Kimi Antonelli took his third win of 2026 for Mercedes. FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem first proposed a return to big, noisy traditional engines last year, but it fizzled out in a meeting with manufacturers. Now, with Ben Sulayem in office for another term, and following a backlash to electrical power from some key drivers and fans, his push for V8 engines by 2030 or 2031 seems much more serious. The F1 world typically plans out new regulations years ahead of time. “You ge