27/03/2025
NEWS STORY
It began slowly, it is rapidly gathering momentum...
First F1 boss Stefano Domenicali raised the idea of a return to "lighter, noisier engines", and then, only last month, FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem admitted to missing the "roaring sound of the V10".
In recent weeks more and more have joined the conversation, consequently it came as no surprise when the matter was finally, publically raised in Shanghai.
While team bosses favoured the idea, using words like "passion", "romance" and "exciting", it was generally poo-pooed because the train has effectively left the station and the 2026 regulations have already been agreed.
However, behind the scenes there was talk of another regulation change as early as 2028 and simply maintaining the current regs until then.
As we have said before, this all smacks of the time a number of new teams were lured to the sport with the promise of cheap, competitive engines, only to be let down once they'd signed on the dotted line.
Similarly, Audi and Cadillac have been lured to the sport, as has Ford, albeit in association with Red Bull, by the prospect of hybrid, sustainable power units that feature a 50/50 split between electric and combustion energy. Indeed, having previously announced that it was leaving the sport, Honda reversed its decision after being made aware of the new regulations.
Speaking at the weekend, the FIA's single seater director, Nikolas Tombazis admitted that discussions are in progress, while hinting that money is behind the move to revert.
"Certainly, the progress with sustainable fuels has led to the view that maybe the engines could be simpler," he said. "The world economy does lead to views that maybe we should try to cut costs a bit more, and the current power units are way too expensive.
"That is a fact," he continued. "We would like them to be cheaper, and that's why the president made the comments about the V10 engine in '28 and so on. That's something we are evaluating, or for '29 or whatever, with the PU manufacturers. We are discussing openly with them the best direction for the sport."
Understandably, Audi isn't happy.
"The upcoming regulation changes, including the new hybrid power unit regulations set for the 2026 season and beyond, were a key factor in Audi's decision to enter Formula 1," said the company in a statement.
"These power unit regulations reflect the same technological advancements that drive innovation in Audi's road cars."
In anticipation of such a reaction, Tombazis admitted that though talks are ongoing nothing has been decided.
"Any changes we do, depending on what type of regulations we have, needs to have broad consensus," he said. "There's a governance process.
"We don't unilaterally change things and impose a position, we discuss it with the PU manufacturers. If there was ever any such decision, what would happen in the intervening period we'd have to see. But we would never unilaterally change something and impose something without full discussion.
"We don't want to impose anything that would make it impossible to compete, or anything like that," he insisted. "Above all, the obligation is to be fair, and people have invested a lot of money.
"If nine people are in favour and one person is against and that one person is being treated unfairly, we will always also try to protect the one person," he insisted. "We won't just go on majorities and say, 'Okay let's do it.' We're trying to build the consensus here, and if that fails, then we will stay where we are."
As much as many fans long for the sound of the V10 - indeed any sound other than what we currently have - to introduce a major regulation change for just two years wouldn't make sense. Similarly keeping the current regs for another two years.
Indeed, to changes horses like this mid-stream is madness and one can fully understand the unease of Audi and those other OEMs seemingly similarly 'fooled' by the sport yet again.
All the talk of "romance" and "roaring engines" means absolutely nothing, this is about money. It always is.