FIA proposes V8 turbo-hybrid engines and lower F1 costs for 2030 or 2031

The FIA has sent six Formula 1 manufacturers a proposal for V8 turbo-hybrid engines that could be introduced in 2030 or 2031, BBC Sport reported. The document sets out a basis for discussions rather than approved regulations, with the timing and detailed rules still to be settled by the parties involved.

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According to the BBC, the framework seeks simpler, lighter and cheaper engines while retaining turbocharging and hybrid technology. One development route would adapt existing engines; another would involve an externally supplied standardised base. Manufacturers reportedly want to keep designing their own power units and preserve differences in performance between suppliers.

The financial proposal includes halving the current annual engine budget cap of $190 million, but that figure is a negotiating starting point. The BBC reported that discussions must also address workforces and the overlap between developing current engines and their replacements. An FIA spokesperson declined to discuss the document. The reported target is a proposal for the world council in December.

The importance of resolving the timetable had already been raised publicly by Audi's Mattia Binotto. In the FIA's transcript of its Azerbaijan Grand Prix press conference on 24 September, he said there was not yet clarity over the detailed concept. He identified 2030 as the earliest introduction date and stressed that the development programme would need to begin soon if that target were to be pursued.

Binotto said at that September conference that agreement and a vote before the end of the year would give manufacturers the clarity needed to start design and concept work in 2027. His comments linked the regulatory decision directly to the practical lead time required for a new engine, rather than treating the introduction year as a separate issue.

He also called for substantial cost savings while arguing that Formula 1 should retain advanced technology. In the FIA transcript, Binotto described innovation as an important role for the championship and said the future engine format should continue to provide that opportunity for manufacturers. His stated priorities combined a lower financial burden with continued scope for technical development.