Audi CEO open to V8 engines in F1, but only if sustainability remains at the core

The next regulatory revolution is already being shaped

Although the 2026 technical regulations have only just come into force, Formula 1 is already looking beyond the horizon. Discussions about the sport's next regulatory cycle — formally scheduled to begin in 2031, but potentially brought forward — are quietly intensifying behind closed doors.

Domenicali has also argued that F1 should reduce its dependence on OEMs when shaping future regulations, while still acknowledging that broad manufacturer support is essential for the sport's long-term health.

Dollner: "We don't have problems with V8 engines"

"Yes, why shouldn't we accept that? I mean, the Nuvolari has a V8 so we don't have problems with V8 engines," Dollner said, referencing the new hybrid supercar Audi officially launched. "But you have to see that in the overall context. To just pick one question of a regulation is not really answering the overall question of where do you want to go with the regulation. The FIA is leading the process, we are part of that process, and I'm very optimistic that the outcome will be a good one."

For Dollner, the cylinder count is almost a secondary concern. What matters far more to Audi is that the engine remains turbocharged — a feature the Ingolstadt manufacturer considers non-negotiable given its efficiency-first philosophy.

"That's definitely more important than talking about the number of cylinders. That's crystal clear from an Audi perspective. We prefer turbo due to the efficiency aspect. That is more important than the number of cylinders."

Sustainability as a non-negotiable pillar

Beyond the turbo question, Dollner was equally emphatic that F1's future framework cannot be reduced to a technical specification debate. The broader vision for the sport must remain anchored in sustainability.

"Talking about Formula 1 regulations, the most important aspect for Audi is that we keep the idea of being sustainable and having a regulation that has energy efficiency in the focus as a main pillar of Formula 1 regulations."

This stance is directly reflected in how Audi itself has evolved. When the four-ring brand committed to F1, the automotive industry was deep in an electrification push. Since then, the landscape has shifted — and Audi, like F1, has adjusted its trajectory accordingly. The Ingolstadt manufacturer has moved away from an earlier plan to go all-electric by 2032, embracing instead a more flexible approach spanning combustion engines, plug-in hybrids, and battery-electric vehicles.

"In the automotive industry there was a global push towards electrification. Now we have a little bit of a backswing, but to put that into perspective, on the long end we will still see more and more electrification in the world," Dollner said. "But for the next one or two, maybe three decades, we will still see combustion engines in high performance cars. That's for sure. Formula 1, with the sustainable fuels, is showing that you can have a combustion engine and be sustainable at the same time. I'm not surprised by that discussion."

This regulatory fluidity also extends to the more immediate horizon. With the FIA and Liberty Media pushing manufacturers to agree on revised 2027 power unit regulations, Audi's position on both short- and long-term rule-making will carry increasing weight.

Dollner concluded with a clear message of institutional trust: "We trust the process and we believe that the result will be a regulation where Audi is able to tick all the boxes."

For a manufacturer still in its F1 infancy, that is a notably confident — and pragmatic — position to hold.