Formula 1: FIA President targets V8 return and radical 150kg weight cut

Ben Sulayem pushes for lighter Formula 1 cars

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has sharpened his vision for Formula 1’s next major technical direction, reiterating his support for a return to V8 engines while setting out an even more ambitious target: dramatically lighter cars.

Over the past decade, F1’s minimum weight has climbed as cars have grown larger and more complex. Hybrid power units, stronger crash structures, added safety systems and broader technical demands have all contributed to that increase. Ben Sulayem accepts that safety has played a role, but argues that the current trend is not sustainable.

A target below 650kg

Ben Sulayem’s stated ambition is striking. While he noted that around 50kg had been added for safety, he wants Formula 1 to pursue a complete car weighing less than 650kg, with an ultimate target of 630kg.

That would require a reduction of more than 100kg from the current regulatory baseline, making it a formidable engineering challenge if modern safety expectations are to be preserved. It would also demand a far simpler technical package than the one currently shaping F1’s hybrid era.

The FIA has already been active in adjusting its future power unit direction, with recent discussions around phased changes covered in our report on how the FIA agreed a gradual F1 engine power increase for 2027 and 2028. Ben Sulayem’s latest comments point to a broader philosophical shift: less complexity, less cost and less mass.

V8 engines central to the plan

For Ben Sulayem, the engine concept is central to that reset. He believes a simplified formula, with reduced reliance on electrical components, could help cut both weight and spending.

"The V8 has to come," he said. "You have the power from the ICE engine of maybe 760 horsepower with 10% in it of electrification. That would give it the sound. It would be much cheaper. And R&D, research and development, much cheaper."

His proposal would retain an electrified element, but at a much smaller level than today, with electrification accounting for around 10% of total output. In Ben Sulayem’s view, that would deliver lighter power units, lower development costs and a more engaging spectacle for spectators.

He also argued that such a move need not undermine Formula 1’s environmental positioning, pointing to sustainable fuel as the foundation of the concept.

"You have the teams. You have the financial stability of the race. And you run it in what? Sustainable fuel," he said. "I can't see where we will get it wrong. The fans [will] have something that we have to give [them] to."