DUBAI: Ahead of this weekend’s FIA Formula 1 US Grand Prix, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said that his experience as a driver combined with a desire to give passionate race fans what they want lies behind his commitment to bring back V8 engines to the championship.
In collaboration with Formula One Management, the teams and the power unit manufacturers, Ben Sulayem says the FIA is pressing ahead with plans for the engine’s return.
“I believe the change will be felt by everyone, from the drivers to the fans, and it will usher in a thrilling new era for Formula One as the pinnacle of global motorsport,” said Ben Sulayem, who is attending this weekend’s race at the Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas.
“Rallying gave me a practical understanding of what drivers, teams and organizers need from the sport and that experience stays with me. It tells me that a lighter car, one a driver can push to the limit, is the foundation of great racing.”
The FIA president is targeting a Formula 1 debut in the 2030s that will include a weight saving of approximately 80 kg, with research and development and engine costs expected to be cut by at least 50 percent.
“Drivers want cars that respond to their skill and reward their commitment. Reducing weight and reintroducing the V8 factor is the most direct way to give them that,” he said.
“Fans experience Formula 1 with all their senses, and the sound of a V8 is part of what first drew so many people to the sport. Bringing that back allows us to reconnect with longstanding fans, while inspiring a new generation who have yet to hear it at a racetrack.”
He views the progress toward V8 reintroduction as a strong indication of a new understanding being built between the FIA as the governing body, and FOM as promoter.
The relationship was reinforced with the signing last December of the Concorde Governance Agreement by the FIA, FOM and all 11 Formula 1 teams. This crucial contract defines the regulatory framework and governance terms of the championship to 2030.
It is one of four major deals secured by the FIA under Ben Sulayem’s presidency inside the last 18 months.
The first was a multi-year extension to the FIA’s agreement with Formula E Holdings Ltd., majority owned by Liberty Global, for the continued promotion of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship within the all-electric single-seater category.
In July this year, the FIA announced a historic long-term commercial rights agreement for the FIA World Rally Championship and FIA European Rally Championship. It followed the acquisition of WRC Promoter GmbH by Cosmobilis and Park Square Capital.
In September, the FIA and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, the founder and organizer of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, signed a major deal for the FIA World Endurance Championship, securing another decade of growth.