Interviewed by Roberto Chinchero for Motorsport.com, the CEO of Formula 1, Stefano Domenicaliadmitted there is still much to discuss regarding the revision of the power unit regulations due to take effect in 2026. Some teams have expressed concerns regarding the current proposals, with Red Bull boss Christian Horner among those calling for a change to the 50-50 split between electric power and the traditional combustion engine.
“There is always a need for a balance to understand the comments – said Domenicali – there is a lot of work to do in the next two weeks, there will be other meetings to make sure that the evolution of the project is going in the right direction. I want to be positive that we will have the right package, considering, of course, the decisions that have been made regarding the engine, the power unit and the car itself. As always in life, you have to make sure there is the right balance and together you have the best vision for the best F1 programme. I am convinced that we will succeed.”
Among the many projects on the table there is also that of sustainable fuels:
“We have to ask ourselves what we can accelerate in terms of development, and here the question of sustainable fuels is fundamental. The perception and the market on this front are changing, and I think we made a very good choice when we decided to go down this path. It’s a very important challenge for F1 and I’m sure it will also help bring the vision of all the teams together. If we manage to be effective in the study and production of sustainable fuels, we will be able to think about the next generation of power units, focusing on lightness. Over the years the weight of cars has increased (he stressed that much of this was due to improved safety features, ed). Nobody questions what has been done on the safety front but there has also been the development of new technologies and the subsequent adoption of batteries, an aspect that has led to an impact on the weight front.
On the one hand, the goal is to make the machines lighter, on the other to make them more aggressive with the noise produced by the engines:
“Weight and sound are two elements that are very important to us, so we need to keep these two elements at the heart of the agenda. We want a competitive engine with lots of horsepower and a great sound too. 99.9% of people want to hear a Formula 1 sound again on the track, and that’s something we’ve put on the table.”
Domenicali then spoke of the need to keep Formula 1 relevant with the direction of the mass market car worldwide.
“Today we are in a transition phase, where large manufacturers have to develop hybrid and electric technologies as they are part of their commercial propositions.
Finally, the CEO of Formula 1 ruled out a move to fully electric cars:
“We don’t want to wage technological wars against all-electric mobility, as it is a technology that will have its market”.
