Why Formula 1 Will Never Return to V10 Engines: Road Relevance Rules

Alex Harrington | Feb 22, 2025

Nov 23, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Mercedes AMG Petronas driver George Russell (63) leads the field for the start of the Las Vegas Grand Prix at Las Vegas Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Formula 1’s move from the ear-splitting V10 engines of the late 1990s and early 2000s to today’s turbocharged V6 hybrid power units represents more than a technical evolution—it reflects a fundamental realignment of the industry's priorities.

While nostalgia for the V10 era persists among fans, a return to naturally aspirated, high-revving engines is structurally and economically implausible. The primary barrier lies in the automotive industry’s pivot toward hybrid and electric road-car technologies, which has unfortunately rendered V10s obsolete in the eyes of manufacturers.

The Road Relevance Imperative

Formula 1’s switch to turbocharged V6 hybrids in 2014 was driven by automakers’ demand for road relevance. Brands like Mercedes, Ferrari, and Renault leverage F1 as a platform to develop technologies that trickle down to consumer vehicles. Hybrid systems, energy recovery mechanisms, and sustainable fuel research align with global automotive trends toward electrification and carbon neutrality. For instance, Mercedes-AMG’s Project One hypercar, which uses a modified F1-derived V6 hybrid powertrain, proves this idea, albeit on a very grand scale.

In contrast, V10 engines have no place in modern road cars. By 2025, major markets like the EU and China are accelerating bans on pure internal combustion engines, pushing automakers to prioritize hybrids and EVs. Developing a bespoke V10 for F1 would require massive R&D investment with zero applicability to road vehicles—a non-starter for cost-conscious manufacturers. 

Even enthusiast brands like Ferrari now focus on hybrid V8s and V6s for their road cars, leaving V10s as historical artifacts. In fact, there are currently only two cars currently being produced with a V10 powertrain: the Audi R8 V10, and its Lamborghini counterpart, the Huracán. Even then, both of these cars are close to discontinuation.

Hybrid Engineering

Modern F1 V6 hybrids are 50% thermally efficient, nearly double the efficiency of road-car engines. This achievement stems from technologies like pre-chamber ignition, which optimizes combustion, and advanced energy recovery systems that harvest wasted heat and braking energy.

These innovations resonate with automakers striving to meet stringent emissions regulations. Renault, for example, has applied F1-derived energy recovery concepts to its road-car hybrids.

Reintroducing V10s would abandon this progress. The V6’s compact size and hybrid integration allow teams to maximize aerodynamic efficiency—a critical factor in modern car design1. A V10’s larger footprint makes it harder to package, forcing teams to compromise on chassis dynamics.

The Sustainability Paradox

While F1 promotes sustainable fuels as a pathway to carbon neutrality, its environmental claims face scrutiny. The sport’s reliance on airfreight, petrochemical sponsors, and energy-intensive logistics undermines its green credentials. However, manufacturers still demand hybrid power units to align with corporate sustainability narratives. As some fans have argued, F1’s hybrid era is a “façade,” but abandoning it for V10s would expose the sport to accusations of regressive environmental policy.

Sustainable fuels, touted by FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem as a potential enabler of V10s, do not resolve this paradox. Synthetic e-fuels remain energy-intensive to produce and are unlikely to offset the carbon footprint of ICEs at scale. Plus, manufacturers like Ford and Mercedes are investing in e-fuels for existing hybrid systems, not legacy engine formats.

The Cost of Nostalgia

Developing a new V10 engine would require a substantial investment from constructors. It was reported in 2019 that an F1 team, prior to the cost cap, would have to invest $1.4 billion into its power unit in order to win the championship—a prohibitive sum in F1’s cost-capped era. Current power units already strain budgets, with hybrid components like the MGU-H (set to be scrapped in 2026) adding complexity. Teams like Haas and Williams, which buy engines from suppliers, would resist a costly shift to niche technology.

The V10’s visceral scream remains iconic, but younger fans raised on hybrid engines for the most part prioritize racing quality over acoustics. And after all, these modern cars are much faster than that of the V10 era.

On top of this, abandoning hybrids could trigger an exodus of automakers. Renault and Mercedes threatened to quit F1 in 2013 if the sport did not adopt V6 hybrids. With Audi, Honda, and Ford joining in 2026, F1 cannot risk alienating brands invested in electrification. 

Hybrids on the Horizon

Formula 1’s identity is now inextricably linked to hybrid innovation. While the FIA’s musings about V10s on sustainable fuels generate headlines, they ignore the economic and industrial realities binding the sport to manufacturers. The 2026 regulations, which retain V6 hybrids but simplify components, reaffirm this trajectory.

Nostalgia for the V10 era will endure, but F1’s future lies in refining hybrid systems, advancing sustainable fuels, and exploring hydrogen technologies. As Stefano Domenicali stated, the goal is “competitive engines with great sound”—a vision achievable within the hybrid framework, not despite it. The roar of V10s may echo through Goodwood’s historic events, but in Formula 1, batteries and motors are here to stay.