A massive wave of criticism flooded the F1 community when the governing body announced that the cars will be powered by a V6 engine (Honda, Ferrari, Mercedes and Renault) from 2014. The usual cries of the cars have been muted as technology supplanted all other requirement.
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And of course, over time, viewers have committed to the fact that the world is growing technologically, and Formula 1 should do the same. It’s been 7 years since the biggest makeover in Formula 1 – the replacement of V8s with V6s.
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The next changes to the engine control will take place in 2026 and talks are already underway. However, much worse news could be ahead for fans longing for the return of the V8 and V10 engines in 2016.
Will F1 return to 8 cylinders?
According to Auto Motor und Sport, the answer is no. What’s worse is that by 2026, Formula 1 could enter an entirely new era, the era of the V4. Yes, you heard right. The sport is already planning to push back to 4-cylinder units. However, it doesn’t seem that easy at the moment.
The 4 major engine suppliers currently have different opinions. On the one hand, there is Red Bull and Ferrari, who are demanding that F1 move up to the V4 category. On the other hand, there are Mercedes and Renault who want to stay with the V6.
Formula 1 F1 – Hungarian Grand Prix – Hungaroring, Budapest, Hungary – July 31, 2021 Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton qualifies in pole position pool via REUTERS / David W Cerny
With the possible entry of Audi and Porsche, Red Bull and Ferrari prefer to start over. It’s always difficult for newbies to compete against established teams in Formula 1.
Therefore, the transition to V4 would force the current teams to start from scratch and all 6 engine suppliers to fight on an equal footing.
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Why are Mercedes and Renault against it?
The answer is simple – cost. Renault believes that a fresh start would force the teams into large sums of money, potentially undermining Formula 1’s ambitions to cut costs. And Mercedes also agrees with Renault.
“If we have CO2-neutral fuel, we don’t need a four-cylinder. The V6 is already there. Why reinvent the wheel? ”Marcin Budkowski, CEO of Alpine, said. “That means massive modifications to the car, more weight and more costs.”
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Formula 1 F1 – Hungarian Grand Prix – Hungaroring, Budapest, Hungary – August 1, 2021 Esteban Econ from Alpine in action REUTERS / Florion Goga
So far there is no consensus between the two sides. That won’t take long, however, as the FIA only gives engine suppliers until the end of the summer.
If neither party can agree, the FIA and F1 have the right to make their own decisions. So will V6 stay in 2026 or will V4 make its debut? Only time can tell.
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The post REPORTS: Ferrari & Red Bull join forces in the Formula 1 engine war in 2026 against Mercedes first appeared on monter-une-startup.
