Formula One Management CEO Stefano Domenicali has raised the possibility of the series doing away with hybrid power in the future.
Yesterday the FIA confirmed the first details of the new chassis regulations which will be introduced in 2026 alongside the revised power units announced two years ago. Electrical power will contribute a much greater proportion of their total output, nearly as much as the internal combustion engine, which from 2026 will run on synthetic fuel.
However Domenicali hopes that of the introduction of synthetic fuels is a success, F1 could eventually end its reliance on hybrid engines and run exclusively on combustion engines again.
“F1 has always been seen as having the lightest and best cars, so if sustainable fuels are successful we could go back to a situation where the battery is not needed any more,” he told CNBC.
Hybrid power was first introduced to F1 in 2009. The current V6 hybrid turbo power units have been in use since 2014.
FOM agreed a long-term sponsorship deal with Saudi Aramco four years ago. Saudi Arabia’s state-owned oil company is developing sustainable fuels for use in F1 as well as its junior series.
It remains to be proven whether sustainable fuels, also known as e-Fuels, can be efficiently produced in sufficient quantities for them to be a realistic alternative to electric vehicles. However Domenicali denied F1 is pushing an agenda on behalf of Aramco by promoting sustainable fuels over EVs.
“We are not lobbying for anyone, we are thinking of the best future for everyone,” he said. “It’s a very complex subject and we need to be more prudent than a lot of people that are talking without knowing the complexity of this transition.”
Six power unit manufacturers have signed up to participate under F1’s 2026 regulations, with Ford and Audi due to join the existing four. Cadillac has also expressed interest in joining from 2028.
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