Ferrari break silence over 2026 F1 engine changes – “There may be trouble ahead.” There’s a “Wistful ambivalence undercuts exultation at every turn in the songs of Israel Baline (Irving Berlin)…. and so many other immigrant Jewish songwriters, darkening the attainment of happiness with the profundity of loss,” observed Barry Singer in 1988.
And whilst undoubtably the Irvin Berlin song does play to the simple joys of life, trouble is the word which recurs throughout the much loved standard. And this trouble is growing fast in the F1 paddock as week in and out there are repeated discussions being had over the future of the F1 2026 power units.
There’s little of Berlin’s eloquence being used to express the difficulties facing the sport, with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff describing it as”a joke” that the matter is once again to be discussed at Today’s F1 commission.
F1 caught napping
The concerns over the trouble some manufacturers are facing is in fact stark, with F1 supremo Stefano Domenicali publicly discussing a mechanism by which one or more teams can ‘catch up’ should their designs be inferior to the rest of the field, along with a handicap system to reign in any team which aces the new regulations and is set to dominate.
To be discussing this so late in the day is truly monumental, but the reality is that for any changes to be made, four of the five manufacturers would have to agree. Mercedes have made their opposition to any alterations crystal clear and Red Bull’s boss Christian Horner has been predicting the current crisis since as early as the summer of 2023.
He then described the new power units with their 50/50 split between electrical output and that from the combustion engine as “Frankenstein’s monsters,” warning that the cars would run out of electrical charge on circuits like Monza where braking is minimal.
Until now, the thoughts of Ferrari, Honda and Audi have not been properly disclosed. Honda recently released a statement saying they would be developing their power unit to the very last moment, sacrificing a great deal of bench testing. This could mean the Japanese manufacturer believes they are behind some of the others and therefore may be amenable to some tweaks to the rules.
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Audi system could be introduced for all teams
Audi did publish a brief statement when the topic of returning to V10’s raised its head first in China this year. It stated the V6 hybrids were a “key factor in Audi’s decision to enter Formula One”. The statement added: “These power unit regulations reflect the same technological advancements that drive innovation in Audi’s road cars.”
That appears a fairly slam dunk no to any immediate efforts to change the rules of the game for next year and so together with Mercedes, they could block any efforts by the FIA or F1 to find a collaborative solution to what are clearly big problems.
Ferrari have now revealed their hand, as team boss Fred Vasseur says: “The proposition came [on Saturday], but I didn’t have time to think about it and discuss with the engine guy. What is true is that we need to be open-minded on the situation because it is the first time that we have such a big change to the regulations, starting with the engine, then the chassis, and it means we have to review everything.
“Let’s have the F1 Commission on Thursday, let’s discuss this, but I am open to discussing it because we have to be focused on what is best for F1 in the future,” Vasseur concluded. Whilst they don’t have a vote on the matter, Cadillac are believed to be present at today’s meeting of the F1 commission and their future involvement may prove critical in any decision.
Support for imminent change is growing
The FIA’s spokesman on day to day F1 affairs outlined the decisions to be made when he said: “Do we want three or four years later to go to a different type of power unit? That’s question number one. That looks after the long term for the sport,” said Nikolas Tombazis to assembled media.
“If the answer to that is yes, then there’s question number two – what we do in the intervening period. That is definitely a secondary question compared to the primary one.” This gives the impression the FIA and F1 for once in a while stand united, and that the next iteration of F1 power will be simpler and less expensive as well as weighing less.
The real question is what is to be done in the interim. Tombazis agrees with a ‘simpler’ F1 engine approach as expressed by his boss and Stefan Donenicali. “Certainly the progress with sustainable fuels has led to views that maybe the engines could be simpler. The world economy does lead to views that maybe we should try to cut costs a bit more, and the current power units are way too expensive. That is a fact,” he added.
“That’s why the president made the comments about a V10 engine in ’28 and so on. And that is something we are evaluating with the PU manufacturers.” Astonishing is the possibility that however the new hybrids turn out, there are considerations that they should be used for just two years.
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Cadillac entry date key info
Cadillac who join the F1 grid next year, with Ferrari power in the interim, were originally slated to produce their own F1 hybrid come 2028. Today they were recognised formally as an F1 manufacturer, but the time scale has now slipped and is 2029.
Whilst Cadillac have no vote on how to solve the current ‘trouble’ in F1 land, now designated a manufacturer for 2029 they will have a say on the next iteration of F1 power and even potentially the timing of when this happens. What is certain is that the US car giant will never design or build a 2026 F1 hybrid powertrain.
The wind of change is coming in Formula One and to invest hundreds of millions for just two years racing with their own hybrid engine is a nonsense but gives an insight into the thinking of the powers that be. Whether the goal is to now restrict the power of the manufacturers and return to a simpler form of F1 power which the likes of independent engine makers like Cosworth can also offer.
F1 hybrids will go, just when?
Once a thorn in the side of Stefano Domenicali when badged as the Andretti F1 entry, Cadillac will now offer a perfect foil for the debate over new engines for 2029. European and Japanese auto manufacturers are obsessed with all things electrical.
Cadillac are currently racing their NA 5.5L V8 in WEC and IMSA and so a return to V8’s wold almost certainly be backed by the US based auto manufacturer. Uncertainty over the future of F1 power will be a further reason Cadillac will give for not playing the hybrid game. Their need for future certainty will counter Toto Wolff’s current ‘kick it into the long grass – its five years away’ approach and potentially Mercedes and Audi will be backed into a corner.
A return to normally aspirated or turbo charged engines with a 90/10 split in power output in favour of the ICE will mean the cars will be slower than at present. Yet the 80kg saving will make them nimbler in the slower corners, where at present they look cumbersome. Cadillac once shunned by Domenicali are now his trump card, given the new hybrid era failed to increase in the involvement of global car manufacturers – which was the objective.
Renault had quit given the cost of the power units whilst Audi joined – a net gain of zero. And even after some eight years of pandering to the manufacturers thought and wishes, the sport is no more robust in terms of engine supplies.
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Audi fears lead to more 2026 engine debate
Formula One is having a crisis moment not of insignificant proportions. Just eight months before the long discussed new F1 power units are due to debut in testing, huge doubts are being raised over the specification of the new powertrains.
The difficulties the manufacturers are facing was something Christian Horner questioned back in 2023, when he revealed at circa tracks the battery would simply run out and required the combustion engine to act as a generator.
Bizarre scenarios have been aired, such as drivers having to lift and coast at Monza type circuits, just to regenerate the battery – hardly something which should be associated with F1. The root of the cause was the ambitious move from 80/20 ICE/Electrical output as is currently the case, to a 50/50 split thought to have been favoured by Audi and Mercedes. Honda too see their road car research and development in increasing the importance of electrical power…. READ MORE
With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
Hold on the maths is wrong, if new engines come in 2026 & Cadillac are signed for 2029 alternative engine build then it’s 3 years of 50/50 crap to be endured not 2.