Possible solutions to improve the 2026 Engine Regulations

[WardenOfTheNorth]

Not while car companies care about their image.

Also it is science, not politics.

The race fuel contributes not even 0.1% of the total carbon foot print of an F1 race. So many people in the paddock fly in and out on individual private planes. Let alone the spectators and all that. However, its just marketing for car companies so they will pretend for optics.

My point exactly. It is marketing for car companies.

[Stu]

Not while car companies care about their image.

Also it is science, not politics.

The race fuel contributes not even 0.1% of the total carbon foot print of an F1 race. So many people in the paddock fly in and out on individual private planes. Let alone the spectators and all that. However, its just marketing for car companies so they will pretend for optics.

My point exactly. It is marketing for car companies.

It is a marketing platform for many different industries, dressed up as a sport.

[JordanMugen]

Not while car companies care about their image.

If image is a problem, why do the Cadillac and Ford hypercars have 5.5L and 5.4L V8 engines instead of the efficient 2.4L turbo of the Honda Acura

Aren't Cadillac and Ford aware that an enormous, inefficient naturally aspirated engine is a horrible look, when they could design a compact (literally less than half the size) V6 like Honda‽

Ford literally even had a 3.5L Ecoboost V6 turbo (not as efficient as 2.4L but not too bad, not too dissimilar to the 2.9-litre leading Ferrari and the same 3.5-litre capacity as the formerly leading Toyota entry) in the previous Ford GT, yet is deliberately abandoning that in favour of a 5.4L V8‽‽‽

A lot of these claims about a green image just don't make any sense, when the claims are compared to the actual choices made by F1 engine suppliers Cadillac and Ford.

My point exactly. It is marketing for car companies.

It doesn't add up:

Back in January, Ford announced the engine that will power this new hypercar, too - a Coyote-based naturally-aspirated 5.4L V8, which a variation of the same engine already used in the Ford Mustang Dark Horse R, GT4, and GT3 racers.

https://fordauthority.com/2026/03/upcom ... e_vignette

Where is the sensible 2.0L turbo inline-four like in the previous Mazda IMSA car? A 5.4L is literally nearly three times the size, and this is for a car that will debut in 2027 of all years and likely race for at least 3+ seasons until it can be changed to a more sensible choice like a 2.0L inline-four Ecoboost or a 1.5L inline-three Ecoboost. That is incredibly tone deaf by Ford, a brand (allegedly) embracing electrification and efficiency...

Or is image not as big of a problem as claimed.

It's not like this is something Ford and Cadillac can hide. Every single time that Ford or Cadillac hypercar goes past spectactors, it announces to the world it is an obnoxious, old-fashioned, noisy, roaring naturally aspirated V8 and not a sleek, efficient, muted, droning V6 turbo.

Competing is one of thing, worst of all is that (in theory) Ford and Cadillac could even potentially win Le Mans with this antiquated technology - that would be a horrible look and a difficult one to spin as a positive marketing outcome, surely?

[gearboxtrouble]

Lol at big displacement V8s being considered an image problem! Every super and hypercar manufacturer is doing a 180 on small displacement hybrids and I4s/V6s and restarting big engine lines. All you need to do is look up the used values of V6 Ferrari 296 GTBs (objectively a better car) vs used older Ferrari F8 tributos. The performance car market has spoken up on efficiency and shot it in the head.

[JordanMugen]

Lol at big displacement V8s being considered an image problem! Every super and hypercar manufacturer is doing a 180 on small displacement hybrids and I4s/V6s and restarting big engine lines. All you need to do is look up the used values of V6 Ferrari 296 GTBs (objectively a better car) vs used older Ferrari F8 tributos. The performance car market has spoken up on efficiency and shot it in the head.

Indeed, that is quite a point.

If a 5.4L-6.2L V8 engine is somehow not an image problem in a hypercar or GT3, I really can't see how a 3.0L V12 (half the size) is meant to be an image problem in an F1 car.

It doesn't make sense. The " large " (not really compared to other race cars) F1 engine would still have a hybrid system and run on sustainable fuels, after all.

The F1 marketing problem seems rather less severe than the one of how on Earth Ford or Cadillac would manage to spin winning the Le Mans 24 Hour - an efficiency and technology-focused endurance race - with a honking, archaic V8 engine as a positive marketing outcome.

"Ford: winning the 2027 Le Mans 24 hour with 60-year-old technology for the first time since 1969. PS. Please buy an Ecoboost or Mach E... thanks?"

[Hoffman900]

Since when does running a DOHC V8 make it old fashioned? A turbo DOHC V6 isn’t exactly cutting edge…

The manufacturers in those cases are seling performance toys. That’s ahat they are, it’s all about going fast with whatever your preference of toy is… some want loud honkin big displacement V8s, others want German refinement, others want the shrill of an Italian V8-V12.

Efficiency matters for mass produced vehicles for the masses. The whole F1 thing is just a big circle jerk.

[WardenOfTheNorth]

Not while car companies care about their image.

If image is a problem, why do the Cadillac and Ford hypercars have 5.5L and 5.4L V8 engines instead of the efficient 2.4L turbo of the Honda Acura

Aren't Cadillac and Ford aware that an enormous, inefficient naturally aspirated engine is a horrible look, when they could design a compact (literally less than half the size) V6 like Honda‽

Ford literally even had a 3.5L Ecoboost V6 turbo (not as efficient as 2.4L but not too bad, not too dissimilar to the 2.9-litre leading Ferrari and the same 3.5-litre capacity as the formerly leading Toyota entry) in the previous Ford GT, yet is deliberately abandoning that in favour of a 5.4L V8‽‽‽

A lot of these claims about a green image just don't make any sense, when the claims are compared to the actual choices made by F1 engine suppliers Cadillac and Ford.

My point exactly. It is marketing for car companies.

It doesn't add up:

Back in January, Ford announced the engine that will power this new hypercar, too - a Coyote-based naturally-aspirated 5.4L V8, which a variation of the same engine already used in the Ford Mustang Dark Horse R, GT4, and GT3 racers.

https://fordauthority.com/2026/03/upcom ... e_vignette

Where is the sensible 2.0L turbo inline-four like in the previous Mazda IMSA car? A 5.4L is literally nearly three times the size, and this is for a car that will debut in 2027 of all years and likely race for at least 3+ seasons until it can be changed to a more sensible choice like a 2.0L inline-four Ecoboost or a 1.5L inline-three Ecoboost. That is incredibly tone deaf by Ford, a brand (allegedly) embracing electrification and efficiency...

Or is image not as big of a problem as claimed.

It's not like this is something Ford and Cadillac can hide. Every single time that Ford or Cadillac hypercar goes past spectactors, it announces to the world it is an obnoxious, old-fashioned, noisy, roaring naturally aspirated V8 and not a sleek, efficient, muted, droning V6 turbo.

Competing is one of thing, worst of all is that (in theory) Ford and Cadillac could even potentially win Le Mans with this antiquated technology - that would be a horrible look and a difficult one to spin as a positive marketing outcome, surely?

But what does the average Ford have in it? What does the average GM car have in it?

What are Mercedes and Audi using in most of their cars?

How about Honda and Toyota?

Ferrari are an edge case.

I'm not making this up. Why else would all of the manufacturers have pushed for the 50:50 split? Why would they reportedly still want some form of hybrid?

Not my opinion, theirs.

Personally I have no issue with a pure ICE with sustainable fuels. Though as someone who works trackside, I'd rather avoid the cars getting TOO loud since it's nice not requiring headsets all the time.

[De Wet]

Not while car companies care about their image.

If image is a problem, why do the Cadillac and Ford hypercars have 5.5L and 5.4L V8 engines instead of the efficient 2.4L turbo of the Honda Acura

Aren't Cadillac and Ford aware that an enormous, inefficient naturally aspirated engine is a horrible look, when they could design a compact (literally less than half the size) V6 like Honda‽

Ford literally even had a 3.5L Ecoboost V6 turbo (not as efficient as 2.4L but not too bad, not too dissimilar to the 2.9-litre leading Ferrari and the same 3.5-litre capacity as the formerly leading Toyota entry) in the previous Ford GT, yet is deliberately abandoning that in favour of a 5.4L V8‽‽‽

A lot of these claims about a green image just don't make any sense, when the claims are compared to the actual choices made by F1 engine suppliers Cadillac and Ford.

My point exactly. It is marketing for car companies.

It doesn't add up:

Back in January, Ford announced the engine that will power this new hypercar, too - a Coyote-based naturally-aspirated 5.4L V8, which a variation of the same engine already used in the Ford Mustang Dark Horse R, GT4, and GT3 racers.

https://fordauthority.com/2026/03/upcom ... e_vignette

Where is the sensible 2.0L turbo inline-four like in the previous Mazda IMSA car? A 5.4L is literally nearly three times the size, and this is for a car that will debut in 2027 of all years and likely race for at least 3+ seasons until it can be changed to a more sensible choice like a 2.0L inline-four Ecoboost or a 1.5L inline-three Ecoboost. That is incredibly tone deaf by Ford, a brand (allegedly) embracing electrification and efficiency...

Or is image not as big of a problem as claimed.

It's not like this is something Ford and Cadillac can hide. Every single time that Ford or Cadillac hypercar goes past spectactors, it announces to the world it is an obnoxious, old-fashioned, noisy, roaring naturally aspirated V8 and not a sleek, efficient, muted, droning V6 turbo.

Competing is one of thing, worst of all is that (in theory) Ford and Cadillac could even potentially win Le Mans with this antiquated technology - that would be a horrible look and a difficult one to spin as a positive marketing outcome, surely?

But what does the average Ford have in it? What does the average GM car have in it?

What are Mercedes and Audi using in most of their cars?

How about Honda and Toyota?

Ferrari are an edge case.

I'm not making this up. Why else would all of the manufacturers have pushed for the 50:50 split? Why would they reportedly still want some form of hybrid?

Not my opinion, theirs.

Personally I have no issue with a pure ICE with sustainable fuels. Though as someone who works trackside, I'd rather avoid the cars getting TOO loud since it's nice not requiring headsets all the time.

Taxation & Making Money.

[lucafo]

Found that today:



If its true there could be a solution for these regulations..

[Holm86]

Found that today:



If its true there could be a solution for these regulations..

It looks absolutely hideous

[F1Schu]

Found that today:



If its true there could be a solution for these regulations..

It looks absolutely hideous

And so is the last one that Newey designed for them. Maybe fast but is a freaking eye sore.

[johnnycesup]

Found that today:



If its true there could be a solution for these regulations..

This looks like a AI upscale of something, doesn't it. I doubt the guy comissioning it can drive it 10 seconds faster than a F1 car (in what circuit?)

[bananapeel23]

Found that today:



If its true there could be a solution for these regulations..

This looks like a AI upscale of something, doesn't it. I doubt the guy comissioning it can drive it 10 seconds faster than a F1 car (in what circuit?)

Closed wheel, active suspension and a fan or monster venturi tunnel is going to get you a lot of extra time.

Combine that with custom tyres, active aero for straight line drag and just a generally light cae and you will get very close to 10 seconds faster than F1 2026.

Realistically you just need something 5-6 seconds faster than the W11. That is perfectly doable with active aero, custom designed parts and infinite money.

Think of it as a real life Red Bull X2014.

[WardenOfTheNorth]

Found that today:



If its true there could be a solution for these regulations..

This looks like a AI upscale of something, doesn't it. I doubt the guy comissioning it can drive it 10 seconds faster than a F1 car (in what circuit?)

There's a video floating around somewhere as well that didn't strike me as AI.

[Luscion]

Changes being made to the regulations