V8 but not only, the ‘Ben Sulayem’ Formula takes shape: and the idea of ​​refueling reappears

The future is already here The future of Formula 1 is being discussed now. The new regulatory cycle has just begun – with all the criticisms and problems surrounding this new type of hybrid engines and with the corrective measures already put in place for the 2027 and 2028 seasons – but the owners of steam are looking much further ahead and already imagining what the Circus of 2030/2031 will be like, also because to avoid the mistakes of the past this time it will be necessary to be ready well in advance. The Ben Sulayem Formula The person who, more than anyone, is showing hyperactivity towards the new regulations is the current president of the FIA, Mohammed Ben Sulayem. He was the first to launch the idea of ​​a return to naturally aspirated engines and V8s now seem to have become the cornerstone on which to build the new F1. But the federation’s number one doesn’t want to stop here and, speaking with the journalists present at Silverstone, he made other very interesting suggestions on what the Circus of the future could be. The key words are to simplify – hence the idea of ​​V8 engines, with at most the maintenance of an electrical component which however impacts a maximum of 10-15% of the overall power – and to lighten. The issue of the heaviness of single-seaters has been a problem for years and to try to solve it Ben Sulayem is ready to address one of the cornerstones of F1 in the last fifteen years: the absence of refueling during the race. Return to the past A fundamental element of F1 in the 90s and 2000s, refueling in the Circus was abolished starting from the 2010 season. Periodically there were those who suggested reintroducing them, to create more strategic variables and greater possibilities of overtaking on the track, but these were always unrealistic attempts, constantly rejected by the sender also for safety reasons. As reported by the website The Race, however, the current president of the FIA ​​does not rule out a sensational return to the past. In fact, the amount of petrol present in the car has a significant impact on the weight of the car. During the last era in which refueling was carried out, until the 2009 season, the capacity of the tank was around 90-100 litres, equal to around 70 kg. When refueling was banned in 2010, the tank capacity had to increase to around 200 litres, or around 150kg. With the introduction of turbo-hybrid engines, the maximum fuel limit allowed was 100 kg, equal to approximately 130-135 litres, and now, with the 2026 regulation, it has stabilized at around 105 kg. Pros and cons “How much fuel you start with and how much you can fill the tank: this is precisely what we are studying at the moment – the FIA ​​president told The Race website – obviously, if you want to complete the entire race, you need to have a larger tank, otherwise you have to stop. So it is an aspect that we will look into further”. However, there is an issue of costs, especially in the budget cap regime. In fact, each team may have to spend around 4 million dollars a year on fueling equipment and transporting it around the world. On the issue of security, however, Ben Sulayem did not seem too worried: “It’s not a problem if you do it in the right way – he declared – we are studying the issue but nothing has been defined yet”.

Automobile Magazine – Formula1 English, News

2026-07-07 06:35:00