By Joe Cash
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Reigning champion Max Verstappen said he could be tempted to race in Formula One for longer if the sport returned to V10 engines powered by sustainable fuels in 2030, with seven-times world title holder Lewis Hamilton joining him in reminiscing.
F1 cars have been powered by 1.6 litre V6 turbo hybrid engines since 2014, with new rules from next year to 2030.
But the president of the sport’s governing body last month raised the possibility of a return to the louder, high-revving V10s as it considers the technical direction from 2030.
Asked if a return to V10 engines could tempt him to race in F1 for longer, four-times world champion Verstappen told reporters on Thursday ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix: “Maybe. It’s definitely more exciting than what we have now.
“I’m not in charge of the rules, but, of course, for the pure emotion of the sport, a V10 is definitely much better than what we have now,” the Dutchman added.
“I remember when I was a kid, when you walk around, you have the noise of the engines, it brings so much more.
“Even if the speed of the car was maybe slower, just the feeling you got from an engine like that is something that you can’t describe compared with what we have now.”
The 27 year-old Verstappen has at times voiced concerns about the sport’s direction and his role within it.
When he was penalised for using inappropriate language at a press conference in 2024, he described the penalty as “super-silly” and added that such decisions could influence his decision to leave F1 earlier than planned.
Ferrari’s Hamilton, who started racing in F1 in 2007, one year after the sport switched to V8 engines, joined his Dutch rival for the 2021 drivers’ title in expressing his appreciation for a V10 engine.
“There’s no secret that a V6 has never sounded great,” the 40-year-old Briton said.
“I remember the first time I came to Formula One in 1996 at Spa. I was driving and Michael (Schumacher) coming through Turn 1, and my ribcage just vibrated,” Hamilton added.
“If we’re able to move back to those amazing sounding engines and sustainability, if we’re still able to meet the sustainable goals, why not?”
(Reporting by Joe Cash; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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