Overview
- FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem confirmed over the British Grand Prix weekend that the FIA is studying the return of refuelling and the creation of an FIA‑selected third‑party engine as part of plans to move to naturally aspirated V8s.
- The proposed V8s would be mechanically simpler and lighter than current V6 turbo‑hybrids but would burn more fuel, so the FIA is examining smaller tanks and pit‑stop refuelling to protect weight targets.
- Ben Sulayem said the FIA could approve an independent, ‘white‑label’ engine supplier to offer affordable neutral power units and that manufacturers might be limited to supplying only one team to reduce conflicts of interest.
- The FIA can impose new power‑unit rules from 2031 without Power Unit Manufacturer votes under current agreements that run to the end of 2030, and the change could be fast‑tracked to 2030 if a supermajority of manufacturers agrees.
- Manufacturers and teams are split on the plan: Renault/Alpine have ruled out rebuilding their engine operations, Audi prefers keeping turbocharging, and regulators must weigh safety, cost and sustainability trade‑offs from reintroducing refuelling.