Goodbye DRS: Here’s What F1 Will Sound and Look Like From 2030 Onward
A V8 turbo, cars 50kg lighter, an electric motor cut from 350 to 100 kilowatts, and an IndyCar-style push-to-pass button — F1 plans to edge back toward its roots.
The current hybrid power units haven’t even come of age in engineers’ eyes, and already Formula 1 is sketching out what replaces the regulations landing in 2026 — and the plan is considerably more radical than most expected.
A V8 turbo instead of complex hybrid electronics
The new power unit will be a 3.0-litre turbo V8, around 50kg lighter than current units, with a drastically reduced electrical component. The electric motor shrinks from today’s 350kW down to just 100kW — keeping “a technological link with the automotive industry” without the complexity of today’s hybrid systems.
Why turbo over naturally aspirated
Purists have long dreamed of a return to naturally aspirated engines for the sound, but the decision is to keep the turbo — for a strictly practical reason: a naturally aspirated V8 would exceed noise limits at street circuits like Singapore, Las Vegas, Miami and Madrid, putting those races themselves at risk.
DRS is retiring
The familiar DRS system will be retired. Manufacturers are currently evaluating an IndyCar-style push-to-pass system instead — a temporary power boost for specific overtaking situations, rather than a wing flap triggered by a single button.
When it actually happens
A 2030 debut is still under discussion and would mean wrapping up the current technical cycle a year earlier than planned — all parties still have details to finalise. But the overall direction is clear: Formula 1 wants to return to “a more traditional concept of a racing engine” after years of hybrid-era complexity.
Based on reporting by Autosport.
