Toto Wolff declared support for the return of V8 engines to Formula 1. However, the Mercedes executive warned that it could “look ridiculous” in the 2031 season if it “loses connection with the real world.”
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After four rounds of 2026, the German team has proven to be the biggest beneficiary of the new engines, having won all the races. However, the Austrian said he is “open to new engine regulations” and that they love “V8 engines.”
The future of Formula 1 power units is under constant debate especially after the arrival of the new powertrains, 50% electric and 50% internal combustion. In fact, the FIA president himself, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, said that V8s are coming – and this is something Wolff supports, but with reservations.
“In the long term, I think, from Mercedes’ point of view, we are open to new engine regulations. We love the V8s, which only bring great memories. From our perspective, it is a pure Mercedes engine, which revs high,” he pointed out.
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“How can we provide enough battery power to not lose connection with the real world? Because if we opt for 100% combustion, we might look a bit ridiculous in 2030 or 2031. So, we need to consider that, simplify and create a mega-engine,” he continued.
“Maybe we can extract 800 horsepower from the combustion engine and add 400, or more, in terms of electric power; we are totally willing to do that. As long as these discussions happen in a structured way, people’s considerations will be taken into account. We recognize the financial reality of manufacturers today. It’s not easy, but if it is well planned and executed, we at Mercedes can count on Mercedes to come back with a real racing engine,” he concluded.
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