Verstappen open to V10 return but questions FIA approach

Max Verstappen has expressed support for bringing V10 engines back to Formula 1, aligning with FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem's recent suggestion.

However, the four-time world champion emphasized that such significant discussions should remain behind closed doors rather than playing out in public.

"Of course I think it's a very nice idea,"

Verstappen stated when questioned by Motorsport.com about the potential return of the iconic power units.

"But whether it's possible or not, that's obviously a completely different story."

The Dutch driver then highlighted his concerns about the approach.

"I always think it's better to not just shout so many things. It's better to try to solve things behind the scenes - that would be better for everyone."

The FIA president's public stance

Ben Sulayem initiated the conversation in February through social media, expressing his desire to see F1 consider returning to V10 engines running on sustainable fuels.

His comments followed F175, the season launch event in London where teams unveiled their 2025 liveries.

The FIA president claimed the event "triggered a lot of positive discussions on the future of the sport," leading him to contemplate V10s for regulations beyond the upcoming 2026 changes.

V10 engines, which haven't featured in Formula 1 since 2005, remain highly popular among fans despite their long absence.

"While we look forward to the introduction of the 2026 regulations on chassis and power unit, we must also lead the way on future technological motorsport trends,"

Ben Sulayem stated. He added that cost control would be essential, regardless of the direction chosen.

The changing landscape of F1 power units

Formula 1 is already preparing for significant technical regulation changes in 2026.

The sport will introduce cars powered by V6 hybrids running on fully synthetic fuel, marking an important environmental shift for the championship.

These upcoming changes have attracted new manufacturers to the grid. Audi will debut as a works team in 2026, while Cadillac is joining initially as a Ferrari customer with plans to develop its own power unit by 2028.

Red Bull is also entering a new era next year through a technical partnership with Ford.

Team principal Christian Horner has reportedly backed Ben Sulayem's suggestion about potentially returning to V10 engines.

Verstappen on FIA's language restrictions

When asked about the FIA's recent clampdown on swearing and whether he might start using his local Limburgian dialect instead, Verstappen dismissed the regulations as trivial.

"I used to do that plenty of times during karting anyway!"

the champion responded.

"But yeah, these things are just very silly. You don't even want to deal with things like that, but it is what it is."

The discussions around engine configurations will likely continue as Formula 1 looks beyond 2026, balancing nostalgia for the sport's iconic sounds with modern sustainability requirements and technological advancement.