George Russell has outlined his vision for the future of Formula 1, calling for a return to V8 engines when the next major regulation cycle comes into force in 2031. The Mercedes driver, currently second in the drivers' championship behind teammate Kimi Antonelli, believes the sport should also focus on reducing car weight to improve racing.
Russell's Stance on Current Regulations
Despite the current ruleset being just four races old, Russell already has a clear idea of the changes he wants to see. This season's tweaks have proved contentious, with Max Verstappen emerging as a vocal critic. The grid's discontent prompted amendments ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, but Verstappen dismissed them as a 'tickle', stating: "It's not what we need yet to really make it flat out."
Russell, however, has been a staunch defender of the changes, describing the adjustments as 'good'. The 28-year-old believes the FIA have ironed out the 'quirks' and that there are 'a lot of positives about this new regulation and the new cars'.
Vision for 2031
Yet even Russell has conceded there are aspects he would like to see addressed when the ruleset next undergoes a major overhaul. The next power unit regulation cycle is expected to be introduced in 2031. "Obviously there's a lot to talk about. Going back to V8, I think that would obviously be pretty cool," Russell explained.
"The sustainable fuel topic is a fantastic one, and I think would be great for Formula One. Lighter cars. I think we need to find ways to reduce the weight of cars even more, because I think that has been a positive impact in terms of the racing and the drivability, being able to fight close with one another, but still keep in a way that we can have these overtakes."
"Because if you look at the glory days of Formula 1 20 years ago, where everyone says they were the best cars ever, and I still agree they were probably the coolest cars we ever saw at Formula 1, in the early 2000s there was no overtaking at all. So that's something we need to remember, and we need to think about for the next step."
FIA President's Support
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been a leading advocate for the sport to revert to V8 engines, having persisted with a V6 configuration since 2014. Continuing with the same power unit has faced fierce criticism this season. "In 2031, the FIA will have the power to do it, without any votes from the PUMs [power unit manufacturers]. That's the regulations," Sulayem said. "But we want to bring it one year earlier, which everyone [externally] now is asking for. When you try to tell them [the PUMs] they say no, but what will come, will come, and it [the power] will come back to the FIA."
