Ex-F1 driver doubtful about the comeback of V8 engines.

      "They might try to bring in BYD, but a V8 would be a dream."

      Former Formula 1 driver Jean-Louis Schlesser has strongly criticized the sport's increasing shift towards electric vehicles, arguing that the contentious 2026 regulations do not make Formula 1 environmentally accountable. The 77-year-old Frenchman, who participated in Formula 1 in 1983 and 1988, concurs with those expressing concern that the current ratio of combustion to electric power has gone too far.

      "It’s unfortunate that electronics have taken over racing," Schlesser commented to Mundo Deportivo. "It’s concerning, as engines should never have more than 40 percent electric components." He dismissed Formula 1's attempts to market the new generation of cars as eco-friendly.

      "It’s absurd to claim that Formula 1 is environmentally friendly," Schlesser stated. "If they want to avoid environmental issues, they should halt all racing. Half-electric cars and similar nonsense? That's the wrong direction."

      FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem is advocating for simpler, lighter, and less expensive engines for after 2030, with V8 power and a reduction in hybrid components being among the top suggestions. However, Schlesser is skeptical that major manufacturers will endorse such a significant shift.

      "I don’t really see that happening," he remarked. "Many manufacturers promote the notion of eco-sustainable cars to gain favor with their boards. That’s how Audi got involved in F1, for instance. They might consider bringing in BYD, but a V8 would be a dream, and a V10 would be even better, though I doubt it will occur."

      Schlesser participated in just two grand prix events, but he is most remembered in Formula 1 for colliding with Ayrton Senna while being lapped at Monza in 1988, preventing McLaren from achieving a complete victory in that season's races.

      "Senna was very close to my gearbox, and I had no choice," he recalled. "If I had eased off the throttle, he might have hit me from behind. It was merely bad luck."

      Schlesser shared that Sir Frank Williams contacted him on short notice to race after Patrick Head requested him for the car. "Frank called me to see if I could be in Italy on Friday to drive," he recalled. "He said, 'I have a list of ten drivers who want the seat. I'm calling you because Patrick Head wants you in the car. If you don’t want to, that's fine.'"

      Schlesser described Williams as "a good person but blunt." His only other Formula 1 race was for RAM at Paul Ricard in 1983, where he joked, "That car had the same straight-line speed as my touring car."

      Schlesser criticized the exorbitant costs now associated with young drivers advancing through the junior categories as "insane." "It’s unjust," he stated. "I completely agree with Max Verstappen, who says that the cost of reaching Formula 1 is excessively high."

      His son Louis is currently trying to establish his own motor racing career, although Schlesser acknowledged that progress has not been swift enough. "He needs to win more," he said. "He isn’t securing enough victories. Moreover, the costs of Formula Regional European racing are currently too high."