Toto Wolff likes the idea of returning to V8 engines.

      Toto Wolff supports the idea of bringing back V8 engines to Formula 1, and we have already shared his opinion, but in an interview with RacingNews365, the head of the Mercedes team shared additional details related to the ongoing discussion on this topic.

      Toto Wolff: “I am in communication with Mohammed Ben Sulayem (president of the FIA), Stefano Domenicali (president and CEO of Formula 1), and other engine manufacturers.

      The power units we are using now are very complex, and we are just starting to understand their features because they have changed the nature of racing. Some like what happens on Sundays, as there are many overtakes on the tracks, while others do not, but the drivers who can adapt better are the ones who win.

      Personally, I cannot stand hearing the turbines rev up to high RPMs for 10 seconds before the start – it all sounds like a fire alarm.

      Look at Lewis Hamilton – his approach to racing has changed, and the results have noticeably improved. Kimi Antonelli is also doing great, while others have to adapt.

      But in the medium term – we are talking about a horizon of three to four years – we will return to internal combustion engines (ICE) that will deliver more than 50 percent power.

      The FIA president wants V8 engines to return, which have a good sound, and the battery power should be limited. I believe the power ratio between the ICE and the hybrid component will be about 80:20, and such power units will develop around 1000 hp.

      I am not sure if they will be atmospheric or not, but I think Formula 1 is moving in that direction. As a purist, I like this idea.”

      In 2027 and 2028, Formula 1 will gradually transition from a 50:50 power ratio between the ICE and the hybrid system, originally laid out in the 2026 regulations, to 60:40, which should be achieved by increasing fuel mass flow. At the same time, Wolff explained why it is impossible to do this immediately and switch to such a ratio in the next season:

      “In 2027, we will take the next step, and then another, but it is necessary to make changes to the engine design. If you increase the mass flow of fuel, and that is the direction we are taking, power increases, and accordingly, certain parts of the engine need to be adapted to this. We wanted to increase the engine power by 50 kW by next year, but Ferrari blocked this idea, so the first step will be at the level of 20 kW, and in 2028 it will be at 50 kW.”