F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali: Delivering on Fan Expectations
The much-loved V10 and V12 Formula 1 engine noises could unfortunately never be experienced again, nevertheless, the sport is looking to make the current V6 motors sound better. According to F1’s Chief Executive Officer Stefano Domenicali, the regulations that will come into effect in 2026 are designed to optimize the noise from the engines.
“Undoubtedly, we need to be hybrid for the future, but our plan is to ensure that the new regulations will result in a louder engine sound since that’s a key part of the emotion,” Domenicali stated during an interview with 3AW, an Australian radio station. “That’s precisely what our fans wish to hear.”
V10s and V12s used to generate an intense, screaming noise; nowadays, the current 1.6-liter V6 engine produces a low but still discernible rumble. Over time, some enthusiasts of Formula One have come to love and admire this sound, however it appears that the powers-that-be are now actively trying to make it even more impactful.
The prodigious motors were discontinued in preference of an ecologically-congenial power unit. F1 is escalating hybridization to a higher-level with their latest engine regulations, embracing synthetic fuel that will be entirely carbon uninvolved.
“At our company, we have decided to shift towards the use of sustainable fuel with hybrid engines for the foreseeable future. We are confident that this is the direction we will take for many years to come.”
Despite the eager push for hybridization, Domenicali commented in the same interview that F1 does not have to become electric. In fact, the Federation Internationale de I’Automobile (FIA) currently has an electric series accessible through Formula E.
It is clear that, in the future, engine suppliers will be faced with a brand-new challenge: creating different, unique engine noises. This obligation will require a certain degree of creativity from them and it should not be taken lightly.
By the year 2026, Honda will once more become the official engine supplier for Aston Martin. Simultaneously, Audi and Ford are slated to enter Formula 1 as hybrid power-unit providers for Sauber and Red Bull respectively, relying on their road-going electric vehicle initiatives which have led to the production of models including the Ford F-150 Lightning, Mustang Mach-E, and Audi RS e-tron GT.
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