Lewis Hamilton supports Mohammed Ben Sulayem's V10 engine plan but with a key condition

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Lewis Hamilton Eyes F1’s Future While Preparing for First Season with Ferrari

As Lewis Hamilton gears up for his first season with Ferrari after leaving Mercedes, the seven-time world champion is not only focused on his new role at Maranello but also on shaping the future of Formula 1. At 40 years old, Hamilton is likely approaching the latter stages of his F1 career, yet he has no intentions of retiring anytime soon.

Hamilton made headlines in 2024 when he broke his contract with Mercedes to join Ferrari on a two-year deal, with an option to extend his stay until 2027. His decision to leave the team where he won six of his seven world titles shocked the F1 world, but it came with a clear goal: to secure a record-breaking eighth F1 championship and fulfil a lifelong dream of racing for Ferrari.

British Driver Supports F1's Engine Evolution, but With Key Environmental Conditions

Hamilton is set to make his debut for Ferrari at the 2025 Australian Grand Prix, marking the start of his 19th season in F1. This will also be his first year racing with a Ferrari engine after a long history of driving Mercedes-powered cars from 2007 to 2013, followed by the 1.6L V6 turbo-hybrids introduced in 2014.

Ferrari is currently developing a new power unit for the 2026 season, which will coincide with significant changes to F1’s engine and chassis regulations. These updates will see the introduction of fully sustainable fuels and an almost 50-50 balance between electric and internal combustion power. However, F1 and the FIA are already looking ahead to the 2030s and beyond.

F1's Future Vision: V10 Engines and Sustainability

The FIA is considering future technological changes for F1, which has led to the entry of new manufacturers like Audi and Cadillac, as well as partnerships such as Ford's tie-up with Red Bull. With the complexity and long development time required for new engines, the governing body is already planning beyond 2026. FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has proposed the idea of bringing back V10 engines to the sport, a suggestion that has garnered attention within the F1 community.

In a recent meeting of the F1 Commission ahead of the 2025 season, former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone also advocated for the return of V10 engines. Bernie Ecclestone directly pitched this idea to Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, urging the F1 Commission to consider a change in the engine formula.

Now, Ferrari’s own Lewis Hamilton has thrown his weight behind the proposal of the current FIA president to revive V10 engines in F1. However, the British driver has made it clear that he supports this move only under the condition that the new engines are environmentally friendly. Hamilton emphasized that while he is excited about engines that produce a thrilling sound, the return of larger engines should only happen if they are capable of emitting zero pollutants, aligning with F1's commitment to sustainability in the coming decades.

The Briton expressed his hope that, in 20 years, Formula 1 would still feature great racing and cars that produce an exciting sound. The former Mercedes man also shared his desire for the championship to avoid becoming fully electric, suggesting a return to V10 or V12 engines that are free from pollutant emissions.

The End of the V10 and V12 Engines in F1: A Look Back at Their Last Victories

The world of Formula 1 witnessed the last use of V10 engines in the 2005 season, when Fernando Alonso clinched his first of two consecutive F1 World Drivers' Championships with Renault. Since that season, F1 has moved away from V10 engines, and no team has used V12 engines in a race since Ferrari last did so in 1995. At that time, other teams were using V8 or V10 engines, marking the transition away from the larger power units.

Jean Alesi recorded the final victory with a V12 engine for Ferrari in 1995 at the Canadian Grand Prix, the only win for the Scuderia that season. Alonso’s victory at the 2005 Chinese Grand Prix, which capped off a remarkable season for him and Renault, marked the last race win with a V10 engine in F1. That win also helped solidify Alonso's place in F1 history, as he and Renault secured both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships that year.

Hamilton and the Call for Change After 2026

The new Ferrari driver, who has never raced with a V10 engine in an official race, has only experienced the power units during show runs. Despite this, the seven-time world champion has voiced his support for a return to more powerful engine formats in Formula 1. He, along with other F1 drivers, has called for the end of the current V6 turbo-hybrid power unit era after the 2026 Formula 1 campaign.

While the current V6 turbo-hybrids have made great strides in fuel efficiency and technological innovation, there is growing support within the sport to shift towards more traditional, yet environmentally sustainable, power units. It remains uncertain whether the engine manufacturers will fully embrace such a change, but the growing buzz and backing from prominent figures like Hamilton suggest that the future of F1 engines may be undergoing significant transformations after 2026.

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