Fernando Alonso, to the surprise of many, has been adamant about the possibility of Formula 1 returning to V10 engines. Since these V10 engines were replaced in 2006, single-seaters have evolved significantly in technological terms. First by equipping V8 engines (up to and including 2013) and then by adopting different configurations of hybrid propulsion.
Fernando Alonso is against a return to Formula 1 to V10 engines
However, in recent weeks, rumors have surfaced about the possible return of these V10 engines due to the arrival of the new regulations in 2026, recognized for the deafening noise that the cars emitted on the circuits, arousing interest among fans of the motor world.
But, while F1 fans feel nostalgia for the era when the roar of engines was associated with power and extreme speed, Fernando Alonso, the only driver on the current grid who has driven cars with these characteristics, is not completely convinced. And not because he doesn’t like them, because, as he himself has said, he loves the sound of these engines.
Fernando Alonso reminds us that F1 lives in a different world, technology has evolved and this V6 “is also incredible”
He already said it at the press conference of the last Chinese Grand Prix. But it has been in the last few hours that he has once again generated expectation on the part of the English press. This is the position of the Asturian driver as reported by the media outlet Racefans, words with which he completely rejected that possibility: “The return of V10 engines is like saying we could race without the Halo,” he said in a comparison that no one would think of making for obvious safety reasons.
“Obviously, I love the V10 and V8 era, and the sound of those cars that we all miss, but I don’t think F1 should go backwards in terms of the technology used in its cars,” says the Spaniard, who this coming weekend is contesting a new race on the calendar, the third of the year, the Japanese Grand Prix, which takes place in Suzuka.
Here, the Aston Martin driver was emphatic in his response, saying that “we also live in a different world. Technology has evolved and we have an incredible and efficient engine that consumes only a third of the gasoline it used to consume,” said Fernando Alonso.
The Asturian driver went on to say that the people who should be making the decision about a return to V10 engines are “those at the top, at FOM – Formula One Management – and the FIA, and all the people involved”, he said.
Manufacturers such as Honda, Audi and Cadillac are against it
The problem, of course, is not just about sound, which, as Alonso says, we all miss. It’s about much more. Mainly the idea that manufacturers such as Honda, Audi (which will be involved from 2026 with its own engine in the current Sauber team) and Cadillac – or General Motors – will also be doing the same from next season.
In fact, the upcoming changes in the regulations, including the new regulations for hybrid power units starting in 2026, were a key factor in Audi’s decision to enter Formula 1. These regulations reflect the same technological advances that drive innovation in Audi’s road vehicles, so the brand with the four rings does not see, for now, anything to aim for in this new stage in top-level competition.
As for Honda, the Japanese will no longer be with Red Bull next year, but with Aston Martin. And Audi and Red Bull/Ford do not have an engine under the current rules, because both projects have been prepared to start precisely with the 2026 regulations. That is why the German brand would not agree, at least not initially, to start these conversations or this change of plans.
The question, as Fernando Alonso points out, is twofold and impossible to predict with a view to 2035. The interest of manufacturers will depend as much on the marketing value of Formula 1 as on the legal imperatives that govern it. The outlook is complicated. Does it make sense for brands to have a F1 of thermal engines in Europe if the sale of new combustion vehicles is banned? Will F1 still make sense in a market dominated by Chinese brands, if that happens?
And, above all, there is a philosophical question. Technological showcase or spectacle? The former is expensive, the latter could make F1 closer to the IndyCar concept in some aspects, where everything there is based on a simpler and more egalitarian technology, although races in the United States have also adopted hybrid engines since 2024.
As a driver, Alonso has emphasized that they want to drive the fastest car possible, downplaying the engine behind it. The Spaniard debuted with a V10 engine and won the World Championship in the last year of the V10s and the first year of the V8s.