Max Verstappen hints at rule change that can extend F1 career

Max Verstappen is undoubtedly one of the biggest names in Formula 1’s recent history. The sport has gained a massive fan following courtesy of the Dutch driver. As such, F1 would be drastically impacted when Verstappen finally decides to retire. Now, the reigning world champion has hinted at one rule change that could make him stay in the sport for longer.

F1 has faced backlash over the past decade for moving to V6 turbo hybrid power units in 2014. These hybrid powertrains are nowhere close to the sound produced by older V10s and V8s. Over the past few years, the paddock has been rather quite about potentially reverting to more cylinders. However, things seemed to have changed.

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem first hinted at the possibility of bringing V10s back to F1, albeit with sustainable fuels. This was supported by Red Bull boss Christian Horner and even Ferrari star Lewis Hamilton.

Max Verstappen was asked whether bringing back V10s could potentially make him stay in Formula 1 for longer. The 27-year-old reckoned that this might be the case. He acknowledged that such engines were much more fun than the current power units. Interestingly, Verstappen recently claimed that the sport should discuss a V10 return behind closed doors first.

Max Verstappen recalls hearing V10s as a child

V10 engines dominated Formula 1 till the early 2000s. Michael Schumacher‘s golden era with the Scuderia came during the V10 era. The loud sound produced by the engines back then would create an incredible atmosphere on the track, with attendees even struggling to talk to one another. Moreover, TV broadcasts too were extremely exciting.

Max Verstappen recalled the time when he used to visit the track as a kid with his family. The Dutch driver claimed that just hearing the noise of those engines was much more exciting than the current V6s, even if the older cars might’ve been slower.

The reigning world champion made it clear that the current engines simply cannot match the feeling one gets from something like a V10. The current engines are one of the most efficient power units in the world, but emotionally, they have never been able to win over Formula 1, especially the drivers.

2026 will witness a major rules shake-up in Formula 1 with new power unit rules. However, this will further focus on the hybrid components of the engines, rather than taking a step back towards natural aspiration.

Are V10s feasible for F1?

The automotive industry is in a period of transition. Electrification has become necessary for every carmaker, even though EV sales have not increased as anticipated. Formula 1 as a sport needs to stay road relevant to entice carmakers to remain on the grid. This was the reason behind focusing more on electricals for the 2026 rules.

However, sustainable fuels could be a perfect solution for Formula 1. Manufacturers could be interested to build V10s if the sport provides a proving ground for sustainable fuels. This would allow F1 to distance itself completely from the all-electric series, Formula E in the coming years.

Formula 1 has officially not commented on the prospects of a V10 return. Such a decision would be a massive call for the sport’s future and must be discussed with all stakeholders. For now, even if F1 and the FIA agree over such a plan, fans would need to wait for at least over half a decade before they can be brought back to the grid.

As such, for now, drivers like Max Verstappen can only try to show more support to bring back V10s to Formula 1 in the near future.

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