Abiteboul: "Discussions about 2026 engines are going to be a battlefield"

In 2014 the F1 made its last major rule changes around the engine. Since then we are in the era of V6 hybrid engines. These regulations apply until 2025, but what will happen after that is still a grey area. Cyril Abiteboul expects that there will be a lot of discussions about the direction of F1 around the engines.

Abiteboul indicates that the current changes are already a step in the right direction, but that much remains to be done. "There is still a lot of work that hasn't been done on the engine controls", Abiteboul tells Autosport. "We have now been able to partly limit the development of engine components by, for example, reducing the number of hours on the test bench".

Discussion about electric motors is going to be a battlefield

The team boss of Renault hopes that the future rules will result in even less expenses. "The current rules are good, but it is still extremely expensive to maintain and keep these engines running. A next step is to take a good look at how we can make the next generation of engines more sustainable and cheaper".

According to Abiteboul it is important that it will cost less to participate as an F1 team. "Economic sustainability is very important for the engine programme. We can see the progress of electric engines and we need to take a good look at what impact that has on Formula 1 and racing. We need to think carefully about that, as it is going to be our next battlefield," Abiteboul expected.