McLaren criticises questioning of 2026 engine regulations: 'Not in the interest of the sport'

McLaren team boss, Andrea Stella, believes the 2026 regulations should be fully backed, and fails to understand why the V10 engines comeback idea is being talked about at all.

For weeks now, there has been speculation in Formula 1 about the reintroduction of V10 engines in the sport. There are even certain forces in the paddock suggesting that this type of power unit should be used in 2028, just two years after the introduction of the entirely new 2026 engines.

GPblog previously explained why the idea of the V10 is not feasible, with both Audi and Honda standing fast against it.

Andrea Stella, team principal at McLaren, also fails to see any merit in the idea. "I think at the moment the interest of the sport is to confirm that there is full support behind the regulations in 2026 because they have not even started and we seem to be questioning the regulations which I don't think necessarily is in the full interest of the sport," said the Italian team principal to media present at the paddock in Suzuka.

Stella claims to be a data-driven person. Before considering alternatives, he first wants to see if there is any need for a change in the technical regulations based on facts and figures. "I think we need to be just well grounded in having this kind of conversations," he said.

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