F1's V8 proposal may deliver less weight reduction than expected

Formula 1's possible return to V8 engines may bring less weight reduction than expected, argues Paolo Filisetti, RacingNews365's technical analyst. He says heavier engine components and extra fuel could eat into the savings from smaller batteries and cooling equipment.

The proposal he discusses is a three-litre turbocharged hybrid V8 with a maximum electric output of 100 kW. It is not an adopted formula: Filisetti says the decision process could still bring changes and mentions 2030 only as a possible date to bring the powertrains forward. In his account, the appeal also includes simpler engines and race strategies less dominated by energy management.

Filisetti's weight argument starts with the engine itself. A three-litre V8 would have a heavier crankcase and larger-diameter pistons, he says. A smaller battery would offset some of that mass, but would weigh only slightly less than the batteries used through 2025.

The electrical-power figures do not, in Filisetti's assessment, translate directly into a smaller battery. Current power units have 350 kW of electrical power, while the proposal sets a 100 kW maximum. Yet he says that would not produce a real reduction in battery size compared with the 2025 power units, when the maximum was 126 kW. Smaller ERS heat exchangers could reduce cooling-system volume, he adds, but not enough for a major weight saving.

Fuel could erode the gains further. Filisetti says that if the proposed internal-combustion engines are to deliver significantly more power than current V8s, fuel consumption would also rise, requiring larger tanks and more fuel at the start of a race.

Filisetti also points to car regulations as a route to lower mass. A maximum wheelbase of 330 cm, compared with 360 cm today, is his example of a possible rule that could make cars lighter and reduce their external dimensions. It is an illustration, not an agreed limit.