Ben Sulayem says F1 could have V8 engines as soon as 2029
The sport is entering a new engine era next season but the head of the governing body suggested last February that a return to the naturally-aspirated V8s or V10s was being considered after that.
The V8 engines were last used in 2013, before the current 1.6-litre V6 units.
"The current engine is so complicated, you have no idea, and it is costly," Ben Sulayem told reporters at the weekend's British Grand Prix.
"R&D is reaching 200 million (dollars), and the engine is costing approximately 1.8 to 2.1, so if we go with a straight V8, let's see.
"Many of the manufacturers produce V8s in their cars, so commercially it's correct. How much is it? You drop it. The target is more than 50 per cent in everything."
Ben Sulayem said the V8 engine would also have significant weight advantages and the sound would be welcomed by both nostalgic fans and the new generation.
"To us, the V8 is happening. With the teams now, I'm very optimistic, happy about it. FOM (Formula One Management) are supportive, the teams are realising it is the right way," he said.
"We need to do it soon... you need three years, so hopefully by 2029 we have something there, but the fuel is also very expensive, and we have to be very careful with that. Transmissions are very expensive."
Ben Sulayem also spoke about the possibility of a Chinese team filling the final 12th slot, something he has mentioned before, and said he still felt the sport needed more cars rather than more races.
"The time will come when we feel it is right to open an expression of interest," he said of filling the 12th slot.
"We are not here to upset other teams. It won't be just go and do it for the sake of doing it. It has to be worth it for us. The team has to add value to sustaining the business of Formula One."
General Motors' Cadillac brand is due to become the 11th team next season, a slot won after initial resistance from the other teams and Liberty Media-owned Formula One.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNA
4 minutes ago
- CNA
Celine's new designer Michael Rider makes a strong start
When the first model came out in Michael Rider's debut show for Celine, it was clear Rider planned to respect his predecessor Hedi Slimane's legacy. Skinny jeans are a Slimane trademark and the opening look featured ultra-clingy denim, paired with white boots and a camel-coloured tailored jacket. If there was any doubt as to whether the lean jean is coming back into fashion, there needn't be now. Talking backstage after the show at Celine's headquarters in Paris, Rider said the jeans look was 'like something that was familiar but felt new right now, the right way to start'. The American designer added that when it comes to the different designer eras at Celine, several of which were echoed in the collection, 'I definitely did not want there to be a sense of erasure; it felt right to me to build'. Rider had a direct hand in forming one of those eras, having worked there under Phoebe Philo for nine years from 2008 before he became creative director of Polo Ralph Lauren. Many designers want to reference their house heritage, but when Slimane took the helm at Celine in 2018 he made a volte-face from the luxurious refinement favoured by his predecessor, Philo. Many so-called Philophiles were devastated at the loss of clothes that felt modern, thoughtful and feminist. But Slimane's designs were a commercial success, with annual revenues climbing from around €800 million (US$940 million; S$1.2 billion) in 2017 to €2.6 billion in 2023, according to analyst estimates. Rider takes over a considerably bigger house than he left in 2017 — Slimane added both menswear and fragrance — but he also joins at a challenging time for luxury. 'Celine, like other maisons in the luxury market, is affected, but the maison has exactly what it takes to emerge from periods of turbulence stronger: Through quality and driven by exceptional savoir-faire and creativity,' chief executive Severine Merle wrote via email after the show. 'There are still many territories left for us to explore.' Optimism was running high for Rider's debut, held on the eve of haute couture week in Paris. Some of the seats in the alfresco courtyard were arranged to form the 'Celine' logo underneath a giant Celine scarf, with guests clutching branded umbrellas to shield against the rain. The collection borrowed elements of Ralph Lauren's signature sporty prep in crayon-bright colours mixed with '80s blouson jackets and classic French tailoring. Block colours and clean lines were a foil to armfuls of coloured bangles and rows of rings. Trouser shapes ranged from ultra-skinny to wide tailored culottes, worn with flat Mary Janes and cardigans, and given a more opulent twist with excessive layers of gold necklaces and horn-shaped pendants. Barrel-leg trousers in tan and check came with cinched, pleated waists paired with oversized blazers and nonchalant silk scarves. There was also a dandy element in Chesterfield coats shown, in one example, in white with a white scarf neck top and embellished jeans. Coincidentally, it resembled one of the looks at Jonathan Anderson's recent debut for Dior, and there were other parallels suggesting a trend, such as elevated sweatshirts. It seems like a hybrid dandy bourgeois prep is very much in the fashion ether, offering an alternative to athleisure that takes barely more effort but has a lot more style. 'I think he's making clothes for this new cool girl,' said celebrity stylist Law Roach, who was in the audience. 'We have been seeing all this Y2K fashion and this feels newer and a little bit more modern — easy but not too much of a departure from what we know Celine to be.' Shoes included lace-up heeled shoe boots and Mary Janes as well as soft dance shoes that resembled the pair by Repetto that Serge Gainsbourg used to wear. However, the presence of boxing boots, some with Celine branding, felt a bit predictable as they are already an established trend. Bags are important for the house and alongside logo-printed flat totes, slouchy shoulder bags and huge leather sacks, Rider brought back the Luggage bag from the Philo era. This time, however, the zip resembled a smiley face. 'Having a sense of humour in the luxury space is actually a beautiful thing,' Rider said.
CNA
an hour ago
- CNA
Aunt Anisimova rocks with Jackson after reaching Wimbledon semis
LONDON :A year after Amanda Anisimova's attempt to qualify for Wimbledon ended in failure, the American cradled her young nephew on Court One to celebrate a remarkable turnaround in fortunes as she reached the All England Club semi-finals for the first time. Anisimova collapsed flat on her face in sheer relief after she survived an astonishing, and unexpected, fightback from Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to secure a 6-1 7-6(9) victory and set up a fascinating showdown with world number one Aryna Sabalenka. Once a beaming Anisimova had lifted herself off the ground, she scooped up her three-year-old nephew Jackson for a victory lap. By then it was hard to tell who was more excited, Anisimova or Jackson, who could be heard shouting out to his aunt mid-rally on numerous occasions. "It has been an extraordinary year for me with so many highs. I am enjoying every step of the way and, even in times like today I keep reminding myself to enjoy the moment," said Anisimova, whose only previous appearance in a Grand Slam semi-final was at the French Open six years ago. "My nephew has never seen a match of mine in my life, so it was super special, and to get the win also on top of that is just an incredible experience." With the American 13th seed leading 6-1 5-2, Pavlyuchenkova was left wishing she could disappear through a Wimbledon trapdoor as she was bamboozled by a cocktail of blazing backhands, ferocious forehands and nifty footwork. But just when it seemed that Anisimova had one foot in the last four, the 34-year-old Russian's game suddenly caught fire and she won three games in a row. Pavlyuchenkova saved two match points in the 10th game, including hitting a gutsy dropshot winner that completely caught Anisimova by surprise. With the world number 50 suddenly believing she could turn the match around, an emotional Anisimova looked like she was on the verge of breaking down, mouthing to her support group "one more point" as the Russian kept earning set points in the tiebreak. SUPER SPECIAL Anisimova, at 23 more than a decade younger than her opponent, saved all five set points against her before sealing victory when Pavlyuchenkova netted a service return on the American's fourth match point. "It was such a battle today. I was up in the second set and she started playing some unreal tennis," Anisimova, who took an eight-month break from the sport two years ago after complaining of burnout, told the crowd. "I just kept fighting and that tiebreak was super stressful, but I'm just so happy I got it done. I'm happy to be in the semi-final for the first time, it's super special. "It's a super special turnaround for me, considering where I was a year ago and losing in the quallies here last year, which was a bit heartbreaking," added the player who was ranked 189th a year ago. There were plenty of special moments for Anisimova during the contest in which rallies were in short supply. By the end of the 99-minute tussle, the stats showed that an average rally lasted less than three shots as Pavlyuchenkova's game collapsed under an avalanche of unforced errors. During the blink-and-you-will miss first set, the 2021 French Open runner-up produced only three winners while her unforced error count stood at 12. That kind of showing was never going to be enough to get past an opponent Pavlyuchenkova had never beaten in three previous meetings. Last time she had contested the Wimbledon quarter-finals in 2016, she ran into an impenetrable wall called Serena Williams. On Tuesday, she left the court in floods of tears. "First set I thought she was playing incredible. I couldn't touch the ball," said Pavlyuchenkova, who did not know whether she would be able to compete at Wimbledon after being diagnosed with Epstein-Barr virus and Lyme disease this year. "When I actually started to feel better, it was already 6-1, 5-2. Then I just fought till the end. I gave everything I had. Came back from match points down... so that really sucks.
CNA
2 hours ago
- CNA
Meta takes around 3% stake in Ray-Ban-parent EssilorLuxottica, source says
Meta Platforms has acquired a nearly 3 per cent stake in eyewear maker EssilorLuxottica, a source told Reuters on Tuesday, amid growing consumer interest in AI-powered wearable devices. Sprucing up its wearable technology with artificial-intelligence capabilities could help Meta attract new users as it invests billions of dollars in bolstering its AI infrastructure. EssilorLuxottica declined to comment, while Meta did not immediately respond when contacted by Reuters. Meta bought a stake worth around 3 billion euros ($3.52 billion) in EssilorLuxottica at the current market price and is considering further investments that could build its share to around 5 per cent over time, according to Bloomberg News, which reported the development earlier in the day. The social media giant teamed up with Oakley to release AI-powered smart glasses last month, expanding its push into wearable tech after the success of Ray-Ban Meta glasses, millions of which have been sold since their launch in 2023. The "Oakley Meta HSTN" will feature a hands-free high-resolution camera, open-ear speakers, water resistance and Meta AI capabilities. EssilorLuxottica planned to boost its production capacity for smart glasses and hopes to expand its collaboration with Meta to other brands, Chief Executive Francesco Milleri had said in February. ($1 = 0.8527 euros)
