F1 to turn up engine volume in 2026 – CEO

Jun.26 (GMM) Formula 1 will turn up the engine volume with the new regulations from 2026, the sport’s CEO has announced.

Seven time world champion Lewis Hamilton admitted recently that the old scream of the pre-2014 normally-aspirated engines is one thing he misses about the past.

“If we can have clean efficient cars that make lots of noise like the old ones, then that would be pretty cool,” he said.

That is precisely what F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali is intending as the FIA looks to write up the new 2026 rules, which will double the electric or ‘hybrid’ element of the existing power units.

“The intention is to make sure in the new regulation the engine (noise) itself will be higher because that’s part of our emotion,” the Italian told Australian radio 3AW. “It’s music for my ears.

“It is really what our fans want to hear and that’s the duty for us to commit to that.”

Domenicali admitted, however, that the trend from the 90s onwards has been in the exact opposite direction.

“It’s true that we had the 12 cylinders,” said the former Ferrari team boss. “It was a different frequency, very loud.

“And then 10, eight, six (cylinders). It’s not (going) down again.”