Lewis Hamilton agrees with Max Verstappen over major F1 rule change

Lewis Hamilton has signalled his agreement with Max Verstappen over a potential return to V10 engines in F1, with one caveat. 

F1 bosses are currently evaluating the possibility of extending the current power unit regulations until 2028 before re-introducing V10 engines after they were phased out in 2005, but with the fully sustainable fuels already set for introduction. 

This would mean scrapping the costly and revolutionary power units currently under development for 2026 featuring the removal of the MGU-K and beefed-up electrical systems that can generate nearly 300% more kilowatts of energy. 

Audi signed up to F1 under this rules package, with Honda also coming back as a full works operation with Aston Martin, whilst General Motors is preparing a unit for 2028 with Cadillac, which will be a Ferrari customer in 2026 and 2027.

Senior F1 bosses such as Christian Horner and Zak Brown have warned that ditching the rules is like "Cinderella having left the building" and that the "genie is out the bottle" when it comes to the 2026 rules.

Reigning world champion Verstappen believes a V10 engine would be "definitely much better than what we have now" and indicated it could make him stay beyond the end of his contract in 2028. 

When the situation was put to Hamilton, he agreed that a V10 return would be good, but only if F1 could do so with sustainable fuels.

"I mean, it is no secret that the V6 has never sounded great," Hamilton told media including RacingNews365. 

"I remember the first time I came to a Formula 1 race in 1996 at Spa and I remember Michael [Schumacher] coming through Turn 1, and I was 12 or 13, and my rib-cage was just vibrating and I was hooked.

"It was the most amazing that I've felt or heard before, and over the years, we've lost that. 

"So if we're able to move back to those amazing sounding engines and we're still able to meet all the sustainable goals, then yeah, why not?

"But it is an interesting shift when they went from the V10s to the V6s where they said it was to cut costs, and it has cost so much money to make these V6s work, and whether they are actually more sustainable with all the battery packs we've had to use through the years. 

"Maybe we should focus on sustainable fuels which would be better moving forward."