Horner issues 'Cinderella' warning over major F1 rule change

Christian Horner has cautioned F1 that "Cinderella has left the building" on the 2026 power units as talk of a potential V10 return grows. 

F1 last used V10 engines in 2005, although Toro Rosso ran with a modified unit for the start of the V8 era in 2006. The current turbo-hybrid systems were introduced in 2014, and have undergone little change since.

For 2026, the power units are being overhauled, with the MGU-H removed and the electrical systems enhanced to coincide with a raft of changes to the chassis, such as the introduction of active aerodynamics. 

The entire package has been called the biggest change witnessed in a single set of technical regulations. It has resulted in Audi and General Motors being enticed to F1 for the first time, whilst Honda returns as a works engine supplier to Aston Martin. Ford is also teaming up with Red Bull as a technical partner.

The engines are proving extremely complex to develop, with talk in recent weeks growing to the possibility of extending the current rules cycle by a couple of years before returning to V10s, albeit with sustainable fuels, which are also set for introduction in 2026.

However, with the 2026-spec power units almost fully developed, and with hundreds of millions poured into their development, Horner has warned it is too late to consider a switch.

"There's a lot of debate about the future," Horner told media, including RacingNews365. "We've got a set of regulations for 2026, and I think there are some limitations to those regulations as far as the show and the racing are concerned.

"We've ended up in a situation where the chassis is having to compensate a huge amount for perhaps some of the shortcomings of the split in electrification and combustion, but, it's sort of ten past midnight and Cinderella's left the building. 

"So, the romantic in you - a screaming V10 - so long as it's done responsibly, with fully sustainable fuels, is hugely attractive, but I think the big question is: when would that be for, and what would be the game plan between where we sit today and then?

"Because it would be a massive departure to move away from what is currently being worked on very hard for 2026.

"But I think, from the fan in me, the concept of a screaming V10 engine would be very exciting for the sport - at whatever point it’s chosen for the future."