Ford says F1 needs ‘balanced’ engine sound for 2026

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Red Bull engine partner Ford says F1 needs to strike the right “balance” when it comes to the sound of the sport’s next-generation engines that will be introduced in 2026.

Since the introduction of F1’s turbo hybrid power units in 2014, fans have often lamented the lack of engine noise of the current engines compared to the earth-shattering V8s and V10s of the past that added a captivating dimension to the spectatorship.

Formula 1’s next-generation PUs that will come only in 2026 will retain their turbo-hybrid technology but with increased electrification. They will also be powered by 100% sustainable fuels in phase with F1's net aero carbon objectives.

F1 boss Stefano Domenicali has alluded to the possibility of Grand Prix racing shedding its hybrid component from 2030 with the help of sustainable fuels which would allow for a return to the crowd-pleasing full atmospheric V8s of the past.

Read also: Ford backs General Motors bid to join F1 grid

However, the volume is already set to increase in 2026 according to F1’s chief executive.

"We need to have a different sound. It’s music for my ears,” Domenicali told Australian website 3AW earlier this year.

"It’s true that we had the 12 cylinders, it was a different frequency, very loud. And then 10, eight, six – it’s not [going] again down.

"It’s just the situation is different. Of course we need to be hybrid, we’re going to be hybrid for the future.

"But the intention is to make sure in the new regulation the engine [noise] itself will be higher because that’s part of our emotion.

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

Ford motorsport boss Mark Rushbrook, whose company is working in partnership with Red Bull Powertrains on F1’s next-generation power unit, confirmed that manufacturers are currently debating how to pump up the volume of their engines in 2026.

“It's still TBD how they will actually sound in 2026,” Rushbrook said Speedcafe.

“Because there are changes to the power unit already, obviously for 2026 and changes to the car and the cars are going to sound different for 2026 in many ways.

“But that is certainly an open discussion, even though we're not yet racing in 2026. Those meetings and discussions are already happening. What do we want to change for the future beyond that?”

Mark Rushbrook, Ford Performance Motorsports Director, with Michael Andretti at the Miami GP.

While in favor of making F1’s engines louder, Rushbrook feels that a proper “balance” needs to be struck between two generations of F1 fans with different tolerance levels for sound.

“Well, there's definitely a difference,” he said. “When you go to a race, especially with a family, you want to be able to communicate with each other.

“So there's a balance, I think, or maybe a right level. So, yeah, we'll see how those discussions shake out.”

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.