Ben Sulayem Puts F1's V8 in 2030 at Rwanda's Grand Prix Launch, a Year Before the FIA Could Impose It Alone
Mohammed Ben Sulayem went to Kigali on Tuesday to help announce Formula 1's first African race since 1993, and he used the occasion to put a year on the V8: 2030. The FIA president said the new engine would make the cars about 80 kg lighter and cut research and development spending by at least 50 percent, and that he was "positive" it would make its debut at the Rwandan race, according to Taarifa…
In Kigali, Formula 1's president Mohammed Ben Sulayem announced that the V8 engine would debut at the 2030 African Grand Prix, a year earlier than the FIA could enforce it without manufacturer approval. The lighter engine is expected to reduce research and development costs by at least 50%. However, this information was not included in Formula 1's official announcement, which only confirmed the 10-year deal for the African Grand Prix at a new circuit in Bugesera.
Ben Sulayem's original statement mentioned a 2030 debut but referred to it as an ambition rather than a confirmed regulation. The FIA has been discussing potential future power unit concepts, including a V8 powered by sustainable fuels, but no specific details or a set start date have been published.
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