F1 frontline

Ben Sulayem's push for piercing engines is in tune with the public's wish. As MARK HUGHES tells, his demands are falling on deaf ears

- MARK HUGHES

A populist president trying to reverse our environmental progress? Not Donald Trump. We're talking Formula 1. F1's future is being shaped not only by developments in the real world but by the governance system in place since Liberty's takeover of the commercial rights. Within that framework there's a culture clash between the FIA and F1 which is also determining how that future is being decided.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem is being thwarted in pushing through his agenda for a return to a loud, normally aspirated F1. He recently ruffled a few feathers by requesting a post-Dutch Grand Prix meeting with teams and engine manufacturers about going back to a naturally aspirated 2.4-litre V8 formula from as early as 2029. Months before we've even had the first race of the new '50/50' electric/ICE formula, he wanted to discuss what to replace it with and when.

The meeting didn't happen. The president had gauged accurately that there was nowhere near enough alignment of views among the teams and manufacturers to have a hope of pushing any new formula through two years earlier than scheduled (the next regs are set to run from 2026-30). This came after a similar push by the president back in April to bring back V10 engines - and to possibly even cancel the scheduled 50/50 power unit formula - failed completely.