Ferrari Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur acknowledged that the International Automobile Federation’s (FIA) proposal to have an independent engine supplier under Formula 1’s next regulations is technically possible. However, speaking to the media—including GRANDE PRÊMIO—after the Belgian Grand Prix, the Frenchman made it clear that the ultimate hurdle would be bringing such a package up to the high-performance standards demanded by the category.

Ever since the current set of regulations came into force—triggering a wave of complaints from drivers—Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been the most vocal advocate for moving away from Power Units with a 50/50 split between thermal and electrical power. The path forward is clear, given that in early June, the teams and the sport’s governing body approved several changes for 2027 and 2028.

Nevertheless, discussions are deepening beyond just a potential return to V8 engines. The FIA President himself, who has repeatedly cited the need to reduce costs for entrants and enhance entertainment value, revealed a few days ago that the goal is to select an independent manufacturer capable of supplying a low-cost power unit to any interested team.

Following the race at Spa-Francorchamps last Sunday (19), Vasseur was asked about the feasibility of the idea. “I think it’s possible,” he replied. “If someone wants to build an engine today, they can do it. The regulations allow it, so that’s not the issue. The question will always be performance,” the Ferrari boss reasoned.

“Sometimes it might seem that developing a V8 turbo would be simpler than other architectures, but we are all chasing those final hundredths of a second. And hunting down those last hundredths is never easy. Reliability is never simple, either. At the moment, I don’t know if this is really very realistic, but we’ll see in a few years,” he added.

During the interview, even Cosworth—an independent engine supplier that enjoyed huge success in F1 for decades—was brought up. However, the team principal refrained from speaking specifically about the British brand, emphasizing instead that any manufacturer entering the category would face steep challenges.

FIA President revealed proposal for an independent engine supplier (Photo: FIA)

“Building an engine in itself isn’t the hardest part. The difficulty lies in reaching the required performance level. That is the real challenge. I don’t want to talk specifically about Cosworth or any other company; I can only speak for our own work. If someone wants to develop an engine, they are free to do so,” he concluded.

Formula 1 returns on July 24–26 in Budapest for the Hungarian Grand Prix, the 11th round of the 2026 season.

F1 Hungarian GP: Check the schedule in US ET, London, New Delhi, and Shanghai

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