Toto Wolff hits out at new F1 engines - 'it sounds like a fire alarm'

Toto Wolff, Mercedes, Belgian GP, 2026, generic — Photo: © IMAGO

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Toto Wolff hits out at new F1 engines - 'it sounds like a fire alarm'

Bring back proper engines!

Chris Deeley Editor

Experienced sports writer covering F1 and other motorsports since 2023

Wednesday 19 August 2026 09:57 Updated: 10:04

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Toto Wolff has admitted that he 'can't stand' one aspect of F1 engines in 2026, while discussing the sport's future power units.

The Mercedes boss revealed that he's talking with many of the major stakeholders in the sport, including the heads of the FIA and F1, about a potential return to V8 engines in the next round of new regulations in the early 2030s.

Wolff singled out the noise just before the start of the race as a real bugbear of his, with drivers needing to hold their revs incredibly high and producing a noise he described as 'like a fire alarm'.

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However to the probable delight of many fans, Wolff told RacingNews365 that he expects to go back to a more traditional engine within the decade, predicting an 80:20 split between internal combustion engine power and battery power, compared to the 50:50 split in 2026.

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The Austrian explained: "I'm talking with [FIA] president [Mohammed Ben Sulayem], and I'm talking to [F1 president and CEO] Stefano [Domenicali], and to the other engine manufacturers.

"These engines at the moment are so complex, and we're starting to get our heads around it because they've changed the racing; some like the Sundays and the racing because there are a lot of overtakes, others don't like it, but the drivers who are most adaptable win.

"I can't stand the cars revving on the grid before the start for 10 seconds; it sounds like a fire alarm. Look at Lewis [Hamilton], he's changed, and his performance has changed massively; Kimi [Antonelli] is doing very well, and others have had to adapt.

"Mid-to-long-term, and speaking on the horizon of three to four years as it stands at the moment, we will go back to a combustion engine, which is more than 50% of the performance.

"Ben Sulayem wants an eight-cylinder V8, which is a good sound, and a more limited battery. I think it would be around 80:20 [in terms of power output between the ICE and battery], with an output of 1,000 horsepower.

"I'm not sure if it is going to be normally aspirated or not, but I think this is where Formula 1 goes at the moment, and me as a purist, I like it."

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