Ben Sulayem announces V8 timeline at Rwanda's Grand Prix launch
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Oct 14, 2026, 12:39 PM
Last updated Oct 14, 2026
Mohammed Ben Sulayem announced the debut year for Formula 1's new V8 engine at the launch of Rwanda's Grand Prix on October 14, 2026. He stated that the new engine is expected to make cars around 80 kg lighter and significantly reduce research and development costs. Ben Sulayem's comments differ from Formula 1's official release, which emphasized a 10-year deal for the Grand Prix without a specified race date. He suggested that the V8 engine could be introduced at the Rwandan race, which marks the first African Grand Prix since 1993, yet emphasized that this timeline remains contingent on manufacturer approvals and ongoing discussions.
- •Ben Sulayem set 2030 as the target year for the V8 engine launch.
- •The announcement took place in Kigali, Rwanda.
- •The new Grand Prix will start once the Bugesera circuit is finished.
- •No official confirmation from Formula 1 on the V8 timeline or details.
- •Manufacturers need to agree on the new engine rules before 2031.
- 12:39 PMYahoo Sports — 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 Rwanda, which covered the event. None of that appears in Formula 1's own announcement. The release F
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