## โขVettel Calls for F1 to โPrioritize Spectacleโข and Affordability,โ Questions Engine Regulations
Former Formula 1 champion Sebastian vettel recently voiced his concernsโข aboutโ the โฃdirection of theโข sport, focusingโ on the impact of current and future โคengine regulations on the fan experience and the overall spiritโ of racing. He specifically criticized the complexity and cost of the current hybrid engines, โฃandโ expressed a longing for the visceral experience providedโค by older engine formats.
Looking ahead to the 2026 regulation changes – which will increase the focus on electrical energy in F1 โฃengines โ- Vettel believes the current hybrid formula doesn’t offer tangible โขbenefits. “Theโข current engine is โtoo expensive. Apart from the ‘Hybrid‘ sticker, there hasn’t been any transfer to โseries production because โit was too complex and too expensive,” he stated. Heโฃ emphasized the need for closer โcompetition โขand affordability, arguing, “From a sporting perspective, theโ competition mustโ be as close as possible without damaging โฃthe spiritโค of Formula 1. And peopleโ must still be able to afford the โขsport.”
Vettel highlighted โขthe importance of the sensory experience for attracting fans to races.He describedโข the broader event atmosphere, questioning how toโฃ improveโค spectator access, consumption at the track, and the overall event โฃexperience. He then shared his personalโข connection โคto theโ older generation โof engines. “I wasโ still able to experience what a V10 feels and sounds like.โข And that is part โof the show and the Formula โข1 experience. In the past you didn’t just go to the race track to see who would win; you โalso wanted to breathe โคin all the fascination around it.”
While acknowledging that newer fans may not shareโ his nostalgia, Vettel believes a V10 engine could still โฃexcite a modern audience. He questioned the necessity of tyingโฃ engine formulas โฃdirectly โคto roadโ carโ production, stating,โ “I do โขthink there’s a generation growing up for whom the V10 sound is no longer asโค criticallyโ important as it is โindeed for us,โข but who โcould still be excited by it. The question is whether the engine formula has to be relevant toโ road car production.I don’t โฃthink โฃso.”
Addressing the sport’s commitment toโ sustainability – aiming forโข net-zero carbon status by 2030 -โ Vettel acknowledged the need for any potential return to older engine types to align with environmental โgoals.He โstressed the importance of balancing entertainment with โขecological obligation.
“It will move away fromโ this transfer and more towardsโฃ entertainment. We should stickโค to what we โcertainly know, but โขit hasโค to be done betterโข in environmental terms,” โขVettelโ explained. He broadened theโ discussion to encompass ethicalโข manufacturing practices, stating, “The shoe I buy has to be manufactured in a way that doesn’t โขharm the environment and โthatโ ensures fairโ working conditions. The same applies toโข carsโค andโ motorsport events. it would beโค a shame if the motorsport we know were to cease to exist. It’sโข perfectly normalโ for itโ to change.”