Motorsports at a Crossroads as NASCAR Turns to Electrification While F1 Eyes V8 Revival

NASCAR EV | Courtesy: NASCAR

NASCAR and F1 have always maintained their status as elite racing series in the world of motorsports, with huge fanbases that follow them for the legacy they have been carrying for decades and the innovation they bring in each year.

However, some of those changes may not be welcomed by traditional fanbases, especially if the changes go against the identity of the motorsport itself.

But the changes are often dictated by regulations and emission norms that shape the automotive industry's path ahead. They then trickle down to motorsports.

The same could be seen with F1's current regulations, where cars are powered equally by a 1.6-liter V6 internal combustion engine and electric power. However, a switch back to V8 engines is likely to occur in 2030. NASCAR, on the other hand, is considering some form of electrification, a move that could upset purists who live by the V8 rumble.

F1's Current Regulations Showcase the Complex Nature of Hybrid Engines

Source: F1 Media on X

F1's 2026 technical regulations came into effect this year, with cars featuring active aerodynamics and a power unit that produces 50% of the power through an internal combustion engine, while the other half is generated by rechargeable batteries.

However, with just four races ticked off the calendar this year, F1 and its governing body, the FIA, have already made changes to the way power is deployed. The complex nature of these power units has had teams spend a significant amount of money on their research and development.

Most F1 drivers are not too happy about the way the cars are being driven, because they have to lift off on long straights and downshift aggressively on select corners to recharge their batteries, a practice that does not come instinctively.

Many drivers have voiced their displeasure about the new F1 cars, which have forced them to change their driving styles this year. However, no major changes can be made now.

What about the fans? F1 has reportedly faced backlash on social media for opting for the partial electrification route. Fans have mostly called for a return of the V10 or V8 engine, which powered F1 cars before 2014 and were famous for their addictive engine note that echoed through Grand Prix circuits on race weekends.

FIA President Announces F1 Switching to V8 Engines in 2030-2031

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem announced that F1 will switch back to V8 engines in a few years, emphasizing that it will happen regardless of whether power unit manufacturers such as Mercedes, Ferrari, Honda, General Motors, Audi, and Red Bull like it or not. His statement was reported by Motorsport.com:

“It’s coming. At the end of the day, it’s a matter of time. In 2031, the V8, the FIA will have the power to do it, without any votes from the PUMs.

“That’s the regulations. But we want to bring it one year earlier, which everyone now is asking for.“

In a recent interview with The Drive, Ben Sulayem highlighted that the V8-powered F1 car will have an engine with a minimum capacity of 2.6 liters, while a maximum of 20% electrification will be allowed. He said:

“I believe that for the sake of the sustainability of the business—the cost, the efficiency, the lighter weight, the sound for the fans—I think [the V8] ticks many boxes."

He added:

“First of all, you have to get the power. You can’t get the power with less than a 2.5- or 2.6-liter, so you’re talking about between 2.6- to 3.0 liters."

Speaking about the electric component, Ben Sulayem firmly stated that "electrification is not the only solution," admitting that the V8 power unit will not receive more than a 10 to 20% power split.

NASCAR Considering Electrification of the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series

NASCAR EV | Courtesy: NASCAR

While F1 has likely realized what a 50% electrification of the series would look like, some reports suggest NASCAR could field electric cars in the second-tier O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.

Guessing Headlights recently reported that NASCAR developed an electric race car prototype in 2024 with ABB, which produces 1,341 horsepower and looks more like a crossover utility vehicle (CUV).

The car is built on a 756-volt electrical architecture featuring a 78-kWh liquid-cooled battery that sits on the right side of the floor to mimic the handling of a gas-powered car.

NASCAR’s executive vice president, John Probst, stated back then that an EV series was being considered. He said:

“At this point, I would say it’s probably premature for me to speculate on [an EV series]. We’ve worked with our OEM partners to figure out what that would look like, but that’s down the road.”

Recently, Probst revealed that the O’Reilly Series struggles with a brand identity, and fielding electric cars could help in that direction. He said:

“If you look at the brand identity of those three, the O’Reilly Series struggles a little bit just from the car perspective and you see it a lot because we refer to it often as whoever the entitlement sponsor is.”

Probst suggested that bringing electric race cars into NASCAR’s tier two division is part of the sport’s evolution in the 2030s. Hinting that NASCAR could develop the electric car on the lines of the 2024 prototype built in partnership with ABB, he said:

“Long term, you see it as, we do have that CUV body that we developed for our electric vehicle. I’m not sitting here saying today we’re breaking news it’s going to CUV, but these are the things that are on the roadmap to consider, so you’d have a Truck, a CUV and a Cup, that’s three very different bodies that are relevant for our OEMs today to create that brand identity for each series.”

While an electric series is still in the pipeline for NASCAR, should the premier stock car racing series learn from F1, which is about to undo the electrification bit in four years?

That could be interesting research for NASCAR to conduct to gain detailed insight into what fans would accept and reject. After all, viewership, ticket sales, and fan engagement matter a lot.