Formula 1's leading drivers are divided on whether the sport should fast-track the return of lightweight, loud, fan-favourite V10 engines.
Rumours suggest Liberty Media, the FIA, and some teams are pushing to delay the new 2026 engine rules to bring back normally-aspirated V10s powered by sustainable fuel as early as 2028.
"It's no secret - the V6 sound was never good," Lewis Hamilton said in Shanghai.
He and Max Verstappen reminisced - separately - about their first F1 experiences in the 90s. "My whole chest vibrated," Hamilton recalled.
"It was the most overwhelming thing I've ever felt and heard. Unfortunately, over the years, that's been lost."
The Ferrari driver questioned the sustainability of today's turbo hybrid 'power units', calling them heavy, costly, and doubting their eco-credentials given the batteries used.
Verstappen echoed him, hinting that V10s might even extend his F1 career beyond his current deal. "Maybe, yes," the four-time world champion said.
"It's certainly a lot more exciting than what we have now. I remember when I was a kid, hearing the sound of the engines, it gave you so much more, even though the cars might have been slower.
"The feeling that an engine like that gave you is something you can't describe compared to what we have now."
Fernando Alonso, a veteran of F1's shift from V10s to V8s to V6s, wasn't sold on a rollback. "Obviously, I love the V10 era and the V8 and the sound of those cars that we all miss," the Spaniard said in China.
"At the same time, we're in a different world now. Technology has evolved, and we now have incredibly efficient engines that use about one-third of the fuel we used to. We can't just go against our time and our hybrid era. It's like saying we could run without the Halo and make the cars more dangerous and more adrenaline for the fans," the 43-year-old added.
One notable snag is that delaying the 2026 regulations would leave Audi without an engine next year. "I've heard the discussions," said Audi-owned Sauber driver Nico Hulkenberg.
"But I think it's just talk. The regulations for 2026 are set in stone. At least that's what I assume."
