Toto Wolff commented on the declaration of FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem that V8 will power Formula 1 again, claiming Mercedes is open to such an engine.

In the midst of the noise surrounding the current F1 regulations and their 50-50 internal combustion to electric power units, Ben Sulayem emerged from the Miami Grand Prix paddock to announce that V8s will replace the current power units in 2030, maximum by 2031.

If the engine manufacturers agree, the new engine can happen in 2030; otherwise, the FIA can impose it in 2031 based on the regulations and the current Concorde agreement.

Wolff, currently the only F1 team boss enjoying the 2026 power units due to the dominant unit Mercedes produced, said he doesn't mind having the V8s back.

"Long ⁠term, I think from a Mercedes standpoint we are open to engine regulations," he said. "We love V8s. That ​has only great memories. From our perspective it's a real Mercedes engine; it revs high."

But the Austrian warned that there has to be a right concept; he added: "And then how do we ​make it? How do we give enough energy from the battery side to not lose connection to the real world?

"If we swing 100% combustion, then we're looking a bit ridiculous in 2031 or 2030. So we need to consider that. Make it simpler and make it ​a mega engine. We're absolutely ‌up for ⁠it," Wolff maintained.

He went on plotting a road map to finalize the potential upcoming engine formula, saying: "As long as those discussions happen in a structured way, people are being given consideration and taken on board.

"We recognize the financial realities of OEMs [manufacturers] these days...but if it's well-planned and executed, then we, Mercedes, count us in to come back with a real racing engine," Wolff concluded. (Source: Reuters)