What happened: Retired Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko told Austrian outlet oe24 the turbo V8 return for 2030 is a done deal as far as he knows. He was speaking after the relocated Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang, which drew 261,000 fans but was disrupted by a long rain delay and a software glitch tied to the 2026 rules.

Why it matters: The 2026 rules mandate a roughly 50/50 split between combustion and electric power, a package drivers and paddock figures blame for battery clipping and software stops. A move back to lighter turbo V8s would reverse the heavy-hybrid direction and answer calls from purists including Max Verstappen to drop DRS and cut weight.

What to watch: Watch for any response from Formula 1 or the FIA on 2030 power-unit plans. On-track focus stays on managing the current package through the rest of 2026.