Valve Materials and Construction

In Simple Terms

F1 engines are allowed to use special high-performance materials for their exhaust valves, specifically titanium-aluminum alloys or special iron-based alloys that can handle extreme heat. Teams can also make these valves hollow inside to reduce weight, and this special valve design gets exemptions from some other engine regulations.

• Exhaust valves must be made from TiAl intermetallic or iron/nickel/cobalt/titanium-based alloys to withstand extreme temperatures
• Hollow exhaust valves with a cylindrical main cavity are permitted to reduce engine weight
• These specialized valves are exempt from certain other engine construction restrictions (C15.6.2 and C15.1.4)
• This rule allows teams to optimize valve performance and durability in high-stress engine environments