The technology of current Formula 1 pneumatic valve spring systems is that of replacing the traditional coiled-wire valve spring with a pneumatic spring, often using an inert gas (nitrogen, which behaves substantially the same as air) as the compressive fluid. The engine's camshaft exercises its normal precision control of the motion of each valve, and each spring maintains the contact force between an individual valve assembly, rocker arm, pushrod, lifter, cam, or tappet during operation. Pneumatic valve spring systems are an improved replacement for mechanical springs. They are not a complete valve control system like a desmodromic operation - which uses no springs.

Pneumatic valve springs often operate using a gas distribution system with the essential supply from a compressed gas cylinder, pressure regulator, check valves, and control system. The principle effective reduction in pneumatic valve spring dynamic mass can be be approximately compared to the upper one-third mass of an equivalent traditional coil spring possessing the same spring-rate.
                   
The pneumatic spring is not subject to fatigue failure, or diminished damping, with run time. NASCAR Winston Cup engines incorporate oil spray-bar systems to assist in cooling the coil springs that often approach 400 degrees F during operation at 9,000 RPM. Valve lift is also not constrained by spring wire maximum stress and stress range limits.

Renault has stated that the rising rate characteristics of the pneumatic spring assists in matching spring force to valve assembly inertia force requirements in the particular case of the V10. The fundamental pneumatic spring advantage for very high speed engines is that the natural frequency of the compressed gas column is in the order of six to eight times that of a steel wire coil spring.

Jean-Pierre Boudy, the Chief Engineer of Engine Development at Renault Sport during the turbocharged V6 race engine era, applied the first known pneumatic valve spring system to be used in a competitive Formula 1 racecar engine. The pneumatic spring equipped Renault engine was first raced, in a Lotus chassis driven by the late Ayrton Senna, at the beginning of the 1986 season.
                             
In 1992, the Honda RA122E/B V12 ran between 87 to 116 psi supply pressure with the gas supply cylinder charged initially, to 2175 psi. Honda claimed an overall reduction of valve assembly reciprocating mass of 20% with similar levels of valve train friction reduction compared to conventional systems). 

In the case of a typical large American V8, a competitive roller camshaft coil valve spring with retainer may weigh as little as 160 grams. Depending on the springs construction, the effective reciprocating dynamic mass would then roughly equal  1/3 or 52 grams.

As a comparison, an equivalent P-spring has a dynamic mass of 37 grams resulting in a reduction of nearly 30% but without the troublesome harmonic content seen in a typical coil unit. Additionally due to less friction, the P-spring will operate cooler and will allow the valve to rotate within the valve guide for greater seat life-span.