100% Sustainable Fuel:
Saving the Combustion Engine
The 2026 regulations introduce a revolutionary "drop-in" fuel that is 100% sustainable, proving that internal combustion doesn't have to mean carbon emissions.
What is "Sustainable Fuel"?
Unlike traditional petrol (gasoline), which is refined from crude oil drilled from the ground, F1's new fuel is created in a lab or processing plant using renewable sources.
The carbon emitted from the exhaust pipe is the exact same amount of carbon that was taken out of the atmosphere to create the fuel. This creates a "Net Zero" carbon cycle.
How is it made?
The fuel is a blend of advanced components derived from:
Non-food Biomass
Agricultural waste, algae, or wood residue.
Municipal Waste
Household trash that would otherwise go to landfill.
Carbon Capture
Literally sucking CO2 out of the air and combining it with hydrogen.
The "Drop-in" Technology
The most important part of this regulation is that the fuel is designed to be "drop-in". This means it can be used in a standard internal combustion engine without any major modifications.
Why this matters: If F1 perfects this, the technology can be rolled out to the billions of existing petrol cars on the road today, instantly reducing their carbon footprint without needing to replace them with electric vehicles.
Is F1 Fuel the Same as Road Fuel?
Chemically, it is very similar, but the source is different.
It is "drop-in" ready, meaning you could theoretically put it in your road car. However, unlike other alternative fuels, it is:
- ✕Not Hydrogen: It is a liquid, not a gas.
- ✕Not Ethanol: It is not just alcohol-based like IndyCar fuel.
- ✕Not Pump Petrol: It contains no fossil fuels.
Impact on Performance
F1 engineers have worked hard to ensure that sustainable fuel packs the same punch as high-octane race fuel.
While the energy density might be slightly different, the high-efficiency V6 Turbo Hybrid engines are tuned to extract maximum power from every drop. The fuel flow limit is strictly controlled, forcing teams to chase thermal efficiency (getting more bang for their buck) rather than just burning more fuel.