Although Formula 1’s new power units have been the headline change in 2026, the pivot to 100% advanced sustainable fuels has equally generated another performance battleground for teams.
Developing these fuels goes beyond replacing traditional fossil fuel methods; it’s about producing an entirely new entity that can operate in some of the most extreme conditions.
Petronas Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer downstream, Datuk Sazali, recently explained that the research process itself has become a development war at the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team 2026 launch.
“The 2026 regulations have reinforced the need to formulate fuels differently, with performance, efficiency and sustainability designed together,” explained Sazali.
“Our bespoke advanced sustainable fuels are the result of years of formulation work and continuous engine testing, ensuring they meet the demands of racing.”
Since 2022, F1 has mandated the use of E10 fuels, which use a blend of 90% fossil fuels and 10% renewable ethanol. The cutting-edge fuels used in 2026 are made from carbon capture, municipal waste, or non-food biomass, either in a mix or single form.
Fuel chemists can effectively cherry-pick which molecules they want to form their fuel blends, but they must meet strict specifications defined by the FIA.
Aston Martin Aramco F1 team principal, Adrian Newey, outlined the big changes oil giant and technical partner Aramco had to make behind the scenes to produce fuels that fit the governing body’s specifications.
“They’ve had to reorganise. They’ve had to expand their facilities in certain areas to suit what is a very specific challenge: developing a fuel for an F1 team,” said Newey.
“Aramco is already experienced in this area as a supplier of low-carbon fuels to other formulas, such as F2, F3, and F1 Academy. Of course, F1 being what it is, we want to take their knowledge and expertise much further.”
This proven experience has given Aramco a head start, having developed sustainable fuels since 2022, and Newey believes this has been key to Aston Martin reaching the performance benchmarks of its Honda power unit.
Aramco is already experienced in this area as a supplier of low-carbon fuels to other formulas, such as F2, F3, and F1 Academy.
Adrian Newey
“Aramco is absolutely pivotal for us here because of how they develop fuel, as are Valvoline, which is developing the oil, to suit the work Honda is doing and are a big part of a very complicated, but very important, equation.
“Without having a technical partner and fuel supplier with Aramco’s expertise, Honda’s development of the power unit would be restricted. That, in turn, would restrict us. The work Aramco are doing is going to stand us in very good stead.”
Aston Martin’s AMR26 earned plaudits by onlookers at the recent Barcelona shakedown for its aggressive design, but the standout performers were Mercedes who clocked up over 2,000km over the three days they ran.
By its own admission, Mercedes met all of their objective’s thanks to the impressive reliability of their power unit, one of the major unknowns heading into the test week having only ran a maximum of 200km in the days prior. Part of that reliability is down to the fuel performance, which was produced with the expertise of Petronas.
According to the supplier, a fuel that operates at a high-octane number, good volatility, and formulated with good detergent prevents engine deposit build up and accumulation in engine parts. Sazali believes the development approach from Petronas has enabled them to maintain performance, while focusing on sustainability.
“What differentiates our approach is how we formulate the fuels, lubricants and fluids as one complete performance system. From fuel to engine oil and hydraulic fluid, each formulation is purpose-built to unlock the car’s full potential,” he added.
“This reflects our long-standing role in motorsport, and our strong commitment in applying the learnings in F1 to help shape the next generation of fuel and fluid technologies.”
Petronas has already delivered tangible benefits with the development of its HVO100 biofuels, which are used by Mercedes for its logistics vehicles that transport gear across the European races.
It might be a while before these fuels make their way down to road cars, but this development battleground shows just how F1 is changing the perception of sustainability yielding performance.
