Formula 1 fuel: Since 1996, the FIA has placed strict regulations on the fuel used by Formula 1 cars. After a regulation was introduced, the fuel needed to be Euro 95 standard, meaning basically that it must include the exact components that you’d choose for your regular car at a petrol station.
So, what fuel do Formula 1 cars use? Fuel used in F1 vehicles is quite comparable to that used in regular gas stations for usage in road vehicles. It is specially regulated in this manner to be comparable to a high-octane premium road fuel. The gasoline is an E10 blend with 10% sustainable ethanol for the years 2022 to 2025.
Although it is forbidden for Formula One fuel to have any substances that are not present in the gasoline that is sold at gas stations for use in regular automobiles, the fuels that are utilized in the sport do have a distinct chemical composition.
Later in this article, you will learn a lot about the fuel used by Formula 1 cars, so stay with us to learn more interesting information.
Table of Contents
What Fuel Do F1 Cars Use?
Despite the fact that the fuels for commercial vehicles and Formula 1 cars are mixed using the same ingredients, the finished version created for every Formula 1 team is carefully optimized for maximum efficiency by every supplier.
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This indicates that the fuel produced by Shell is tailored specifically for the Ferrari team and would not deliver the same degree of performance if utilized by the Mercedes team instead.
Formula One has managed to keep up with the times when it comes to gasoline, and as a result, many of the technological advances that have been made in fuel have been used in commercial settings.
For instance, the standards for Formula One stipulated that gasoline must contain 5.75% bio–components until the end of the 2021 season. This requirement will not be lifted until then.
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This rule was initially implemented by the FIA, and then two years later, it was also enacted as legislation for all industrial fuels in Europe.
By switching to an E10 fuel for the 2022 Formula One season, the ratio of bio-components will be boosted to 10%.
The 2022 season’s new Formula 1 standards, which were postponed owing to the effects of Covid-19, aim to increase the bio-component ratio to 10%, with the eventual aim of 100% green fuel in the near future.
Note: This was a significant shift for the teams, and the head of Mercedes‘ power unit, Hywel Thomas, commented on how significant it was, saying, “The change this year to go into the E10 is perhaps the largest regulatory change we’ve had since 2014… The amount of effort that went into that shouldn’t be minimized in any way.”
What Fuel Octane Does Formula One Use?
The fuel that is used in an F1 car needs to contain a minimum of 87 octanes in order to comply with the regulation that states the gasoline being used must be comparable to that which you could pour in a street car if you were filling it up at the gas station.
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It is a common misunderstanding that the fuel used in an F1 car is a high-octane mixture that is entirely distinct from the fuel used in a normal car; but, this is certainly not the truth.
The following table provides a comprehensive breakdown of the F1 fuel’s many attributes.
| Property | Units | Min | Max | Test Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oxygen | wt% | 3.7 | Elemental Analysis | |
| Benzene | wt% | 1.0 | GC-MS | |
| Nitrogen | mg/kg | 500 | ASTM D 5762 | |
| (RON+MON)/2 | 87.0 | ASTM D 2699/D 2700 | ||
| DVPE | kPa | 45 | 60(1) | EN13016-1 |
| Manganese | mg/l | 2.0 | ASTM D 3831 or ICP-OES | |
| Lead | mg/l | 5.0 | ASTM D 3237 or ICP-OES | |
| Sulphur | mg/kg | 10 | EN ISO 20846 | |
| Oxidation Stability | minutes | 360 | ASTM D 525 | |
| Metals (excluding alkali metals) | mg/l | 5.0 | ICP-OES | |
| Distillation Residue | %v/v | 2.0 | ISO 3405 | |
| Electrical conductivity | pS/m | 200 | ASTM D 2624 | |
| Final Boiling Point | oC | 210 | ISO 3405 |
Which Gasoline Brand Is Used In F1?
Because of the relationship that each Formula One team has with its fuel supplier, the sport of Formula One utilizes a variety of gasoline brands.
Along with Mercedes‘ connection with Petronas and McLaren’s partnership with Gulf Oil, the partnership between Shell and Ferrari is one of the most recognizable in all of the motorsports.
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Just at Monaco Grand Prix in 2021, McLaren raced under a paint designed to promote their association with Gulf as a fuel supplier. The Gulf blue color was carried over into their design for the 2022 race.
The Petronas brand is readily recognizable to a significant number of Formula One fans.
Petronas is an oil and gas firm that is controlled by the government of Malaysia, and its logo may be seen prominently on Mercedes vehicles.
ExxonMobil and BP/Castrol are two more brands of fuel that are utilized by Formula One teams. Red Bull and Alpine use these brands, accordingly.
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What Amount of Gasoline Are Formula One Cars Using?
The amount of fuel that an F1 car consumes is determined not in liters or gallons, but in kilograms. The regulations indicated that a car might utilize up to 110 kilograms (242 pounds) of gasoline during a single race as of the year 2019.
This was boosted from the 105 kilograms (231 pounds) that were permitted in 2018, as F1 administrators desired drivers to be able to test the limits of their cars lap by lap while not having to think about saving fuel.
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In 2018, the maximum weight permitted was 105 kilograms (231 pounds). Since this, there are now more high-octane races in the closing stages of the competition because drivers are aware that they have sufficient gasoline on board to complete the race.
A further modification that was implemented for 2020 is that vehicles are now only permitted to have 250 ml of fuel outside of the fuel cell.
This is a reduction from the 2 liters that were permitted for each car in 2019 because a gas tank for a Formula 1 car is in fact a single part of the rubber that’s also known as a bladder.
This is intended to prevent teams from attempting to get an edge by storing significant quantities of fuel out of the gas tank.
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Do Formula One Cars Refuel?
No, the practice of refueling a vehicle during a race has been made illegal for the 2010 season and later owing to financial and safety concerns.
The teams initially consulted the FIA and F1 head, Max Mosley, with the intention of banning refueling in the interest of saving expenses. This is because there was a significant amount of price involved in carrying gasoline rigs between the track to circuit throughout the world.
Note: Refueling was viewed as a thrilling aspect of a race day because teams that didn’t have the capacity or effectiveness to challenge the best teams might have used lightweight fuel usage in qualifications to take pole positions and gain an advantage over their competitors.
The disadvantage of this is that they would have to pit earlier, which would mean giving up their edge.
Refueling was still outlawed by the FIA for the protection of both drivers and pit crew in order to prevent situations like the 2009 Brazilian GP, when Heikki Kovalainen ran off with the fuel rig still connected, starting a fire that quickly captured Kimi Raikkonen.
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What Is the Price of F1 Fuel?
F1 gasoline costs range from $2 to $3 per liter. Despite the fact that it powers some of the world’s fastest cars, the cost of the fuel is not significantly higher than what you would spend at the gas pump because it is comparable to the regular gasoline used on public roads.
Note: On the other hand, taking into account the sophisticated engineering, research, and standard management that are necessary for the production of this gasoline, it is understandable why the cost is somewhat greater.
Does Every Formula One Car Use The Same Type Of Fuel?
Not every Formula One car runs on the same type of fuel. While there are rather stringent regulations about the specifications of the gasoline that they are permitted to use, there is sufficient leeway within the guidelines to enable every collaboration to maximize the fuel mixture in accordance with the engine that they are employing.
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At the moment, Formula One utilizes the services of four distinct manufacturers for its power units: Ferrari, Mercedes, Red Bull Powertrains, and Renault (Alpine).
It’s possible that these companies offer engines to other teams that are considered “customers.” The 10 Formula One teams competing in 2022 are listed below, along with the engine and fuel providers for each team.
Because every power unit possesses unique qualities and advantages, the gasoline will be customized so that it works in conjunction with the engine in the most effective manner.
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Despite the fact that all teams are using identical engines, there is still a significant amount of variation in the providers because of long-term partnerships and other aspects of the cars.
Fuel Providers for 2022 F1 Teams
The following companies supply gasoline to F1 teams in 2022:
| F1 TEAM | FUEL PROVIDER |
|---|---|
| Red Bull (Red Bull Powertrains) | ExxonMobil |
| Williams (Mercedes) | Esso |
| Alfa Romeo (Ferrari) | PKN Orlen |
| Ferrari (Ferrari) | Shell |
| Mercedes (Mercedes) | Petronas |
| Alpha Tauri (Red Bull Powertrains) | ExxonMobil |
| Haas (Ferrari) | Shell |
| Alpine (Renault) | BP/Castrol |
| Aston Martin (Mercedes) | Petronas |
| McLaren (Mercedes) | Gulf |
How Do F1 Cars Maintain a Fuel Supply?
In order to prevent an F1 car from running out of gasoline throughout a race, team engineers begin calculating how much gasoline is needed for every lap during winter testing.
They then fine-tune the analysis race by race in response to changes done to the car and the circumstances present at each race in order to lead their team to the finale.
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During the course of the open training rounds that are held over the course of a race weekend, various race paces will be utilized to recreate various parts of the pre-planned driving style.
This will enable the engineers to change their equations in accordance with the new information.
The car is then fueled for the race depending on such estimates, with the goal of having sufficient fuel to get it to the finish of the race while carrying as little additional weight as possible.
Can Regular Petrol Be Used In a Formula 1 Car?
According to the criteria set down by the FIA, the types of fuels that can be utilized in a Formula One vehicle are required to be comparable to those that are available for sale at gas stations for regular automobiles.
The fact that Formula One is such an inventive sport, though, ensures that there will perpetually be research and development carried out to push the bounds of engine power while remaining compliant with the regulations.
In an intriguing test that took place in 2011, Shell and Ferrari put the gasoline that was available to purchase at a Shell gas station into their 2009 Formula One racing vehicle for a special test that was conducted in Fiorano.
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The driver was Fernando Alonso, and he began by completing 4 laps with the fuel reserved for the race. Next, he completed 4 laps using petrol that is accessible for purchase in stores.
He finished the race with a timing of 1:03.950 despite utilizing the race fuel. When he switched to using commercial fuel, the only difference in his time was 9 tenths.
Although the race fuel was beneficial for accelerating, the commercial gasoline resulted in a higher maximum speed at the end of the straight.
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Alonso made a statement that, according to him, “99% of the chemistry of Shell V-Power race fuel is similar to the chemistry employed in the road gasoline that is available at Shell petrol stations.”
This may have been a pre-written statement that was made for the purpose of promotion. It appeared that the Shell V–Power road fuel had the same level of acceleration as the Formula One fuel. It comes as a pleasant shock.’
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Conclusion
This article is all about fuel being used in the Formula 1 championship. I hope you like this article as well as other related articles to Formula 1.