F1 Developing Carbon Neutral Fuel for 2026

Car companies racing in Formula 1 use the series in part to show off what their vehicles are capable of. Now F1 is doing the same thing with fuel.

F1 announced on Thursday that the series will use 100% sustainable fuel, beginning in 2026.

• F1 is working with fuel specialists from FIA and ARAMCO to develop a novel fuel that works with current F1 engines.
• The series also claims the new fuel will be usable by “most road cars around the world.”
• F1 cars currently use an E10 fuel, which is 10% ethanol.

“We’re working on an E fuel where the carbon circle is completely neutral, so the carbon utilized to produce that fuel is the same quantity as the carbon emitted from the internal combustion engine,” said Ross Brawn, F1’s managing director of Motorsports. “It means that the engines do not add anything to the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.”

F1 has tested 39 fuel blends with ARAMCO as it seeks a formula with the same energy-density as gasoline, so that it does not affect performance.

Sustainable Pace

F1 has pledged to go fully carbon-neutral by 2030. The company has been reducing single-use plastics and assessing travel and freight logistics to reduce its environmental impact.

The shift to sustainable fuel dovetails with Porsche’s deal to acquire a 50% stake in Red Bull’s F1 operations. Porsche has been developing synthetic fuels for consumer vehicles.

The European Union will ban the sale of new cars with combustion engines in 2035.