Formula 1 adopts advanced sustainable fuel in 2026 with PETRONAS and Mercedes

Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS and PETRONAS present new advanced sustainable fuel for Formula 1 2026 regulations, highlighting innovation, performance and sustainability.

Formula One is pushing further into sustainability, and the latest episode of the Road to 2026 series, released on October 3, 2025 in Brackley by Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team and PETRONAS, highlights a milestone in this journey. Episode three focuses on the development and testing of advanced sustainable fuel, which will power every car on the grid from 2026. The spotlight is on a drop-in solution — a fuel designed to run without engine modifications while delivering equal or even superior performance. It is produced from non-food biomass, municipal waste, and renewable synthetic components (RFNBO). Engineers at High Performance Powertrains are working closely with PETRONAS to tailor the blend precisely to the new hybrid power unit. Different perspectives are featured in the episode. Hywel Thomas, Managing Director of HPP, explains how the new fuel integrates with engine architecture. PETRONAS specialists Chan Ming-Yau and Chandramalar Muthiah describe the synthesis methods and feedstock sources. Alice Ashpitel, Head of Sustainability at the team, links the project to Formula One’s broader commitment to achieve Net Zero by 2030. The 2026 regulations reshape the balance of performance: around half of the power unit’s output will come from the electric system, with the combustion engine powered entirely by sustainable fuel. This shift also demands innovation in lubricants, prompting PETRONAS to enhance its Syntium and Tutela product lines to cope with higher thermal and electrical loads. Cost remains a subject of debate. Reports suggest the price of 100% sustainable fuel is still far above conventional alternatives, raising concerns among team principals. Yet within the paddock, there is recognition that this technology is the foundation for the sport’s future—and potentially for the wider automotive industry as well. The third episode, The Science of Advanced Sustainable Fuel, is now available across Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS and PETRONAS digital platforms, accompanied by rights-free photos and video materials.