FIA allows gasoline exception for test drives

The new CO₂-neutral gasoline is a cornerstone of the new Formula 1 regulations. However, during test drives in Barcelona and Bahrain, teams are not yet required to use the high-tech fuel. The FIA has granted teams and fuel partners a postponement. The new regulations for 2026 require the fuel to be completely free of fossil components, which can be synthetic or based on biomass. The production of these high-tech bio-elements is complex and costly, with some estimates suggesting a price of up to 250 euros per liter. The quality of the fuel is expected to become a real performance factor, requiring close collaboration between engine engineers and chemists. The FIA has allowed the use of non-certified fuel mixtures during test drives to give fuel suppliers enough time to develop and homologate a refined fuel by the start of the season.