2026 has been the season of the great shift in Formula 1. New engines, new aerodynamics, and new tires, but there is one detail as influential as all of that: for the first time in history the fuel used in Formula 1 is 100% renewable, something that has completely upended how this sector operates.
In a very well-organized event at the Jarama circuit, bp invited us to understand and witness how they have collaborated with Audi, the team they supply, to develop a synthetic fuel that is not only competitive in Formula 1 but can also be adapted for conventional road cars.
BP arrived at developing 400 pilot fuels before selecting the perfect one for Audi
Simulators, a Formula 1 car, subject-matter experts, and a vehicle equipped with two fuel tanks. That has been BP’s impressive setup to explain and demonstrate at the Jarama circuit what their work in creating a Formula 1 fuel that meets Audi’s expectations and is suitable for everyday use has entailed.
Andrés García, bp’s advisor on Formula 1 fuels, hits upon the project’s central idea: “Formula 1 presents us with a high-demand environment where every detail matters and the technology must perform at the peak of performance, efficiency, and reliability. Our collaboration with Audi lets us test that knowledge in competition and, at the same time, learn from what happens on the track. It’s a learning process that doesn’t stay on the circuit, as it contributes to the future development of our fuels for road vehicles, helping to transfer Formula 1 innovation to everyday mobility.”
And indeed, the quest to pinpoint Audi’s exact fuel was demanding. The supplier evaluated 70 potential components, developed up to 400 pilot fuels, and conducted 200 tests with Audi’s powertrain. 240,000 liters of fuel were tested in Neuburg, Audi’s headquarters in Germany.
The result is a unique and exclusive fuel tailored for Audi’s engine, which is the only one bp supplies. That is why Andrés García assures that comparing the performance of the five fuel suppliers present in Formula 1 is pointless, since each one is adapted to the engine it feeds.
Although the centerpiece of the event was the creation with two fuel tanks that bp had prepared to demonstrate the difference between using basic low-cost fuels and employing more refined fuels. With micro-cameras inserted directly into the combustion chamber and into the injectors, we could see what happens when one fuel is used versus the other. And, honestly, it makes you want to avoid low-cost fuel for life.
The good news is that bp Ultimate fuels can allow drivers to travel up to 840 additional kilometers per year, and we also witnessed their ability to clean engines clogged by the ongoing use of low-cost fuels. With a couple of full bp Ultimate tanks, the brand guarantees a thorough cleaning.
Images | bp
