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Fuel energy density is to be measured along with fuel flow this coming season in F1 and since Bio Fuel is less energy dense than regular oil derived petrol intense competition between fuel suppliers for a 'Super Brew' seems inevitable.
Gianluca D'Alessandro of Motorsport.com thinks so, see his reasoning below.
Now can small weight gain from 'Super Brews' offset the supposed 15hp gains from expanding pistons from some engine makers too?
For 2026, the FIA will also verify the energy flow rate of the fuel fed into the engine. The characteristics of each fuel and its respective energy values per unit of mass will be certified by a third, independent body before arriving at the track. This means there will no longer be just a flow meter tasked with calculating mass flow in kg/h, but a more complex system that will then measure the total energy flow of the fuel.
In essence, the value obtained from the flow meter in kg/h will be converted by the engine's ECU (also a homologated component from a single supplier) into fuel energy flow using the fuel’s energy density and lower heating value, certified by a third party, according to procedures set out in an FIA document specific to each fuel. Overall, the final value must not exceed 3000 MJ/h. For example, below 10,500 rpm, the permitted energy flow must not exceed that calculated using the formula EF (MJ/h) = 0.27 × N (engine speed in rpm) + 165.
What does all this imply? That, depending on the quality of the fuel developed by each manufacturer, differences may emerge in the mass flow required to reach the fixed limit of 3000 MJ/h. In other words, the energy content of the fuel will become a strategic variable: if a fuel is more energy-dense, a smaller mass will be needed to achieve the same energy flow.
This also translates into a potential advantage in terms of on-board weight. A manufacturer that succeeds in developing a fuel with higher energy density will be able to carry fewer kilograms of fuel while still supplying the engine with the same required amount of energy.
This is one of the many reasons why a development race is brewing between the fuel suppliers. But it's only the first part of the story...
Above paras taken from longer piece on fuel flow metering courtesy Gianluca D'Alessandro on Motorsport.com, Jan 10th.
