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Non compliant fuel to be allowed at F1 tests to save budget cap problems

January 16, 2026, 04:36:07 PM by John S
Views: 119 | Comments: 2

FIA to allow non-compliant fuel at F1 tests this year to keep costs in check.
Now does that mean not green, i.e. non-Bio fuels?

If the figure of $100k for each team per race weekend for sustainable all Bio fuel is correct then I guess teams can easily burn through $200 to $400k at each of the 3 tests, that's if they manage to do plenty of all day running.

However might this negotiated setlement with FIA be a clever trick from one or two fuel suppliers to sandbag opposition by not showing real potential of their new fuels? ........or am I just an old cynic??

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2026/01/15/fia-to-relax-key-f1-rule-change-in-pre-season-testing-report/

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Are we set for all out war between F1 fuel suppliers in 26 season?

January 12, 2026, 01:50:21 PM by John S
Views: 364 | Comments: 5

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.

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F1 Driver market almost nil for 26, Comms chiefs though are dropping like 9 pins

January 11, 2026, 04:34:42 PM by John S
Views: 275 | Comments: 0

Ferrari, Red Bull, Racing Bulls, Williams, Audi/Sauber, Haas and McLaren all have new PR comms chiefs this year.

Now that's quite a big change around in such a small world like F1.
Wonder if there is as much movement in other roles amongst teams that we don't usually get to hear about?

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrari-and-red-bull-communcations-department-changes-f1-2026

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1934 GP

January 10, 2026, 03:08:06 AM by Dare
Views: 478 | Comments: 5

Monaco looks the same

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Audi are first up and they don't sound bad!

January 09, 2026, 07:46:38 PM by Andy B
Views: 567 | Comments: 1

Just seen, heard, this on Planet F1 and the 26 cars sound quite good but maybe this is just an early indication?

https://www.planetf1.com/news/audi-f1-2026-shakedown-barcelona

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Life & Times of F1s first Female driver

January 09, 2026, 03:49:34 PM by John S
Views: 297 | Comments: 0

She was Maria Teresa de Filippis and I especially like this comment from her "I never had any problems with the big drivers, only the smaller ones who didn’t like it when I beat them."