Good news for Colapinto: the fuel used by the Mercedes engine in its A526 was finally approved

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the start of the 2026 season with the Australian Grand Prix, Formula 1 confirmed great news for Alpine, team that Franco Colapinto runs for. According to specialized media such as Motorsport and The Race, the approval of the fuel developed by Petronas was confirmed, clearing up one of the main technical unknowns of the pre-season

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The validation allows Mercedes and its client teams, McLaren, Williams and Alpine, to use 100% sustainable fuel intended for the Mercedes AMG F1 M17 power unit from the first free practice.

The Malaysian oil company, the main sponsor of the German team, was racing against time to meet the new technical requirements that come fully into effect this season. Regulation 2026 states that manufacturers must use fully sustainable fuels, whether synthetic or biofuels, a key change within the new hybrid era

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The approval process, supervised by the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and delegated to the British firm Zemo, became more exhaustive than in previous years. It is no longer just the final chemical formula that is being evaluated, but the entire production and supply chain. Each component is individually analyzed “molecule by molecule” and certifications, industrial processes and origin traceability are reviewed

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Until 2025, suppliers sent a sample to an FIA-affiliated laboratory and received results within two to three weeks. Now, any irregularity in the chain, even if the mixture meets the technical parameters, can hold back approval until the observations are corrected. This complexity explains the delay that caused concern during the winter tests

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In fact, in the pre-season tests, some manufacturers rode with fuels that have not yet been formally approved. In the specific case of Mercedes, the one planned for the championship was used, but certain components were still awaiting certification in their supply chain

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Once the procedure was completed, the picture was clear. All sustainable fuels planned for 2026 have a green light and the focus returns to strictly sporting, just as the category is preparing to start engines in Australia without further technical shocks

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