Just over two weeks before Formula 1 officially returns with the Australian Grand Prix, a technical problem has set off the alarm in the teams that use Mercedes engines. The approval of the new sustainable fuel, which will be mandatory starting from the 2026 season, is still not guaranteed and time is running out.
The regulatory change marked a turning point in the category: fossil fuels were left behind and now F1 requires sustainable blends certified under strict environmental standards. The adoption of this fuel is one of the central pillars of the new regulations promoted by the International Automobile Federation (FIA), which has already made it clear that there will be no easing of the controls.
Until 2025, the process was relatively simple. The manufacturers sent a sample to a British laboratory affiliated with the FIA and within a period of around two or three weeks they received technical confirmation. However, with the introduction of sustainable fuel, the homologation system became much more exhaustive.
Now the certification has been delegated to the British company Zemo, which not only analyzes the final product, but also inspects the entire production chain. The staff visits the plants, reviews each stage of the process, and verifies the certifications of the individual molecules and of each supplier involved. The control is comprehensive and is carried out "molecule by molecule".
