While the automotive world is forced to move towards the electric car, Formula 1 is exploring another alternative route: synthetic fuel as a life jacket for the combustion engine. And this is how the category wants to be relevant to commercial automotive.
Government administrations and bodies are clear: the only admissible way to decarbonise transport and mobility is through electric vehicles. And, consequently, the European Union has banned the sale of new cars equipped with any type of combustion engine from 2035.
And, although initially he even vetoed the synthetic fuel as a lifeline for said heat engines, it finally had to give in to pressure from countries like Germany. Consequently, there are many brands that still harbor the hope of extending the life of a technology that, through several decades of development, has reached unprecedented technological sophistication.
Formula 1 bets on synthetic fuel
The premier class of motorsports also shares that vision and has no intention of being in the wake of Formula E, current electric single-seater category. Doing so would mean questioning the mantra that Formula 1 has always championed: its status as a technological benchmark in the motor world.
This being the case, the only way left is to lead the development of synthetic fuels and carbon neutral. Broadly speaking, a synthetic fuel is a fuel whose manufacturing process makes it possible to offset the carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions that will subsequently be generated by the vehicle that uses it.
But Formula 1 cannot simply pretend to become a technological laboratory for the automotive industry, since his DNA is competition and Liberty Media, the current rights holder, is putting a lot of emphasis on creating a contested and spectacular championship.
Pat symondstechnical director of Formula 1, has offered explanations on the keys that will guide the development of synthetic fuel in the category, as well as the approach that it will adopt in regulatory matters from its introduction in 2026.
“From a competitive point of view, there are certain things that we need to do in the regulation, like putting a maximum octane content and things like that”begins by explaining the British engineer who once played for relevant teams such as Benetton, Renault and Williams.
“But what we don’t want to do is say how it should be manufactured, because for me that is the competition,” says Symonds, who intends to promote the development of said technology. “The reward for motorsport is to develop these kinds of techniques and see what the industry can do hands-free.. Therefore, our rules will say that everything must be sustainable. We will regulate some things like density or maximum octane content.”
“And one of the things that we’re doing a little bit differently is that, at the moment, we regulate the power of the engines effectively by regulating the flow of fuel. The current Formula 1 engine has a mass flow limit of 100 kg/h”remember.
Development without prejudice to competition
According to Symonds, the current formula used in Formula 1 with sustainable E10 gasoline can be dangerous with the arrival of synthetic fuels in 2026.
“If we kept that and had maybe slightly different types of fuel, we could find someone getting a pretty good power advantage.”Pat Symmonds warns.
“So what we’re going to do in 2026 is, instead of regulating the flow of fuel, let’s regulate the flow of energy. In the same way, when you receive your gas or electricity bill, you are paying for the kWh that you have used.
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“Similarly, we’ll be saying, ‘This is the amount of kWh (MJ in engineering terms) that can flow at any given time.’ We should have very open competition as to how fuel is producedbut we won’t have the possibility of someone totally dominating because they have better fuel”, says the British engineer.
“We want to promote competition. But we also have to respect the fact that we want to compete, and we like tight races », she reiterates.
In search of higher energy density
Unlike fossil fuels, synthetic fuels allow the manufacturer to produce their own hydrocarbon molecule, which can lead to a significant advance in energy density.
Currently, synthetic fuels have their weak point in this energy capacity, but Formula 1 aspires to eliminate this deficit, but without promoting inequality between competitors.
This will cause regulations to be introduced in 2026 to limit energy density to a level similar to that of the current fuels used in Formula 1, which range from a range of 43-44 MJ/kg.
“We’re putting a cap on the energy density because we want to feel like it’s relevant to the road. We could make rocket fuel, but that’s not what we want. We want to test and advance the industry to be a genuine solution for future mobilitythat the energy density is similar”, explains Symonds.
“Many synthetic fuels are lower in energy density and therefore in power. Unless they flow much more. Alcohol fuels: ethanol, methanol, things like that, currently they need to burn more to get the same power”he points out.
“But that doesn’t mean they don’t take place because the advantage of those types of fuels is that they are actually quite cheap. Y in our future fuel, we will have a reasonable amount of ethanol, probably up to 20%. But the total fuel efficiency will be quite similar to the fuel we have now, “concludes the chief technical officer of Formula 1.
Font: The Race