The former Ferrari team principal, now in charge of the Audi Formula 1 project, has highlighted the importance of a detail that is often overlooked. With the major regulatory changes set to define a new era in Formula 1, some factors risk being underestimated, despite their potentially decisive impact on performance.
How much fuel really matters
Petronas with all Mercedes-powered teams; Shell supporting all those running Ferrari power units; ExxonMobil working alongside Red Bull and Racing Bulls; Aramco partnered with Aston Martin/Honda; and finally Castrol with Audi. These are the fuel–engine pairings that will be present on the 2026 Formula 1 grid. It is a topic that has been discussed relatively little in the build-up to a season marked by major regulatory upheaval in the Circus, yet having the right fuel on your side can make a significant difference for a team over the course of an entire campaign made up of 24 Grands Prix and six Sprint events.
This subject was addressed by the head of the Audi F1 project and former Ferrari team principal, Mattia Binotto, during an interesting interview with journalist Giorgio Terruzzi on his podcast Terruzzi Racconta. Mattia Binotto attempted to quantify the impact that different fuels, with varying levels of performance, can have on lap time. The figures involved are far from insignificant.
“Fuel has a direct impact on engine performance,” said the Audi boss. “The difference between a good-quality fuel and a poor one can be worth between 10 and 15 kilowatts, which is around 15 horsepower. In terms of lap time, that can mean four tenths, even half a second. We are not talking about marginal gains or a few hundredths. If a team gets it completely wrong or fails to properly develop its fuel, it can lose four tenths purely because of the fuel.” An eternity, considering the extremely small gaps that have been seen in Formula 1 over recent years.
Mattia Binotto’s revelation regarding the “fuel gap” underscores a pivotal, yet often overlooked, dimension of the 2026 technical reset. By quantifying the potential loss at up to half a second per lap, the Audi leader has made it clear that the partnership between power unit manufacturers and their fuel suppliers is no longer just a commercial arrangement, but a core technical necessity. As the 2026 season approaches, the ability to optimize these new 100% sustainable fuels will likely distinguish the title contenders from the rest of the pack. Mattia Binotto’s warning shows that in the quest for Formula 1 supremacy, every drop of innovation counts—and those who underestimate the chemistry of the tank risk starting the new era on the back foot.
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