Formula 1 fuels and lubricants perform a far more important role than simply keeping an engine running. They influence power-unit reliability, mechanical efficiency and the amount of performance transmitted to the rear wheels, while advanced fluid analysis can warn teams about an impending engine or gearbox failure before it occurs.
For Ferrari and every other Formula 1 manufacturer, the companies supplying these products are therefore genuine technical partners rather than conventional sponsors. Their work extends from developing low-viscosity engine oils and sustainable fuels to operating mobile laboratories at Grand Prix weekends, where microscopic traces of metal can reveal the condition of components hidden deep inside a power unit.
Why Formula 1 power units depend on advanced fluid technology
Friction and heat are the two principal enemies of internal combustion engines and transmissions. Friction causes wear to pistons, cylinders and the crankshaft, compromising the extremely fine tolerances between components and gradually reducing the engine’s efficiency.
In simple terms, a power unit with greater mileage will generally have less available power than a new engine. This is one reason why component management and reliability have such an important influence over an entire Formula 1 season, even for a team currently performing strongly in the 2026 Formula 1 reliability rankings.
Heat causes components to expand before contracting again as they cool. It also accelerates the deterioration of oils, seals and other materials. Power-unit manufacturers provide their teams and customers with information concerning the expected life cycle of each unit, based on extensive dynamometer testing and data gathered during previous seasons.
However, theoretical life-cycle information alone cannot guarantee the reliability of every component within a turbo-hybrid power unit. Real operating conditions, mileage, temperatures, circuit characteristics and the way each team manages its engines can all alter the rate of deterioration.
For internal combustion engines, manufacturers work alongside lubricant suppliers to examine components continuously for signs of cracking and wear. They also analyse the engine oil for evidence of deterioration or contamination. The support provided by fuel and lubricant partners is consequently vital to maintaining power-unit reliability.
Gearbox friction can cost more than ten horsepower
The same principle applies to a Formula 1 gearbox. Internal friction represents a critical engineering challenge and, when it is not properly controlled, can account for a loss of more than ten horsepower.
Teams minimise those losses through specially developed lubricants, sophisticated surface treatments for the gears and extremely compact internal geometries. Every reduction in resistance allows a greater proportion of the power generated by the engine to reach the wheels.
The strategic role of Formula 1 fuel and lubricant partners
Some commercial agreements in Formula 1 are based primarily on financial support and brand exposure. Technical fuel and lubricant partnerships are different because they involve the development and supply of several products, often created in close collaboration with the team’s engineers.
The range normally includes:
- Formula 1 fuel
- Engine lubricants
- Gearbox oils
- Hydraulic-system oils
- Grease for the wheel guns used by mechanics during pit stops
- Additional products such as damper fluids for the suspension system
These products are formulated for each season and represent the final result of a development programme carried out in direct cooperation with the team. As early as July or August, before the mandatory summer shutdown imposed by Formula 1’s sporting regulations, candidate products for the following season are supplied to the power-unit manufacturers.
This gives engine departments sufficient time to analyse the fluids and test them on their dynamometers. Engine oil is particularly important for both reliability and performance. It must keep the piston rings as clean as possible while preventing deposits from accumulating on the crown of the piston.
This work becomes even more important when a manufacturer is preparing a revised engine specification, as demonstrated by Ferrari’s reliability testing ahead of its planned Monza power-unit upgrade.
Why lubricant viscosity is fundamental in Formula 1
In terms of fuel performance, characteristics including energy density are defined by the FIA regulations and remain broadly aligned with those of commercially available petrol. Energy density alone is therefore not the decisive element in extracting pure performance.
The introduction of 100 per cent sustainable fuels nevertheless represented a major technological challenge because of the starting point and the chemistry involved. Manufacturers had to move away from conventional hydrocarbon-derived fuels towards products obtained from FIA-approved sustainable sources, including agricultural and food waste and other suitable feedstocks.
For lubricants, viscosity is one of the most important performance parameters and remains an area of constant development. The higher the viscosity, the more power is required to pump and move the fluid through the engine.
Reducing viscosity decreases the energy lost through pumping and internal drag, allowing more power to be delivered to the wheels. The engineering challenge is to lower viscosity without compromising the protection of mechanical components or the oil’s cooling capacity. If the film of lubricant becomes insufficient, the risk of excessive wear or mechanical seizure increases.
Oil analysis can predict engine and gearbox failures
Spectroscopic analysis of metallic residues in engine and gearbox oils can help teams identify an impending failure. Lubricant suppliers operate mobile laboratories that travel with their partner teams to Grands Prix across the Formula 1 calendar.
Using equipment known as a Spark Emission Spectrometer, engineers test a fluid sample and analyse its chemical spectrum to search for metals associated with mechanical wear. These may include iron, copper, aluminium and titanium.
Power-unit manufacturers have completed extensive dynamometer programmes in cooperation with their lubricant partners, allowing them to establish threshold values for each metal. If an abnormal spike involving a particular material is detected, engineers can identify the type of internal component that may be deteriorating.
For example, an unusual increase in titanium could indicate that a bearing, bush or another internal component is wearing at a rate beyond its expected operating level.
Engineers from technical partners such as Petronas, Shell, ExxonMobil and BP immediately report any anomaly to the relevant power-unit manufacturer. Engineers working for Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull Powertrains-Ford, Audi and Honda can then carry out a direct visual inspection using a borescope.
A borescope is a small flexible camera inserted into the engine, allowing specialists to examine components that would otherwise require the power unit to be dismantled. The manufacturer can then decide whether further action is necessary or whether the power unit should be replaced.
How FTIR spectroscopy identifies fluids and contamination
Teams can also use Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, commonly abbreviated to FTIR, to analyse the chemical fingerprint of almost any fluid. FTIR spectroscopy is one of Formula 1’s primary methods for the rapid and non-destructive identification of unknown residues.
The technique acts like a molecular fingerprint. It allows teams to identify mechanical contaminants, deteriorated fluids and debris collected from either the circuit or the car.
If a leak appears on a Formula 1 car, engineers can collect a single drop of liquid from the floor or surrounding pipework. The FTIR equipment can rapidly establish whether the substance is hydraulic oil, gearbox oil or coolant.
The analysis can also reveal cross-contamination between separate systems, helping the team determine whether a failure is isolated or whether one leaking fluid has entered another circuit.
Fluid diagnostics influence power-unit replacement decisions
Current Formula 1 power units are expected to operate for approximately 4,000 to 4,500 kilometres, with a margin of around ten per cent depending on how each team manages its components.
Technical partners provide manufacturers with diagnostic information and immediate warnings when abnormal wear is detected. However, the final decision over whether to replace a power unit always rests with the team and the manufacturer’s engineers.
They must assess the probability of failure against the wider championship situation. Continuing with a worn component can lead to a retirement, but fitting a replacement may use up the remaining allocation or trigger a grid penalty. This balance is particularly important when teams are preparing developments such as Ferrari’s planned ADUO-2 power-unit upgrade.
How the FIA approves Formula 1 fuels and oils
At every Grand Prix, the FIA can analyse fuel and oil samples and check their production batch details to confirm conformity and consistent quality compared with the reference sample that has already been submitted.
Product variation during the season must remain close to zero. The fuel or lubricant used on the track must correspond to the approved formulation rather than becoming a continually changing performance variable.
Any alteration to a formulation during the championship requires further FIA approval and homologation. Such changes may coincide with the introduction of a new technical engine specification by the manufacturer, including the homologation of components permitted under the Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunity framework, better known as ADUO.
Fluid Technology Solutions therefore represent one of the less visible but most strategically important areas of Formula 1 engineering. The correct fuel, oil or hydraulic fluid can improve efficiency and preserve performance, while laboratory analysis can provide an early warning that prevents an expensive mechanical failure and potentially protects a team’s championship campaign.
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