Why Ferrari power unit chief is confident about biofuel in Formula 1. Ferrari power unit chief Enrico Gualtieri explains why the team is not concerned about biofuel.

F1 | Ferrari is not afraid of biofuel and explains why

Enrico Gualtieri, Ferrari’s head of power unit development, took the opportunity to explain the main challenges linked to the biofuel that will define the new Formula 1 era. Speaking during the presentation press conference of the Ferrari SF-26, Gualtieri addressed one of the central topics of the upcoming technical cycle, namely sustainable fuels and their impact on engine operation.

The head of Ferrari’s power unit department explained that the transition to the new fuels represents an important change, but not a revolutionary one from a purely chemical point of view.

Gualtieri underlined that, contrary to what might be expected, the new advanced and sustainable fuel does not radically alter the final composition of the fuel itself. “It’s not a big change in terms of the final fuel composition. In the end, what really matters are the molecules and the properties that these molecules are able to guarantee,” he explained.

How will biofuel change in F1 in 2026?

From an engine perspective, therefore, the direct impact is limited. “The engine’s requirements do not change in a significant way. The fuel design is very similar to what we were used to in the past,” Gualtieri said.

According to Ferrari’s power unit chief, the real difference compared to previous seasons is not so much related to performance or fuel efficiency, but rather to the sustainability constraints now imposed by the regulations. “The biggest change compared to the past is that the fuel now has to comply with very precise restrictions on the supply chain,” he explained.

His reference was to the origin of the raw materials used. “There are constraints on the feedstock, meaning on the starting materials from which the fuel is produced, for sustainability reasons,” Enrico Gualtieri added.

These limitations have changed the way Ferrari and its fuel suppliers approach development work. “This is an additional aspect that comes on top of the performance and efficiency targets that we have always pursued,” Enrico Gualtieri clarified.

As a result, the overall development process has become more complex. “It is definitely something that has changed the way we and the fuel suppliers approach the exercise of defining the right fuel,” he said.

Enrico Gualtieri’s words provide a clear insight into one of the most delicate challenges facing the future of Formula 1, where performance, efficiency and sustainability must coexist within the same technical project under the 2026 regulations.