Huge F1 2026 ‘breakthrough’ under the spotlight as massive cost concerns emerge
Max Verstappen (Red Bull RB21) in action at the 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Sky F1 pundit Karun Chandhok has conceded that there is no guarantee that hybrid engines and synthetic fuels are the long-term answer for Formula 1.
It comes after concerns emerged over the costs of the new fully sustainable fuels for the F1 2026 season, described as a “breakthrough” for the sport by Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies.
Red Bull: New F1 2026 fuels a ‘breakthrough’ for Formula 1
Formula 1’s regulations will be overhauled next season as the sport embraces 50 per cent electrification, 100 per cent sustainable fuels and active aerodynamics, with both chassis and engine regulations changing at the same time.
F1 2026 marks the biggest change to Formula 1’s engine regulations since 2014 when V6-turbo hybrid power units were introduced.
Reports earlier this season lifted the lid on the fears surrounding F1 2026 fuel costs.
It was claimed that 2026 fuels could cost teams between $170 and $225 per litre – a massive increase on the current rate of $22-$33.
It was suggested that the F1 2026 price could rise beyond $300 per litre as manufacturers chase greater performance gains.
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Speaking to Motivational Speakers Agency in association with PlanetF1.com, Chandhok admitted that nobody in the world can say with certainty which technologies are likely to shape motorsport’s future.
And he claimed that the success of the World Rally Championship and British Touring Car Championship in embracing sustainable fuels over recent years have shown that motorsport can act as a “test bed” for new technologies with increased development helping to lower costs for the public.
He said: “There’s a lot of noise out in the world, in terms of both the automotive road-car world – or the mobility world, I should say – and the motorsport world on what is the future of propulsion that we’re all going to have.
“Is it synthetic fuels? Is it electric? Is it hydrogen? Is it going to be hybrid and a combination of all of these things?
“I’m not convinced that there’s any single person on the planet who can truly say that they know what the future is.
“I think it is a tricky time for the entire industry to work out, but I think where motorsport comes into play is we can help to accelerate some of the answers for the outside world.
“So, for example, if you look at the hybrid engines that have been running in Formula 1 since way back in 2014, so a decade ago, they had the ability to use 50 per cent of any of the fuel burned to produce energy.
“Now, if you look at the combustion ratio of most petrol cars, they’re in the low 30 per cent.
“So already, the Formula 1 engines are the most energy-efficient engines on the planet and have been for the last decade.
“Then you look into things like the hybrid systems. The actual batteries for 2026 F1 cars are going to be 50/50 in terms of battery electric power and internal combustion engine.
“If you look at the way we’re innovative with synthetic fuels and with sustainable fuels, for example, in the World Rally Championship and the British Touring Car Championship, across the board it’s low volumes and therefore not as price sensitive.
“You’re able to sell the fuels at a higher price than you would to Joe Bloggs on the street and therefore they can be a test bed.
“The more we test it and the better we can develop it, it’ll bring the price down to potentially the consumers on the planet.”
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Speaking at the Italian Grand Prix earlier this month, Mekies and Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur both played down the F1 2026 fuel costs, claiming that the move to fully sustainable fuels marks a major milestone for the sport.
Vasseur told PlanetF1.com and other media outlets at Monza: “I think we don’t have to underestimate the challenge of going to 100 per cent sustainable fuel.
“It’s a huge step forward for F1 and a new direction we are taking. Honestly, the fuel is not yet frozen, which means it’s difficult to know the exact cost for next year.
“For sure, it’s a bit more than the current season. But this meeting [between the FIA and fuel suppliers to discuss rising fuel costs] is more for the mid term and long term – to try to see how we can adapt the regulation in the future to keep things under control.
“But we must not underestimate the benefit of sustainable fuel. Yes, it has a cost – but it’s a huge step forward for F1.”
Mekies added: “Completely different regulations.
“It’s going to be a breakthrough in terms of technology. That’s what matters right now.
“It’s a breakthrough because it’s the first time the sport will run on 100 per cent sustainable fuel.
“It’s going to be an incredible challenge for all the fuel manufacturers, all the PU manufacturers, to extract as much performance as possible from that sustainable fuel.
“There will be a cost layer at this stage or another, but at the moment it’s coming well after the considerations about getting a fuel that meets these very high requirements, and getting maximum performance out of it.”
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