The regulatory change on fuels was one of the most discussed topics in the start of the 2022 championship. The percentage of ethanol present in petrol has in fact increased from 5 to 10%, reducing the overall calorific value of the fuel and imposing an optimization of the combustion process through the adaptation of engines. All this has contributed to redefining the balance of power between the engineers, although the differences in performance are significantly less marked than in the past. However, the attention of the engine engineers and their respective technological partners is already turned to 2026, the year in which a new generation of 100% sustainable petrol will make its debut, consisting of bio and other synthetic components.
Doctor Andrea Dolfiin charge of the management of the motorsport activities and of the research and development of Petronas fluids, explored the topic with FormulaPassion.itrevealing how the research work is already underway: “Fuels were already inspired by the European gasoline legislation, but with this further step in 2022 we wanted to embark on a new path in terms of sustainability, both environmental and economic. Ethanol is certainly among the cheapest bio-components there are. This path will lead to a drastic change in the highly discontinuous regulation in 2026, when we should arrive at a completely revolutionized power unit, in which fuel will play a pivotal role as it must be 100% sustainable according to certain parameters of parameterization and composition that they are still under discussion. The work with a view to 2026 started a couple of years agosince the change was initially scheduled for 2025, but was then postponed for a year after the pandemic ”.
Asked about the actual environmental sustainability of the new generation of fuels arriving, Dolfi responded with agreement, however deepening the aspect linked to the production of ethanol: “On 2026 it is difficult to answer, but the answer theoretically should be yes, because they will be accompanied by a whole certification system such that the contribution to the reduction of CO emissions2 atmospheric should become a matter of course. As for the addition of ethanol, the FIA regulation provides that it is second generation. Ethanol is produced by fermentation processes, with the sources of starch used to fuel the fermentation being corn and wheat, which are then clearly accompanied by the by-products of the sugar industry, see the example of Brazil. This applies to the first generation ethanol, while for the second generation, matrices are used that do not impact the food chain. The world cannot afford to clear tropical areas to create sugar cane plantations or pull down forests to plant corn, because then maybe environmental sustainability is achieved, but food needs can no longer be met. Agriculture also allows for the recirculation of carbon dioxide already present in the atmosphere, but it must be said that fertilizers must be synthesized and agricultural machinery must be fed, so the impact is not completely canceled. Any entropic activity increases carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the effort is to slow down this process. The CO2 atmospheric however increases: we are around 400 parts per million, but if we maintain certain rhythms it will continue to rise even faster. The concept, however, is that we cannot go to sacrifice the food supply of countries that live off imports and in which the blanket is short. This ethanol must therefore be of the second generation, but it is nothing revolutionary, it has already existed for several years ”.
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