Petronas has obtained homologation for the sustainable fuel that will power the Mercedes Formula 1 engines used by the Silver Arrows as well as McLaren, Williams and Alpine. The Malaysian giant’s department responsible for the Formula 1 programme received the necessary certification to take part in the 2026 world championship at the last moment, with the season opener in Melbourne scheduled to kick off this week.
The new homologation procedure introduced for sustainable fuels is far more complex than the one previously defined for the gasoline used up to last season.
Until 2025, fuels were verified and certified in a laboratory affiliated with the FIA. Manufacturers would send a sample and receive results within about 20 days. Starting this season, the process has become much more complicated and while manufacturers moved well in advance, setbacks risked making the timelines significantly longer.
This year, the FIA has delegated certification to an external body tasked not only with analysing the final product, but also with verifying the entire production process.
For the 2026 season, the entire supply chain is subject to checks. Personnel from the certifying body visit the production facilities directly to ensure that every phase complies with the criteria established by FIA regulations.
The certifications of the individual components are also examined, including those from any suppliers involved in the chain. If even a single certification is missing, the fuel, even if compliant with the specifications, cannot be homologated.
Petronas and Mercedes have not commented on the matter, but the delay in homologation appears to have been linked precisely to the certifications required to complete the procedure.
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