As Formula 1 prepares to switch to e-fuels from 2026, Stefano Domenicali has cautioned against rushing into longer-term technologies such as hydrogen.
From next year, new regulations will come into force in F1, with the most notable change being the adoption of sustainable fuel—a development that could eventually extend to production cars. “Sustainable fuel and V8s, I think it’s great,” Domenicali told The Race. “I’m happy to see strong support for this. It will go hand in hand with hybridisation, which is very important. I remain convinced that this is the next step for the future.”
Although the higher cost of these fuels has drawn criticism from some teams, the regulations are set. The technology has already been tested in Formula 2 and Formula 3 this season, with all 52 single-seaters running on the same e-fuels that F1 will use from 2026.
Tests in F2 and F3
Through a partnership with Aramco, which supplied the e-fuels free of charge, both championships were able to assess the technology in real-world racing conditions. Formula One Management (FOM) has confirmed that performance was not compromised.
“It has been an extremely valuable learning experience for the FIA to have Aramco’s fuel used in Formula 2 and Formula 3 ahead of F1’s adoption in 2026,” said Nikolas Tombazis of the FIA. He added: “Aramco is working very hard to expand production capacity and make sustainable fuels available on a larger scale. For now, it’s still a niche market, but the goal is to make it mainstream,” according to comments reported by Nextegen-auto.com.
When it comes to hydrogen, Domenicali does not see the technology reaching Formula 1 for at least a decade. While hydrogen engines are being developed in endurance racing (WEC) and Rally-Raid with Extreme H, F1 is taking a more cautious stance.
“I think the right approach is a holistic one—understanding which technologies are relevant for today and for the future. That’s how we should look at these elements,” Domenicali explained. For him, hydrogen is a possibility, “but not in the next ten years. That’s too far away. There are also safety constraints.”
Are you a LinkedIn user who would like to follow the latest hydrogen news on a more regular basis? Then our LinkedIn weekly newsletter may be what you’re looking for. You can subscribe to it by clicking here.
PS: You can sign up to our newsletters to follow the latest hydrogen news on a more regular basis:
– “Your hydrogen news live” (to receive all our articles as soon as they are published)
– “Your weekly newsletter” (sent every Monday morning).
