Formula 1 cars are powered by petrol. The FIA
regulations direct that the fuels should be 'predominantly composed of
compounds normally found in commercial fuels'. Use of fuels having
power-boosting chemical compounds is prohibited.
Samples of Fuel
The teams are required to provide the FIA with two separate five-litre
samples for analysis and approval before every event. FIA teams can
select more samples in between events to ensure that there is no
discrepancy between the fuel being actually used and the sample
provided.
Racing Car Fuel
At the beginning of formula races, the cars used a mix of various
additives and chemicals like benzene, alcohol and aviation fuel. The
combination of these additives was power boosting, yet not friendly to
the engine. At the end of the race the engine had to be cleaned
properly. With time considerable changes have been made in the
composition of fuel. A broad outline has been made to differentiate
between racing car fuel and ordinary fuel. Engine oil is also the part
of fuel structure and is also checked at regular intervals.
Mixtures of Fuel
A team usually consumes up to 200,000 liters of fuel during testing and
racing. The FIA allows to use various mixtures of fuel according to the
nature of track. However the combination used must be in accordance with
the parameters of the FIA. The fuel companies keep on trying to optimize
the use of fuel but the regulatory body ensures that they don't violate
the regulations.
Fuel Tanks
The fuel tanks in these cars are made of single rubber bladder. The
materials used must be approved by the FIA. Only bladders manufactured
by certain approved companies are allowed. The fuel lines should
self-seal in the event of an accident, thus lessening the risk for the
driver. No fuel line should pass through the cockpit. The bladder tank
must be encased in a crash-resistant structure which is the part of the
safety cell of the car.
Refueling
For refueling, identical rigs supplied by FIA-approved manufacturer are
used. The refueling rate while race is limited to 12.1 litres per
second.
Fuel in F1 cars should be composed of compounds
normally found in commercial fuels. The FIA checks the quality of fuel
used in Formula 1 Cars.