There may be no Formula 1 on this Sunday but that does not mean the sport has been stagnating since the summer break commenced after the Hungarian Grand Prix. A landmark ruling will ensure that the top-tier of motorsport will run on completely sustainable fuel by 2026.

The next Formula has been a hot topic in the motorsport paddock for quite some time now but the World Motor Sport Council has approved and ratified the FIAs proposal for power units from 2026 onward which prioritise sustainability and driver safety while not compromising on current power outputs.

Much has changed but much has also stayed the same. The next era of powertrains will retain the 1,6-litre V6 ICE complete with turbo, ERS, and MGU-K but the complicated MGU-H will be removed. To curb unnecessary expenditure, the FIA has also imposed a power unit cost cap and increased the amount of standardised components that will need to be used between the competing teams.

At the moment, the FIA 2026 F1 Power Unit Financial Regulations include a cost cap of $95 million up until the regulation changes, thereafter, it will increase to $130 million.

Most notably, there will be an increase in electrical power after the  FIA confirmed that this specific output will increase to 350kW in order to increase the “road relevance” of the hybrid power units. The biggest talking point with the future regulations is that Formula 1 will run on completely sustainable fuels from 2026 onwards meaning that the fuel burned will not deposit any more carbon into the atmosphere.

Looking beyond the 2026 formula changes, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem stated that: “The FIA continues to push forward on innovation and sustainability – across our entire motor sport portfolio – the 2026 Formula 1 Power Unit Regulations are the most high-profile example of that mission.” He further added that the FIA are still in pursuit of net-zero carbon goal for 2030.