Racing to save the planet
F1 cars are transitioning to Biofuel
During the recent weekend, Sebastian Vettel had the privilege of driving the 1992 champion-winning FW14B F1 car at the iconic Silverstone Circuit, where it showcased the useability of biofuel and how it could potentially be the way forward for powering our cars.
What is biofuel
Biofuel is a type of fuel that functions the exact same as something such as petrol and can be used to power cars, planes, and other machinery. It is produced using the emissions already in the air, which is then pumped back into the atmosphere and then used again to make more fuel. This constant cycle means that biofuel is carbon neutral as it takes the same amount of Co2 out of the atmosphere as it puts back in.
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But how good is it?
To figure this out, Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel used this biofuel in a 1992 F1 car on the Silverstone Circuit to test how the car would perform. Amazingly, the car performed the exact same as the standard high-end racing fuel normally used in F1 cars. Not only this, but the results also proved that biofuel can be used to power any petrol vehicle, including older cars. This is something that has been discussed a lot recently as we transition towards an all-electric vehicle future.
As a result of the testing, F1 is now aiming to transition to the use of Biofuels and going carbon neutral for 2026. This means that they won’t have to switch to electric cars as they had originally planned to.
Why were not currently using it
There is one main reason why we aren’t transitioning to biofuels and that is simply the cost of it. As there are only a few private companies developing it, the price is so much higher than standard petrol/diesel. With more studies and testing showing its effectiveness. It is hoped that mass production of biofuel will begin which would drastically bring down the price and become available for the public to purchase.
With further evidence that electric cars may not be as environmentally friendly as originally thought, it is becoming more likely that as times go on biofuel and hydrogen might end up being the way forward.
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