Laurent Mekies and Fred Vasseur have shared their thoughts on F1 moving to 100 percent sustainable fuels next season, when the championship overhauls its power unit regulations for the first time since 2014.
The Red Bull and Ferrari team principals were in agreement over the scale of the "incredible challenge" that awaits, as F1 looks to further achieve its goal of reaching carbon net zero by 2030.
However, despite the positive steps being taken by the series, it will prove a difficult hurdle for manufacturers to overcome, and costs are expected to rise as well.
Formula 2 and Formula 3 have been used successfully as a proving ground, with the junior championships moving from a 55 percent sustainable blend in 2023 to 100 percent bio-sourced fuel this year.
When asked how much of a headache the rising costs would be for teams, and what needed to be done to combat it, Mekies highlighted the broader impact for teams.
"Completely different regulations," the Red Bull boss told media, including RacingNews365. "It’s going to be a breakthrough in terms of technology. That’s what matters right now.
"It’s a breakthrough because it's the first time the sport will run on 100 percent sustainable fuel. It’s going to be an incredible challenge for all the fuel manufacturers, all the PU manufacturers, to extract as much performance as possible from that sustainable fuel.
"There will be a cost layer at this stage or another, but at the moment it’s coming well after the considerations about getting a fuel that meets these very high requirements, and getting maximum performance out of it."
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'We must not underestimate the benefit of sustainable fuel' - Vasseur
A meeting between the FIA and F1's fuel suppliers was scheduled to discuss the problem of rising costs and to investigate whether any steps can be taken for 2027.
Vasseur explained that the meeting was more slanted towards addressing the "mid-term and long-term" to "keep things under control."
However, the Frenchman was keen to stress how important the development is for Formula 1.
"I think we don’t have to underestimate the challenge of going to 100 percent sustainable fuel," he said. "It’s a huge step forward for F1 and a new direction we are taking.
"Honestly, the fuel is not yet frozen, which means it’s difficult to know the exact cost for next year. For sure, it's a bit more than the current season.
"But this meeting is more for the mid-term and long-term – to try to see how we can adapt the regulation in the future to keep things under control.
"But we must not underestimate the benefit of sustainable fuel. Yes, it has a cost – but it's a huge step forward for F1."
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