In 2022, F1, F2 and F3 made a ground-breaking commitment to achieving net zero carbon by the end of the decade; the billion-dollar motorsport championship reckoned its V6 hybrid cars would run on 100% sustainable fuel from the start of the 2026 campaign as opposed to the current 55% bio-sourced sustainable fuel.
Amidst the looming deadline, Formula 3 has made its first step towards fulfilling Formula 1’s revolutionary dream. For the first-ever time, F3 cars ran on 100% sustainable fuel during the pre-season testing at Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona. The FIA’s plan of action is that if the fuel is deemed a success, Formula 1 will likely adopt it as early as next season.
Formula 3 to Use 100 Percent Sustainable Fuels for the 2025 Campaign
However, the big question is, have ARAMCO and F3 forged a successful partnership following the much-anticipated testing? Initial reports indicate that the performance of Formula 3 cars has remained unaffected by ARAMCO’s latest makeover.
Are 2025 Formula 3 cars faster than 2024?
The 2024 Spanish Grand Prix weekend witnessed Christian Mansell deliver the fastest lap of the weekend to secure pole position – 1:28:463. However, in a stunning turn of events, the opening day of this year’s pre-season testing shattered Mansell’s time, as Callum Voisin clocked an astonishing 1:27.959 – nearly half a second quicker.
Welcome to the new era of #F3 🤩
The journey begins here 🙌#F3Testing #RoadToF1 pic.twitter.com/QyWd8DalNA
— Formula 3 (@Formula3) February 20, 2025
What’s more, the cars only got faster with time, as Campos Racing’s Nikoa Tsolov delivered a blistering 1:26:618 on day 2, setting the fastest-ever lap in an F3 car in Barcelona. From a data standpoint, the numbers prove that this year’s F3 cars are way faster than last year’s.
Ultimately, this is fantastic news for Formula 1, as the fully sustainable fuel has not hindered the performance of F3 cars. If anything, the change has had a visibly positive impact. Therefore, With all the data and cutting-edge technology at hand, there’s no reason why F1 can’t replicate this success next year.
What led to the spike in performance of F3 cars?
Ahead of the 2025 F3 campaign, Formula 2 and Formula 3 technical director, Pierre-Alain Michot elaborated on the changes made to the newly unveiled challenger. For starters, ARAMCO partnered with F1 to produce 100% sustainable racing fuels for the junior categories.
But, fuel isn’t the only notable upgrade this year. Michot revealed that F3 cars underwent significant modifications to their electronics and engine mapping. He further emphasized the hardest part of F3’s recent stride towards sustainability – maximizing the efficiency of ARAMCO’s fuel while maintaining optimal engine performance.
Fastest per session in pre-season testing ⏱️👀
DAY 1 AM – Voisin – 1:27.959
DAY 1 PM – Leon – 1:27.711
DAY 2 AM – Tsolov – 1:26.618 🔥💨
DAY 2 PM – Tsolov – 1:27.249
DAY 3 AM – Camara – 1:42.570
DAY 3 PM – Voisin – 1:39.031 #F3 #F3Testing pic.twitter.com/kaXdn4448j— Formula 3 (@Formula3) February 21, 2025
“This year’s engine is an upgrade from 2024,” he told F3. “We’ve made some modifications to the electronics side to accommodate the Aramco Advanced fuel meeting the FIA 100% sustainable fuel standard.”
“That was the main target, to accommodate the new fuel with the engine. So, there were a lot of tests done by Mecachrome to make sure that we could have the same range of performance and reliability as the previous car.”
Overall, all eyes will be on Formula 2 next, with pre-season testing set to begin next week. The big question is: will F2 cars witness a surge in performance as well?
