Formula 1 (F1) drivers like Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, and Charles Leclerc may someday speed around international racing courses in vehicles driven by Indian petrol if the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) gets its way. The largest refiner and gasoline merchant in India is working on manufacturing the fuel for the most popular motorsport championship in the world and hopes to supply fuel to Formula One racing teams with global giants Petronas, Shell, ExxonMobil, and Castrol.


Words from IOC Chairman Shrikant Madhav Vaidya ~ 
He said the firm could compete with other global companies to provide Formula 1 gasoline to the teams in around three months after it receives certification. The Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), the worldwide motorsport regulatory organization, strictly regulates F1 fuel requirements on several fronts, including allowable blending agents and additives. F1 fuel is simply high-octane gasoline. Fuel is optimized by suppliers based on the unique engine specs and performance demands of each racing team. A total of ten Formula One teams participate in the annual Grand Prix, a series of events held across the globe. The teams have the same freedom to select their fuel source as they have with their other suppliers.


F1 gasoline typically has an octane value of 95 or higher, claims Vaidya. High-octane gasoline can minimize engine knocking and provide more power, depending on the engine type. In essence, fuels with higher octane ratings are more resilient to compression. According to the IOC chairman, the corporation intends to produce F1 gasoline at its newest refinery in Paradip, Odisha, because the fuel will mostly be exported and the refinery's coastline location makes it more export-friendly than the majority of IOC's other land-locked refineries. The fuel used by Formula One racing teams is called "E10 fuel," which is high-performance gasoline blended with 10% bioethanol. F1 intends to switch to 100% sustainable fuel starting in 2026. This implies that every fuel component must come from a sustainable source, such as non-food bioderived fuel, real municipal garbage, or sustainable carbon capture. Fuel mixed with more than 10% ethanol is already being sold by Indian fuel merchants, the largest of which being IOC. In India, the IOC is also leading the way in sustainable fuel research and development.


With the release of their high-octane "STORM" gasoline for motorcycle racing, IOC has joined the racing fuels market. The firm declared on Wednesday that it would serve as the Federation Internationale De Motocyclisme (FIM) Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) official gasoline partner from 2024 to 2026. IOC will supply its STORM fuel for all ARRC race events as part of this cooperation.