5. Fuel Consumption
The fuel used in F1 cars is similar to ordinary petrol. But it is a far more tightly controlled mix. Unlike most racing event, F1 regulates that the fuel used in F1 cars should only contain compounds found in commercial gasoline. The use of specific power-boosting chemical compounds is prohibited.
The average distance of one race in total is around 300 km. This requires a lot of fuels. With the regulation of maximum 100 kg of fuel per car in each race, one F1 race may consume up to 2,300 kg of fuel.
Let’s break it down to the three main sessions of F1 race. Practice sessions consume around 3,000 liters of fuel. Qualifying session takes around 1,500 liters. And for the race, 5,000 liters.
The total of F1 car’s fuel consumption in one race is approximately 9,500 liters. With 21 races in the calendar and 23 cars involved, it gives us around 4 million liters of fuel a year. Assuming the price is $2 per liter, this sport event costs $8 million for fuel.
