Oil Companies Fueling Formula 1 Teams in 2026

Formula 1 has long served as a proving ground for automotive technology, and in 2026, fuel and lubricant suppliers have an even more important role.

The sport’s new regulations require every car to use 100% sustainable fuel, making the collaboration between F1 teams and major energy companies more significant than ever. Five principal fuel suppliers serve the 2026 grid: Petronas, Shell, Aramco, ExxonMobil, and BP through its Castrol brand.

Petronas supplies fuel to the largest group of teams. Its partnership covers Mercedes, McLaren, Williams, and Alpine, all of which use Mercedes power units. Petronas has maintained a particularly close relationship with Mercedes since 2010 and continues to develop advanced sustainable fuel and fluid technologies for the new regulations.

The partnership has been extended into the new era of F1, highlighting the company's role beyond sponsorship and into technical development.

Shell supplies Ferrari, Haas, and Cadillac, which share Ferrari power-unit technology in 2026. Shell and Ferrari have one of the longest-running technical relationships in motorsport, with their collaboration extending across fuel, lubricants, and other fluids designed to maximize power-unit performance.

Aramco provides fuel for Aston Martin, which begins its Honda-powered era in 2026. Aramco has developed FIA-compliant 100% sustainable fuel specifically for the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team. The company also serves as F1’s Global Energy Partner and has been involved in developing lower-carbon fuel technologies for motorsport.

ExxonMobil supplies Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls, supporting the Red Bull Ford power-unit programme. Its partnership focuses on creating fuel capable of delivering maximum performance within the strict 2026 regulations while meeting the sport's sustainability requirements.

Finally, BP supplies Audi through its Castrol brand. Audi's arrival as a power-unit manufacturer in 2026 brings another major energy partnership to Formula 1. Castrol is responsible for the fuel and lubricants developed for Audi's new F1 power unit, creating an important technical partnership as the German manufacturer enters the championship.

These partnerships demonstrate that modern F1 is about far more than simply putting fuel into a racing car. Energy companies work closely with engineers to optimize fuel chemistry, lubricants, efficiency, and power-unit performance.

With the 2026 regulations placing greater emphasis on electrification and sustainable fuels, these collaborations are also becoming laboratories for technologies that could eventually influence the wider automotive industry.

Together, Petronas, Shell, Aramco, ExxonMobil, and BP/Castrol play a crucial role in powering Formula 1's new technological era, where performance and sustainability increasingly go hand in hand.