F1 Engine Oil: The Quest For More Power

The world of Formula 1 is a relentless pursuit of speed, where every component, no matter how seemingly mundane, is optimised to extract maximum performance. Remember the buzz around certain teams, notably Mercedes and Ferrari, and the whispers of 'oil burning' to gain an engine power advantage? It was a fascinating, albeit controversial, period that highlighted just how far engineers will go to find an edge. This intrigue begs a deeper look: was it truly just those two teams, and what kind of oil could possibly be manipulated to deliver such a boost? The answers lie deep within the highly secretive and technologically advanced realm of F1 lubricants.

What Oil Do F1 Cars Use?

Unlike your road car, Formula 1 machines don't just use 'engine oil'; they use a highly specialised, bespoke liquid designed for extreme performance. F1 cars exclusively utilise fully synthetic oil. This isn't off-the-shelf stuff; each F1 team partners with a specific lubricant company, such as Petronas for Mercedes or Shell for Ferrari, creating a unique technical alliance. These partnerships are far more than just sponsorship deals; they involve deep collaboration between the oil company's research and development teams and the F1 team's powertrain engineers.

The lubricant partners provide a range of FIA-legal oils, meticulously blended for specific conditions. These high-performance racing oils demand a fully synthetic base stock because it offers unparalleled consistency in temperature resistance and overall performance. Crucially, fully synthetic base stocks can be engineered at a molecular level, allowing for precise customisation to meet the unique demands of an F1 engine operating at its absolute limit. Imagine a team of molecular engineers constantly tweaking the exact ratio of synthetic base stock and an array of chemical additives. This isn't a static process; throughout a gruelling F1 season, atmospheric conditions like air pressure and temperature vary significantly from circuit to circuit. It's common practice for engine oil to be specifically tailored for the unique conditions anticipated at each Grand Prix weekend, ensuring optimum performance regardless of the environment.

The FIA's Stricter Stance: Regulating Lubrication

Historically, engine oils were one of the least regulated aspects of Formula 1, offering a fertile ground for engineers to innovate – and sometimes exploit. However, this changed significantly in 2018. The FIA, motorsport's governing body, introduced stringent limits on the amount of engine oil that could be consumed (or effectively 'burned') during a race. Simultaneously, the FIA tightened the definition of F1 engine oil itself, defining it more strictly as “a substance that must be readily identifiable as a lubricant.” This was a direct response to the 'oil burning' controversies, aiming to close loopholes that allowed oil to be used as a supplementary fuel source for increased power.

This regulatory shift forced teams to rethink their strategies. No longer could they simply burn oil for a quick power boost. The focus shifted back to the oil's primary function: lubrication, cooling, and protection, all while adhering to strict consumption limits. The FIA's technical delegates now closely monitor oil usage, ensuring fair play across the grid.

What Grade Of Oil Do F1 Cars Use?

While the exact formulations are closely guarded secrets, the most common base stock for F1 engine oil originates from a Group IV full-synthetic PAO (Polyalphaolefin) base oil blend. This is typically combined to achieve a 10W-60 viscosity grade. This might sound familiar to some performance car enthusiasts, but the demands on F1 oil are in a league of their own.

F1 engines run at extraordinary speeds, often exceeding 15,000 rpm, and generate immense heat, with internal temperatures nearing 300°C. Under such conditions, the High Temperature/High Shear (HTHS) viscosity requirement is paramount. F1 oils typically demand an HTHS viscosity higher than 3.7 mPas, which is significantly higher than the 3.5 mPas minimum found in 'normal' high-performance racing oils. This elevated HTHS viscosity is crucial for maintaining a protective film between rapidly moving metal parts, even under extreme pressure and temperature.

If the engine oil viscosity is too low, there's insufficient protection against wear, which is a catastrophic risk in an era where power unit components are strictly limited per season. A breakdown due to excessive wear could mean grid penalties or even disqualification. Furthermore, low-viscosity engine oil tends to carbonise (burn-off) more quickly. Given the FIA's strict maximum oil consumption level of 0.6 litres per 100km (reduced from 1.2 litres per 100km in 2018), teams simply cannot afford to have their oil burning off too rapidly. It's a delicate balancing act to ensure maximum protection without exceeding consumption limits.

What Makes F1 Engine Oil Different and Special?

The sheer demands placed on an F1 engine make its oil truly exceptional. Spinning at 15,000 rpm and operating at extreme temperatures and pressures, the oil must provide maximum protection against wear, ensuring each power unit can last for its allocated number of race weekends. This longevity is critical due to the limited number of engine components allowed per season.

The secret sauce lies in the precise blend of chemical additives integrated into the fully synthetic high-performance base stock. The exact ratios and types of these additives are a closely guarded secret for each team, representing years of research and development. However, the classes of additives and their general functions are known:

How Much Oil Do F1 Cars Use and The Power Advantage

While the infamous 'oil burning' era saw F1 cars consuming between 3 and 5 litres of oil during a race, leveraging it as an additional fuel source, current FIA regulations have significantly curtailed this. With fuel flow strictly limited to 100kg per hour, any oil burned in the engine effectively became 'free' additional fuel, boosting power output. This loophole was a primary driver behind the 2018 rule changes.

Today, the maximum oil consumption level for any power unit is capped at 0.6 litres per 100km, which translates to roughly 30ml per lap on an average circuit. This drastically reduced limit means teams can no longer rely on oil as a significant power adder. However, managing oil consumption remains a critical strategic element. Too much oil remaining at the end of a race can mean close to a kilogram of extra weight, which can be critical over the final laps. Conversely, too little oil could spell disaster for a power unit, leading to a DNF (Did Not Finish). As the saying goes, 'To finish first… first, you have to finish.'

The consumption limit also necessitates careful adjustment of oil viscosity from race to race. A higher viscosity oil means more weight at the start of the Grand Prix, but potentially lower consumption. A lower viscosity oil might offer marginally less internal friction, but risks higher consumption and potentially breaching FIA rules.

Is Thicker Oil Better For F1 Racing?

F1 engines run incredibly hot, screaming along at 15,000 rpm. As any oil heats up, it naturally becomes thinner. Therefore, the oil used in F1 engines needs to be sufficiently thick at ambient temperatures so that when it reaches its extreme operating temperature, it is still thick enough to properly coat and protect all the engine's intricate parts. This ensures continuous lubrication and prevents metal-on-metal contact.

F1 engines utilise a dry-sump lubrication system, meaning there's no large reservoir of oil sloshing around under the engine. Instead, oil is stored in an external oil tank, which helps with the car's balance and weight distribution at high speeds. This external tank feeds oil into the engine and components under pressure.

Interestingly, while thicker oil is generally preferred for protection and longevity during a race, a slightly thinner oil can still be used strategically. During qualifying, where a small amount of extra power can make a significant difference to grid position, teams might opt for a thinner oil. If this thinner oil is consumed (burned) in the engine, it acts as an additional fuel source for a brief, critical burst of power. This is a subtle tactic, as the consumption limit still applies, but every millisecond counts in qualifying. For the race itself, teams will typically switch back to a thicker, more durable oil. The auxiliary oil tank, which must be empty for qualifying, is filled for the race, easily allowing a different, thicker oil to be added to the lubrication system for durability over the longer race distance.

What Is The F1 Engine Oil Capacity?

The volume of oil contained directly within a 1.6-litre V6 F1 engine is approximately 3 litres. However, this figure does not include the oil held in the main external oil tank and the auxiliary oil tank (AOT). The FIA regulations place a strict 2.5-litre limit on the auxiliary oil tank, but there is no explicit limit on the size of the main oil tank. This means the effective total engine oil capacity can vary slightly between the 10 competing F1 teams, depending on their main tank design and strategic choices.

The FIA regulations have two primary factors limiting oil capacity and volume:

• Oil Consumption Rate: The first is the aforementioned oil consumption rate of 0.6 litres per 100km. To regulate this, Section 5.24.3 of the 2022 FIA regulations states: “The measurement of the oil level in the main oil tank must be supplied to FIA at all times. The main oil tank is the oil tank directly connected to the engine oil feed at the inlet of the oil pressure pump.” This real-time monitoring allows the FIA to ensure teams adhere to the consumption limits.
• Auxiliary Oil Tank (AOT) Volume: The second restriction concerns the maximum size of the AOT. Section 5.24.5 of the 2022 FIA regulations specifies: “The total volume of the AOT and its connections to the engine must not be greater than 2.5l. The transfer of oil between the AOT and the engine must be controlled by a solenoid.” This solenoid is typically activated by the driver pressing an 'oil' button on the F1 steering wheel, allowing them to top up the engine's internal oil supply from the AOT during a session if needed.

How Often Do F1 Cars Change Oil?

There are no specific FIA regulations limiting the number of times a team can change the oil in an F1 car over a race weekend, beyond the crucial rule that cars cannot change or top up their oil in the pits during the race itself. This means that once the race starts, a team is committed to the oil they have in the engine.

As mentioned, each team has several different engine oil formulations available for use each race weekend. However, each of these available oils must undergo prior testing and receive written approval from the FIA before it can be used in competition (Section 16.10.2 of the 2022 FIA regulations). This ensures that all oils used are indeed lubricants and adhere to the regulations.

During free practice sessions, teams extensively test different engine oils under simulated race conditions. This data gathering is vital for deciding which engine oil compound each driver will use during qualifying and the race. Once a team has selected its preferred oil for the race, the FIA must be formally informed. Section 16.11.1 of the 2022 FIA regulations states: “Each Competitor must declare, prior to every Competition, which oil will be used in each of their engines during the Competition.”

Given this iterative testing process, it's highly likely that a car will run with a different engine oil compound during the first (and sometimes second) free practice sessions. This translates to a considerable number of oil changes in relatively short succession over a Grand Prix weekend. The FIA acknowledges that with such frequent changes, a small residue of one type of engine oil might mix with the next. To account for this, their regulations relating to post-race oil testing allow for a small degree of mixing. When a team submits an oil for FIA approval, its chemical makeup becomes the 'reference engine oil'. Samples drawn from each car after a race are compared to this reference. Section 16.11.3 of the 2022 FIA regulations clarifies: “Samples which differ from the reference engine oil in a manner consistent with the mixing with other engine oils, which have been approved by the FIA for use by the team at a Competition, will be deemed to comply, provided that the adulterant oils are in-total present at no more than 10% in the sample.” This provides a pragmatic allowance for the realities of frequent testing and oil changes.

What Oil Does Each F1 Team Use?

As discussed, every team on the F1 grid has a dedicated official lubricant partner. This collaboration is far more than just a badge on the car; it involves deep technical integration. Engineers from the lubricant company work hand-in-hand with the F1 team's engine designers and strategists to create a range of engine oils that are perfectly suited to the specific characteristics of that team's power unit and its operating parameters across various atmospheric temperatures and track conditions. This bespoke approach means that while all F1 oils are fully synthetic and designed for extreme performance, no two teams use an identical oil formulation.

Frequently Asked Questions About F1 Engine Oil

Q: Can F1 engine oil really increase engine power?

A: Historically, yes, to a degree. Before 2018, teams exploited loopholes to burn oil as a supplementary fuel, providing a power boost. However, current FIA regulations have severely restricted this practice, with strict limits on oil consumption (0.6 litres per 100km) and a tighter definition of what constitutes a lubricant, making significant power gains from oil burning virtually impossible today.

Q: Why is F1 oil so special compared to road car oil?

A: F1 oil is designed for extreme conditions: engines revving to 15,000 rpm and temperatures reaching 300°C. It's a bespoke, fully synthetic blend with a high HTHS viscosity and a secret cocktail of advanced chemical additives (anti-wear, detergents, oxidation inhibitors, etc.) to ensure maximum protection and performance under these unparalleled stresses, far beyond what any road car engine experiences.

Q: Do F1 teams change oil during a race?

A: No, F1 teams are strictly prohibited from changing or topping up engine oil during a Grand Prix race once it has started. They can, however, change oil frequently during free practice sessions and must declare their chosen oil for qualifying and the race to the FIA beforehand.

Q: How much oil does an F1 car hold?

A: The engine itself holds approximately 3 litres. Additionally, there's a main external oil tank, and an auxiliary oil tank (AOT) with a maximum capacity of 2.5 litres. The total capacity varies slightly between teams due to main tank design, but the AOT is strictly limited.

Q: Is a thinner or thicker oil better for F1?

A: Generally, a thicker oil (like 10W-60) is preferred for racing due to the extreme heat, ensuring it remains viscous enough to protect components. However, a slightly thinner oil might be used strategically during qualifying for a marginal, short-term performance gain if it can be consumed for a power boost, provided it remains within FIA consumption limits.

Conclusion

The world of Formula 1 engine oil is far more complex and strategic than merely lubricating moving parts. It's a battleground of chemistry and engineering, where bespoke blends, advanced additives, and meticulous management are crucial for performance. From the controversies of 'oil burning' to the stringent FIA regulations of today, the evolution of F1 lubricants perfectly encapsulates the sport's relentless pursuit of marginal gains. While the days of burning oil for outright power are largely over, the oil remains a critical, highly engineered component, painstakingly developed to ensure a power unit can not only survive the incredible stresses of Grand Prix racing but also contribute every possible fraction of a horsepower to the ultimate goal: victory.

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