As we wait for the full 2027 technical regulations, one of the questions still left open has been answered. In a press release issued last week (see below), the Grand Prix Commission decided that the switch to 100% non-fossil fuels will be policed by measuring the amount of carbon-14 isotopes in the fuel, rather than any other form of certification.
Though no reason for the decision was given, it is easy to see why the GPC chose C-14 measurements as the method for policing non-fossil fuels. Although it is more complicated than current fuel testing, it is still relatively fast, simple, and provides a quantifiable result. The downside to this choice is that it rules out using synthetic fuels taken from CCUS (carbon capture, utilization, and storage) facilities, as some fuel companies had wanted.
