GC Peak Area Variation Limits

In Simple Terms

F1 fuel must have consistent chemical composition across batches. If certain chemical compounds vary too much between fuel samples (more than 12% difference) or appear in significant amounts where they shouldn't be, the fuel fails inspection and the team faces penalties.

• Fuel samples are tested to ensure chemical consistency and prevent teams from using performance-enhancing additives
• Variations of more than 12% in peak area or absolute amounts exceeding 0.10% for minor compounds make fuel non-compliant
• Any chemical compound exceeding 0.10% that isn't in the reference fuel sample is automatically deemed illegal
• This regulation prevents fuel manipulation and ensures fair competition between teams