<P> With the 2009 regulations, the FIA rid F1 cars of small winglets and other parts of the car (minus the front and rear wing) used to manipulate the airflow of the car in order to decrease drag and increase downforce . As it is now, the front wing is shaped specifically to push air towards all the winglets and bargeboards so that the airflow is smooth . Should these be removed, various parts of the car will cause great drag when the front wing is unable to shape the air past the body of the car . The regulations which came into effect in 2009 have reduced the width of the rear wing by 25 cm, and standardised the centre section of the front wing to prevent teams developing the front wing . </P> <P> The driver has the ability to fine - tune many elements of the race car from within the machine using the steering wheel . The wheel can be used to change gears, apply rev . limiter, adjust fuel / air mix, change brake pressure, and call the radio . Data such as engine rpm, lap times, speed, and gear are displayed on an LCD screen . The wheel hub will also incorporate gear change paddles and a row of LED shift lights . The wheel alone can cost about $50,000, and with carbon fibre construction, weighs in at 1.3 kilograms . In the 2014 season, certain teams such as Mercedes have chosen to use larger LCDs on their wheels which allow the driver to see additional information such as fuel flow and torque delivery . They are also more customizable owing to the possibility of using much different software . </P> <P> The fuel used in F1 cars is fairly similar to ordinary petrol, albeit with a far more tightly controlled mix . Formula One fuel can only contain compounds that are found in commercial gasoline, in contrast to alcohol - based fuels used in American open - wheel racing . Blends are tuned for maximum performance in given weather conditions or different circuits . During the period when teams were limited to a specific volume of fuel during a race, exotic high - density fuel blends were used which were actually more dense than water, since the energy content of a fuel depends on its mass density . </P> <P> To make sure that the teams and fuel suppliers are not violating the fuel regulations, the FIA requires Elf, Shell, Mobil, Petronas and the other fuel teams to submit a sample of the fuel they are providing for a race . At any time, FIA inspectors can request a sample from the fueling rig to compare the "fingerprint" of what is in the car during the race with what was submitted . The teams usually abide by this rule, but in 1997, Mika Häkkinen was stripped of his third - place finish at Spa - Francorchamps in Belgium after the FIA determined that his fuel was not the correct formula, as well as in 1976, both McLaren and Penske cars were forced to the rear of the Italian Grand Prix after the octane number of the mixture was found to be too high . </P>

What kind of fuel is used in f1 cars
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