WRC Crisis Averted at Safari Rally Kenya: FIA Intervenes in P1 Fuels Administration
The official fuel supplier of the World Rally Championship, P1 Fuels, has entered administration, prompting the FIA to secure an emergency fuel supply for the upcoming Safari Rally Kenya in two weeks. P1 Performance Fuels GmbH, which became the exclusive fuel supplier for the WRC after winning a sustainable fuels tender in 2022, was placed under provisional insolvency administration on February 10 by the Charlottenburg District Court. The restructuring firm Greenberg Traurig has been appointed to administer the process.
P1's financial difficulties resulted in its fuel shipment for the Safari being detained at the Port of Mombasa due to unpaid customs fees. The FIA has since paid these outstanding fees to ensure the fuel's release for the third round of the WRC season.
An FIA spokesperson stated, "The FIA is actively addressing the situation with P1 Fuels and is collaborating with all relevant parties. An update will be provided in due course."
P1 Fuels has also lost its contract to supply fuel in Germany's DTM series and its support categories, GT Masters and GT4 Germany, where it provided a synthetic, fossil-free fuel. The series organiser, ADAC, has now switched its fuel supply to the British company Coryton.
Meanwhile, Aramco, the Saudi Arabian national state oil company, is reportedly in talks to potentially take over as the control supplier for the Rally Islas Canarias and future events.