At its essence, sustainable motorsport remains rooted in the thrill of racing, and Jeff Dodds, CEO of Formula E, emphasizes this point. Discover his insights on the subject in this week’s Sustainable Motorsport Roundup. I also have details on Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus attacking the Baja 1000 with a hydrogen-powered car, Hyundai taking on Pikes Peak with their electric Ioniq and 2B Autosport tackling the French Rally Championship with a synthetic fuel-powered Porsche 991.
It’s all in this week’s edition of the Sustainable Motorsport Roundup on Motorsport Prospects. Your source for sustainable high performance motorsport news.
Sustainable Motorsport News
Global Sustainable Sport looks at how the Australian Grand Prix Corporation is leading the sustainability race. “Being a temporary location, it can present its challenges when it comes to implementing sustainability initiatives. However, it can also offer opportunities to be creative with new technology and ideas – allowing organisers to lead the race to be more sustainable in Australia.”
The Green Future Project explains how AVL RACETECH has worked with them on their sustainability efforts. “Since 2021, AVL RACETECH has been at the forefront of environmental conservation, actively investing in projects that safeguard tropical forests and their rich biodiversity. Through the Drive Fast Act Faster Campaign, they protected 22.66 hectares of the Narupa Reserve in Ecuador, with plans to preserve an additional 10.52 hectares in 2024. And what does this mean in terms of CO2e? They have prevented the release of 2,520 tonnes of CO2e, which is vital in maintaining the balance of our Planet’s carbon cycle.”
PMW Expo 2024, to be held on November 13 & 14, 2024 in Köln Messe, Cologne, Germany, will see the debut of an all-new forum for the discussion of advanced powertrain technologies. Held on the PMW Magazine stage on day one of the Expo, industry leaders from the automotive and motorsport industries will share their insights into advancements in high performance powertrains, both electric and ICE.
“With a focus on technology transfer to mainstream automotive and beyond, attendees will receive unrivalled intelligence on the ways motorsport can drive developments that accelerate the decarbonisation of transport.”
The above is a video from sustainability consultants Right Hub which gives you an idea of the kind of sustainable motorsport programs they are involved in.
The 2024 Green Sports Alliance Summit hosted at L.A. LIVE is presented by AEG from June 11-13 in Los Angeles, CA for 3 days centered around the theme of Faster, Further, Together.
This year, the Summit is focused around these six areas:
- Climate, Environmental & Social Justice, Health
- Health, Well-Being & Limitless Potential
- Built Environment & Decarbonization
- Partnerships & Community Engagement
- Circularity, Procurement & Supply Chain
- Water Resource Replenishment & Access.
Full details can be found here.
Sustainable Motorsport Tech
Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus hopes to be the first team to complete the daunting Baja 1000 with zero emissions, and plan to do so with the SCG 008 Hydrogen Fuel Cell (HFC) car.
“We hope to prove that this can be done safely with quick safe refueling,” wrote Glickenhaus. “We are also developing a HFC pick up truck. We are also working on viable refueling stations and viable remote refueling solutions. We believe Hydrogen will be a part of the future and that we can get an equivalent amount of Hydrogen to the dollar cost of diesel.”
Hyundai has announced that they will be launching an assault on the infamous Pikes Peak with the all-electric Ioniq 5 N in an attempt to beat Lamborghini’s record.
“Hyundai announced its target Wednesday, revealing its star-studded driver lineup for this year’s Race to the Clouds. The Korean make will employ the experience of 11-time Pikes Peak overall winner Paul Dallenbach, four-time winner Robin Shute, three-time WRC rally winner Dani Sordo, and former Ken Block affiliate Ron Zaras. Dallenbach and Zaras will captain stock examples in the Production SUV class, while Shute and Sordo will race modified versions. Those upgraded cars (as well as the cars’ liveries) will be revealed at a later date.”
Both Daily Sportscar and Racer discuss the efforts that tire suppliers Michelin and Goodyear are taking in the quest for tire performance that is sustainable. But it’s not easy.
“We could produce a tire with 100 per cent sustainable materials, we know how to do it, and we know our competitors can too,” Michelin’s Pierre Alves explained to Daily Sportscar. The big problem is producing these in industrial quantities. We can make one tire fully sustainable, that’s easy, but we need to make six to seven thousand for the WEC.”
Synthetic fuel developer Zero Petroleum has partnered with 2B Autosport in the French Rally Championship. The team becomes Zero’s first rally car partner, and its fuel will power a GT+ spec Porsche 991
Paddy Lowe, Zero CEO, said, “Zero is honored to team up with 2B Autosport, Gwen Lagrue and the FFSA [French Federation of Automobile Sport] to introduce 100% drop-in synthetic fuel to the French Rally Championship, marking a huge first step in our partnership and sustainable rallying. I was a big rally fan well before my career in Formula 1 because the East African Safari Rally used to come right by my house in Uganda, and I have immense respect for the additional level of difficulty drivers face while navigating unpredictable tracks and conditions. The historic Rhône-Charbonnières is the perfect venue for Zero to prove that synthetic fuel can transform any sport into a carbon-neutral activity, giving fans more of what they love with no change to the engine. After all, we’re not reinventing the wheel – just the fuel.”
PMW Magazine looks at the work that Korean researchers are doing to develop a recycling and upcycling process for carbon fiber-reinforced plastics.
“Carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) are widely used in various industries, such as aviation, aerospace, automotive and marine, due to their lightweight and high strength properties. However, the increased adoption of CFRP in new industries like air mobility has led to a waste disposal challenge as CFRP is not biodegradable and traditional high-temperature incineration methods cause environmental pollution.”
Sustainable Racing
Series News
Formula E has released their Season 9 Sustainability Report which demonstrates the strides they are making for a racing series that has embraced sustainability since it was launched. Some of the highlights from the report:
- 41% carbon emissions reduction per race compared to Season 5, following baseline set by the UN’s Science Based Targets initiative
- 41% decrease in freight carbon emissions compared to Season 5 and 23% decrease year on year from calendar optimisation and biofuels
- Formula E topped Global Sustainability Benchmark in Sports (GSBS) annual report for the second year running from nearly 500 global sports organisations
- Formula E became first global sports organisation to align with PAS 2060, the international specification for the demonstration of carbon neutrality
Julia Pallé, Vice President, Sustainability, Formula E, said: “While still only 10 years old, Formula E continues to lead the way in sustainability in sport and showcase that sustainability, performance and entertainment can all powerfully co-exist. As we continue to grow, we also continue to implement the most advanced and comprehensive measures that benefit both people and the planet, leaving a positive legacy in the markets where we race.
“Sports organisations not only have a huge responsibility to reduce their own emissions, but leverage their huge fanbases, athletes and influence in making positive sustainable change that enhances not just the communities it impacts but the world we live in today.”
Staying with Formula E, Julia Pallé was featured in several outlets and conferences as she expanded on the report. Whether explaining how Formula E and its partners at ABB and DHL are making motorsport more sustainable at EarthFest 2024 or in the in-depth interview she did with Vitas Carosella of Forbes where she explained why she thinks that technology is the answer to climate change.
“In no uncertain terms, Pallé said, “We believe that technology is the answer to any kind of challenges, especially when it comes to climate challenges. We believe that it is through technology that we will be able to make it to the challenge of climate change.””
Beyond sustainability, The Sports Pundit looks at how the competitiveness of the Fornula E grid is energizing interest in the series. As Formula E’s CEO, Jeff Dodds articulated on the Sports Pundit Podcast, “Without a competitive and compelling motorsport to watch, no one cares about sustainability and racetrack to road technology transfer. No one’s tuning in just to see those two things. They need to also see an amazing motor racing series.”
Not to be outdone, Formula 1 has been clear in explaining how sustainability is a top priority for the series with energy and logistics key driver’s of F1’s 2030 Net Zero targets.
“The logistical challenge of transporting teams and equipment across five continents and tens of thousands of miles has been met head-on by DHL. The delivery company has substantially reduced carbon emissions related to logistics, offering a blueprint for sustainable practices within the sport.”
Sport for purpose racing series, Extreme E, has established a Sustainable Development Policy to benchmark its leading environmental initiatives.
Ali Russell, Managing Director of Extreme E, said: “The purpose of our Sustainable Development Policy is to show Extreme E’s commitment to sustainability. Earth Day represents an opportunity to reflect on the importance of environmental protection and the responsibility we have to demonstrate sustainable practices, not just as a motorsport series, but as people and citizens of the planet.
Author: Mark Boudreau
Mark is the publisher of Motorsport Prospects. As a lawyer, he applies his legal background and research skills to assist race drivers by showcasing the resources they need to make their motorsport careers happen.
