Formula E’s influencer strategy is just one of the topics covered in this week’s Sustainable Motorsport Roundup. I also have details on the new IMSA Michelin Sustainability in Racing Award, sustainable race fuel at the gas pumps and more.
Overview
Sustainable Motorsport News
FIA Welcomes Leading Tire Manufacturer Hankook to Global Partner Programme
The FIA has named Hankook its newest Global Partner. A trusted partner for over three years, the manufacturer has officially joined the FIA’s Global Partner Programme, a network of leading organizations committed to advancing safety, sustainability and innovation across motor sport and mobility.
Jongho Park, Hankook Tire Europe President & COO: “The FIA and Hankook share the belief that technological innovation can only be effective on a sustained basis if it combines safety, fairness and responsibility. As Global Partner of the FIA, we want to use our expertise in technology and sustainable tyre development to drive the mobility of the future – in motorsport and beyond.”
Lusail International Circuit Hosts Shell Eco-Marathon Qatar
Lusail International Circuit (LIC) has successfully hosted the 2026 edition of Shell Eco-marathon Qatar, reaffirming the country’s growing role as a regional hub for innovation, education and sustainable mobility.
This year’s edition welcomed over 70 student teams comprising almost 1000 students from 15 countries, all showcasing their ingenuity and engineering excellence through the design and performance of ultra-energy-efficient vehicles.
Sustainable Motorsport Tech
How ExxonMobil and Red Bull Are Intertwined to Master F1’s Sustainable Fuel Challenge
ExxonMobil explains in Autosport how it is on the phone “every day” with Red Bull as the two partners tackle Formula 1’s 2026 introduction of sustainable fuels. “We have been doing motorsports for 110 years. We were at the first F1 race in Silverstone, so we have 75 years of experience in formulating fuels and lubricants to help champions win. And this year, we got the opportunity to create fuels that have that same level of performance out of materials we have never used before. That includes manure, food waste, and non-food crops like switchgrass. And the question is, how can you create a high-performance F1 fuel out of those crops?”
UK’s First Petrol Pump Offering Race Fuel with Sustainable Content Opens to the Public in the Cotswolds
Motor enthusiasts and race teams can make a more environmentally friendly choice, following the installation of the country’s first SUSTAIN pump which dispenses race fuel containing 50% sustainable content.
The 1000-litre overground fuel pump has been installed at Bibury’s Classic Motor Hub. It offers accessible, high-performance fuel containing 50% sustainable content for road and race applications alike and was created specifically with classic cars in mind.
Sustainable Motorsport in February’s Race Tech Magazine
Here are the sustainable motorsport-related articles in February’s Race Tech magazine.
- BIO WARFARE!: Chris Pickering speaks to Syensqo, winner of the 2025 RACE TECH William Kimberley Green Tech Award, about the background to its new sustainable resins“
- FORMULA E GEN4: Formula E’s GEN4 car will be its fastest yet but also its most road-relevant. Chris Pickering quizzes Vincent Gaillardot, the FIA’s Formula E technical manager
You can get your copy here.
Series News
Michelin, IMSA Confirm Details of New Sustainability Award
Michelin and IMSA have confirmed details of the new IMSA Michelin Sustainability in Racing Award, which will be presented to one GTP entry in each round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
The award was announced as part of IMSA’s annual ‘State of the Sport’ held at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta last October, during the Motul Petit Le Mans season finale weekend, with details finalized for the 64th Rolex 24 at Daytona.
The award factors in three elements equally: tire use, energy use and running order/finish position to determine the GTP entry with the best overall sustainability accomplishments in a single race.
More details can be found here.
Inside Formula E’s Influencer Marketing Strategy
One of the first key executive hires of the Liberty Media era, Ellie Norman is widely credited with breathing fresh life into Formula One’s fan engagement strategy. Now, in her role as chief marketing officer of Formula E, she is leaning on creators to “build our fame” while making the all-electric motorsport series both easy to find and hard to leave.
“My mantra and ethos has always been that people buy people,” Norman tells BlackBook Motorsport. “That very much was a catalyst for how do we open up the [Formula One] paddock, start to tell more of the stories around the drivers themselves, their journeys into the sport, the highs and the lows, the rivalries.
The Dilemma Facing Formula E as it Prepares for Gen4
Formula E has been around for 12 years now, but still doesn’t boast the following as many of its competitors, so Autosport Plus asks, how does it tackle this with the Gen4 era in 2027?
“When it hit the market in 2014 to become the first all-electric single-seater series, it promised to be that much-needed challenger to F1 considering the trajectory of the automotive industry, but it just hasn’t become mainstream enough regardless of the personal growth it has enjoyed.”
Formula E Has “Big Opportunity” in China, Says Alejandro Agag
Formula E sees major opportunity in China, similar to Formula One’s rapid growth in the US, according to series founder Alejandro Agag.
“People will adopt electric cars massively when they are cheaper and better than combustion cars or the alternative – that’s already happening in China,” said Agag, who was speaking at the Autosport Business Exchange. “Every new car you see on the road is electric. The big opportunity for Formula E is in China, like the big opportunity for Formula One has been in the US.”
Formula E Insists Brands Hatch Switch ‘Not Complicated’ as Confirmation Awaits
Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds has insisted that if the series raced at Brands Hatch, it would not be “complicated,” with confirmation of its Gen4 UK home still to be announced.
“So, obviously its got two layouts there. I think neither layout is perfect in their current incarnation, so there’d be work to be done. But I don’t think it would be that complicated. I think, with any circuit, if there’s a willingness from us and a willingness from the circuit owner to make it happen, that’s a pretty straightforward exercise.”
Lola to Split With Abt, Take Formula E Team In-House From Next Season
Lola will split from Abt at the end of the current Formula E season. “With the continued growth of the organization, long-term commitment to Formula E and additional projects in the pipeline, Lola Cars has made the decision to consolidate its Formula E operations in-house at our Silverstone HQ,” team principal Mark Preston said. “This will enable us to streamline activities, increase expertise for upcoming projects and better drive innovation through motorsport.”
Interview: Formula E’s Pioneer in Saudi
Gulf Motorsport Business has an exclusive interview with Carlo Boutagy, reflecting on Formula E’s growth in Saudi Arabia and looking ahead to its next visit. “Formula E still has a place in the national Saudi hearts but we’re one amongst many other events now. We helped to bring in a lot more events ourselves, such as Extreme E, Extreme H and E1 electric boat racing, which is taking place again at the end of this month in Jeddah.”
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.
