The FIA Environmental Accreditation Programme is a practical sustainability framework for motorsport and in this week’s Sustainable Motorsport Roundup you will find out how. I also have news of sustainable racing in Japan both in race cars and on motorcycles and much more!
Overview
Sustainable Motorsport News
How the FIA is Raising Environmental Standards in F1 and Beyond
Turning sustainability into a scalable system means moving from one-off initiatives to shared infrastructure.
The FIA Environmental Accreditation Programme provides a practical framework that can be adopted across teams, circuits and events, aligning stakeholders around a common and measurable approach.
Pierre Villez, FIA F1 & Sport Sustainability Lead, sat down with Sector to share how consistent standards and clear benchmarks can help embed sustainability across motor sport and mobility.
Read the full article at Sector here: https://sector.world/2026/03/how-the-fia-is-raising-environmental-standards-in-f1-and-beyond/
Mercedes F1 Sets New Benchmark for Sustainable Leadership in F1, Expanding Carbon Removals Portfolio
The Mercedes-AMG F1 Team has announced a significant expansion of its global carbon removals portfolio. This multi-year commitment is designed to set a new standard for sustainability in Formula 1 by investing in a diverse range of technologies and regions. The team emphasizes that while reducing emissions is their top priority, this initiative is crucial for tackling the residual emissions that cannot be eliminated, thereby supporting the development of high-integrity climate solutions. This move represents one of the most diverse carbon removal portfolios in the world of sports.
Head of Sustainability Alice Ashpitel shared the news while on the stage at the 11th annual Economist Impact event in London.
“Emissions reduction remains our priority, and high-quality carbon removals are essential for tackling the residual emissions that remain. By investing early across a diverse set of technologies and regions, we’re contributing to upscaling durable climate solutions while supporting the communities and environments in which we race. As a team, we are determined to engineer change on and off the track, so I’m proud to see our ambitious portfolio aiming to deliver meaningful impact far beyond our world.”
Sustainable Motorsport Tech
Is F1 going back to V8 Engines?
F1 is considering bringing back V8 engines. Here’s why, who’s blocking it, and what the engine would actually look like as per Formula Addict.
Lola Unveils New T70S Model to Showcase Advanced Composites
Lola Cars has launched a modern-day version of the classic T70 sportscar aimed at showcasing the revived company’s work in advanced composites. The new Lola T70S will be eligible for historic racing, having been granted an FIA passport, and is based on the Lola T70 Mk3B that won the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1969.
Whereas the original T70 was shrouded in fibreglass, the T70S bodywork has been developed using a new, patent-pending manufacturing process termed the Lola Natural Composite System (LNCS).
It features laminated plies made of agriculture-based plant and volcanic basalt fibres. These plies are bonded together by a renewable resin derived from the waste of sugar cane production, resulting in what Lola describes as ‘100 per cent ‘natural’ (petrochemical-free) bodywork’.
Explore the T70S brochure here: https://lola-cars.co.uk/T70SBrochure
Momentum & Progress: Going into Production with BMW, Bodywork for the Suzuki 8 Hours, and Much More
Despite a very challenging economic context, 2025 was a year of substantial progress as Bcomp ramped up automotive production, drove sustainable innovation in motorsport, and saw continued sports equipment success. Here is what they have been up to.
Sustainable Racing
NXT Gen Cup Brings LRT NXT1 to RaceRoom in New Sim Racing Collaboration
NXT Gen Cup has officially launched its all-electric race car, the LRT NXT1, in the popular racing simulator RaceRoom – marking a major step in bringing the championship closer to fans and aspiring drivers worldwide.
The LRT NXT1, based on the MINI Cooper SE and used in the 100% electric touring car series, is now available to download in RaceRoom.
Developed in close collaboration with RaceRoom, the project has focused on delivering a highly realistic virtual version of the car. NXT Gen Cup has contributed extensive technical expertise throughout the process, including input from engineers and test drivers, to ensure that the simulator experience reflects the real-life performance as closely as possible.
More details can be found here.
Series News
Formula E Just Found the Right Model for its Races’ Future
The Race reports that Formula E might have stumbled upon a new model for its race events after achieving a multi-faceted success with its first Madrid E-Prix at the Jarama circuit.
“Jarama could have become a Misano 2024-style disappointment, when a poorly attended pack-racing madhouse played out at the MotoGP venue and was received with little relish by the teams and the fans. But there was none of that last week at Jarama, where a genuinely big event gave the place – generously dressed by the branding and marketing teams – a warmth and glow that belied the unseasonably cool Spanish spring.”
F1 Regulations Controversy, Gas Price Spike Put Renewed Focuse on Formula E
Formula E’s CEO Jeff Dodds says he not’s mad at Max Verstappen calling Formula 1’s new regulations “Formula E on steroids,” saying: “The weekend when Max talked about us, a load more people went online and viewed our videos and looked at our races and understood a bit more about the championship and … so far this year we’ve added I think over 50,000 new followers to our social following, so that’s all good for us. I also think what it’s good for is it’s raising the awareness of electrification for a lot of these people in racing.”
Read more at Sports Business Journal here.
Team HRC Enters Super Taikyu Series 2026 from the Suzuka Round in April
Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) will enter the ST-Q class of the ENEOS Super Taikyu Series 2026 Empowered by BRIDGESTONE beginning with Round 2 at Suzuka on April 18–19.
HRC will continue to campaign the CIVIC TYPE R HRC Concept Car No.271, a race car based on the CIVIC TCR* introduced last season and further tuned by HRC. For the 2026 season, the team will focus on the following initiatives:
1) Track-based Test Development of HRC Performance Parts
HRC, together with Honda Access Corp., will continue the development of aerodynamic components such as rear wings for Car No.271.
The know-how gained through on-track competition will be fed back into the development of HRC Performance Parts for production vehicles, which were announced at Tokyo Auto Salon 2026 on January 9 and are scheduled for future commercial release under the HRC brand.
2) Demonstration Testing of Sustainable Fuels
The car will run on E20 low-carbon gasoline, containing 20% plant-derived bioethanol supplied by ENEOS Corporation.
Through operation under the demanding conditions of endurance racing, HRC will evaluate technical feedback from the use of low-carbon fuels and continue to explore more sustainable motorsport activities.
3) Engine Oils and Transmission Oils Using Plant-Derived Base Oils
Engine oils and transmission oils developed by ENEOS using bio-derived base oils will be adopted. These lubricants significantly reduce CO₂ emissions through its product life cycle, and together with sustainable fuels, will serve as part of HRC’s on-track sustainability verification program.
Suzuki to Compete in the 2026 Suzuka 8 Hours and the All Japan Road Race Championship with “Team SUZUKI CN CHALLENGE”
Suzuki will compete in the Experimental Class of the 2026 FIM Endurance World Championship “Coca-Cola” Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race (47th edition), to be held from July 3 (Friday) to July 5 (Sunday) at Suzuka Circuit in Mie Prefecture, Japan, under the name Team SUZUKI CN CHALLENGE.
Team SUZUKI CN CHALLENGE, composed of Suzuki employees, is once again joined by newly selected members through internal recruitment. The team will take on the challenge of the Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race, aiming to achieve a high-level balance between further reducing environmental impact and improving on-track performance, while expanding the application of sustainable items. Suzuki will apply the knowledge gained through racing as technical feedback for future product development.
“This year again, we will further expand the use of sustainable items and pursue technological development with a strong focus on both sustainability and performance, while communicating Suzuki’s strong determination to the world.”
Extreme H and STEP Foundation Announce Collaboration to Empower the Next Generation of Hydrogen Pioneers
Extreme H, the world’s first hydrogen-powered motorsport, and the STEP (Sustainable Technologies Engineering Pathways) Foundation are proud to announce the beginnings of a new strategic collaboration, aimed at equipping tomorrow’s renewable energy leaders and leaving a lasting legacy in racing locations worldwide.
The STEP Foundation is dedicated to accelerating the transition to a sustainably powered future by facilitating accessible, hands-on STEM educational programmes globally.
To deliver on this mission, STEP Foundation partners with Horizon Educational, who develop and own H2GP, a hydrogen education programme connecting students, schools, and industry through hands-on engineering and competition.
Through a global network of endurance races, H2GP students design, build, and race hydrogen fuel cell-powered RC cars, creating a powerful, immersive learning experience that combines engineering, teamwork, and innovation. The programme connects thousands of students worldwide, culminating in an international World Final where top teams compete on a global stage, mirroring the innovation and performance seen at the highest levels of motorsport.
This collaboration marks a formal recognition of each other’s pioneering work in driving forward hydrogen technologies, and a shared intent to integrate elite-level motorsport with global STEM education.
Getting to the Track Sustainably
Electric Airplanes, Porsches and More
- Loganair Launches UK-First Electric Flights (Business Traveler)
- Boeing signs multi-year deal with Carbonfuture for carbon removal credits (Green Air News)
- The climate impact of contrails – why targeting a small share of flights could make a big difference (Green Air News)
- Honeywell and Boeing Seek Improved Contrail Assessments (AIN)
- First firm order placed for AURA’s ERA regional hybrid-electric aircraft (Green Air News)
- Porsche Just Unveiled a New All-Electric Cayenne With 657 HP (Robb Report)
- First all-electric Porsche Club enjoys the energy of community (Porsche)
Author: Mark Boudreau
Mark is the publisher of Motorsport Prospects and the host of the Motorsport Prospects Podcast. 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.
