Formula 1 and DHL Cut Emissions by 80% Using Sustainable Aviation Fuel

Formula 1 and DHL have cut emissions by 80% using sustainable aviation fuel and in this week’s Sustainable Motorsport Roundup I have the details. I also look at the impact of fossil fuel advertising in motorsport, Formula E’s activities during New York City’s Climate Week and how a golf tour is reducing GHG emissions caused by the travel of its players.

Sustainable Motorsport News

Sustainable Motorsport Roundup

A new report from British think tank the New Weather Institute shows that the sports industry is receiving $5.6 billion in sponsorship money from the fossil fuel industry. The report, titled “Dirty Money – How Fossil Fuel Sponsors are Polluting Sport” highlights the 205 active fossil fuel sponsorship deals in the sports sector, and lists the major culprits.

“Soccer (football), motorsports, rugby union, and golf are the sports with the most fossil fuel-related sponsorship deals. The biggest spenders are Aramco ($1.3 billion), Ineos ($777 million), Shell ($470 million), and TotalEnergies ($340 million).”

I recently wrote a commentary about The Hague fossil fuel advertising ban in last week’s Sustainable Motorsport Roundup and Olivia Hicks wrote a great piece on the ban in Formula Flash. If fossil fuel advertising is banned globally, motorsport will adapt much like it did when tobacco advertising was banned. My issue is what do we do when a company like Aramco is also investing in synthetic fuels? I think transparency is key here. The reality is that in a lot of cases these fossil fuel companies are the only ones who can invest in alternative fuels at the moment and the smart ones will understand the need to pivot away from “drill and spill” to more sustainable alternatives. Pressure is needed through strategic litigation, activist investors and government pressure to push these companies to change as there is no doubt that pressure will increase for a ban on fossil fuel. It will be interesting to see how motorsport adapts.

Here are a few articles that dive into the issue:

Sustainable Motorsport Tech

Gevo Logo

Gevo has announced a purchase agreement for its low-carbon intensity fuel blendstock with Shell Global Solutions Deutschland for use in motorsports. Gevo’s renewable blendstock is suitable for premium motorsport fuels, demonstrating that sustainability and peak performance belong together.

“This is an important step towards a sustainable future,” said Damien Perriman, Gevo’s chief business development officer. “The racing industry exhilarates and inspires, and its enormous audience has an appreciation of what technology can do to enhance the human experience. Leading companies across the globe are looking to Gevo to deliver net-zero fuels and chemicals. With products like renewable fuels for all modes of transportation, specialty additives for lubricants, and sustainable chemicals that replace outdated technologies, Gevo is thrilled to drive this transformation.”

Matthias Mundt, general manager fuels technology future mobility portfolio at Shell, added: “As a supplier of specialty fuels to racing series around the world, Shell is focused on improving sustainability while maximizing efficiency and performance, such as with the 100% renewable race fuel we developed for the NTT INDYCAR series. We are pleased to collaborate with Gevo to explore the possibilities provided by their low-carbon intensity products.”

Series News

Formula 1 and DHL Cut Emissions by 80% Using Sustainable Aviation Fuel

Starting in March of this year, with cargo movements to the Australian Grand Prix, Formula 1 has been working with DHL Global Forwarding’s GoGreen Plus service to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by around 80% per flight compared to conventional aviation fuel by utilizing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

“This marks an exciting new chapter in DHL’s 20-year partnership with Formula 1, as it continues to help the sport in its mission to meet its Net Zero by 2030 commitment. Up to the Singapore Grand Prix, approximately 20% of subsequent Formula 1 cargo flights to races outside of Europe this year have been scheduled to use DHL’s GoGreen Plus service with SAF.”

Paul Fowler, Head of DHL Motorsports Logistics, adds: “Our longstanding partnership with Formula 1 is built on a shared passion for innovation and excellence. We are committed to using our expertise to support Formula 1 in transporting cars and other equipment around the world in the most efficient way possible. With 40 years of expertise in motorsports logistics, we are focused on identifying ways to cut down greenhouse gas emissions and making motorsport more sustainable with every step we take.”

Biofuels International has more details on Formula 1’s partnership with Aggreko to deliver low-carbon power solutions. “The entire paddock is part of our Net Zero by 2030 commitment and solutions like the low-carbon energy generation system combine technological innovation with coordinated action,” commented Ellen Jones, Head of ESG, Formula 1. “In practice, this means that we can achieve significant carbon reductions in this space – and we look forward to continuing to showcase how we can deliver more sustainable events.”

Robert Wells, president Aggreko Europe and Aggreko Event Services, added: “Aggreko has an unrivalled track record of delivering power transition solutions across the globe, in the most demanding, challenging and mission critical environments to ensure the needs of our clients are met consistently to the highest standards.

“As a global leader, we have an important role to play in the energy transition and we’re thrilled that Formula 1 has chosen Aggreko to help them on their journey to be Carbon Net Zero by 2030. We look forward to continuing working with Formula 1, and together energising change for a positive future.”

More details can be found here.

Sustainable Motorsport Roundup

Formula E has been on-site at New York Climate Week, with VP Sustainability Julia Palle speaking across a number of events. Between Monday 23 September and Thursday 26 September she has been taking part in a number of events across the Climate Group New York Climate Week.

“Formula E will be represented across a range of different speaking and networking events, with Julia set to share the journey she and the FIA World Championship have been on over the last decade in becoming the world’s first Net Zero Carbon sport, the first to sign up to science based targets and a leader in the sports industry when it comes to sustainability and in supporting social, diversity, community and youth programs.”

More details can be found here.

In other Formula E news, the all-electric series has launched the application process for its flagship charitable support program, the Better Futures Fund, providing direct support to local impact projects and causes across all race locations in Season 11.

With the goal of accelerating sustainable human progress through the power of electric racing, the Fund empowers and supports communities via impactful initiatives that will leave a legacy well beyond race weekends through funding (€25,000 per city), awareness, engagement with Formula E. More details can be found here.

The Bigger Sports Picture

Formula 1 and DHL Cut Emissions by 80% Using Sustainable Aviation Fuel

The European Tour group, organizers of the DP World Golf Tour, is launching a new tool that will allow its players to calculate and offset their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions when traveling to and from tournaments – a first for professional golf.

The easy-to-use tool will allow players to input their event related flight information and then purchase verified carbon credits to offset their calculated GHG emissions. Carbon credits in the tool are all from Gold Standard accredited projects that support a range of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The platform will go live at the start of the 2025 DP World Tour season in November. It has been built in-house by the Tour’s IT department, with support from the GEO Sustainable Golf Foundation who have recommended travel related emissions factors and guidance based on a methodology aligned to global frameworks and refined over several years.

You can read more about the initiative here.

Sustainable Motorsport Roundup

Sport may finally be waking up to the importance of sustainability, but implementing meaningful change within the industry remains an ongoing challenge. Incidents which demonstrate sport’s neglect of the environment, such as soccer teams taking short-haul flights to away games, have been proven to attract more attention. This can lead to short-term decisions on sustainability that fail to address wider issues of how the industry operates.

Read more in ‘It’s common sense’: Why sport must invest in sustainability now to prepare for its future at SportsPro.

Getting to the Track Sustainably

Sustainable Motorsport Roundup
Sustainable Motorsport Roundup
Mark Boudreau
Author: Mark Boudreau

Mark is the publisher of Motorsport Prospects. As a former 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.