Formula E is doubling down with their Gen4 race care as they bid farewell to Gen3, and you have all the details in this week’s Sustainable Motorsport Roundup. I also have news on one teams’ sustainability journey, hydrogen racing developments and much more!
Overview
Sustainable Motorsport News
Register Now for MSA’s Environmental Webinars
Motorsport South Africa will be hosting an Environmental Webinar in September and a second webinar in October, both taking place via Zoom. We encourage you to secure your spot for one of the available sessions.
The webinars are open to current MSA Environmental Officers, as well as individuals interested in learning more about environmental and sustainability matters in motorsport. No prior experience is required.
Full details can be found here.
The Sustainable Markets Initiative and Formula E
The Sustainable Markets Initiative and Formula E share a belief that innovation and sustainability can – and must – move forward together.
That shared ambition took to the track last weekend as the SMI logo featured on the Formula E car at the London E-Prix season finale of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship at ExCeL London.
Since 2014, Formula E has pioneered all-electric racing, demonstrating how innovation can accelerate real-world progress towards a more sustainable future.
It’s a powerful example of the kind of practical, scalable progress that the Sustainable Markets Initiative is proud to champion: bringing together business, technology and ambition to help build a more sustainable future.
In other related news, the Sustainable Markets Initiative has appointed Sam Bird as a Terra Carta Ambassador, using sport and electric racing to advance private sector sustainability
Learn more: https://www.sustainable-markets.org/
W Racing Team Renews FIA 3-Star Environmental Accreditation
As part of its continuous environmental improvement approach, W Racing Team is proud to announce the renewal of its FIA 3-Star Environmental Certification until March 2028.
This exercise helped assess its current position, identify areas for improvement, and further strengthen its ESG approach.
The certification, inspired by ISO 14001, highlights the efforts and improvements made in ESG areas such as environmental management, internal auditing, definition of objectives, energy, water and waste management, and supply chain.
The WRT ESG Team continues to push in this direction, with 2028 as its next milestone
Sport Management and Sustainability: An Impossible Theorem?
The paper Sport Management and Sustainability: An Impossible Theorem? argues that sustainability in sport management cannot be understood simply as reducing sport’s environmental impact. Instead, it requires a systems approach that considers the complex interactions between natural systems and sport organizations at individual, organizational, and societal levels.
The authors highlight a fundamental tension between the growth-driven model of modern sport and the need for sustainability. They argue that genuine sustainability would require sport management to move away from treating people primarily as consumers and instead recognize them as citizens and participants. Because the current sport system remains fundamentally tied to growth and consumption, the paper concludes that sustainability in sport management is currently an impossibility, unless the underlying model of sport is reconsidered.
September Race Tech Magazine Sustainability Highlights
There are a few sustainable motorsport-related articles in the September 2026 issue of Race Tech magazine including:
- FORMULA E ON STEROIDS: As Formula E’s GEN4 era nears, Anthony Rowlinson meets chiefs from teams at different ends of the scale – Lola and Jaguar– to discover how their approaches compare
- POWER IS NOTHING WITHOUT CONTROL: HORIBA MIRA’s chief engineer for data driven calibration optimisation Puneet Mathur tells Chris Pickering about the impact its control software could have in Formula E GEN4
- IT’S NOT EASY BEING GREEN: Chris Pickering speaks to Coryton’s business development director David Richardson about the disparity between motorsport and other fields when it comes to decarbonisation
You can get your copy here.
Sustainable Motorsport Tech
Extensive Hydrogen Fuel Tank Crash Tests Under Way
The FIA is in the process of overseeing a series of safety tests in preparation for the planned introduction of hydrogen-powered Hypercars into the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2030 reports Sportscar365.
“Obviously, as is the case with any new technology we want to introduce at competition level, there’s a lot of challenges we need to go through, so we need to go step by step,” the FIA’s senior circuit sport director Marek Nawarecki told Sportscar365. Now we’re in the very important phase, the stage where we evaluate all the safety aspects of the new technology.”
All Electric ARC4 Breaks Cover
The branch new all-electric ARC4 has broken cover and you can watch it in action here.
Sumitomo Rubber Brings Dunlop Circular Carbon Black Tires to GT500
Sumitomo Rubber Industries said on August 18 it will supply DUNLOP racing tires using resource-circulating carbon black for the 2026 SUPER GT season’s GT500 class, extending its use of sustainable materials in Japanese motorsports.
The move is part of the company’s TOWANOWA circular economy initiative for the tire business, which aims to build circulation across raw materials, production and logistics, sales and use, and collection and recycling. Sumitomo Rubber said it plans to accelerate demonstration of sustainable racing tire technology in motorsports as SUPER GT is scheduled to move to a one-make tire format from the 2027 season.
What an Expert Engineer Would choose as the Ideal F1 Engine Rules
The power unit regulations introduced this season haven’t exactly garnered universal approval. Expert Autosport columnist Pat Symonds picks his perfect alternative.
“A final word on fuels. F1 has done an amazing job of showing that a totally sustainable fuel is a viable alternative to fossil fuels, and the sport is to be commended for showing absolute honesty in demonstrating the process of producing these fuels in isolation. The reality is that as these fuels are introduced to consumers it will be done so by co-processing ever increasing amounts of sustainable components with fossil fuels.”
A Rolling Lab of a Biofuels Race Sees Action at BRC
The BRC, or as motorsport enthusiasts call it the Batangas Racing Circuit, also becomes the “Biofuels Racing Course” for the Toyota Gazoo Racing Philippine Cup race weekend 3 held Aug. 15, continuing what the Japanese carmaker started for its grassroots racing program in the previous race weekend at Clark International Speedway in Mabalacat, Pampanga last July 9 to 11. For the second consecutive leg, TMP ran its entire race fleet of Vios sedans and Tamaraw utility vehicles on advanced bioethanol and coco-biodiesel blends.
Series News
Where Racing Meets Responsibility: Understanding Formula E’s Cost Cap
Beyond the track, the FIA is responsible for managing the financial framework that helps keep the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship competitive ⚡️ But what exactly is the Cost Cap, and what goes into it?
Formula E and the Challenge of Building Something Different
Formula E presents a very different engineering challenge from traditional motorsport, and that difference can create opportunities for people willing to approach problems in new ways. In this LinkedIn post, Dr. Samuel Tickell reflects on the challenges of building something different in Formula E, offering insights into innovation, problem-solving and the mindset required to work in a rapidly evolving form of motorsport. It’s an interesting look at the engineering and creative thinking happening behind the scenes in electric racing.
Formula E Puts Faith in Disney+ to Convert New Audiences with Streaming Deal
Formula E is prioritizing reach over exclusivity through its new global streaming deal with Disney+, according to the series’ chief media officer Michaella Snoeck. “This is not just the global home, we have multiple partners in multiple markets,” Snoeck told BlackBook Motorsport. “It is a much broader and wider ecosystem and want to obviously reach as many fans as possible. So there’s always going to be a blend of either free-to-air or pay [TV] in each respective market.”
Formula E and PIF Announce Driving Force Partnership
PIF and Formula E have announced their Driving Force partnership, “Driving Force Presented by PIF,” a groundbreaking educational program focused on STEM learning and sustainability.
Driving Force Presented by PIF is a multi-dimensional learning program designed to engage and inspire students aged 8 to 18 on shaping the future of mobility through interactive workshops, hands-on learning experiences and digital resources.
DS Automobiles’ Outstanding Track Record in Formula E
At the London E-Prix, an important chapter in Formula E’s history came to a close with DS Automobiles’ final appearance. From DS Virgin Racing to DS Penske, via the triumphant years with DS Techeetah, the French manufacturer has left its mark on the championship’s evolution, going out on a high note with Taylor Barnard’s victory in the final race.
As F1 Drivers Sour on Hybrid Engines, Formula E Doubles Down on Electric
Formula 1 and Formula E are increasingly moving toward a shared technological future, even as the two championships remain fundamentally different. This article from The Athletic examines how advances in electric racing are influencing the broader motorsport landscape, particularly as F1 prepares for its next generation of power units and faces growing pressure to improve efficiency and reduce emissions. It offers an interesting look at the technological crossroads between the world’s premier combustion-engine championship and Formula E’s all-electric approach.
Getting to the Track Sustainably
- Farnborough Airshow highlights progress on electric and hydrogen propulsion for commercial aviation (Green Air News)
- UK aviation group plots route to net zero in updated decarbonisation roadmap (Green Air News)
- Beyond the Jet: Time, Global Mobility and Freedom to Move (Caroline Letrange)
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.
