Formula Student recently raced with biofuels and in this week’s Sustainable Motorsport Roundup I have the details. I also have news on Envision Racing’s sustainability journey, the why and the how behind petrolsynthesis and much more!
Sustainable Motorsport News
A hugely talented driver who is driving for Porsche’s title-winning W&S team in the ADAC GT4 Germany Championship, Lachlan Robinson is now a passionate advocate of green initiatives.
With his DrivenToZero project, launched in association with Evertreen, a leading eco-friendly platform which encourages companies to reduce their carbon footprint, Robinson plants one tree for every 75 kilometres that he races.
“I launched DrivenToZero to help offset my footprint from all the travel, all the racing, because motorsport isn’t a very sustainable career path. But I’m trying to make it as sustainable as possible,” Robinson told the Khaleej Times.
The Sustainability Huddle looks at Envision Racing from when they first wrote about them 5 years ago to where they are today. “Fast forward to today, and Race Against Climate Change remains at the core of Envision’s strategy. It’s evolved into a full sustainability program, anchored by fan engagement through its pledge initiative, encouraging followers of the team to make more sustainable choices in their daily lives. Fans can choose from 13 different pledges – from cutting energy use to reducing e-waste and embracing sustainable fashion.”
The FIA continues to look at alternatives to internal combustion engines for motorsport, with hydrogen-powered race cars continuing to be monitored by the governing body that already has got regulations in place but hydrogen in touring cars is not likely until 2030.
“From touring cars we don’t necessarily have to go that direction. I think it’s still very early for us and I don’t see anything before 2030. I think that’ll we will monitor the situation but I don’t see anything realistically for touring cars happening there. Still, we’re interested to see you know the work that’s being done by some companies like Toyota.”
SEGG Media Corporation, a global leader in sports, entertainment, and gaming, and Veloce Group have announced their motorsport initiatives.
“Looking forward, Veloce is exploring opportunities to compete in the world’s first hydrogen racing series. Backed by the FIA as a World Cup, supported by Saudi Arabia, and created by Alejandro Agag (Formula E, Extreme E, E1), the series introduces mixed-gender racing, rally-inspired stages, and a sustainability-first platform. This initiative reinforces SEGG Media’s commitment to innovation, inclusivity, and global leadership in motorsport’s future.”
Sustainable Motorsport Tech
In Roger Atkins’ Electric Vehicles Outlook episode, Paddy Lowe, founder of Zero Petroleum, shares the why and the how behind petrolsynthesis—the disciplined chemistry that turns captured CO₂ and green hydrogen into drop-in synthetic fuels, without drilling. You’ll hear the engineer’s joy in first-principles thinking, the F1-honed systems rigor, and a clear moral driver: the CO₂ we’ve emitted doesn’t vanish—it accumulates. So why not treat carbon as a feedstock and design better fuels from it?
Sustainable Racing
8 days, 9 tracks and 2704 miles in a Hyundai Ioniq 5 N | 2025 Tire Rack One Lap of America
All petrol vehicles taking part in this year’s Formula Student competition used SUSTAIN biofuels, thanks to a partnership between the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and fuel supplier Coryton. “We’re delighted to be celebrating our third year of supplying Formula Student with fuels using sustainable components. With the past two Formula Student winners using SUSTAIN Racing 100E fuel, we’ve proven the performance potential of sustainable fuels alongside their ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
Ford‘s all-electric SuperVan just posted a new fast time—beating out a Chevy Corvette ZR1X and Porsche 911 GT3 RS in the process. The all-electric Ford Transit SuperVan 4.2 completed a lap at the Nürburgring in 6:48.393, which is extremely fast, and faster than the aforementioned Corvette and 911, in addition to cars like the Ford Mustang GTD, the Audi RS Q8, the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4MATIC+, the BMW M4 CSL, and way faster than the Honda Civic Type R.
The Bridgestone World Solar Challenge starts in Darwin on Sunday, with 34 cars from 17 countries racing across desert to Adelaide as solar car teams chase ‘dreams of a more sustainable future’ in gruelling 3,000km race across Australian outback. The twice-yearly event began in 1987 and attracts an online audience of millions of people, who watch the race of solar-powered cars designed, engineered and built at universities and schools in Australia and overseas.
Series News
Jalopnik explains how Formula 1’s push for carbon net zero could change more than just racing. “The goal of being net zero carbon is not just in the design, development, and manufacturing of Formula 1 cars, but also in logistics, operations, and travel. While becoming carbon net zero could benefit the Formula 1 brand — which many detractors see as a waste of resources and a rich man’s sport — the technology used by teams could, as is often the case, eventually trickle down to the road cars we drive.”
Despite what Jalopnik writes though, Former F1 driver Sebastian Vettel has expressed concern over the 2026 F1 power units. “I’m not entirely convinced by the new regulations yet. Recovering energy is great, but doing it only on the rear axle and ignoring the front axle doesn’t make sense to me.”
Formula E founder Alejandro Agag believes China could host four rounds of the series featuring electric vehicles. “Formula One should have a massive focus in China,” he said. “I think Formula E could have four races in China. I think it would be fully sustainable to have four races in China … and I think it will be much closer to the reality of the car market in China.”
The Race looks at how Citroen is coming to Formula E with Jean-Eric Vergne and a new superteam. “Maserati MSG will become Citroen MSG from next month onwards and it will run Nick Cassidy and Jean-Eric Vergne. If that isn’t a driver line-up to terrify the opposition then what is?”
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.
