Hydrogen-Powered Sustainable Motorsport “Not Ready Yet”

Hydrogen-powered sustainable motorsport is not ready yet to power global motorsport but a few more years of development should change this according to Toyota.

In addition to this, the Sustainable Motorsport Roundup for this week is absolutely bursting with cool developments. From Haas F1’s sustainability initiates to sustainable team clothing for the new Ferrari Hypercar program to a solar powered at-track business office, there is a lot here that gives you a sense of the width and breadth of developments in sustainable motorsport.

All this and much more in this week’s edition of the Sustainable Motorsport Roundup. Its green news racers can use.

Sustainable Motorsport News

Hydrogen-Powered Sustainable Motorsport “Not Ready Yet”

The MoneyGram Haas F1 Team has achieved FIA Three-Star Environmental Accreditation and has provided details on what that means both in a post on their website and in the video above which are both quite informative. You often read about initiatives like this but Haas has provided both context and details of what they are doing which will hopefully inspire others in motorsport. Here are some of the details of what they are doing:

  • Working with an ISO14001 waste provider
  • The UK site being powered by 100 percent renewable energy, with 80 percent of lights replaced to LEDs
  • Ensured maintained compliance with Energy Saving Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) and Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) requirements
  • Clothing supplier, Tricorp Workwear, providing clothing made of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, which will become future season’s apparel
  • Updating travel and transport processes to minimize unnecessary travel outside of the racing calendar, working with an ISO certified travel organization to provide carbon impact reports and global airlines and hotels brands with sustainability programs in place
  • Optimizing equipment shipped (weight and mode of transportation) to races to reduce carbon emissions

Autosport explains how, following a corporate buyout, the Avon brand is set to disappear from motorsport at the end of this year and with other manufacturers reassessing their ranges, the tire industry is going through a period of evolution which clubs must respond to. One of the issues they highlight is the increasing role that sustainability plays in the plans of tire manufacturers. “But it’s worth considering the longer-term future, too. While efforts are well under way to decrease the environmental impact from cars, with alternative power sources and more sustainable fuels, tyres could soon be firmly in the spotlight. Greater sustainability and durability may be demanded and that could also have an impact on what is available. It seems that tyres could well continue to be a significant topic for many years to come.”


As part of BWT and Alpine extending their partnership to the Alpine Academy young driver program, BWT is using the partnership to promote their products which use locally-sourced water. “In addition to its iconic pink colours, BWT is pursuing its mission of providing water for all applications, whether perfecting quality direct from the tap, through a water dispenser or through table water filters. With the innovative, patented BWT filter technologies, local water is filtered and at the same time enriched with valuable minerals and trace elements such as magnesium, zinc and silicates. This saves the transport and associated CO2 emissions, as well as the storage of disposable plastic bottles. The Alpine Academy will also be equipped with the company’s products so that all nine drivers can enjoy tasty, locally-produced, mineralized BWT drinking water straight from the tap.”


Transport + Energy have announced that they will become the Official Digital Media Partner for the EV Rally, supporting the event throughout. Colin Boyton, EV Rally Event Manager said: “With the rapid shift towards EV continuing to accelerate, never has there been a more important time for those responsible for generating sustainable energy to collaborate with those that use it. The EV Rally is designed to bring all of these things to light, and we are delighted that Transport + Energy have agreed to join the event as our Official Digital Media Partner, to help bring the piece to life.”


Sustainable Motorsport Roundup

(Press Release) The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) is partnering with Bridgestone in a ground-breaking collaboration as the title partner of the Bridgestone FIA ecoRally Cup – the FIA regularity and energy consumption series. The new multi-year support of Bridgestone will boost the ecoRally Cup which aims to address major environmental concerns like energy saving and also foster positive behaviors of motor sport competitors.

This competition, which was created in 2006, is entirely devoted to electric vehicles running in regularity events. The vehicles used in the competition are road production vehicles with an electric drivetrain, which have valid registration documents for public road use, without any kind of modification to the car. This allows competitors to use their vehicles intended for daily use.

The event provides Bridgestone an opportunity to further promote “ENLITEN”, a combination of multiple technologies providing maximum safety, outstanding tyre performance and improved sustainability characteristics, while ensuring that Bridgestone tyres are EV ready. Additionally, Bridgestone’s involvement will lead to more engagement from FIA Member Clubs, a commitment of the brand to international motor sport, and a focus on road safety initiatives.


Sustainable Motorsport Roundup

(Press Release) 8Six400 has announced a new partnership with the Ferrari Hypercar team becoming the team’s Official Apparel Partner for the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship at Le Mans.

To celebrate the return of the Prancing Horse to Le Mans after 50 years, the performance clothing brand 8Six400 will release an exclusive range of official products including headwear, jersey and outerwear dedicated to the Ferrari Hypercar team.

As part of the multi season deal, the range will form part of the official teamwear worn by race drivers: Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina, Nicklas Nielsen, Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi as well as the Ferrari Hypercar mechanics, engineers and travelling race team.

The range will be designed and produced with the environment in mind, utilising 8six400’s latest manufacturing innovations to incorporate plastic waste and recycled, organic cotton into the designs of the collection.

Founded in 2021, 8six400 is a sustainable, performance clothing brand that specialises in motorsports. Commenting on the new partnership, co-founder of 8six400, Peter Hall said: “We’re excited and extremely honoured to be working with the Ferrari Hypercar team. To be part of the return of the Prancing Horse to the hallowed tarmac of Le Mans is a fantastic moment for us. As the Official Apparel Partner to the Ferrari Hypercar team it offers a great opportunity for us to produce a quality performance range for passionate motor racing fans.


Sustainable Motorsport Tech

Sustainable Motorsport Roundup

Toyota World Rally Championship boss Jari-Matti Latvala believes a couple more years of development are required before hydrogen can become a viable alternative method of propulsion in global motorsport. While development into hydrogen power has made rapid progress, Latvala believes there are still hurdles to overcome before it can emerge as a genuine alternative propulsion method for the future.

“For me, hydrogen is something really really interesting. It would be great to have in motorsport,” Latvala told Autosport. “I think having it tomorrow is a bit too early. There are a couple of things still where we need to work. One of the things with hydrogen is you are only able to go a certain distance. But already we can use the internal combustion engines, which we already have, so we wouldn’t need to change the engine. It is just the need to be able to get a longer distance using the fuel. There are two measures. You can have pressurised gas or a liquid version. The liquid version could be really something, but it needs a bit more time. We need time. I think we would need a couple more years of development. That [range] is the biggest thing. There is of course the safety tanks. You need to have big tanks but also at the same time we already have the hybrid boxes also in the [WRC] cars currently, so I don’t think that is a problem. I think we can sort out having the safety tanks in the car.”


Hydrogen-Powered Sustainable Motorsport “Not Ready Yet”
Hydrogen-Powered Sustainable Motorsport “Not Ready Yet”

IndyCar is working hard to increase their sustainability impact and two such initiatives are highlighted in the videos above. The first covers Firestone’s Guayule IndyCar tires and the second covers Shell’s new renewable IndyCar fuel.


One of the common, and justifiable complaints regarding Formula 1 is the structure of the calendar which forces the series to hopscotch around the world in an often illogical way. In Joe Saward’s recent Green Notebook from the Pearl Lounge, he explains how they are trying to tackle the problem.

“There is still work being done to make F1 more cost-effective and efficient and the calendar is again under the microscope. The word is that in 2024 the schedule will make more sense with the first race in Saudi Arabia (probably after a Bahrain test). The circus would then fly to Australia and kick around in Asia in April (possibly in Japan and China, back-to-back). It would drop in to Bahrain on the way back to Europe. After that there would be a North American swing, involving Miami and F1 would like to see Canada move to May. The folks in Montreal do not want that, but sticking to their guns with a date in June creates a wasted transatlantic trip for F1, which is not very green, and so the pressure is on Canada to shift. Europe will get sorted so that we don’t do the criss-cross journeys seen in July in recent years. Hungary and Austria will be put together, without a race in the west between them.”


Electric off-road racing series Extreme E and founding partner Continental have collaborated on the development of a more sustainable tire for the 2023 season. The new tire consists of around 43 per cent recycled and renewable materials and the overall weight of the product has decreased by two kilograms Nels von Schnakenburg, technical manager for Extreme E at Continental, said: “We have focused even more strongly on the use of sustainable and recyclable materials with this tyre and are extremely well prepared for the challenges of the 2023 season. We’ve also made further gains with handling performance and have therefore improved drivability. The performance and robustness of the tyre mean it will be able to withstand the full range of challenges Extreme E can throw at it.”


Hydrogen-Powered Sustainable Motorsport “Not Ready Yet”

Ever wondered what racing a Tesla is like? Check out the video above and find out!


Sustainable Motorsport Roundup

Italian luxury car manufacturer Lamborghini has unveiled the first details of its HPEV (High Performance Electrified Vehicle) hybrid super sports car, codenamed Lamborghini LB744. The new powertrain delivers more than 1,000hp in total, combining the power of a brand new 12-cylinder internal combustion engine with three electric motors and an all-new eight-speed double clutch rear transverse gearbox. Lamborghini has established a new benchmark in terms of performance and driving pleasure with an unprecedented layout that features a naturally-aspirated 6.5-liter V12 mid-mounted engine, complemented by three electric motors. The electric motors boost power delivery at low revs and can also turn the Lamborghini LB744 into a purely electric car, reducing overall CO2 emissions by 30% compared to the Aventador Ultimae.


Series News

Hydrogen-Powered Sustainable Motorsport “Not Ready Yet”

As part of IMSA’s sustainability initiatives, their commitment to a greener footprint has extended off the racetrack as well, with the sanctioning body’s at-track business transporter installing solar panels that can power the unit while also providing plug-in Level-2 charging for IMSA’s OEM partners and their vehicles used on site for Hot Laps, media events, product launches, and official safety vehicles, among other applications. The IMSA Konica Minolta Business Center ran ‘Off the Grid’ for 36 straight hours during the Rolex 24 Weekend.

The IMSA Konica Minolta Business Center (KMBC) has been a staple in the IMSA paddock for years. The transporter includes office and business meeting space, with an attached awning offering covered outdoor seating used for hospitality entertainment and informal meeting space.


Ferrari Challenge North America has achieved ISO 20121 status which is the the international standard for sustainable event management issued by the certification body TÜV NORD Italia. Thus, it became the first ever American one-make racing car championship certified under the ISO 20121 sustainable event management system.

The standard applies in the design, planning and execution of the Ferrari Challenge North America 2023. It demonstrates Ferrari North America’s commitment to implementing a responsible management system, integrating it with the five pillars of Ferrari S.p.A.’s sustainability strategy.


Catie Munnings and Timmy Hansen of Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E team have landed in Jeddah and are looking forward to an improved performance this year as season three of the all-electric rally championship takes place in NEOM this weekend. The pair joined the team’s new Saudi sponsor Altawkilat in Jeddah for a press conference to unveil the partnership with local and international media, as well as motorsport fans in Saudi Arabia, in attendance.

Altawkilat chief executive officer, Mohammed Abduljawad, said: “It reflects the goals of Extreme E championship to form a global Saudi alliance committed to raising awareness and positive action to protect the future of our planet. We are privileged to be associated with the team starting season three and hope to play an active role in bringing awareness for the use of alternate energy sources to reduce air pollution and the need to protect the planet from the effects of global warming.”


Sustainable Motorsport Round-Up for October 22, 2021

In FIM E-Xplorer World Cup, two teams have announced that they are joining the series.

EM Factory Team have announced that they will be participating in the debut of the 100% electric off-road motorcycle category, following official confirmation from the series. “EM (Electric Motion) has been a pioneer of electric motorcycles for more than 10 years, designing, developing, promoting and distributing models around the world. Now, it joins the E-Xplorer adventure in order to continue leaving a sustainable footprint through motorsports.”

In addition, PCR-e Sur-Ron Factory Racing will be part of the inaugural campaign under the talents of Sam Winterburn Racing and Chlôe Richardson, who have also been confirmed as official riders.


Formula E is set to participate at the Latam Mobility & Net Zero Day Brazil 2023 on March 23rd. The event will be held at the Sao Paulo Hotel Internacional, where Frederic Bertrand, CEO and Team Principal of Mahindra, will answer questions about the category, the mission of the series and additional details that will help to understand the purpose of the electrified single-seater division.

The session will be led by Julia Pallé, Formula E Sustainability Director, scheduled to take place at 10 a.m. local time. Those unable to attend will be able to watch the meeting through Latam Mobility‘s official YouTube channel. If you wish to purchase tickets to attend the Latam Mobility in person click here.


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.