Petronas and Eni have teamed up to develop a renewable motorsport fuel, and I have the details in this week’s Sustainable Motorsport Roundup. I also have news of sustainable developments at Silverstone and Nürburgring and more!
Overview
Sustainable Motorsport News
Every Lap Counts: Silverstone Takes a Data-Driven Approach to Carbon Management
Silverstone has announced a new collaboration with Neutral Gear, powered by Carnatter. “With their knowledge and expertise, we are enhancing our understanding of our full environmental impact from all of our track activity – covering everything from standard road cars to Formula 1 cars.”
The collaboration will translate vehicle type and miles data into associated carbon emissions, enabling Silverstone to measure track activity with greater precision. This robust approach provides valuable data which is crucial in supporting the venue’s approach to carbon management, sustainability, and to identify credible and verifiable opportunities to offset unavoidable emissions.
Full details can be found here.
FIA Formula 2 Unveils its New Car for the 2027-2029 Seasons
FIA Formula 2 presented its new challenger for the 2027, 2028, and 2029 FIA F2 seasons during a special unveiling in the Formula 1 paddock at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza.
Building on the success of the current generation, the F2 2027 car represents a significant evolution designed to further strengthen the Championship’s role as the final step on the pathway to Formula 1.
Powering the car is the proven 3.4-litre turbo-charged Mecachrome engine, which continues to run on advanced sustainable fuel supplied by Aramco, first successfully introduced to the series in 2025. Pirelli, F2’s exclusive tire supplier since 2017, will continue to provide tires specifically developed for the championship.
FIA Recognizes the Nürburgring’s Environmental Strategy
The International Automobile Federation (FIA) has once again recognized the environmental strategy of the Nürburgring’s operating company and extended its two-star environmental accreditation until July 2028. This means the Nürburgring remains part of an exclusive group of racetracks worldwide that have been recognised by the FIA for their verified environmental and energy management. Numerous concrete projects demonstrate the forward-thinking approach taken at the world’s longest permanent race track: from large-scale photovoltaic systems, sustainable merchandise and efficient water use to forestry and comprehensive noise protection measures around the circuit.
How Audi Supported a Microplastics Project at F1 Dutch Grand Prix
Since September 2020, the Audi Environmental Foundation has supported the development of smart filters for street drains together with scientists from the Technical University of Berlin and other partners. At the Dutch Grand Prix of Formula 1 in Zandvoort, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) deployed the URBANFILTER concept for the first time in top-level motorsport.
“Testing at Zandvoort achieved a retention rate of up to 99 per cent. Urban deployments are inherently more complex, Neupert told Sector, given the sheer range of variables a city street presents compared with a closed circuit.”
Sector has more details on the program and its results.
Misano Green Circuit and KiSS Misano 2026: Sustainability in Action at the Grand Prix
Sustainability at Misano is a journey that is renewed every season. KiSS Misano – Keep it Shiny and Sustainable, the environmental and social sustainability program promoted by MWC Marco Simoncelli as part of the Misano Green Circuit project, together with the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group and IRTA, will once again take centre stage during the Red Bull Grand Prix of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera (11–13 September 2026).
Read full details about the initiative here.
Can the Automotive Industry Meet Global Net Zero Targets?
Can the automotive industry really reach global net-zero targets without fundamentally changing how vehicles are designed, manufactured and recycled? This Sustainability Magazine feature looks beyond EV adoption to the broader challenge of circularity, including vehicle recycling, battery sustainability, critical minerals and supply-chain emissions. It also highlights Formula E as a real-world testbed for circular design, with its GEN4 car incorporating 100% recyclable construction and 20% recycled materials. The message is clear: decarbonising transport will require much more than replacing combustion engines with electric motors.
Xtrac Achieves FIA 3-Star Environmental Accreditation
Xtrac has announced that it has achieved FIA 3 Star Environmental Accreditation, the highest level of recognition within the FIA Environmental Accreditation Programme. Advancing from its previous 2 Star status, this achievement marks another significant milestone in our sustainability journey and demonstrates our continued commitment to environmental excellence.
Sustainable Motorsport Tech
Petronas, Eni Team Up to Develop Renewable Motorsport Fuel
Eni and Petronas have signed a feasibility agreement to develop high-performance bio-gasoline from renewable feedstocks, a move that could open new commercial pathways for sustainable road fuels if the motorsport application proves technically and economically viable.
The agreement, signed on the sidelines of the 2026 Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix in San Donato Milanese, will leverage Eni’s proprietary Ecofining technology, the same process the Italian energy major has used to produce hydrotreated vegetable oil biofuels since 2014, to assess whether a commercially scalable bio-gasoline can be produced from renewable raw materials for use first in motorsport and later in broader consumer markets.
More details can be found at the Eni website here.
Forze Hydrogen Racing August Recap
Forze Hydrogen Racing have released their August 2026 recap. “After an exciting and challenging year performed by Team XIX, the time had come to step onto the track as Team XX and take over the baton.” Read the full recap here.
SwRI’s Hydrogen Development: Exploring the Future of Internal Combustion Engines
Hydrogen could offer a way to preserve the internal-combustion engine while dramatically reducing its carbon footprint. This EngineLabs feature examines Southwest Research Institute’s work adapting a 5.0-liter diesel architecture into a hydrogen-fueled engine, including redesigned combustion chambers, hydrogen-specific injection and turbocharging. The technology is not without challenges—particularly combustion control and NOx—but it demonstrates how existing engine expertise and manufacturing infrastructure could potentially be repurposed for a lower-carbon future.
Getting to the Track Sustainably
- The stunning new V8 Koenigsegg CCGT1 celebrates a racecar… that never raced (Top Gear)
- Virgin to run trains through the Channel Tunnel – passengers will have a choice (The Conversation)
- Virgin’s New International Trains Could Cut Emissions, Fares — and Fuel Its Loyalty Program (Skift)
- Singapore’s Changi Airport locks in ‘green tax’ on all flights (Executive Traveler)
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.
