Sustainable motorsport is all about innovation. For those decrying spec series and a lack of motorsport innovation, sustainable motorsport is exciting both off track and on and once again I bring you more examples this week. You will also find out about Maserati Corse’s electric ambitions, how Paddy Lowe is bringing his synthetic fuel to F1 and Pirelli FSC-certified tires.
It’s all in this week’s edition of the Sustainable Motorsport Roundup on Motorsport Prospects. Your source for sustainable high performance motorsport news.
Don’t forget that the Motorsport Prospects Weekly Newsletter is now available so you will not miss out on any news racers can use! Check out the footer of every page on the Motorsport Prospects website and sign up now!
Sustainable Motorsport News
The Australian Racing Drivers’ Club (ARDC), operators of Sydney Motorsport Park (SMSP), has welcomed Australia’s motorsport industry to its first-ever Sustainability in Motorsport Roundtable last week.
The roundtable, hosted at the recently-opened Australian Motorsport and Innovation Precinct (AMIP) along the main straight at SMSP, was attended by thought-leaders, delegates and ARDC board members, all coming to learn more about the positive steps Australia’s leading permanent motorsport circuit is taking towards greater sustainability at the venue, and to understand the shared objectives of Australia’s major motorsport entities.
“Our first-ever Sustainability in Motorsport Roundtable is a chance to share ideas and find new ways of working together. When the ARDC opened its AMIP facility in mid-2023, we did so with the promise that it would be a centre of excellence, and a home of progressive thinking for the motorsport industry – the discussions and shared insights from this week are just another example of the ARDC fulfilling that promise.”
PRI Magazine interviewed Giovanni Sgro, the man responsible for managing the historic Maserati Corse racing brand while preparing for an all-electric future.
“The fact is our business objectives tied in very well with the Formula E program. It’s the highest performing electric racing car in the world. Formula E also has a very diverse audience. It’s not just motorsports fans, it’s also individuals who are really interested in technology innovation. Formula E fans want to understand what they’re going to be driving in the future. Really, those two things interest us very much. Another reason is that our racing programs also allow us to showcase the full range of our automobiles, specifically the GT cars, as we’ve done this past year. That’s an immediate connection.”
Motorsport Ireland President Aiden Harper has been named as the new President of the FIA Sport Environment and Sustainability Commission. Harper replaces outgoing Commission President and Former President of Mexico, Felipe Calderón. A major component of the role will be the overseeing of the effective implementation of the FIA Environmental Strategy. Adopted in December 2020, the FIA Environmental Strategy demonstrates the FIA’s ambition to be net zero emissions by 2030. It sets objectives for its organisation, members, championships and network through three strategic goals: climate action, technology and innovation and sustainable practices.
Speaking on his appointment Mr. Haper said; “It is a privilege for me to be chosen by the FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem and the World Motorsport Council to fulfill this role. Incredible work has gone into the strategy since 2020 and major goals achieved. We still have a lot of work to do and I am confident that we will deliver on this for the betterment of motorsport and indeed, the World.”
BWT and Alpine have decided to expand their strategic collaboration beyond Formula 1 and into the Alpine Academy, where the team’s title partner will support its talented young driver line-up. In addition to Formula 1, BWT will now also join together with Alpine Academy’s nine young drivers who compete in junior racing categories including: FIA Formula 2, FIA Formula 3, Formula 4, EuroFormula, International Karting and new-for-2023, the Formula 1-backed Formula 1 Academy Series for competitive female drivers.
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.
Former McLaren technical director and Mercedes executive director Paddy Lowe has returned to Formula 1 as a sponsor of Sauber via his Zero Petroleum company. Lowe is the founder and CEO of the carbon-neutral synthetic fuel concern, whose early investors include 1996 world champion Damon Hill.
“We’re here mainly to just bring the message about synthetic fuel technology, and how exciting it is,” Lowe told Autosport. “So of course, we look to 2026, which will be a year of bringing in 100% sustainable fuels, and those can be either second-generation biofuels or synthetic fuels. So we’re all about synthetics, it’s an incredibly exciting element for the future of F1, and the world as a whole.”
Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber will drive towards a sustainable future, as the team launches a partnership with transport solutions provider, Scania. The Scandinavian market leader will help the team in transporting its equipment in a smart, efficient and sustainable manner during the Formula One European season.
Alessandro Alunni Bravi, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber Team Representative: “We are pleased to welcome Scania to Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber as one of the team’s official suppliers. In a business like Formula One, where logistics play a great role in the success of each team’s operations, having reliable and secure means of transportation for our equipment is of fundamental importance. Much like Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber, Scania also puts great focus on its sustainability strategy – making them a valuable partner for our team as we push towards a more sustainable future for Motorsport. With Scania we can count on an experienced partner by our side, and we are looking forward to our collaboration.”
Stephan Oberli, Scania Schweiz AG Sales Director: “We’re thrilled to announce our partnership between Scania and Sauber Motorsport, marked by the delivery of 13 sustainable vehicles. This collaboration serves as a testament to our joint dedication to spearheading the reduction of CO2 emissions. Our common goal is to lead the way not just in the realm of motorsports but also in our collective responsibility towards the planet unites us. This partnership is a natural fit, embodying shared values of sustainability and excellence, showcasing that united, we can attain even greater heights.”
Sustainable Motorsport Tech
Reem Al Aboud, the pioneering Saudi Arabian female racing driver, has set a new acceleration benchmark for FIA single-seater racing – showcasing Formula E’s GENBETA race car and highlighting the series’ commitment to innovation and diversity in the lead-up to International Women’s Day. Watch her breaking the record in the video above.
Nitrocross will add another support category next season, with a new SIERRA Car class firming up its development ladder. It will also be an all-electric class, with EV powertrain manufacturer Hypercraft partnering with SIERRA for the project.
“SIERRA Car is the perfect storm of electrified performance in a race-proven chassis. It’s the ultimate hyper-performing, rally-inspired race vehicle that excels in multi-terrain racing environments,” said Kirk Miller, VP of sales and marketing at Hypercraft. “The incorporation of that platform within Nitrocross has for the first-time created a powerful stepping stone series for drivers of all disciplines, from professionals to up-and-comers. We couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity to facilitate that.”
Pirelli have become the first company to produce a complete range of FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) – certified tires for motorsport, with all the tires used in the F1 world championship this year set to be marked with the FSC logo, marking a significant moment in the manufacturer’s sustainability journey.
FSC certification joins a number of initiatives already put in place for motorsport by Pirelli in recent years, which includes all tires brought to the track during a Grand Prix weekend being transformed into secondary raw materials after use; the electrical energy used to make the tires coming exclusively from 100 per cent renewable certified sources; and the use of ‘virtual’ design technology for all tires, which not only reduces development time but also cuts down on materials used due to less physical prototypes being needed.
Sara Mariani, FIA Sustainability and D&I Director, added: “Pirelli’s implementation of FSC-certified tyres in the Formula 1 world championship is a strong statement of the company’s commitment to sustainability – not just to its own targets but also in its alignment with the goals of the FIA’s Environmental Strategy, which seeks to reduce motorsport impact and reinforce the sport as a catalyst for sustainable innovation and technology.
Series News
Fast-charging technology is bringing a new element to all-electric Formula E racing: pit stop strategy. It’s one of several reasons that CEO Jeff Dodds believes the series is becoming more attractive to potential sponsors and media partners.
“You know, I think we’re a pretty compelling — an open arm environment for people to come and test technology, develop technology, use it as a marketing platform, without some of the inconsistency that might go away and go along with some of the other series.”
Formula E recently made an appearance on British TV show The Apprentice, where the entrepreneurs were taken to Battersea Park (location of Formula E’s first-ever London E-Prix) and tasked with designing an identity for a new Formula E team. The teams were told they had to create a brand, hold a launch event and attract sponsors for their racing squad.
Josh Suttill of The Race wonders if the series made the most of its appearance on this hugely popular show. “It was that sponsorship selling that determined the winner and loser of the week. No spoilers here, but safe to say it didn’t go particularly well for either team.”
Green Racing News explains the importance of software in the Gen3 era of Formula E. “I think the most important thing between our Formula 1 and Formula E is the software side,” reigning champion Jake Dennis explained after his weekend in Diriyah. The 28-year-old driver won Friday’s race, but could only finish 12th in Round 3.
Green Racing News also has details on preparations for the new MotoE season. “With these elite riders on the grid, the 2024 MotoE season promises to be an epic battle filled with drama at every turn. Pre-season free practice has provided a preview of what’s to come, and ahead of it, fans can expect a campaign packed full of speed, overtaking and side-by-side battles.”
After the dramatic changes announced that are coming to the World Rally Championship, Lawrence Butcher from PMW Magazine asks, where is the FIA going with WRC?
“The wish for an all-electric class, with performance parity with Rally1 running on “sustainable fuel” is also floated, though no idea of timescale is given. There is no mention of H2 for rally (though technically it is a sustainable fuel) but at the same WMSC meeting the decision was taken to pursue liquid H2 as a solution for motorsport more generally. Could an H2 ICE solution fit into the cost constraints of the new rules? One would think it unlikely at the moment.”
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.
