Formula One, the highest class of single-seater auto racing, has revealed it will go carbon neutral by 2030.
The auto racing body also said it won’t go all-electric like Formula E but plans to greatly reduce fuel consumption from its hybrid powertrains and undertake other projects to reduce emissions.
Formula Chairman, Chase Carey in a statement said, “We believe F1 can continue to be a leader for the auto industry and work with the energy and automotive sector to deliver the world’s first net-zero carbon hybrid internal combustion engine.”
If F1 cars stick with hybrid powertrains, this means fossil fuels will yet still be burnt, meaning they will still produce carbon emissions.
Carey’s use of the term “net-zero” means the engine’s emissions may be offset by carbon reductions in other areas. Carbon offset projects, such as planting trees or investing in renewable energy, are becoming a popular option for companies that can’t completely eliminate emissions from their operations. Lyft has used carbon offsets to claim that its ridesharing service is carbon neutral, and Volkswagen plans to use a similar approach to cancel out carbon emissions from its cars.
Emissions from the tailpipes of the 20 race cars that make up the F1 grid are just fractions of the problem. However, to curtail emissions, the F1 through a press release said it will adopt “ultra-efficient logistics and travel, and 100% renewably powered offices and factories.”
According to reports, by 2025, F1 wants all of its events to be sustainable. The series has pledged to eliminate single-use plastics at races and to ensure that all waste is recycled or composted. F1 will also provide “incentives and tools” to give fans “a greener way to reach the race.”
