Accelerating Change: How Formula 1 is Driving Positive Advances for a More Sustainable Future... 🏎️💨
Since announcing its commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2030, Formula 1 has become a proving ground for environmental innovation, aiming to influence far beyond its own circuits...
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BIG IDEA
Formula 1 has always been synonymous with speed, precision, and innovation. But in recent years, the pinnacle of motorsport has taken on a new challenge: sustainability. With its ambitious commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2030, Formula 1 is not only rethinking its operations but also influencing industries far beyond the track.
Since setting its 2030 net-zero target in 2019, F1 has already reduced its absolute carbon emissions by 13% as of 2023. This progress is driven by initiatives like transitioning to biodiesel trucks for logistics across Europe, in partnership with DHL.
Yet, as the series’ inaugural impact report revealed, logistics remains its single largest source of emissions, accounting for 49% of its carbon footprint. Business travel contributes 29%, event operations 12%, and facilities 10%. Surprisingly, the iconic race cars themselves account for less than 1%—yet they represent Formula 1’s greatest opportunity to make an outsized impact as a testing ground for innovation.
As Dr Susie Tomson, one of the world’s leading proponents of sustainability in sport, explained on the Sports Pundit Podcast, “We're not going to solve these problems by doing less.”
“I think [there is a perception that] sustainability is about doing less. You know, let's face it, COVID, we were all sat at home, we watched Netflix on the telly, but we didn't travel, [and] we didn't go out. Everyone thinks that travel is the main thing [and yet] I think our global carbon emissions [only] dropped by 17%,” explained Tomson, a Senior Partner at thinkBEYOND.
“Where we need to get to at the moment is a 50 percent drop in the next five years. The impact has to be zero carbon coming out of anything we do in the next 15 years. The likelihood of that happening by us doing less is just not going to happen. So [to get there,] it has to be through innovation.”
One promising avenue is sustainable fuels, which have the potential to reduce emissions in vehicles that cannot immediately transition to electric power, including commercial trucks and aviation. This year’s Miami Grand Prix marked a milestone: F1’s safety and medical cars used 40% sustainable fuel for the first time. By 2026, the series aims to power all its race cars with 100% sustainable fuel, paving the way for broader adoption in the transportation sector.
“Some of these future thinking technologies that are coming out [of the likes of Formula 1, as well as Formula E, SailGP and the like] are exciting from a sustainability point of view, because we won't solve the world's problems by doing less,” asserts Tomson.
“We will through technology. We have to through technology. Essentially, we have to look at decarbonising and we realistically have to take the choice away from the individual [as] people always buy the cheaper product - and [that’s when] we're talking about people who can afford that choice. A lot of people can't, globally.”
Formula 1 has long been a proving ground for innovations that extend far beyond the racetrack. From hospital safety procedures and toothpaste production processes to energy-saving technology now used in grocery store refrigeration, F1’s influence is well-documented.
Its sustainability efforts are no exception. Teams are competing not just on the track but also in their environmental initiatives. For example, McLaren is focusing on circularity by integrating sustainable materials into car design, while Mercedes is investing in sustainable aviation fuels and carbon removal projects.
Meanwhile, the drivers themselves are leading by example. Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, has invested in companies pioneering sustainable innovations and previously owned an Extreme E team, a series now transitioning to Extreme H to showcase hydrogen fuel cell technology. Nico Rosberg’s team, Rosberg X Racing, continues to push the envelope in Extreme E, while Sergio Perez’s involvement in the E1 Series highlights how electric marine technology could transform the future of sustainable boating.
Formula 1 isn’t just a participant in the sustainability conversation—it’s a catalyst.
“Sport has a unique ability to drive change,” says Tomson. “We can push governments, we can change [industries]. But to do so, we need to be bold, brave, and recognise that that is fundamentally what sport is about.”
Formula 1, as well as the likes of Extreme H, E1, and SailGP, are all proving that sustainability and performance aren’t mutually exclusive. By championing technological innovation and inspiring action across industries, elite sport is helping the world to accelerate toward a future where sustainability isn’t just a goal but a defining feature of global progress.
It’s a bold vision—and one that, as Tomson puts it, requires us to embrace the very essence of sport.
THE PODCAST
Curious to dive deeper into my conversation with Susie?
We explore the evolving motivations behind sustainability in sports, from working with innovative properties like SailGP, where sustainability is at the core, to supporting legacy rightsholders such as Liverpool FC in making meaningful environmental strides. We also discuss the vital role and responsibilities of athletes, how the environmental movement can better communicate its message, the importance of understanding your supply chain, and so much more 🎧
Listen to the full episode via the link below—I’d love to hear your thoughts! 👇
Not yet a subscriber? Join over 3,000 sports business leaders, from Formula 1 to the Premier League, that read Sports Pundit every week to get impactful industry insights.