The glitzy, petrol-guzzling sport is notoriously carbon intensive, burning by means of the emissions equal of 30,000 rich-world properties over the course of a nine-month season.
However because the store window for the way forward for the automotive trade, F1 has responded to strain to curb its carbon footprint. In 2019, F1 promised to be carbon impartial by 2030, a goal some say is unrealistic given the game’s ongoing growth and continued reliance on hydrocarbons as gas, whilst its electrical model, System E, positive factors recognition.
The game has been racing to decarbonise in quite a lot of methods. From reorganising the race calendar to restrict its largest supply of emissions – the logistics of transferring the game throughout 21 international locations in a season – to slicing out single-use plastic at races, and recycling tyres.
However the sport’s foremost focus has been on adopting extra sustainable fuels. F1 has stated its vehicles will run on “100 per cent sustainable gas” by 2026, utilizing fuels like biomass or inexperienced hydrogen, burning carbon that’s already accessible quite than placing extra into the ambiance.
Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 grew to become the primary group to trial hydrotreated vegetable oil to move its vehicles, gear, and employees. The group represented on the observe by Lewis Hamilton and George Russell is aiming to chop its emissions by two-thirds by 2030 and obtain web zero throughout its provide chain by 2040. The group’s lately launched sustainability report reported a ten per cent drop in emissions.
Becoming a member of the Eco-Enterprise to debate how the game can attain the web zero ending line in simply six years is Mercedes F1’s head of sustainability, Alice Ashpitel.
Alice Ashpitel, head of sustainability, Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 group
Tune in as we talk about:
- Why an earth sciences graduate selected to work in F1
- What has been driving down Mercedes F1’s emissions?
- How sustainable is sustainable aviation gas?
- Is sustainability accepted in F1 tradition?
- Which options are lacking to decarbonise F1?
- The elephant within the room: logistics and journey
- Fossil fuels sponsorship and reputational danger
- Is F1’s web zero by 2030 purpose lifelike?
- Will System E make System 1 out of date?
The edited podcast transcript:
Your instructional background is within the sciences, then you definitely labored in a sustainability position within the constructed surroundings. What drew you to F1?
I began my research in earth sciences, and was actually drawn to local weather science particularly. I beloved finding out. However I wished to take that scientific background and apply it in the true world.
After commencement, I appeared round at the place a few of large sustainability challenges have been. And building actually leapt out to me. In order that’s the place I began off – boots on the bottom, sporting a tough hat, strolling round building websites, making an attempt to know the environmental challenges of these websites.
As I progressed slightly bit, I began to look into how we might design higher buildings and function them extra effectively. We all know that the constructed surroundings is admittedly key to web zero targets. We began to develop methods [to decarbonise] property portfolios. I actually loved that. However what I actually wished to do was truly be in an organisation the place I might instigate change however see it during to completion.
In parallel to that, I’ve all the time been an F1 fan. I began to see numerous the dialog round web zero and System 1 emerge, and I began to see System 1 pushing the boundaries of sustainability. After which this job got here up with Mercedes. It was the right second for me to take all the abilities I’ve constructed and apply them in an space that I’m actually keen about.
The Mercedes group 1 lately reported an enormous drop in emissions. What has been the one simplest measure your group has taken to slash emissions?
Our precedence has been on our largest and most seen sources of emissions – which is what we name our race group management emissions. This doesn’t embrace the acquisition of products and providers, but it surely contains the enterprise journey, the logistics, the freight – the motion of individuals and gadgets around the globe to permit us to go racing.
We’ve been specializing in a sustainable gas technique, and how we will successfully decarbonise transport in that space. So funding in sustainable aviation gas (SAF) has been actually crucial for us. We have been capable of cut back emissions by over 6,600 tonnes of CO2 final 12 months by means of funding in SAF.
We introduced the start of our journey in SAF again in 2022. And we’ve been engaged on rising our funding and quantity, as a result of we recognise that this market is crucial for aviation decarbonisation as an entire. However it wants individuals within the voluntary area to return in and spend money on the sector and begin to use a guide and declare mannequin [book and claim means the buyer does not physically burn the fuel, but their purchase supports its use elsewhere, which helps boost demand]. In return, they might declare the decreased emissions in the direction of their voluntary web zero objectives.
Fuels make up about 1 per cent of F1’s emissions. There’s been pushback at the claims made round sustainable fuels and whether or not they can really cut back emissions. How do you reply to these criticisms?
You’re proper. The vehicles themselves are lower than 1 per cent of the emissions of the game. They use an E10 mix [a low carbon fuel containing 10 per cent ethanol that lowers traditional petrol emissions] for a variety of years now – which is a primary step in lowering emissions.
The opposite factor in regards to the vehicles which is admittedly spectacular, is their engine effectivity. Being each hybrid and already among the world’s most thermally environment friendly engines, that speaks to System 1’s potential to innovate highway automotive applied sciences.
For instance, the EQXX, which Mercedes launched a short while again, included numerous classes from battery effectivity applied sciences developed in Brixworth [a town in Northamptonshire, England], the place we develop our F1 energy items. We took numerous the aerodynamic information and lightweighting from System 1, but in addition information from different Mercedes R&D, to do over 1,000 miles on a single cost. So there’s an instance of F1 innovation that leads into the highway automotive area.
On sustainable fuels, we imagine they’re a extremely key step within the [energy] transition. Internal combustion engines are nonetheless going to be on the highway in 2030 regardless. 2026 might be a extremely thrilling second for the game, as a result of that’s once we’re going to be 50 per cent electrical and 50 per cent superior sustainable gas. That gas might be 100 per cent sustainably sourced, made both by means of carbon seize applied sciences, second technology biofuels and waste processes. That’s when the vehicles might be fossil fuel-free. The know-how might be “drop-in,” that means it’s appropriate with common highway autos. Our precedence when creating sustainable applied sciences is their usability past simply F1 vehicles.
SAF is essential to us as a result of it integrates with our present applied sciences, permitting us to make modifications as we speak to start out driving the options we want. The gas that might be prepared in 2026 has the potential for highway use, having been examined in probably the most rigorous setting – System 1.
Decarbonisation is a race in opposition to time. To what extent would you say that Mercedes is profitable the race to decarbonise F1? How a lot do you take a look at your rivals and take a look at the applied sciences they’re utilizing to determine how Mercedes is monitoring?
Sure, decarbonisation is a crucial race and I feel it’s crucial throughout all industries.
For us, it’s actually essential that we’re delivering sustainable excessive efficiency and innovation, however that we’re additionally doing it in a means that enables us to decarbonise shortly.
A giant factor for us is decoupling our useful resource consumption from our progress. So we’re how we will do issues extra effectively.
F1 has some very formidable targets. And we welcome collaboration with different groups. For instance, final 12 months they did the primary trial of a centralised energy system on the Austrian Grand Prix to see how we might energy all 10 groups on an HVO [hydrotreated vegetable oil] system backed with photo voltaic panels.
The collaboration piece is admittedly essential for the game as a result of all of us have to get there collectively. And personally we’re a group of downside solvers. We love a problem. And there’s a private drive to be the leaders on this area.
That’s why issues like our funding in SAF has been crucial for us. We’re now beginning to feed the information that we’ve gained from what’s a really difficult course of – understanding the guide and declare market, methods to be actually credible and clear on this area – and share that information with different groups.
Then we additionally search for the following area to innovate. Being leaders on this area, we have to be actually sincere about what’s labored, what hasn’t, and what’s subsequent – how can we maintain pushing the envelope?
Do you get along with heads of sustainability in different groups to speak about what you’re doing and share concepts?
Sure, positively. I’ve actually seen a change in that within the final two and a half years since I’ve been with the group – that we’re actually open to collaboration on sustainability.
I do know my counterparts at the entire groups. We meet in London on the System 1 places of work, or just about and speak in regards to the numerous facets of the game, for instance sharing information about SAF or the round financial system. System 1 is an extremely aggressive surroundings, so it’s actually optimistic to see that willingness to collaborate.
What’s it like being a head of sustainability in a tradition like F1? Is there a way that sustainability prices seconds on the observe?
What’s particular about System 1 is that we sit on the intersection of sport and know-how. We’ve received a group of people that like to win and love a extremely robust, complicated problem. If you consider decarbonisation and sustainability, these are the components we want. We’d like people who find themselves prepared to go, “That is laborious, however I feel I can provide you with some nice concepts and I like the thought of profitable.”
Individuals within the manufacturing unit are fascinated by our work. Workers message me to ask in the event that they’re creating an excessive amount of plastic waste from the processes they’re engaged on, all the way in which to trying on the logistics of transferring elements around the globe, whereas recognising that the group is below strain going right into a “triple-header” [three back-to-back races].
The group is dedicated to sourcing HVO for all of our vehicles. We’re focusing on 100 per cent HVO throughout the European season and are capable of work with all the provide chain logistics group to ship on that focus on. So truly there’s an amazing urge for food for sustainability, which isn’t seen as one thing that prices efficiency, however is one thing that can provide excessive efficiency and is embedded throughout the tradition.
You’ve stated that probably the most troublesome factor about your job is that not all of the options that you must decarbonise F1 exist as we speak. What options are lacking?
So it’s an actual mix. Extra work is required on sustainable fuels, for instance. With aviation fuels, the HEFA [hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids] pathway may be very clearly developed, which is one methodology for producing SAF. However we all know there’s not sufficient of that for it to turn into limitless.
So a part of the work is on how we assist that sector scale new applied sciences like e-SAF [which is produced through the combination of green hydrogen with CO2 captured from the atmosphere or biogenic sources], and different forms of SAF that we have to see come by means of.
Past sustainable fuels, the supplies the vehicles are constructed from are among the most technical and excessive efficiency supplies identified to science. How can we begin collaborating with the availability chain to make carbon fiber extra round and fewer carbon intensive?
How can we take a look at all these challenges and assist this trade as an entire to get there? A number of the supplies we use aren’t distinctive to System 1. Aerospace, for instance, is one other large sector that can use these supplies.
The opposite essential issue is slicing our race group management emissions by 75 per cent by 2030. We can have some residual emissions, and recognise that credible high-quality carbon removals might be key in addressing these successfully.
To ensure that these credible removals to exist, we have to be supporting that sector now and doing the analysis, working with totally different suppliers to discover out what works and what doesn’t, in order that we will assist the market develop as effectively.
As a result of truly, there are numerous concepts – it’s about how we scale them and provides them a platform, in order that the credible ones can entice the funding and assist wanted.
The elephant within the room for F1 is the place the majority of the emissions come from – the logistics of lugging an enormous operation around the globe for 9 months of the 12 months. Plus, the game remains to be increasing. Certainly, if F1 is critical about decarbonisation, it might want to change its enterprise mannequin and minimize the variety of races in a season?
Our mission at Mercedes is to decouple emissions from progress [of the sport]. So our work has been actually targeted on effectivity because the calendar has grown.
For instance, we’ve elevated using sea freight over air, which required us to spend money on an additional sea freight package so we might ship extra gadgets at the beginning of the season, lowering the quantity of gear we wanted to fly in.
And System 1 as an entire is admittedly this. They’ve already made some modifications within the calendar this season. For instance the Japan Grand Prix has been moved in order that it’s a lot nearer to the Australian and Chinese language Grand Prix.
Do you suppose that your typical, F1 fan actually cares in regards to the local weather influence of the game, and is {that a} think about driving the decarbonisation of the game?
I feel it’s a extremely fascinating second for the game. I don’t suppose you may underestimate the influence of [Netflix documentary] Drive to outlive on the sport’s fan base. We’re seeing an immense progress within the fan base and likewise a a lot youthful, extra socially acutely aware viewers come into the game because of the documentary and its optimistic influence.
We’ve truly carried out some analysis on perceptions and attitudes amongst followers and discovered that 75 per cent of Mercedes F1 followers are prepared to make extra sustainable selections observe aspect, if they’re accessible to them. And we’re seeing significantly that our followers are over indexing on among the different groups. So the sustainability message is trickling down into the fan consciousness. They’re keen about with the ability to get pleasure from their sport, but in addition need to know that their sport isn’t negatively impacting the surroundings and that it’s having a optimistic affect past itself.
A contentious space of F1 are the sponsors – the branding F1 drivers carry, for instance, Saudi Aramco, world’s largest oil and gasoline firm, and Petronas, which is tied to Mercedes. Petronas is an organization that Eco-Enterprise has written quite a bit by way of setting local weather targets which were known as out for greenwashing. To what extent do you suppose that carries a reputational danger for an organization like Mercedes that’s making an attempt to decarbonise its F1 group and carrying that affiliation with an organization like Petronas?
We’ve had a extremely long-standing partnership with Petronas, that has been essential in exploring our biofuels venture. Their information and experience has been crucial in sourcing biofuels throughout the European season. Hopefully we’ll obtain 100 per cent biofuels throughout the European season this 12 months with their assist. They’re the primary group to develop the superior sustainable gas for 2026. So actually innovating and creating the drop-in gas that’s going to assist drive the vehicles of the longer term.
F1’s web zero by 2030 ambition. Some would say formidable, others would say unrealistic. Do you suppose the game can actually get there?
I’m on the ambitious-but-achievable aspect right here. I feel it’s unbelievable to see sport main the way in which [on decarbonisation]. It’s extremely formidable and the solutions will not be all accessible as we speak. However put a load of engineers and a load of individuals actually keen about profitable in a room and inform them that is the purpose … we’ll see the groups drive in the direction of that.
We’ve achieved a ten per cent discount in our race group’s managed emissions, and our workers are altering commuting habits – adopting lift-sharing and electrical autos to decrease our footprint. Improvements in freight and logistics additionally contribute to those financial savings. Though formidable, our targets stay achievable.
Do you imagine that the way forward for the game might be fossil fuel-based? Received’t the success of System E, the electrical model of the game, finally make System 1 out of date in the future?
I feel all of the groups share the idea that System 1 has the potential to be an innovation hub for sustainable options. And superior sustainable gas will nonetheless be related for highway vehicles by means of 2030 and past, maintaining us on the forefront of change.
We’ve a massively engaged fan base and this wonderful potential to drive innovation. And it’s one of many quickest rising sports activities globally. For us, it’s about enabling the game to proceed to develop sustainably and nonetheless drive thrilling outcomes week after week.
And truly, superior sustainable fuels is simply the tip of the iceberg. Beneath, it’s wholesale change for us as a group and every thing that we do, to embed sustainability.
However I’m additionally actually refreshed to see that taking place throughout the game and in different groups. If you’d requested us two years in the past, we have been all fairly nervous about sharing. However now it appears like this sharing and collaboration is what’s going to drive the game ahead.
