Formula 1

F1 leads the way in sustainable fuel for all

Published

1 month ago

21/04/2023

Formula 1 is on a mission to revolutionize the industry with sustainable fuel. Pat Symonds, the Chief Technical Officer of F1, has revealed the reasoning and process behind the sport’s creation of eco-friendly fuel options. The aim is to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030, which entails the prohibition of traditional fuels in F1 from 2026.

Pat Symonds, the Chief Technical Officer of Formula 1, has provided insight into the reasoning and procedure for the sport’s creation of an eco-friendly fuel. Due to the industry-wide aim of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030, the use of traditional fuels in Formula 1 will be prohibited from 2026. As a result, Formula 1 is currently exploring two distinct approaches to generate sustainable fuel options.

Formula 1 intends to utilize recently discovered stores of carbon for its fuel supply. In contrast, Formula 2 is aiming to introduce fuel generated through carbon capture technology by 2027. The concept of sustainable fuel can be perplexing since there are various types, including sustainable aviation fuel and hydrogen. Pat Symonds clarified that sustainable fuel refers to hydrogen derived from renewable sources, such as wind or solar power, used to generate electricity that splits water into hydrogen.

According to Symonds, the carbon utilized for the fuel must be extracted from sources that have not been in the ground for millions of years, such as plants or waste products that recently absorbed carbon from the atmosphere. By extracting this carbon, Formula 1 can produce fuel and reuse it, creating a closed circular system that contributes to the sport’s carbon neutrality goal. The fuel’s carbon will follow a circular path from the plant to the fuel, into the air, into the fields, and back to the plant, thus completing the cycle.

Symonds acknowledged that achieving carbon neutrality and producing the sustainable fuel is a challenging objective since it can only be accomplished in a laboratory setting presently. Additionally, the fuel’s lifecycle analysis includes the manufacturing process, transport, and other factors that must be made carbon-neutral. The initiative has a social responsibility element as well.

Formula 1 cars are responsible for only 0.7 percent of the sport’s carbon footprint when on the track. Therefore, the implementation of sustainable fuel will have a significantly smaller impact.

Formula 1 is aiming to lead the way in a broader movement. By demonstrating that 100% sustainable fuel is feasible and requiring only minimal adjustments, such as remapping, to function efficiently in cars, F1 is seeking to provide a solution that has widespread application. According to Symonds, the vast majority of the predicted 1.4 billion vehicles on the road by 2030 will still utilize internal combustion engines. Hence, creating a sustainable fuel alternative for these cars could have a significant environmental impact.

While Symonds sees the potential for a significant global impact, he recognizes that achieving the goal of sustainable fuel for all internal combustion engines by 2030 may be unrealistic. He believes that 2050 is a more feasible timeline to accomplish this target.

Symonds believes that if Formula 1 can successfully demonstrate the feasibility of producing a sustainable, carbon-neutral fuel at scale and an affordable price, it could have a significant impact. Formula 2 has already taken steps towards this goal, with 55% sustainable fuel being utilized this year, and the target of being 100% sustainable by 2027. The carbon capture technology aspect of producing the fuel may require additional time to mature before it can produce the necessary fuel quantities.

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