Latest news with #JapaneseGrandPrix
Los Angeles Times
15 minutes ago
- Automotive
- Los Angeles Times
Racing's Formula One shifts to renewable energy, shrinking its carbon footprint
Motor racing, a sport known for flashy, petrol-guzzling race cars speeding across twisting asphalt tracks, hasn't been a pastime known for sustainability. Formula One is trying to change that. Often referred to as 'the pinnacle of motorsport,' the race car organization, which hosts an annual championship featuring the best drivers in the world, has seen its carbon emissions drop 26% since 2018. At the end of the 2024 season, the sport's carbon footprint fell to 168,720 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent from 228,793. Formula One said in a recent statement that it's halfway toward achieving its minimum 50% reduction target, as set out in its 'net zero by 2030' commitment. 'It's a key milestone and the culmination of a lot of work,' said Ellen Jones, head of environmental, social and governance at Formula One, in an interview. 'We've changed the way we operate, changed the way we work' with the racing teams and promoters, as well Formula One's management and regulator, she said. A major factor in the reductions has been a years-long shift to renewable energy, Jones said. Investment in sustainable aviation fuel for travel and freight use, and other alternative energy sources, including solar and biofuels, contributed to the decline. Next year, Formula One has set a target for the cars to have new hybrid engines and be powered entirely by advanced sustainable fuel. 'We're not only changing what we're doing materially, we're also changing the technologies,' Jones said. The sport has achieved carbon reductions across the four major categories that it tracks: factories and facilities, down 59% since 2018; logistics, down 9%; event operations, down 12% on a per-race basis; and travel, down 25%. An increase in using remote operations and changes to the race schedule also have resulted in lower greenhouse gas emissions. Having remote broadcast operations has allowed about 140 personnel to avoid having to travel to the race location each weekend. And changing the date of the Japanese Grand Prix to align with other races last year in the Asia-Pacific region also contributed to lower emissions. In 2026, the date of the Monaco Grand Prix will be moved to align with other European events and eliminate an additional transatlantic crossing. Formula One said its climate commitment is 'set in accordance with the science' from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and aligns with the panel's definition of net zero emissions. The racing series' goal is to reduce absolute emissions by a minimum of 50% from a 2018 baseline, which was calculated using guidance set by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. Formula One has faced criticism from activists who say the sport is harmful to the environment. In 2022, demonstrators with Just Stop Oil sat on the track during the 2022 British Grand Prix, disrupting the race. The construction of Madrid's Grand Prix street circuit also has prompted backlash. The Brazilian leg of the Formula One schedule takes place in November, days before the 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference, which will be hosted in the South American country. Raimonde and March write for Bloomberg.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
Motor racing-Hamilton and Verstappen question race delay as others back FIA
By Alan Baldwin HT Image SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium (Reuters) -Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen questioned race control's handling of the rain-delayed Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday as rival drivers commended Formula One's governing body for putting safety first. The race at Spa-Francorchamps was delayed for an hour and 20 minutes as officials waited for rain to stop and conditions to dry out. The safety car then led the field for four laps before a rolling start. "I think we could have started way sooner, that's not ideal," Red Bull's four times world champion Verstappen told reporters, adding that in the end there had been very little racing in the wet. Hamilton, who went from the pit lane to seventh, said he did not think the rolling start was necessary. "I don't really know why they did that one, because it had dried up quite a lot and the spray wasn't that bad," added the Briton. The high-speed Spa circuit is the longest lap on the calendar and weather conditions can be treacherous. It also has a tragic past. French Formula Two driver Anthoine Hubert died in a crash at the 2019 Belgian Grand Prix at the exit of Raidillon, at the top of the famed Eau Rouge, while Dutch teenager Dilano van't Hoff died in a junior series crash in 2023. The list is much longer when the sport's distant past is considered. "I think the past few years, particularly here, we've given the FIA feedback that we would much rather be on the safe side than risk anything," said McLaren's race winner and championship leader Oscar Piastri. "I think that's what we did today. If you were to be picky, maybe we could have done one less formation lap. But in the grand scheme of things, if that's one lap too early, is it worth it? No." Ferrari's third-placed finisher Charles Leclerc, whose family friend Jules Bianchi suffered fatal injuries in a crash at the rain-hit 2014 Japanese Grand Prix, agreed. "On a track like this with what happened historically, I think you cannot forget about it. For that reason, I'd rather be safe than too early," he said. "Maybe it was a little bit on the late side, but I wouldn't have changed anything." Williams' Carlos Sainz, who started near the back and would have suffered in the spray, supported race control. "In a normal track, yes, I think we could have started maybe 5-10 minutes earlier. In Spa-Francorchamps and the history of this track, it's better safe than sorry," said the Spaniard. (Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Ed Osmond)
Japan Times
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Japan Times
Formula 1's renewable energy shift drives 26% drop in carbon footprint
Motor racing, a sport known for flashy, petrol-guzzling racecars speeding at hundreds of kilometers per hour across twisting asphalt tracks, hasn't been a pastime known for sustainability. Formula 1 is trying to change that. Often referred to as "the pinnacle of motorsport,' the racecar organization, which hosts an annual championship featuring the best drivers in the world, has seen its carbon emissions drop 26% since 2018. At the end of the 2024 season, the sport's carbon footprint fell to 168,720 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent from 228,793. F1 said in a statement on Wednesday that it's halfway toward achieving its minimum 50% reduction target, as set out in its "net zero by 2030' commitment. "It's a key milestone and the culmination of a lot of work,' said Ellen Jones, head of environmental, social and governance at F1, in an interview. "We've changed the way we operate, changed the way we work' with the racing teams and promoters, as well as Formula 1's management and regulator, she said. A major factor in the reductions has been a years-long shift to renewable energy, Jones said. Investment in sustainable aviation fuel for travel and freight use, and other alternative energy sources including solar and biofuels, contributed to the decline. Next year, F1 has set a target for the cars to have new hybrid engines and be powered entirely by advanced sustainable fuel. "We're not only changing what we're doing materially, we're also changing the technologies,' Jones said. The sport has achieved carbon reductions across the four major categories that it tracks: factories and facilities, down 59% since 2018; logistics, down 9%; event operations, down 12% on a per-race basis; and travel, down 25%. An increase in using remote operations and changes to the race schedule also have resulted in lower greenhouse gas emissions. Having remote broadcast operations has allowed about 140 personnel to avoid having to travel to the race location each weekend. And changing the date of the Japanese Grand Prix to align with other races last year in the Asia-Pacific region also contributed to lower emissions. In 2026, the date of the Monaco Grand Prix will be moved to align with other European events and eliminate an additional transatlantic crossing. F1 said its climate commitment is "set in accordance with the science' from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and aligns with the panel's definition of net zero emissions. The racing series' goal is to reduce absolute emissions by a minimum of 50% from a 2018 baseline, which was calculated using guidance set by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. F1 has faced criticism from activists who say the sport is harmful to the environment. In 2022, demonstrators with Just Stop Oil sat on the track during the 2022 British Grand Prix, disrupting the race. The construction of Madrid's Grand Prix street circuit also has prompted backlash. The Brazilian leg of the F1 schedule takes place in November, days before the 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference, which will be hosted in the South American country.
The Star
6 days ago
- Automotive
- The Star
Motor racing-Verstappen says Horner exit will not influence own F1 future
FILE PHOTO: Formula One F1 - Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Japan - April 4, 2025 Red Bull's Max Verstappen with team principal Christian Horner ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix REUTERS/Issei Kato/File Photo SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium (Reuters) -Formula One champion Max Verstappen said Christian Horner's sacking as Red Bull boss would make no difference to decisions about his own future and the team still felt like a second family. Horner's dismissal this month ended a 20-year tenure and fuelled speculation about Verstappen, with Mercedes already interested in securing the four-times world champion. "Management decided they wanted to steer the ship in a different direction probably," the Dutch driver, relaxed and smiling, told reporters at the Belgian Grand Prix on Thursday. "Everyone else of course has to anyway agree to that and look forward. And I am looking forward. "I'm equally also excited for the team now moving forward because that's what we have to do. Looking back doesn't make sense. It's not going to make you faster. "At the same time, we do appreciate of course those 20 years and especially from my side, the 10, 11 that I've been part of Red Bull. Those things will always be remembered. "The relationship between myself and Christian, for example, that doesn't change. Of course, he's not here now during a race weekend but it's still like a second family to me." Verstappen has won all his titles at Red Bull, starting in 2021, but his chances of a fifth in a row are receding fast as McLaren dominate. The 27-year-old said Red Bull's owners had every right to run the team as they saw fit. His father and former racer Jos fell out with Horner last year, with Verstappen senior urging the Briton to go. The champion said people were entitled to disagree and he had spoken recently to Horner. "The only thing that matters is that we work on the car and make it as fast as we can make it, really... the last one and a half years have not been what we want to be," he added. Asked if there was still a possibility he might not drive for Red Bull next year, he smiled: "There is also a possibility I don't wake up tomorrow. So then there is no driving at all. "Life is unpredictable. But in general, I'm very happy where I'm at." Verstappen has a contract to 2028, with release clauses, and has said he hoped to see out his career at Red Bull. Asked whether he had been surprised by Horner's exit, he replied: "I think in this world, things like that, they can happen. And when they told me I was like 'OK'. "I don't need to go into detail what they said, but I said 'OK, if you guys think that this is the way forward, I'm the driver. You decide and this is how we're going to do it." Verstappen said first impressions of new boss Laurent Mekies were good. "I like Laurent. He's a very nice guy, first of all, very clever guy," he said. "He's been in different areas of the F1 paddock as well. And I think that can be helpful." (Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
Irish Examiner
7 days ago
- Automotive
- Irish Examiner
F1's renewable energy shift drives 26% drop in carbon footprint
Formula 1, known for flashy, petrol-guzzling racecars speeding at hundreds of kilometres per hour across twisting asphalt tracks, hasn't been a pastime known for sustainability. It's now trying to change that. Often referred to as 'the pinnacle of motorsport,' the racecar organisation, has seen its carbon emissions drop 26% since 2018. At the end of the 2024 season, the sport's carbon footprint fell to 168,720 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent from 228,793. F1 said in a statement on Wednesday that it's halfway toward achieving its minimum 50% reduction target, as set out in its 'net zero by 2030' commitment. 'It's a key milestone and the culmination of a lot of work,' said Ellen Jones, head of environmental, social and governance at F1. 'We've changed the way we operate, changed the way we work' with the racing teams and promoters, as well Formula 1's management and regulator, she said. A major factor in the reductions has been a years-long shift to renewable energy, Jones said. Investment in sustainable aviation fuel for travel and freight use, and other alternative energy sources, including solar and biofuels, contributed to the decline. Next year, F1 has set a target for the cars to have new hybrid engines and be powered entirely by advanced sustainable fuel. 'We're not only changing what we're doing materially, we're also changing the technologies,' Ms Jones said. The sport has achieved carbon reductions across the four major categories that it tracks: factories and facilities, down 59% since 2018; logistics, down 9%; event operations, down 12% on a per-race basis; and travel, down 25%. The sport has reduced emissions by 26% since 2018 An increase in using remote operations and changes to the race schedule also have resulted in lower greenhouse gas emissions. Having remote broadcast operations has allowed about 140 personnel to avoid having to travel to the race location each weekend. Changing the date of the Japanese Grand Prix to align with other races last year in the Asia-Pacific region also contributed to lower emissions. In 2026, the date of the Monaco Grand Prix will be moved to align with other European events and eliminate an additional transatlantic crossing. F1 said its climate commitment is 'set in accordance with the science' from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and aligns with the panel's definition of net zero emissions. The racing series' goal is to reduce absolute emissions by a minimum of 50% from a 2018 baseline, which was calculated using guidance set by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. F1 has faced criticism from activists who say the sport is harmful to the environment. In 2022, demonstrators with Just Stop Oil sat on the track during the 2022 British Grand Prix, disrupting the race. The construction of Madrid's Grand Prix street circuit also has prompted backlash. The Brazilian leg of the F1 schedule takes place in November, days before the 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference, which will be hosted in the South American country. Bloomberg
