Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team targets over 60% emissions reduction

The Team, PETRONAS and their logistics partners are working together to deliver the aspiration of a fully bio-fueled European season following a successful trial in 2022 which saw an emissions reduction of 89% in CO2 freight.

Click here to subscribe to our print edition!

Working with the Title and Technical Partner PETRONAS, we are committed to a more sustainable future, driven by continuous technical innovation and pioneering the Team and Formula One transition to a Net Zero future.

As part of a sport which travels the world to go racing, we are very aware of the logistical impact of our business. Where we need to transport our people and freight, we are continuously looking for better ways to do so and aiming to be as sustainable as possible across every area of our transportation requirements.

New sustainability exclusions in the Financial Regulations of the sport were approved at the most recent F1 Commission, enabled by constructive cooperation between the FIA, Formula One and the ten teams. They have unlocked opportunities for innovation in sustainability that were previously in conflict with on-track performance. This initiative for a fully bio-fueled European season is our first of these projects.

Over nine races across Europe, our Mercedes-Benz Actros trucks, which transport all the freight required for each race, will refuel with HVO100, a second-generation biofuel. From their departure points in the UK and Germany to arriving in Imola and then travelling through Europe, each truck will cover 9,000 to 10,000 km, which we aim to be fully powered by HVO100, reducing the emissions for each kilometre covered by 89%.

This is a significant undertaking, with several known challenges to be overcome connected to supply in specific geographies. That’s why we are announcing our ambition of achieving over 60% emissions reduction and 200 tonnes of CO2 saved at this stage, with a complete analysis of the final carbon emissions savings and the project’s success to be published at the end of the season.

2022 Hungary Grand Prix, Thursday – Steve Etherington

Our race base generators, used to power our Engineering trucks once set up in the Formula One paddock, will also be biofuel powered and served by a dedicated PETRONAS-branded tanker truck from mid-season onwards.

We are taking bold action to address our most significant sources of emissions and see sustainable fuels as key to reducing our carbon footprint. After pioneering investment in Sustainable Aviation Fuel, reducing the emissions of our race team personnel air travel footprint by nearly 50%, the focus now shifts to lessening the impact of our road-based freight logistics.

Alice Ashpitel, Head of Sustainability at the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team:

Our aspiration to achieve an entire bio-fueled European season is a challenging and complex project which has been ongoing behind the scenes at the Team for over a year. With our expert partners’ support and collaborative effort, we are tackling a key pillar in our strategy for achieving Net Zero and supporting the broader adoption of HVO100 across the sport and logistics industries. This project marks another step in our sustainability journey, but we are on a learning curve. From the evidence of our trial, we are excited to see that 89% emissions reduction is possible for every journey that our trucks make whilst recognising that supply challenges in sourcing HVO100 across Europe remain significant.

2022 Hungary Grand Prix, Thursday – Steve Etherington

Datuk Sazali Hamzah, Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of PETRONAS Downstream, said: 

Today, we are witnessing a significant milestone in successfully using HVO100 or sustainable fuel in freight transportation for Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team. By offering a solution that is 100% renewable and made from sustainably sourced materials, we help our partners to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90%.

This is a testament to our commitment to supporting the motorsport’s ambition towards a sustainable future by leveraging collaborative efforts with our partners, including Neste. Together with the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, we will progress in the right direction by perfecting our technology to meet the technical challenge presented by the 2026 power unit regulations.

Toto Wolff, Team Principal and CEO of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team: 

Motor racing is fuelled by passion, and we are responsible for using Formula One’s global platform to be more than leaders; we want to be pioneers. Working with our Title and Technical Partner PETRONAS, we see sustainable fuels as central to our Team’s strategy to reduce our most significant sources of emissions and achieve Net Zero by 2030. Working together, we can be fully committed to sustainable high performance. Delivering an 89% reduction in emissions for every kilometre that our trucks travel this summer would be a real achievement for the combined efforts of the Team, PETRONAS and our logistical partners, who have worked hard on this innovative and challenging project.