The Mercedes F1 Team has an ambitious target of over 60% emissions cuts

May 29, 2023 / Daimler

As part of a sport that travels the world to race, we are very aware of the logistical implications of our business. When we need to move our team members and goods, we are constantly looking for better ways and try to be as sustainable as possible in every aspect of our transportation needs.

At the last meeting of the F1 Committee, new sustainability exceptions were approved in the sport’s financial regulations, made possible by the constructive collaboration between the FIA, Formula 1 and the ten teams. They have opened up opportunities for innovation in sustainability that previously conflicted with track performance. This initiative for a European season entirely powered by biofuels is our first project in this regard.

With nine races across Europe, our fleet of Mercedes-Benz Actros trucks, which transport all the cargo required for each race, will be fueled with HVO100, a second-generation biofuel. From starting points in the UK and Germany to arriving at Imola and then driving across Europe, each truck will cover between 9,000 and 10,000km which we aim to complete entirely on HVO100, reducing emissions per kilometer traveled by 89%.

This is an important endeavor that involves addressing some of the known challenges related to supply in specific regions. That’s why we’re announcing that as of this writing, we’re aiming for emissions reductions of more than 60% and 200 tons of CO2 savings. A full analysis of final carbon savings and project success will be released at the end of the season.

The on-track generators, which power our engineering trucks once they are set up on the Formula 1 circuit, will run on biofuel from mid-season and will be powered by a dedicated Petronas tanker.

We are taking bold action to tackle our largest sources of emissions and see sustainable fuels as key to reducing our carbon footprint. Following our landmark investment in sustainable aviation fuels, which reduced emissions from air travel for our racing team by nearly 50%, focus is now turning to reducing the impact of our road freight logistics.

Alice Achpeltel, Head of Sustainability, Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team:

“Our pursuit of a fully biofueled European season is a challenging and complex project the team has been working on behind the scenes for over a year. With the support and joint effort of our expert partners, we are taking an important cornerstone in the strategy to achieve Net Zero and support the wider adoption of HVO100 in the sports and logistics industries. This project is another step in our sustainability journey but we are in a learning curve, our trial results show us that an 89% reduction in emissions is possible with each trip of our trucks, recognizing that getting HVO100 across Europe is still a huge problem.”

Datuk Sazali Hamza, Executive Vice President and CEO of Petronas Downstream, said:

“Today we are witnessing a significant milestone in the successful use of HVO100 or sustainable fuel in cargo transportation for the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula 1 team. By offering a solution that is 100% renewable and made from sustainably sourced materials, partners to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90% “.

“This is proof of our commitment to support racing’s ambitions towards a sustainable future by leveraging collaborations with our partners, including Neste. Together with the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, we will continue to take steps in the right direction by perfecting technology to meet the technical challenges it will bring.” New power unit regulations from the 2026 season.”

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

“Racing is driven by passion and it is our responsibility to capitalize on the global platform of Formula 1 to not only be pioneers but pioneers. Working with our principal and engineering partner PETRONAS, we see sustainable fuels as a key component of our team’s strategy to reduce our biggest emissions sources and achieve net zero by 2030. Together we can To be fully committed to the sustainable excellence of our logistics partners who have worked so hard on this innovative and challenging project.”

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