FIA highlights efforts to make racing sustainable

The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) has highlighted its moves that makes motorsport racing more sustainable. 

Per the governing body that represents the interests of motoring organizations and vehicle users, the organization has taken up various sustainable practices like its green energy application plan and the installment of renewable energy-powered infrastructures. 

Most notably, the FIA also implemented the use of sustainable fuels and sustainable tires. The European Truck Racing Championship (ETRC), for instance, have started retreading Goodyear racing tires for on-road use. 

Likewise, race series like the World Rally Championship (WRC), World Endurance Championship (WEC), ETRC, World Rallycross Championship (World RX), Formula 1, and Formula E, have included more than 20 percent sustainable components in their tires, such as natural rubber, and recycled fibers. 

In the same regard, the Formula E racing series has introduced recycled carbon and recycled linen, which represents almost 10 percent of the total body weight of the race cars competing in the series. 

As follow through to the said efforts, the FIA said that it will drop the use of tire warmers by 2023. 

Further, the FIA also pushed for sustainability in its suppliers. 

In a bold move, the FIA revealed that all World Championship series will run on clean energy by 2026. This includes races in  WRC, WEC, WTRC, World RX, Formula 1, and of course, Formula E. 

The abovementioned data is part of the organization’s 2023 sustainability report, which was published to let the FIA reassert its strong commitment to reducing its climate impact as well as acknowledge the challenges it faces and highlight the efforts it made to reach its goals across its own operations, membership, championship, and network. 

“This second environmental report is an important part of our goal to increase transparency and accountability as it gives an overview of our internal and external activity with our Members and our championships. In 2022, we have continued to roll out our Environmental strategy. We have increased the number of Clubs accredited to our gold-standard scheme, and we are on track to have all our championships powered by sustainable energies by 2026. I was also proud to introduce the FIA President’s Awards which highlight the very best sustainability work of our Clubs,” said FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

He added, “the rise of activities last year, strong prospects and ambitions for future growth, and the end of the COVID-19 pandemic have shaped new challenges for our Federation. We know that we must strengthen our sustainability efforts to positively contribute to the global response to climate change, ensuring that mobility and motorsport are a key part of the solution.” 

In the said review, the FIA said that it has seen a rise in activities as well as an increase in staff numbers (up by 20 percent compared to 2017) in 2022. Nevertheless, the average footprint of its employees decreased by 16 percent compared with the baseline year (2019). 

Per the FIA, an extended homeworking policy will be implemented to further offset the increase in its staff count versus the carbon footprint per employee.

 “One of our primary responsibilities is to reduce our own environmental impact and to continuously increase our performance by implementing the best solutions available to us. As part of our wider drive to reform our Federation, we are examining ways to improve our sustainability, showcase our research and innovation, and create impactful partnerships. We will continue to ensure that environmental sustainability and decarbonization are an integral part of our model,” noted FIA CEO Natalie Robyn. 

Photos from Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile

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