In its pursuit of sustainability, Mercedes has established a fresh objective for the upcoming 2024 F1 season.
Mercedes has stepped up its use of sustainable fuel for the 2024 F1 season, further reducing its carbon emissions at the racetrack.
Mercedes has taken a progressive approach towards sustainable biofuels by implementing them in its team trucks during the last three European races of the 2022 season. Since then, the team has been gradually expanding the use of these fuels in its trackside operations. By 2024, Mercedes aims to accomplish a fully bio-fueled European season.
Mercedes step up use of biofuel for F1 2024 season
In its endeavor to reach carbon neutrality by 2030, Mercedes has emphasized its dedication towards this goal by implementing strategies to diminish emissions under the control of its race team.
This summer, Mercedes will collaborate closely with fuel supplier Petronas and its logistics partners to further incorporate HVO100 biofuel into its race team operations. The goal is to expand upon the impressive 67 percent emissions reduction achieved in 2023.
The team’s trailers and equipment, transported across Europe by the Mercedes Actros trucks, will use HV0100 as their fuel source. These trucks cover a distance of approximately nine to ten thousand kilometers during the summer. By using HV0100 instead of standard diesel, there is an estimated reduction of 90 percent in CO2e emissions for every kilometer driven.
The trucks traveled a combined distance of 386,000 kilometers in 2023, resulting in a carbon reduction of 339 tonnes of CO2e compared to diesel, as reported by the team.
In addition to being used in the trucks, the team will also utilize biofuel for their generators that power the trackside hospitality and engineering units. Furthermore, the team motorhome will be exclusively powered by HV0100.
Once the nine European races are completed and the data is analyzed, the complete carbon emission savings of the season will be revealed.
“The team’s efforts are focused on incorporating sustainable fuels into our European season logistics, as it plays a pivotal role in our transition plans towards a Net Zero future,” stated Toto Wolff, Mercedes team boss and F1 CEO.
“We have augmented our investment to enhance operational efficiency, resulting in projected reductions in emissions. This outcome is a result of the joint efforts exerted by our team, Petronas, and our logistics partners.”
“In 2026, our sport will undergo transformative changes, with fuel innovation being the driving force. I take immense pride in leading a team that is fully dedicated to fostering sustainable change in our industry.”
Mercedes is committed to F1’s objective of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030, and Alice Ashpitel, the team’s head of sustainability, emphasized the importance of thoroughly assessing every aspect of the racing calendar. This analysis aims to identify potential areas where the team can minimize its carbon emissions and make progress towards its goals.
She stated that our goal is to achieve sustainability in all aspects of our operations. This includes finding efficiencies in our performance, such as the transportation of our team’s freight and the power sources we use on track.
In line with our commitment to achieving Net Zero, we are striving for a season powered entirely by biofuels. To achieve this, we rely on data-driven insights to enhance our knowledge and make adjustments to our operations. By analyzing supply and infrastructure variations across different regions and continents, we have been able to increase our savings year after year.
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HVO100 fuel is produced entirely from sustainably sourced renewable raw materials such as waste oils and fats, after undergoing the process of hydrotreatment.
To achieve Net Zero targets by 2030, the utilization of these fuels must increase fourfold. Mercedes is contributing to this endeavor by incorporating the fuel into its road transportation.
Mercedes made an announcement in 2022 about its commitment towards reducing carbon emissions associated with air transport by investing in Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF).
In alignment with F1’s commitment to minimize its carbon emissions, the sport is set to introduce fully sustainable fuels in the new power units scheduled for release in 2026. These initiatives complement the ongoing endeavors to reduce environmental impact.
Datuk Sazali Hamzah, CEO of Petronas Downstream, stated that their focus is not only on developing sustainable fuel for Formula 1 cars by 2026 but also on making strides in reducing the carbon footprint across various aspects of the motorsport ecosystem, such as travel and logistics.
“Despite being hidden from fans, these industry segments require collective endeavors in emission reduction.”
We are furthering our progress from last year and extending the implementation of HVO100. This biofuel solution is highly viable and the result of extensive collaboration, bringing us closer to achieving Net Zero in motorsport. Additionally, it serves as a significant demonstration of the potential of biofuels in the global transportation industry.
As pioneers in our industry, we acknowledge that there is still much for us to learn. However, drawing from our experience on the racetrack, we can now utilize effective methods like data-driven learning and continuous feedback loops to enhance our own environmental impact. Moreover, we aim to share our best practices, supporting and inspiring others to embrace similar approaches in order to improve their own practices.
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