Nico Rosberg Drives Decarbonisation at Silverstone Formula 1

Racing sports aren’t known for their sustainability. 

Famously associated with the roar of fuel guzzling ICE engines, Formula 1 is working to re-brand. 

Nico Rosberg supports decarbonisation 

Returning to Silverstone this year as a Formula 1 sustainability partner is former Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg.

His non-profit organisation, Rosberg Philanthropies, is working with The Oxford SDG Impact Lab, Silverstone and Formula 1 to support the decarbonisation and emission reduction of the Silverstone race weekend. 

Rosberg Philanthropies exists to support and champion innovation and technologies that help preserve the planet for future generations. It began its collaboration with the University of Oxford in 2023 as part of the Rosberg Climate Fellows programme and 2024 marks its first year working with Formula 1.

“Our Rosberg Philanthropies partnership project with the The Oxford SDG Impact Lab, Formula 1 and Silverstone will merge two of my big passions: innovation and motorsports,” Nico celebrates.

The actionable research headed up by Oxford University at Silverstone centres on two key areas:

• Fan travel
• Biodiversity

These two work hand in hand – by analysing the air quality of the area in conjunction with fan travel habits, the research can assess the impact on local biodiversity. It aims to provide recommendations to make a real impact on the race’s sustainability.

“This collaboration is a unique opportunity to create real-world impact in the motorsports industry and beyond,” Nico says. “I'm super excited to see how this project can serve as a blueprint for future sustainability efforts in Formula 1 and other global events.”

Sustainability in Formula 1

The project at Silverstone is not a stand-alone in the Formula 1 sphere. The FIA has a united team of sustainability experts working to boost sustainability at the sport, and despite the competitive nature of the sport, is supporting sustainability executives from along the teams to work together and share successes and challenges.

“As a sport, we must continue to raise sustainability standards and aim to lead by example,” says McLaren CEO Zak Brown.

“But only strong collaboration with partners, other teams, rights holders and regulators can help us have a meaningful collective impact.”

Ali Ashpitel, Head of Sustainability at Mercedes Benz Motorsport adds: “We make some of the world's fastest vehicles, so the question for us is – how do we operate at the forefront of technology and also deliver sustainable high performance at the same time?”

Mercedes F1 is working towards net zero in Scope 1 and 2 – “what we call our race team controlled net zero,” says Ali – by 2030 and full net zero by 2040.

Racing powered by sustainable fuels

Of course, making Formula 1 more sustainable isn’t the only way to decarbonise car racing. 

Formula E, made up of entirely electric vehicles, has been net-zero for more than a decade. 

“We were the first sport in the world to achieve net zero carbon since inception and, as the rules and definitions evolve, we're really trying to stay ahead and remain in line with this commitment,” says Julia Pallé, Vice President of Sustainability at Formula E.

“Formula E was the first sport in the world to have emissions reduction targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative in 2021 and the first sport in the world to align on the international standard for carbon neutrality (PAS 2060) in 2023.

“It's important for us to remain really true to these achievements and to have the highest level of credibility and legitimacy when it comes to sustainability.”

Extreme H, part of the sustainable racing series Extreme E , has recently unveiled the world’s first hydrogen race car.

“We are incredibly proud to introduce the world to the first hydrogen racing car and the Extreme H series,” Alejandro Agag, Founder and CEO of Extreme H, says. 

“Fans can expect the same excitement with faster and more intense racing on track, but this launch is not just about a new vehicle – it’s about pioneering the future of sustainable motorsport. 

“Hydrogen fuel cells offer a remarkable opportunity to reduce our carbon footprint and promote clean energy solutions, and we are proud to lead this charge with Extreme H. Our racing series has always been unique, but its future as Extreme H undoubtedly marks racing’s new frontier.”

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