The issue of environmentalism in motorsport surrounds the whole of auto racing to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions contributing to global warming.
The issue of environmentalism in motorsport surrounds the whole of auto racing to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions contributing to global warming.
The first series to respond to the call to make motorsport more environmentally friendly was the International Formula Master series, who planned to use a petrol–electric hybrid and regenerative braking systems in their cars for the 2007 season. [1] A month later the series announces that it will not use the hybrid system for the 2007 season and instead opt for regular fuel. [1] Meanwhile, Audi's diesel-powered R10 had won the American Le Mans Series by a margin of almost 100 points from their nearest rivals. [1] In the United Kingdom, British Touring Car Championship team West Surrey Racing (WSR) ran Rob Collard and Colin Turkington in Ethanol fueled MG ZSs. [1]
In 2012, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) announced that they would be the governing body for a new fully electric single seater championship. The series would be known as the FIA Formula E Championship and began in September 2014. [2] In 2018, the second generation of Formula E cars was used for the first time, at the start of the 2018–19 Formula E season. The series is participated in by multiple manufacturers, including Jaguar, Audi, Nissan, BMW and Mahindra. [3]
Extreme E is an international off-road racing series with environmentalism at its forefront. The series sees drivers race the all electric SUV Spark Odyssey 21 in remote locations specifically chosen to highlight climate change, while adopting legacy projects that provide environmental and social support. [4] To reduce the carbon emissions associated with air freight, the RMS St Helena was purchased and refitted, enabling her to transport all equipment and cars to each location. Additionally, the St Helena houses a laboratory, allowing for climate science research to be conducted en route. [5]
Formula One's governing body, the FIA, took until May 2007 to act upon the issue of environmental effects the sport was responsible for by holding a discussion in Monaco during the Grand Prix. [6] The Honda Works Team however, announced that they would run a sponsorless car for the 2007 season three months prior to the FIA's Monaco discussion. The Honda RA107 took on a livery that depicts the Earth, symbolizing Honda's environmental desires, with only the logos of Type R Honda 'H' and the Bridgestone logo.
The car mostly received a cynical reception, Red Bull Racing's Mark Webber observed that "it's good Honda is going green - but there are still 35 private jets parked 20 Kilometres down the road." [7] Briggs commented that "Honda's 'Earth Car' may have attracted cynicism, but the issues it highlights are moving up motorsport's agenda." [6]
In 2013, the FIA made plans to switch from V8 engines to turbo charged V6 engines, [6] after the previous downgrade from V10 engines to V8 engines in 2006.
In 2009, the sport introduced kinetic energy recovery. Following a brief ban, these systems were reintroduced in 2011, these technical regulations were further revised for 2014 (see above).
IndyCar was the first major open wheel series to reduce its green house gases by changing its fuel supply from methanol to more environmentally friendly ethanol fuel for the 2007 season. [8]
Both the Le Mans Series and American Le Mans Series have made some effort to be more environmentally friendly. Both Audi and Peugeot have made diesel race cars, the R10 TDI and 908 HDi FAP respectively, for their series. Both also competed in the 2007 24 Hours of Le Mans where both cars competed for the win which resulted in the German manufacturer coming out on top.
In the British GT Championship, a diesel-powered Aston Martin DBRS9 made series history by winning at the Snetterton round.
Since 2011 (Audi and Toyota in 2012, Porsche in 2014, then by Nissan at Le Mans in 2014), the top class of sports car racing, LMP1, has seen hybrid powertrains.
In 2012, Drayson Racing introduced the Lola B12 69/E: a modified a Lola prototype chassis, [9] [10] [11] and set a world record for electric cars in 2013. [12]
In 2019, ACO has announced Mission H24 to bring hydrogen-powered racing car to 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2024. [13]
The Volkswagen I.D. R has set various records from 2018 to 2020.
As well as WSR's efforts, Paul O'Neill also entered a privateer entry in the BTCC, racing a bioethanol-powered Vauxhall Astra at the Brands Hatch meeting of the 2006 season. Soon, environmentally friendly entrants span to the World Championship stage with Alfa Romeo unveiling a diesel-powered entry for the 2007 season, which would make them the first manufacturer to enter a diesel-powered car in the World Championship. In April 2007, Swede Robert Dahlgren won the opening round of the Swedish Touring Car Championship in a bioethanol-powered Volvo S60.
European open wheel championships also made efforts to go greener, the British Formula Ford championship considered changing to bioethanol fuel for the 2007 season in December 2006 although three months later the series moved the plans to the 2008 season. [8] In July 2007, the World Series by Renault became the first major European open wheel series to announce a move to biofuel, the new car will be used for the 2008 season. [6]
Lola Cars International Ltd. was a British race car engineering company in operation from 1958 to 2012. The company was founded by Eric Broadley in Bromley, England, before moving to new premises in Slough, Buckinghamshire and finally Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, and endured for more than fifty years to become one of the oldest and largest manufacturers of racing cars in the world. Lola Cars started by building small front-engined sports cars, and branched out into Formula Junior cars before diversifying into a wider range of sporting vehicles.
Emanuele Pirro is an Italian racing driver who has raced in Formula One, touring cars and in endurance races such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which he has won a total of five times. Two times Italian Karting Champion, Formula Fiat Abarth Champion (1980), two times Italian Touring Car Champion, two times Italian Overall Champion and German Touring Car Champion (1996), he also achieved records in endurance racing that place him amongst the best in the discipline, including; five wins in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, two times ALMS Champion, two times winner of the 12 Hours of Sebring, three times winner of Petit Le Mans, winner of the 24 Hours Nürburgring (1989), two times winner of the Macau Guia Race and two times winner of the Goodwood RAC Historic TT. He has taken part in over 500 official national and international races.
Allan McNish is a British former racing driver, commentator, and journalist from Scotland. He is a three-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, most recently in 2013, as well as a three-time winner of the American Le Mans Series, which he last won in 2007. He won the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2013. He has also been a co-commentator and pundit for BBC Formula One coverage on TV, radio and online and was team principal of the Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler Formula E team.
Guy James Mutlow Smith is a British professional racing driver and IB English teacher and coordinator in Brazil, who has competed in various levels of motorsport, most notably the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which he won in 2003, and the American Le Mans Series, which he won in 2011.
Lucas Tucci di Grassi is a Brazilian professional racing driver who competes in the FIA Formula E World Championship for Mahindra Racing. He became the FIA Formula E Champion in 2016–2017, achieved three overall podiums at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and won the Macau Grand Prix in 2005.
Michael Robert Conway is a British professional racing driver. He lives in Sevenoaks, Kent and is currently competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship with Toyota Gazoo Racing.
Oliver Jarvis is a British professional racing driver currently racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship, European Le Mans Series and Asian Le Mans Series.
The Acura ARX-01, later known as the HPD ARX-01 is a series of Le Mans Prototype built for sports car racing, specifically in the American Le Mans Series, Le Mans Series, and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It is the first purpose-built race car by the Acura division of Honda Motor Company, part of their multi-year program to eventually compete in endurance race. The car debuted in 2007 in the American Le mans Series before expanding to customers in Europe. Over the years various specifications of the ARX-01 chassis have been developed, each signified by a letter suffix. In 2010 Acura withdrew their name from the program and Honda Performance Development which developed the car for Acura continued the program into 2011.
Marino Alessandro Cesare Franchitti is a British racing driver, and the younger brother of Dario Franchitti. He has spent the majority of his career racing in sports cars and grand tourers, with a career highlight of winning the 2014 12 Hours of Sebring.
The Lola B08/60 is a Le Mans Prototype built by Lola Cars International. It is the first closed-cockpit sports prototype built by Lola since the 1992 T92/10. It started competition in 2008, with Aston Martin being among the first customers for their entry into the LMP1 category in Le Mans Series, albeit entering under Charouz Racing System banner.
Alexander Brundle is a British racing driver and broadcaster. He was the 2016 European Le Mans Series champion (LMP3) and is the son of Formula One driver-turned-commentator Martin Brundle. He attended Oakham School in Rutland.
Jonathan Kennard is a British Professional racing driver. He has won 2 series titles, Formula Palmer Audi in 2004 and the FPA Winter Trophy the previous year in 2003.
The 2010 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters was the twenty-fourth season of premier German touring car championship and also eleventh season under the moniker of Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters since the series' resumption in 2000. The season began on 25 April at the Hockenheimring, and ended on 28 November at the Shanghai Street Circuit, after eleven rounds held in Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Italy and China. Having finished second in 2008 and third in 2009, HWA Team's Paul di Resta became champion for the first time, having come out on top of a three-way title battle in Shanghai.
The 2011 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters season was a multi-event motor racing series largely based in Germany for highly modified touring car racing cars and is one of the most popular sedan car-based motor racing series in the world. The series features professional racing teams and drivers and is heavily supported by car manufacturers Audi and Mercedes-Benz. Each race features 18 V8-powered racing cars built according to the technical regulations of the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters. It was the twenty-fifth season of premier German touring car championship and also twelfth season under the moniker of Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters since the series' resumption in 2000. It was the final season running the 4-door saloon-style spec cars, which has been the series' sole car style requirements since 2005. It was also the final season that all DTM cars ran with the sequential manual gearbox shifters before all DTM cars switched to sequential semi-automatic paddle-shifters for the following season.
Jonathan Cocker is a British racing driver. In 2012 he won the ELMS GTE Pro Championship. He competed in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) for Drayson Racing, a team run by Paul Drayson.
The 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship was the inaugural running of the World Endurance Championship. It was co-organised by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO). The series replaced the former Intercontinental Le Mans Cup held by the ACO from 2010 to 2011. The series was open to Le Mans Prototypes and grand tourer-based racing cars meeting four ACO categories. Several championships, cups, and trophies were awarded in the series' four categories following an eight race season, with a World Championship available to the top scoring drivers and LMP1 category manufacturer.
Rebellion Racing is a Swiss racing team that competed in endurance racing. The team competed in the 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup season and won the LMP1 teams' title in the 2011 Le Mans Series season. The team started as an association between Speedy Racing and Sebah Racing, which began in 2008. Rebellion Racing's team principal is Alexandre Pesci and the team manager is Bart Hayden.
The Audi R10 TDI is a sports prototype designed and built by Audi in partnership with Dallara. Built to the Le Mans Prototype 1 (LMP1) regulations, the R10 was highly successful throughout its career; the R10 became the first diesel-powered car to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2006, in what would be the first of three 24 Hours of Le Mans wins. Unveiled to the public on the 13th of December 2005 in Paris, the R10 would go on to win the 2006 24 Hours of Le Mans just 200 days later.
The 2014–15 FIA Formula E Championship was the inaugural season of a new FIA championship for electrically powered cars. It began on 13 September 2014 at Beijing in China and finished on 28 June 2015 in London after eleven races. Nelson Piquet Jr. came first in the overall standings, and so became the first ever Formula E champion.
Extreme E is an FIA-sanctioned international off-road racing series that uses spec silhouette electric SUVs to race in remote parts of the world, such as the Saudi Arabian desert or the Arctic. All racing locations are chosen to raise awareness for some aspects of climate change and Extreme E maintains a "Legacy Programme" which intends to provide social and environmental support for those locations. The series also promotes gender equality in motorsport by mandating that all teams consist of a female and a male driver who share equal driving duties.
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