How Formula 1 is trying to cut its carbon emissions, on and off the track

Formula 1 is known around the world for its fast cars, loud noises and Grand Prix pageantry. But this weekend will mark the final roar of the powerful engines in Melbourne as we know it.

Under new rules set to be introduced in 2026, F1 cars will be made lighter and more agile. They will be running on hybrid engines – half-combustion engine and half-electric – and use only sustainable fuels.

But changes to the cars are just the tip of the iceberg. These sweeping regulation changes reflect a shift towards more sustainable practices. And while the cars might be considered green, the circus around each race is far from emissions-free.

The 2025 F1 season will visit 21 countries around the world. Credit: AP

It might come as a surprise to many that less than 1 per cent of F1’s total carbon footprint comes from the cars on track.

Ennovation Consulting chief executive and founder Dr Cristiana Pace has worked in motorsports for 20 years, including in a sustainability role with the international governing body, the FIA. She says there are often misconceptions about emissions generated by race cars.

“Everybody sees the cars, and everybody thinks that the motorsports are polluting … If we see a football stadium, it’s green and there are football players, so you don’t think that,” Pace says.

The majority of F1 emissions come from operational requirements, namely logistics and business travel. These are the areas that Pace says need to be improved the most.

“We had safety as the big problem in the ’90s and 2000s. And then from 2010 onwards, I would say sustainability was really coming up as the biggest problem for the sport to have a future,” she says.

F1 is a global competition – the 2025 season features 24 races in 21 different countries. Cars that weigh about 800 kilograms have to be transported around the world, along with drivers, engineers and equipment.

Ellen Jones, head of environmental, social and governance (ESG) at Formula 1, says improvements to logistics are the highest priority for her and her team.

“It is the operations around the race that have your biggest carbon footprint,” Jones says. “Travel logistics is where we really need to win and showcase what solutions look like. And we’re really building that.”

There were changes made to the schedule in 2024 to reduce travel distances. The Japanese Grand Prix was shifted to April, directly before the Chinese event. Races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi are now held in consecutive weeks.

A new UK-based media centre saves about 150 personnel from flying overseas. Some non-essential equipment has been duplicated and left in certain regions to avert carrying it. Other modes of transport, such as boats and trucks, are being introduced.

“Last year, we made our first investment in sustainable aviation fuel … [which is] not made from fossil fuel sources,” Jones says. “It supports the aviation industry in reducing associated emissions by 80 per cent, which is a massive number.”

But travel is still extensive. In February, teams travelled to Bahrain for pre-season testing. They are scheduled to return there in April – but will travel to Australia, China and Japan in the meantime.

There are six races held across the Americas, which are spread across the year. Teams will visit Miami in May and Canada in June before returning for a series of races in mid-October.

While an obvious solution is to visit fewer countries, Pace says the intercontinental schedule is a key part of the F1 format.

“They reduced travel, but they will not reduce the number of races. In the end, it is a spectacle; in the end it’s a business model,” she says.

And it’s a business that allows the F1 to visit far-flung locations like Melbourne. The Australian Grand Prix Association (AGPA) has been put to the task of setting the sustainability standard for the opening race of the 2025 season this weekend.

Sarah Lowe, head of ESG with the AGPA, says focus has been placed on reducing emissions and increasing sustainability.

More than 450,000 people attended the Australian Grand Prix in 2024.Credit: AP

“Fans can expect to see environmental sustainability initiatives and programs which are focused on energy efficiency, the adoption of low-emissions energy solutions, waste reduction and circular economy practices,” Lowe says.

Initiatives at the Melbourne race include the use of green power, renewable diesel and hydrogen cell generators. There are also a number of food and rubbish recycling programs.

“This weekend, in Australia, our promoters are doing a fantastic job showing what the renewable energy transition looks like at an event,” Jones says.

“They are helping us deliver operationally … sustainable events. And then, when you look at F1, we’re really trying to nail how we look at logistics, travel [and] our calendar,” she says.

A major component of the sport’s sustainability plan is its commitment to reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2030.

The latest data estimates F1’s total carbon footprint to be 223,031 tonnes. This is similar to the amount generated by the island nation of Tonga in 2023 – estimated at 220,000 tonnes by the Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research.

Ellen Jones has headed the F1’s sustainability program since 2022. Credit: Getty Images

“We want to halve our carbon emissions based on our activities,” Jones says. “To do that, we have to materially change how we operate.

“Everything we do, frankly, has a carbon impact. And so what we do is we measure what has the biggest impact from an F1 perspective, and then look at it with every stakeholder to say, ‘How do we do this better?’”

Then there’s the question of offsetting emissions. The UN defines offsetting as a way for organisations to compensate for emissions they cannot avoid by supporting worthy projects elsewhere. Pace sees it mostly as a financial transaction.

“I give you money, you plant a tree, and my conscience is clean,” she says. “If we plant trees all over the world, we still wouldn’t solve the problem. So the offsetting itself doesn’t seem like a viable way to adapt.”

Jones understands the criticisms around offsetting, and acknowledges that its place in sustainable practice is constantly changing.

“Right now, it’s leaning towards carbon removals … But then you also have to understand, will there be enough capacity in the world for people to buy that amount of carbon removals in 2030,” she says.

F1 is aiming to have net zero carbon emissions by 2030.Credit: Getty Images

“I do know that there isn’t consensus currently … we’re watching it closely, but our core objective, and everyone’s core objective, should be, ‘How do we reduce first?’”

F1’s 2030 goal is more ambitious than some major global industries. In 2022, the International Civil Aviation Organisation adopted a long-term goal to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

But Jones says they are in a fortunate position. With some of the brightest minds working within F1, the organisation wants to have a positive impact on other industries connected with the sport, she says.

“We’re able to have that technical innovation conversation across the world of F1, and because of that, we’re able to bring different solutions not just to our cars … but all the way through our value chain and delivery.”

With an estimated 1.4 billion cars on the road and more than 35 billion flights worldwide, the impact that the F1 could have is potentially vast.

“Solutions in sustainability are what we really need when we talk about our global carbon footprint,” Jones says.

“That makes it more imperative for us to continue to deliver, to show what sustainability and action looks like. Even in places where people might not expect it.”

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