The sensible position UK motorsport is taking on sustainability

OPINION: Motorsport UK is right to be pushing for a lower carbon footprint with more sustainable fuels. And lessons seem to have been learned regarding the change process

For a sport that generally provides such a tremendous assault on all the senses, the notion of sustainability can seem a little alien. The idea of being environmentally friendly and responsible in a racing world portrayed in some quarters as a gas-guzzling hobby for the rich can seem like two mutually exclusive concepts.

But, like all sports, motorsport cannot simply ignore the sustainability question. After all, we have seen how it can be an easy target for protestors – think of the terrible scenes of some ‘eco-warriors’ breaking onto the circuit at the British Grand Prix in 2022. And that is why it’s very encouraging to see governing body Motorsport UK tackling the issue head-on.

Its decision to launch a consultation about adopting fuels comprising at least 50% sustainable content in the UK’s top categories, which already mandate specialist racing fuels to be used, seems perfectly logical as a starting point.

“There are lots of arguments for and against it but, for us, it’s a key part of the [sustainability] strategy we’re espousing for the sport, which is we’re not wedded to one particular technology solution,” explains Motorsport UK technical director Ian Smith.

“We’re not trying to electrify the sport, we’re not sitting with our fingers crossed hoping that hydrogen will save us, we’re not hoping that everyone will keep letting us dig dinosaurs up until we’re done. We need to be ready to adopt and adapt to lots of different technology. That’s the balance we’re trying to strike.”

Indeed, the proposed change seems to be a very sensible balance to strike. It’s a demonstrable step to show the world that motorsport is looking to clean up its act. But it’s not forcing a major shift upon whole swathes of the community, especially when sustainable fuels are not exactly cheap.

“We get lots of questions about, ‘how much is this going to cost me?’” notes Smith. “We can only give an indicative answer because the prices of these fuels have been adjusting ever since we started looking at them.

“The current price for the 100% sustainable fuel Daryl De Leon has been testing in touring cars is in the order of £4.50 a litre, which compares to £2.60 a litre for the 20% sustainable fuel everybody else is using.

“Of course, there’s a difference there, which will have an impact. We’re not pretending there isn’t. But that 100% sustainable fuel two years ago would have cost £14 a litre, so the prices are heading in the right direction.”

One of the other key questions that crops up concerns compatibility. Again, this is an area that offers an ever-improving picture.

“If switching racing [fossil] fuel, you would need to go through a whole load of technical checks and processes to make sure that your car was compatible with that fuel – remapping it, going through testing and dyno checks,” explains Smith. “The switch from a fossil fuel to a partially sustainable fuel requires nothing that is unfamiliar to the majority of people who are competing in this way already.”

“Now we’re in a position where sustainable fuels are identical in their chemistry to a fossil hydrocarbon fuel in terms of the way they interact with fuel systems, so we’re not talking about just dumping a whole load of pure ethanol in to tick a sustainability box." Ian Smith, Motorsport UK technical director

Smith cautions a little more care is needed in historic vehicles, where there are no engine management systems to help mitigate any change in the fuel’s composition. But the success of events such as this year’s sustainably fuelled Goodwood Revival proves this is far from an insurmountable barrier.

“Now we’re in a position where sustainable fuels are identical in their chemistry to a fossil hydrocarbon fuel in terms of the way they interact with fuel systems,” he adds. “So we’re not talking about just dumping a whole load of pure ethanol in to tick a sustainability box. These are very carefully blended liquid hydrocarbon fuels that behave in exactly the same way as a fossil hydrocarbon.”

As with its noble aim to improve sustainability, Motorsport UK must also be praised for the way this consultation is being handled. Autosport has been among those heavily critical of the governing body over the past two years, during which it has clumsily attempted to introduce controversial rule changes with little effort to explain the rationale behind them or consider timescales. Such criticisms are certainly not needed in this case.

Alongside the launch of the consultation, Motorsport UK has released a video explaining why it is deciding to go down the sustainable fuels route. It also briefed clubs about the changes so they are aware of what is happening and will therefore be prepared for any questions from their members.

Furthermore, by targeting 2026 for the implementation of any changes, there is plenty of time for the consultation to be conducted, the feedback analysed and competitors to then prepare for any changes. That is in complete contrast to the situation surrounding track-limits regulations, for example. So it’s clear that lessons have been learned.

As Smith himself acknowledges, these sustainable fuel proposals amount to a drop in the ocean in terms of the impact they would have on the planet. But the message such a move sends is equally important.

It helps tackle motorsport’s troublesome gas-guzzling image and clearly shows the sport is shifting to reflect altering attitudes in society. These changes may not be popular in all quarters, but could be an important step towards safeguarding the future of the sport we all love.