Formula 1 has announced a new programme with partner Qatar Airways investing in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
According to Formula 1, the investment in SAF is a key part of its ‘ultra-efficient’ logistics strategy and ‘will be significant in keeping the sport on track to meet its net zero by 2030 commitment, which requires at least a 50% reduction in emissions, vs the 2018 baseline’.
Ellen Jones, head of ESG at Formula 1, said: “Today’s investment is the next step in our alternative fuels strategy which is central to delivering our net zero 2030 target.
“Through collaboration with our teams, the FIA and our partners, we are delivering on our promises to drive down the sports’ carbon emissions and drive forward technologies that can have an impact beyond Formula 1.
“This is the latest example of how stakeholders across the sport are aligned with our vision for a more sustainable F1, which we are thrilled to see.”
This follows the announcement in March 2024 that Formula 1 had renewed its partnership with DHL as its official logistics partner, with sustainability being a key focus for the two companies in their collaboration.
Then in September 2024, Formula 1 invested in DHL’s GoGreen Plus service, using SAF to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its air freight operation.
In total, Formula 1 says that the combined investment in the two programmes in 2024 will ‘reduce related emissions by more than 8,000 tCO2e’, representing ‘an approximate 19% reduction in related emissions, compared to traditional aviation fuel, for the air freight charter programme operated by Formula 1 across the flyaway events of the 2024 season’.
SAF is a key part of the government’s strategy to decarbonise air freight as well, with Mike Kane, parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Transport, having signed the SAF mandate in November 2024, requiring 2% of total UK jet fuel to be SAF, increasing on a linear basis to 10% in 2030 and then to 22% in 2040.
Kane discussed alternative fuels with Logistics Manager at the name-giving event of a Maersk duel-fuel container ship capable of running on green methanol in October. Click here to read what he had to say.
