Mercedes trucks will run on biofuel for their European travels

Mercedes continues to invest in ecology. In a polluting discipline, the racing teams are joining forces to reduce their CO2 emissions. The Silver Arrows continue their fight for the environment and make new decisions to protect the planet.

Biofuel that will drastically reduce emissions

For its travels during the European tour, Mercedes will fuel its trucks with HVO100 biofuel, a 100% renewable diesel. Therefore, the trucks needed for transporting all the equipment for a race weekend will be powered by this fuel.

Last year, Mercedes, with this initiative, managed to reduce its emissions by 89%. Over the 9,000 kilometers covered by each truck in the team’s fleet during the European tour. That’s why Mercedes announces its ambition to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 60%, representing a decrease of 200 tons.

The means of transport not only impacted

At the same time, on race weekends, the team’s on-site motorhome will also be powered by biofuel, providing an opportunity to further significantly reduce CO2 emissions as the power sources will be 100% renewable, unlike the electricity supplied through the circuits.

Mercedes has already invested in the field of transportation and logistics, one of the most polluting sectors in motor sports. The team has already made changes to the renewable energies in the aerial domain of its modes of transportation. The reductions in aviation emissions would reach 50%.

“The motorsport is fueled by passion. We want to use Formula 1 as a global platform to be more than just leaders. We want to be pioneers in the fight against climate change,” Toto Wolff declared following this announcement. “We aim to achieve Net Zero by 2030,” added the Mercedes team principal.

Our desire to achieve a European season entirely fueled by biofuel is a complex project that has been unfolding since last year. We want this to become a pillar in our Net Zero strategy. We aim to support the wider adoption of this fuel on a larger scale, added Alice Ashpitel, Head of Sustainability Development at Mercedes.

A budget outside the constraints of the budget ceiling

Since this season, the FIA and the teams have agreed to encourage changes in carbon emissions reduction by excluding all investments related to ecology and sustainable development from the budget cap.

Even though biofuels are more financially accessible than they were a few years ago, they still remain more expensive than regular diesel. This extra cost is therefore not accounted for by Mercedes, which can also benefit from this savings elsewhere in its capped budget.