Green Light or Red Flag? The Environmental Impacts of F1 Racing
- Yuna Lee
- 7 hours ago
- 2 min read
“Have you watched the new F1 movie yet? It’s SO good.” This was a phrase I heard quite often during the craze of F1 or Formula 1 Driving. Personally, I’m not too much into F1, but my friends, along with its global fanbase of over 827 million people, seem to be utterly obsessed with this thrilling sport (Formula1).
Released on June 25th of this year, “F1: The Movie” was a major success. Directed by Joe Koesinski and starring Brad Pitt, the movie surpassed over $600 million at the box office, earning the spot of the highest-grossing original film of this year (9to5Mac). So of course, as an avid movie-watcher who is simultaneously the biggest procrastinator, I had the privilege of watching the film last week—almost 5 months after the movie’s release. Oops.
Post-watching the movie, I think I understood the hype of F1. On the surface, F1 may look like simple car-racing, but looking closer, F1 is one of the most demanding sports on the planet, involving the handling of intense mental pressure, extreme physical demands, and constant focus to make split-second decisions (Raidió Teilifís Éireann). However, going even deeper, F1 driving also presents several environmental concerns that should be addressed.
Breaking Down F1's Carbon Footprint
Formula 1 generates approximately 223,000-256,000 tonnes of CO2 annually, with emissions coming from far more than just the racing cars themselves (ecollective). Nearly half of F1’s total carbon emissions come from logistics: the sector involving the transportation of cars, equipment, and race setups to more around the globe throughout the season via road, air, and sea.
More than a quarter of the emissions stem from business travel, including flights and ground transportation for team personnel, partners, and staff attending the races, as well as accommodations.
As shown in the pie chart above, it’s surprising to see that only around 1.0% of F1’s emissions come directly from the cars racing on the track, the fuel burned during races and practice sessions representing a tiny fraction of the sport’s overall environmental impact (The Conversation).
How Formula One Plans to Reach Net Zero by 2030
To combat these environmental concerns, F1 declares that they are “firmly on track to achieve its target of becoming Net Zero by 2030.” While F1’s environmental impact is broad, the sport is making evident progress. By the end of the 2024 season, Formula 1 delivered a 26% reduction in carbon emissions compared to 2018, bringing its total carbon footprint down to 168,720 tonnes from 228,793 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Formula1).
So, is F1 a green flag or red flag? The answer is complicated: progress is steady but the carbon footprint remains substantial. However, F1’s declaration of reaching net zero proves that even carbon-intensive industries can change to be more environmentally friendly. Whether you’re a F1 fan or not, we can support the F1 community whilst keeping them accountable.
