F1 links: On emissions and San Luis

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What’s the carbon footprint of a Formula One (F1) car?

"Over a race season using approx 100,000 litres of the stuff, that’s 231 tonnes of CO2. Per car. And each team has 2."

Cry for Me, Argentina

"We are stuck with the F1 that Max and Bernie choose to present to us and we will never see the most advanced open wheel cars on the Potrero circuit. It is depressing to think that only the lesser formulae are likely to sample its delights." – Clive reacts to the post on the Circuito Potrero de los Funes

The biggest week in my life

David Coulthard on joining the BBC: "It will be new to me but not completely alien as I have been used to having a microphone under my nose for the last fourteen years. I hope to be able to give additional insight to what goes on behind the scenes at GP’s whilst explaining some of the team or driver decisions or incidents which inevitably will arise throughout the year." (Thanks Becken)

Global partnerships and F1

"The big difference between Formula One and the IOC and FIFA programmes is that the Olympics and the World Cup do not generate income to make the shareholders wealthier, but rather plough large amounts of the money back into the sports in question."

Medal meddling

"Putting wins at such a premium will not only fail to bring the predicted benefit: it will also add new dangers. It will create a massive incentive for team orders."

These are articles I’ve found and bookmarked using Delicious. View my Delicious profile to see what else I’m reading and recommend other links to me.

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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10 comments on “F1 links: On emissions and San Luis”

  1. What’s the carbon footprint of a Formula One (F1) car?

    “Over a race season using approx 100,000 litres of the stuff, that’s 231 tonnes of CO2. Per car. And each team has 2.”

    The link doesn’t mention that F1 has been carbon-neutral for 11 years. Working with reforestation projects in Mexico, they offset 20,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.

  2. John – true, but is carbon-offset the same as carbon-neutral?

  3. In theory yes. The 20,000 tonnes of CO2 the F1 circus emits is absorbed in its entirety by the new forestation in Mexico, so the net contribution to the atmosphere is zero CO2. This is one of the earliest types of offset schemes, but they are now slightly controversial (there’s a bit on Wikipedia about offset controversies), because it now seems that forestation must be within 20 degrees of the equator (ie tropical) for it to reduce CO2. But Mexico is OK.

  4. Surely DC will miss the microphone not being in the hands of Louise Goodman?

  5. Offsetting isn’t a solution though, not really. It’s just a way for lazy and selfish people to give the appearance of making a difference without actually having to make any changes.

    But a motorsport blog isn’t really the place for a debate about the environment. As long as the cars emit CO2 they will be part of the problem.

  6. John, with all due respect, what you are saying is equivalent to say that its OK to kill 10 people if you conceive 10 children.-

    Once you damage something, there is now way back.-

    And I say that being a little skeptical about global warming. Not that its not happening, but that is a normal cycle of our planet.-

    So again, if you are carbon neutral AND you help reforest any place in the world, we would be a lot better.-

  7. I was thinking already about the medal system, and since it kind of is brought up here…
    I couldn’t agree more to the danger of team orders. If Austria 2002 was the 6th race of the season (I think), then we would see them even earlier. Anyone for Hamilton leading, having a puncture and coming out of the pits second behind Kovalainen with 5 laps to go? What about in the first race? Same would go for any team with a clear number one.
    But I am even more worried about another possibility. Say Nico gets a third position in the first race of the season. What incentive does he have for staying in, say, fifth at any other time? None at all, instead logic would dictate getting involved in suicidal overtaking maneuvers, since thee is noting at all to lose. What the hell, fuel to the end of the race early, hope for a safety car and then, if you get to be first (or second link in singapore), zigzag for the rest of the race. Since losing a pair of position means losing any value out of the race, let the others figure out how to pass me, if I get a penalty or a crash… well, they would have passe me anyway!
    Honestly, the system would probably work at the very top of the field, but the midfield would be the most bizarre thing ever.
    Any bets?
    Keith, what do you think about this meal’s doomsday scenario?

  8. Keith – did you read the last James Allen´s article (Medals, or meddling?) regarding the medal thing?

    “…The first point to make is that although it appears only to be concerned with the top three drivers in any race, the plan also calls for drivers from P4 to P8 to receive points as before…”

    So the Driver championships table would be MEDAL + POINTS. It is a very silly idea…

  9. Becken – as JA describes it, I think it will be the worst of what we see in NASCAR, with the top contenders having the medals and everyone else bickering over points. I can understand that the points are necessary for the teams, but how will a driver’s score be shown, if he wins one race then comes 6th in the next? Bizarre!
    This is the time for FOTA to get into fighting mood on the 4th and demand the proper division of FOM/CVCs revenue from the Sponsors and TV rights they deserve – and not agree to any silly changes in the points until they get it…..
    Also, JA mentions the FIA survey, I wonder if anybody has pointed out to him that so far they have ignored most of what the fans wanted!

  10. I know that this thread is old, but reading the comments about the medal system made me wonder what has happened over the last two years. Have the medal system changed?

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