Mercedes AMG Petronas (F1) Invests in Sustainable Aviation Fuel.

Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 (F1) have announced a multi-million-dollar investment in sustainable aviation fuel looking to reduce their carbon emissions and achieve net zero by 2030.

Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is an emerging renewable aviation fuel technology that’s acknowledged by the International Civil Aviation Organisation as something that can reduce aviation industry emissions.

Also, this investment will see Mercedes reduce 50% of their race team’s personnel’s air travel footprint but also become the chain supplier of the technology to other teams within the formula 1 racing industry.

Additionally, the F1 team is expecting sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to play a crucial role in reducing their international aviation emissions considering the team’s projected majority of the carbon footprint comes from aviation travel.

Commenting on the investment, Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team Principal and CEO, Toto Wolff, said: “Sustainable Aviation Fuel has the potential to transform the way we travel and the impact that we have on the environment.”

“This is a topic that I think about a great deal personally as well as professionally. I fly a lot; the team flies a lot. If we must fly, then we need to find a better way to do so and SAF is the best solution available to the aviation industry right now.”

“We aim to be on the cutting edge of change, using our global motorsport platform as a model for a more sustainable and diversified future,” Wolff said.

Discussing the investment, Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team Sustainability & Environmental Manager, Alice Ashpitel, said: “Our aim is to embed sustainability in every decision we make and action we take.”

“We believe that Sustainable Aviation Fuel can change the way that sports and businesses more generally, as some of the biggest users of aviation, can exert a positive influence on the outside world.”

“We hope to play a leading role in showcasing what’s possible with SAF and prove to other industries what can be achieved,” Ashpitel said.

This move comes after various F1 teams are exploring new ways to reduce their carbon footprint such as McLaren’s multi-year partnership with Goldman Sachs that will also focus on reducing the F1 team’s greenhouse gasses by 2030 and net zero by 2040.