Today, we are communicating our first steps on the road towards sustainable carbon fibre composites. In concrete terms, this means that we will qualify and apply sustainable carbon fibre composites to our race cars during the 2025 Formula 1 season, without sacrificing any on-track performance.
Carbon fibre composites form approximately 75% of our race car materials, helping us to achieve the highest levels of performance and safety. Innovations in these materials provide a significant opportunity to reduce the carbon footprint of our car, supporting our goal to achieve Net Zero across all scopes by 2040.
Carbon fibre composites are primarily formed of two key components: the fibres and the resin system. By weight, approximately 60% of the composite material is formed of fibres, with 40% made up by the resin system. Impregnating the fibres with the resin system, followed by curing, creates a lightweight material with outstanding mechanical performance necessary to meet the unforgiving demands of Formula 1.
Working closely with the FIA within the scope of the relevant regulations, we aim to demonstrate that sustainable carbon fibre composites can perform to the same technically demanding requirements as traditional materials.
To qualify a carbon fibre composite material for use on the race car, it must undergo rigorous laboratory testing to provide understanding of its technical properties and performance. Transferring from the lab to the racetrack requires further trials and verification to ensure the material behaviour aligns with expectations.
The identification and subsequent qualification of sustainable materials solutions would not be possible without the continuous innovation and ongoing support of our supply chain; each carbon fibre composite component involves four to eight suppliers to deliver the final product.
To achieve a sustainable carbon fibre composite, both components – the fibres and the resin system – must be addressed. Working collaboratively with our supply chain, the team has two separate projects underway for introduction later this year, one of which will address the resin system and one the carbon fibres themselves.
Formula 1 is the world’s fastest test lab and these innovations represent the latest step in our transition towards a more sustainable sport. As a team, we are committed to pursuing sustainable high performance. We were the first global sports team to invest in and help scale the market for Sustainable Aviation Fuel and in 2024, we successfully powered our European season using HVO100 biofuel.
Our work on these pioneering sustainable materials projects in Formula 1 provides a significant opportunity to scale this innovation beyond motorsport. Innovation drives performance, and these developments can shape industry futures from aviation and aerospace to technical performance fabrics.
Toto Wolff, Team Principal and CEO, Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team: “When you combine performance and innovation, you create progress. I am proud to lead a team of problem solvers who are committed to driving sustainable change. I would like to thank our partners for supporting our drive for material innovation, and to the FIA for enabling us to test these materials. Collectively we are moving the dial on sustainable products and demonstrating that Formula 1 continues to be the fastest laboratory in the world.”
Alice Ashpitel, Head of Sustainability, Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team: “We are proud to be at the forefront of sustainable innovation within our sport. Leadership must be driven by innovation and our team’s efforts in this space are the latest demonstration of our ambition to become one of the world’s most sustainable global sports teams. We look forward to exploring the application of sustainable materials this season.”
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