F1 News: McLaren Takes Huge Sustainable Step Forward For Austin GP

McLaren has announced a trial for recycled carbon fibre on the MCL60 for the upcoming Austin Grand Prix.

McLaren has embraced a significant leap towards sustainability, trialling recycled carbon fibre (rCF) on the race cars of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri at the upcoming United States Grand Prix. 

Key Takeaways:

• McLaren allied with V Carbon to source and implement recycled carbon fibre in select components of the MCL60’s cockpit branding panels.
• Utilising rCF heralds notable environmental benefits, including a staggering 90% reduction in life cycle emissions compared to standard carbon fibre.
• McLaren has consistently been at the forefront of incorporating innovative materials in F1, marking historical milestones such as deploying the first all-carbon fibre chassis in 1981 and introducing bio-based flax fibre in 2020.

In a press release from McLaren, the incorporation of rCF was illuminated as a strategic move, given that the material curtails life cycle emissions by 90% compared to its standard counterpart. To offer perspective, a mere 1% global manufacture of rCF in 2022 would translate to saving 32,535 tonnes of carbon emissions, equating to half of McLaren Racing’s total emissions for the same year.

Piers Thynne, Chief Operating Officer at McLaren F1, expressed the team’s collective pride and optimism in venturing into sustainable materials. He stated:

“We’re proud to team up with V Carbon to lead the charge in sustainable materials, running with recycled carbon fibre at the Austin GP.” 

McLaren Press Image

Thynne revealed the substantial potential of rCF, which retains up to 85% of original carbon fibre strength, ensuring its viability in a myriad of applications in F1 and potentially beyond. He emphasised ongoing collaboration with regulatory and organisational bodies to propel change.

Kim Wilson, McLaren Racing’s Director of Sustainability, likened the quest to develop a circular F1 car to reaching for their “moonshot.” Acknowledging the intrinsic role of innovation in this journey, Wilson added:

“We know that innovating in this space has the potential to make a large contribution to achieving our ambitious sustainability goals.” 

The team, while passionate about instigating change within the sport, recognises the indispensability of collaborative efforts with entities like V Carbon and partners like Deloitte to navigate towards these objectives.

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The tangible impact of using rCF in pivotal components of the F1 car and its subsequent performance analysis at the US GP signifies a critical step towards diminishing the overall greenhouse gas emissions associated with car manufacturing.