McLaren Racing announces major investment in SAF program in new sustainability report

Photo: McLaren Racing

McLaren Racing published its annual sustainability report May 19, a transparent overview of the team’s environmental and social impacts in 2024, including details of a major investment in sustainable aviation fuel certificates (SAFc).

In 2024, with the support of its partner Ecolab, McLaren Racing funded 1 million U.S. gallons of SAF, covering 100 percent of the team’s business travel by air across all racing series.

It also participated in Formula 1’s SAF purchasing program to cover part of its air-freight logistics.

McLaren’s investments funded the use of renewable or waste-derived aviation fuels, which have the potential to reduce emissions by 75 percent to 90 percent compared to traditional jet fuel.

As the only motorsport team to have its net-zero targets validated externally by the Science-Based Targets initiative, McLaren said it continues to align with globally recognized best practice when it comes to environmental sustainability.

Aside from its SAFc investment, McLaren reduced its total greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions by 8.6 percent compared to 2023 by continuing to streamline its logistics, optimize its infrastructure and use biofuels, demonstrating McLaren Racing’s ongoing commitment to reach its overall decarbonization targets.

“We’re proud to compete across a number of racing series and as part of our comprehensive sustainability reporting we also track emissions per race,” McLaren stated. “Our GHG reductions, combined with investment in SAFc, has led to a 23 percent decrease in emissions per race across all series compared to 2023.”

Circularity continues to be a priority for McLaren Racing, and it said 2024 signified another meaningful step towards improving circular practices in its sport, which means minimizing the resources McLaren consumes, reducing waste in its processes, and maximizing the value of the products and materials it uses.

Having announced the development of an FIA-commissioned F1 Constructors’ Circularity Handbook to help guide teams in the measurement of circularity, McLaren Racing applied the handbook’s methodology and calculated 37 percent material circularity in its 2024 F1 Constructor activities, which covers the development and manufacture of its F1 car chassis.

This figure, which can now be used as a baseline metric in its circularity journey, will help identify additional opportunities for circular practices and highlight focus areas with the potential to shape future regulations in the sport.

“We remain committed to inspiring change, driving innovation and ultimately having a positive impact on people and our planet,” said McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown. “We know that this is not something we can do alone, which is why I’m proud to see evidence of so much true collaboration in our 2024 sustainability report. It’s incredible to think that, in the same year as winning the F1 Constructors’ Championship, we have made real progress in environmental and social sustainability—whether that’s through our partnership with Ecolab and our significant investment in SAFc, our continued drive to open up pathways into our sport to those currently underrepresented, or key projects such as the F1 Constructors’ Circularity Handbook, developed in collaboration with Deloitte U.K.”

Kim Wilson, McLaren Racing’s director of sustainability, added, “I’m immensely proud of what we have achieved in 2024. Early in our sustainability journey, we committed to transparently reporting our progress to not only hold ourselves to account, but to lead by example. Racing is about innovation, agility, a data-led approach and constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible—qualities that are just as crucial in our response to the environmental and social challenges the world is facing. I strongly believe that high performance and sustainability are two sides of the same mission—pushing boundaries both on the track and for our planet. Achieving 37 percent circularity in our F1 Constructor activities and reducing emissions per race by 23 percent thanks to the significant moves we have made in funding SAF in our championship-winning year proves that sustainability and performance can go hand in hand. Improved data capture has also allowed us to better understand the people that make McLaren Racing, identify opportunities to drive change, and create a diverse, inclusive and high-performing workforce. Sustainability requires a collective effort across our sport to drive systemic change. Looking ahead, I’m excited to see what we can all achieve in the years to come.”

McLaren’s 2024 sustainability report can be accessed in full here.