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Team Announces Intention to Use Sustainable Carbon Fibre on W16 in 2025

6 March 2025
8 Min Read

This season will be the first time in which innovative sustainable carbon fibre composites will be used in Formula 1 on the W16.

Today, we are delighted to announce our first steps on the road towards making that possible.

What Do We Want to Achieve?

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.

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.

Toto said: “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.

“Collectively we are moving the dial on sustainable products and demonstrating that Formula 1 continues to be the fastest laboratory in the world.”

How Will it Work?

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.

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.

What Happens Next?

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.

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.

“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,” said Toto.

Head of Sustainability Alice Ashpitel said: “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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