A 1973 McLaren M19A took part in the recent historic cars event at Silverstone, the first time a car has lapped the iconic track using 100% fossil-free synthetic fuel.

Former F1 driver and winner of the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans, David Brabham drove the M19A using fuel made from just air and water to show first hand that all engines, from modern day challengers to naturally aspirated classic F1 cars, can elevate their performance in a sustainable fashion.

The event marked the first British Grand Prix as an official partner in F1 for Zero, the energy company that develops and manufactures whole-blend synthetic, non-biological fuels - gasoline, diesel and jet fuel - in a completely fossil-free process, using just carbon dioxide from the air and hydrogen from water.

Zero's fuel synthesis process has demonstrated industry-leading fuel quality and production efficiency, its synthetic fuels (e-fuels, electrofuels, PtL, eSAF) being fully sustainable and circular in material, they retain the critical energy density of liquid fuels, and they can be manufactured at unlimited scale, therefore providing the only solution to the total de-fossilization of the majority of transport sectors including aviation, heavy transport, marine and agriculture.

Founded by Paddy Lowe, formerly technical director with Williams, McLaren and Mercedes, Zero is leading change within the sport as an official partner of the Stake F1 team.

Zero recently opened the world's first fully featured synthetic fuel plant (Plant Zero.1) near Oxford, and has plans to build a commercial-scale plant which is to begin production in 2026.

"When we talk about the fuel of the future, many people automatically assume that such a fuel can only go into an equally futuristic car," said Lowe. "We came to Formula 1's oldest Grand Prix to show that synthetic fuel can transform even a 1973 McLaren into a fossil-free powerhouse with the same ease as it does modern cars.

The Historic Racing Cars event provided the perfect meeting of the old and the new, demonstrating how racing's heritage can be adapted for a carbon-neutral future. We were there to give every generation of racing fans more of what they love, because after all: we haven't reinvented the wheel, just the fuel."

Whatever your views on the fuel, isn't it nice just to look at this beauty, and, at a time the sport is seeking a "balanced" sound that will allow families to "communicate" during races, recall the wonderful sound of that era.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Willy56, 18/07/2024 12:40

"Hearing that they can make a fossil free fuel is very encouraging as the planet certainly needs a green fuel for the vehicles we all depend upon. If they green fuel can work well in existing internal combustion engines without a lot of modifications required then it could be a better option then fully hydrogen fueled vehicles. I am all for anything can moves us (literally) forward and does not add to the greenhouse effect we are all suffering from now.
Lets' try to focus on the good from this test and not on the negatives that seem to immediately pop up in our heads when something new is broached."

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2. Posted by dontd, 17/07/2024 21:19

"to editor:

"seriously?"

yes, otherwise i would not post it"

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3. Posted by Editor, 17/07/2024 8:30

"@ dontd

Virtue signalling?

Seriously?"

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4. Posted by dontd, 16/07/2024 23:24

"ooohhhh my dog.....

i was encouraged by this article until i read the last paragraph...

quote:

"Whatever your views on the fuel, isn't it nice just to look at this beauty, and, at a time the sport is seeking a "balanced" sound that will allow families to "communicate" during races, recall the wonderful sound of that era."

virtue signaling at its (worst) best *vomit*"

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5. Posted by Italian Job, 16/07/2024 19:08

"@BillH
I can only agree that in this age when "virtue signalling" is of paramount importance (to some), that a tank of fossil fuel (be it kerosene, perol or diesel) is probably significantly cheaper than fancy fossil-free fuels.
Take the example of hydrogen fuel for IC engines - what is needed to reduce the hydrogen from water? Lots of electicity. How much energy is lost (as heat?) during the reduction process? How much is lost during the combustion of said hydrogen?
Oh, and don't talk about R101!"

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6. Posted by BillH, 16/07/2024 18:17

"All very nice however is synthetic fuel a solution looking for a problem particularly for the tiny amount of cars that are race cars?
The amount of energy required to make the fuel may end up being more than the energy (probably fossil fuel based unless hydro, nuclear, solar or wind) saved by not burning petrol in the cars.
In short, petrol isn't going away any time soon, no matter what the politicians think they legislate as the alternatives are expensive and not as abundant."

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7. Posted by Greg, 16/07/2024 12:54

"@Superbird70. Wokingchap and Editor. The best of both worlds. Classic car memories of F1 glory days and fully sustainable fuel. It mustn't be that hard to make a much safer version. Forget the batteries and leave that to the E series."

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8. Posted by Editor, 16/07/2024 12:04

"@ Wokingchap

Loved this livery on the BRM"

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9. Posted by Wokingchap, 16/07/2024 11:09

"@editor..... love the last paragraph...haaaa.
Love this fuel too, it has a massive future."

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10. Posted by Superbird70, 16/07/2024 11:04

"For the next set of rules bring back a safer version of this car and the green fuel. I get my noise, an environmental check mark, and a car that looks good."

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1973 McLaren M19A laps Silverstone on synthetic fuel

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