17/01/2008
NEWS STORY
Belmayne A1 Team Ireland will be part of history this weekend when it takes to the track with biofuel in its tanks as the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport becomes the first global motorsport series to race on a 30 per cent biofuel mix. Team driver Adam Carroll will not feel any difference in car performance, although the result of his efforts will at least be less damaging to the environment.
As part of A1GP's THINK Greener Racing initiative, the move is designed to help reduce the series' environmental footprint. The fuel is now an ethanol based product Hiperflo™ E30, sourced from sugar beet in Europe and produced specifically for A1GP. Developed in partnership with Zytek, the series' engine manufacturer, the fuel produces less harmful particulate matter than conventional fuels and will reduce CO2 emissions by 21 per cent per car based on a wheel-to-wheel calculation.
In practice, there should be no difference in performance as the fuel has been designed to avoid this. All teams are also on an equal playing field so no one team should have an advantage over any other. Concern for the environment is becoming increasingly more important as motor racing is a sport that has an impact on it – this innovative move shows a great deal of corporate responsibility on the part of A1GP and A1 Team Ireland is fully supportive of this initiative.
The fuel change is also part of a broader program which includes tackling the carbon footprint of the series using a variety of tactics including carbon offsetting, minimizing freight, working closely with business partners and suppliers to find alternative and cleaner solutions and to mitigate any unavoidable adverse impacts on the environment.
Dan Walmsley, Race Engineer: "The introduction of biofuel is an exciting proposition for us all and we look forward to seeing the cars racing closely, with the bonus of reduced emissions. We aren't expecting to see any difference in power so the car setup has not had to be adapted too much for the biofuel. The use of alternative fuels is something I have been keen to see in the motorsport sector for several years and it's very satisfying to be a part of A1GP's initiative."
Mark Gallagher, Team Principal: "The THINK Greener Racing initiative has been a bold strategy on the part of the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport to tackle environmental issues and the use of biofuel technology starting with this weekend's race in New Zealand is a significant step. For Belmayne A1 Team Ireland to be able to use a fuel which reduces CO2 emissions and is made in part from renewables shows the degree to which the series takes this challenge very seriously. The World Cup of Motorsport has achieved many firsts, but this is one of the most significant and it's great that Team Ireland and our 21 competitor nations will be using Sunday's racing to promote this message to the motorsport and motoring public"