ALFA Romeo F1

ALFA ROMEO F1 TEAM ORLEN

A FORMULA FOR SUSTAINABILITY

powered by Inside Sustainability

ALFA ROMEO F1 TEAM ORLEN I PROFILE

wiss-based Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN has embraced the sustainability goals of orsport’s governing body the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA’s tegy meshed with the existing sustainable philosophy at Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN.

am Principal Frédéric Vasseur and Lead Driver Valtteri Bottas discussed sustainability and racing hybrid engines, in discussion with Jamie McBride and Phil Nicholls.

The FIA Environmental Strategy for 2020-2030 is embedded in the global environmental and sustainability agenda. This strategy exists within the UNFCCC Sports for Climate Action Framework launched during COP24.

“All the partners of F1 today are talking about sustainability,” explained Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur.

“It's a topic for everybody, including the fans.

I'm very, very pleased with the fact that, collectively, the teams took it as a serious topic.”

The history of Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN began in 1970 when Peter Sauber started racing two-seat cars. After racing sports cars through the ‘80s, the Sauber team entered Formula One in 1993. Over the years, Sauber raced in F1 with various partners, before evolving into Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team in 2018.

ALFA ROMEO F1 TEAM ORLEN I PROFILE

Hybrid era F1

This return of the iconic Italian brand to the pinnacle of motorsport was four years into the FIA’s adoption of 1.6 litre hybrid V6 engines with innovative recovery systems for heat and energy. As a global sport, F1 is perfectly positioned to showcase sustainable technology.

However, the heart of F1 is racing. Lead Driver Valtteri Bottas highlighted the difference between the old 2.4 litre V8 engines and the new hybrid powertrains: “For sure, the sound is very different. The biggest change, in terms of how it feels, is that nowadays the hybrid engine has more power and much more torque.

“The drivability through the different rev range of the engine is super smooth, because of the torque. The new engines

have more things the driver can adjust, in terms of the deployment strategies.”

Hybrid powertrains include a battery pack that the driver can deploy to deliver up to 161 bhp engine boost per lap. This is assuming the driver has previously harvested the required energy for the battery. Managing the harvesting and deployment of this bonus power falls to the driver, who already has many distractions in the cockpit.

“A driver needs to be quite smart with battery management,” continued Mr Bottas. “Some of these processes are almost automatic in a way, but it is still something else the driver needs to manage.”

Electrifying racing

Fans watching F1 cannot see the immediate consequences of a greater workload on a driver. What they want to see is better

racing. So, has the switch to hybrid engines also brought improved racing to the world’s premier racing formula?

“There are now more things that a driver can mess up,” Mr Bottas explained. “We definitely have more opportunities for racing in the hybrid era, which is beneficial for the drivers, and also for the spectators.”

“The hybrid engines are probably a bit better in terms of overtaking,” agreed Mr Vasseur. “They open doors for new management from the drivers and offer strategic options that the team can play with.”

A global message

With hybrid engines improving the spectacle of F1, this is only part of the FIA’s overall strategy for sustainability. “The authorities

Valtteri Bottas

Nationality: Finnish

Born: 28th August 1989

F1 Career:

• 2022- Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN Race Driver

• 2017-2021 Race Driver for Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport with 10 GP wins

• 2013–2016 Race Driver for Williams

• 2012 Official Reserve Driver for the Williams F1 Team

in F1 took the lead on this,” Mr Vasseur said, “launching a new era in Formula One.

“We had a new version of our engine in 2014, and now the fuel system – the sustainable fuel. The sport can play the role of leader in the system, clearly pushing the development of sustainable technology.”

“The F1 engine is the most efficient hybrid in the world,” Mr Bottas agreed. “The automotive industry is learning a lot from F1. Also, the sport is increasing the biofuel percentage, which is important. I believe biofuel is the future, and F1 has such a big platform to promote it.”

It is this combination of exciting, sustainable technology and a global sport that presents the FIA, and teams such as Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN, with a vital role in promoting sustainability. As Mr Vasseur emphasised, it is not enough to simply adopt the technology, the sport needs to communicate its amazing achievements; these hybrid engines compete at speeds of up to 350 kph.

“For sure, we have taken a major step forward in terms of project ambition,”

he continued, “with sustainable fuel in the new regulations for 2026 and a 50% electric powertrain.”

On the green team

Fully embracing the FIA’s Environmental Strategy, Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN enjoys impressive green credentials, according to Mr Vasseur: “Firstly, we achieved three-star accreditation from the FIA, which was a big step forward. The second project we put in place was reaching the ISO 14001 certification.”

Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN, as part of the Sauber Group, has sustainability as an integral part of the company. This philosophy focuses on two main elements – the environment and the community.

In terms of the environment, Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN adopts a two-step approach through decarbonisation, along with waste management and recycling. The team also invests in CO2 offsetting via programmes of forest conservation and clean water supply.

Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN’s community strategy concentrates on social development, along with promoting diversity and

ALFA ROMEO F1 TEAM ORLEN I PROFILE

Frédéric Vasseur

Nationality: French

Born: 28th May 1968

F1 Career:

• 2019-2022 Team Principal of Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN

• 2017-Managing Director & CEO of Sauber Motorsport AG

• 2017-2018 Team Principal of the Sauber F1 Team

• 2016-2017 Team Principal of the Renault F1 Team

inclusivity. The team partners with the charity Save the Children to advance children's rights around the world. Support from the team helps Save the Children run projects in Switzerland and globally.

Members of Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN also take an active role in their personal sustainability. “For the last three years, whenever I fly, I always offset my carbon footprint,” explained Mr Bottas. “And I fly a lot, including private flights. However, I offset basically twice the carbon for every flight.”

For all the technological wonders of the latest Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN C42 car to have a wider impact, these sustainable developments in F1 need to trickle down to road cars. “Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN is a good example of this,” Mr Vasseur agreed, “because we are almost on the same path, with the road car division moving to hybrid and fully electric cars.

“Hybrid technology is already here. Some countries are still pushing for fully electric

vehicles, but it absolutely makes sense for F1 to stick to this technology. And we have to keep in mind that we will introduce more developments in 2026 with the sustainable fuel.”

The future for F1 and Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN remains sustainable and a source of inspiration for the global audience of motorsport fans. This combination of innovative technology and a motivated team is a winning formula.

“Being able to race against the best drivers,” Mr Bottas said, “the best teams, on the best tracks in the world, that is really, really cool. But also, how innovative F1 is as a sport, how much the technology can help the future of the earth, with a big push for sustainability, that is also pretty cool.”

“I love competition,” concluded Mr Vasseur, “simply the competition! Coming from a racing background, I'm always trying to motivate the company, to show that we need to do a better job tomorrow than we did today.”