Las Vegas Grand Prix reveals F1 plan Sebastian Vettel would be proud of

The Las Vegas Grand Prix have unveiled a recent initiative that would make F1 champion and environmental advocate Sebastian Vettel proud.

Since its return to the sport in 2023, the Las Vegas GP has come under scrutiny by the world's media following lawsuits from local businesses, and the removal of trees from the Las Vegas boulevard as part of preparations for the event.

However this year on the Vegas street circuit, there is a push for sustainability where a tree will be planted in the valley each time an overtake takes place on track, with the Las Vegas GP’s community engagement director Jeremy Walters, explaining the initiative ahead of Saturday's night race.

"We're trying to create access to green spaces, address urban heat island effect, air pollution,” Walters explained to KTNV Las Vegas.

“There's a number of benefits to plant trees and so what we're doing is that for every overtake, we will be planting a tree with IMPACT NV and the best part is our partners at Southern Nevada Water Authority have agreed to do a one for one match.

"For a lot of people, motorsport and sustainability are not two words that are used synonymously. But that's not the case with Formula 1."

At the 2024 Las Vegas GP, 113 overtakes happened on track and the ‘Trees for Overtakes’ initiative estimates that 220 new trees will be planted from this year's race.

F1 and Las Vegas GP commit to sustainability

The commitment to sustainability would go down well with four-time F1 champion Vettel, who since leaving the sport has committed his time to environmental projects.

Vettel returned to the F1 paddock at the Brazilian GP two weeks ago, where he unveiled his F1REST project which aims to raise awareness of climate change and deforestation, particularly in the Amazon rainforest.

It seems F1 has adopted Vettel’s message elsewhere, with Walters adding: “Sustainability, for us, it's not just a buzzword, it's not something that we're doing to check a box.”

Alongside the tree planting initiative, there has also been a focus on water conservation in Southern Nevada with Las Vegas GP organisers trialling an onsite water reclamation unit, which is estimated to treat up to 50,000 gallons of greywater a day.

Of course, F1 itself does not have the best reputation for sustainability, but the sport aims to become net zero by 2030 which essentially means in five years all greenhouse gas emissions will be neutralised.

“Things like sustainable aviation fuel in transporting all the cars and equipment around the world, but you're seeing that going into next year with new requirements for sustainable fuels actually fueling the vehicles,” Walters concluded.

“But again, more specifically to Las Vegas, we understand that we have an inherent responsibility to take care of the community in which we live and operate in.”

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