Jost Capito - Power units "least" of F1's environmental problems but "most prominent"

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Capito - Power units "least" of F1's environmental problems but "most prominent"

Williams announced plans on Wednesday to be climate positive by 2030

Sam Hall

Wednesday 13 October 2021 17:32 Updated: 17:36

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Williams team principal Jost Capito has explained although the "cars are the least" of Formula 1's sustainability problems, "they are the most prominent".

The power units in F1 cars are among the most efficient on the planet boasting a thermal efficiency rating of over 50 per cent.

The emissions count for less than one per cent of F1's carbon footprint yet with logistics and travel accounting for over 70 per cent, the focus remains on the cars.

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After announcing plans to make Williams "climate positive" by 2030, Capito explained: “We have to tackle everything because if you want to be carbon neutral, you have to tackle everything, even something that is below 10 per cent.

"On the other hand, when you look at what the discussion is, it is always about the cars.

“This is what is in public and this is what makes the public mind up if we are sustainable or not sustainable. I don’t think we can have the argument, ‘look, the cars don’t really matter because we have bigger fish to fry’.

“Of course, if we want to be climate positive, that means we are not just focusing on what the cars have because other people do very much, we have to focus on the other areas.

“That is where we have to get better and also what is in the factory is also an important part.

“The cars are the least, but they are the most prominent argument.”

F1 calendar reduction not the answer

Despite the impact of travel and logistics, F1 continues its attempts to bloat the calendar with races in new locations, with Saudi Arabia and Miami recent examples that only add to the footprint.

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown and team principal Andreas Seidl have made repeated calls for a return to 20 races with a rotating calendar of events to lessen the sport's environmental impact, but Capito does not share this vision.

“I don’t think we should measure the emissions by the number of races because then it would, okay, go to zero [races] and then the problem is solved. I don’t think that this is the right approach," Capito added.

“I think the right approach is to lead the industry, to give the message through…we are communicating at each race to millions and millions of fans and if we have the right messaging we can inspire the fans to also change their behaviour here and there.

“We can’t measure it as Williams Racing or as Formula 1 but for sure, that can have an impact on leading by example and inspiring the fans to follow what the teams and what Formula 1 is doing.”