The McLaren Formula One team will trial the use of recycled carbon fibre (rCF) on their cars at this year’s US Grand Prix.
Confirmed:
- McLaren worked with V Carbon to source recycled materials made using newly developed technologies
- Components manufactured using rCF will be the first of their kind and are being used on the cockpit branding panels
Context:
The move is in line with McLaren’s goal to develop a fully circular Formula One car by 2030, which was a key inclusion in the team’s inaugural sustainability report released in 2022. The British racing outfit also wants to halve its greenhouse gas footprint by 2030 and achieve carbon next zero by 2040.
The environmental benefits of rCF include a 90 per cent reduction in life cycle emissions compared to standard carbon fibre, the equivalent of 27 tonnes of carbon emissions for each tonne of material used. With the manufacture of Formula One cars being one of the largest contributing factors to teams’ overall carbon footprint, enhancing the use of more sustainable materials has potential to help cut emissions.
Comment:
“We’re proud to team up with V Carbon to lead the charge in sustainable materials, running with recycled carbon fibre at the Austin GP,” said Piers Thynne, chief operating officer at McClaren F1.
“The potential future applications of rCF are hugely exciting. V Carbon offers up to 85 per cent of carbon fibre original strength, making it strong enough for a variety of applications in F1, and beyond. We will continue to work closely with the FIA, F1 and fellow teams to help accelerate change.”
Coming next:
McLaren’s rCF trial on their cars will take place at next week’s US Grand Prix, which is being held from 20th to 22nd October.