Mugello named most sustainable motorsport circuit for second year running

Italy’s Mugello Circuit has been named the world’s most sustainable motorsport circuit in 2024, according to the fourth edition of Enovation Consulting’s Sustainable Circuits Index (SCI).

Confirmed:

• Mugello Circuit ranked ahead of Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and Silverstone Circuit in second and third, respectively
• Marina Bay Street Circuit in Singapore was ranked as the most sustainable temporary circuit
• Austria’s Red Bull Ring was the most improved circuit compared to last year’s ranking

Context:

The SCI ranks the sustainability performance of 96 permanent global circuits against seven key factors: certifications, accreditations, awards, environmental performance, social performance, economic impact, and sustainability approach and engagement.

The top two circuits remained the same compared to last year, but Silverstone Circuit continued its rapid rise by entering the top three for the first time. The SCI also picked out some circuits to watch moving forward, which included the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli in Italy, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and France’s Circuit de la Sarthe.

This year marks the first time that temporary circuits have been included in the rankings, which are assessed by different metrics due to having different sustainability challenges. In addition to the Marina Bay Street Circuit, others highlighted for their sustainability efforts were Rally Sweden, Delfi Rally Estonia, and the Las Vegas Strip Circuit. 

Comment:

A statement from Enovation Consulting read: ‘The fourth edition of the Sustainable Circuits Index clearly displays the progress the motorsport industry continues to make in all aspects of sustainability.

‘Motorsport circuits continue to perform well in the environmental criteria category, particularly when looking at waste management, circularity and renewable energy initiatives.

‘In this year’s edition, 40 circuits scored points for waste management and circularity, compared to 34 last year. Moreover, 44 circuits developed their offering of renewable energy and energy efficiency, a noticeable increase from 35 circuits last year.

‘The importance of accreditations, awards and certifications is becoming increasingly recognised for providing credibility to a circuit’s sustainability claims.

‘For the third consecutive year, all three of these performance categories have seen improvements with 11 obtained accreditations now compared to eight last year. The awards category has increased to 17 from 15 and the total number of certifications is now at 24 compared to 21 in 2023.’

Coming next:

While Formula One does not race at the most sustainable circuit in the world, this report highlights the work being done at temporary venues, which are becoming a key part of the global motorsport series’ schedule.

Still, with the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya ranked second overall and set to depart the Formula One calendar after 2026, there remains much work to be done to ensure the circuits it competes at match the sustainable messaging of the series.

Go deeper:

• Three drivers of the World Rally Championship’s new sustainability strategy
• Why technological, social and environmental innovation is needed for motorsport to achieve sustainable progress