“They will have to go electric,” Nico Rosberg takes a call on F1’s future
Nico Rosberg
The world is heating up and facing adverse effects of global warming, with more severe yet to be unleashed. To prevent extreme climate change, actions are being taken, and F1 and FIA are taking part in it. But with things looking bleak due to strict environmental rules coming up, Nico Rosberg believes F1 will be all-electric in future.
F1 is infamous for its carbon footprint, not just from racing but the surrounding activities as well. Now, F1 and FIA are pushing towards a more sustainable way of racing by introducing synthetic fuels. FIA has also announced that up to 50%of the power of the new 2026 power unit will be electric.
The ex-Mercedes driver and 2016 champion said, “I see they [F1] are going with synthetic fuels, which for mobility as such is not going to be the best solution. But synthetic fuels are very relevant for other mobility sectors, might it be aeroplanes or container ships or trucks or whatever.”
“But is that enough for F1 to be relevant with e-fuels as the only mobility thing to be using e-fuels? Well, that’s a bit of a question mark for the long term. Maybe, as Alejandro says, they will have to go electric,” he added.
Nico Rosberg believes in F1 and Formula E’s co-existence
According to Nico, Formula E has an advantage over F1 in terms of venues. He said, “F1 doesn’t have that privilege of racing in the centre of London, in the centre of Paris, in the centre of Hong Kong, and that’s amazing. This is very unique to Formula E.”
Formula E’s viewership is growing rapidly. And a growing market for this racing championship means it can pave a way for F1 as entirely electric and develop more acceptance of the format.
While F1 attempts to be carbon zero by 2030, it will be tough for the competition to meet the international standards set by the host countries.
And as Formula E cars are expected to go as fast as F1 cars from Gen 3 onwards, the burden will fall on the latter to take stringent measures on sustainability and climate change.
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Manan Goel
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