Mercedes has revealed its ambitious plan to revolutionize Formula 1 with an unprecedented innovation — the deployment of sustainable carbon fibre composites on its W16 challenger by the end of F1 2025 season. This ground-breaking step, a first in the elite motor racing world, is part of Mercedes’ unwavering commitment towards reducing its global footprint and leading the charge in sustainable motor racing.
The use of carbon fibre, a critical material in F1, has become increasingly prominent, with its usage becoming more visible due to the growing prevalence of black on recent F1 cars aimed at weight reduction. Amidst the sport’s relentless drive to minimize its global environmental impact, Mercedes’ impending innovation signifies a significant breakthrough.
The F1 fraternity is all set to make a giant leap towards carbon neutrality in 2026, aligning with the introduction of new engines. These engines are expected to feature a balanced 50/50 split between electrical power and a fully-sustainable biofuel-powered internal combustion engine. The impending use of sustainable carbon fibre composites on the W16, however, will mark Mercedes’ pioneering stride towards that direction, a move that the team assures will not compromise on performance.
The significance of this innovation cannot be overstated. Mercedes has disclosed that carbon fibre composites make up approximately 75% of their race car materials. Hence, this development presents a ‘significant opportunity’ for the team to reduce the W16’s carbon footprint.
The onus will be on Mercedes to demonstrate to F1’s governing body, the FIA, that these sustainable carbon fibre composites can meet the regulations and achieve the same benchmarks as their conventionally used alternatives. Mercedes attributes this pivotal advancement to their ‘close partnership’ with INEOS Nitriles and ‘collaboration with Toray, Syensqo, and Sigmatex’ – all crucial collaborators in this landmark project.
Responding to this exciting development, Toto Wolff, Mercedes principal and one-third team owner, expressed his pride in leading a team committed to driving sustainable change. He emphasized the importance of merging performance with innovation to foster progress. Wolff extended his gratitude to their partners for supporting their drive for material innovation and to the FIA for allowing them to test these materials. He underscored the collective strides being made towards sustainable products, reinforcing Formula 1’s status as the world’s fastest laboratory.