Motorsport UK is pleased to announce the launch of a consultation for the widespread adoption of sustainable fuels in UK motorsport.  

Sustainable fuels are already widely used within motorsport and their extended introduction will help the sport to reduce its carbon footprint, demonstrate innovation and safeguard the future of motorsport in the UK. 

Motorsport has always led the way in vehicle technologies, and the adoption of sustainable fuels will extend the life of the existing internal combustion engines without an ongoing reliance on fossil fuels.  

Furthermore, Motorsport UK’s carbon calculation of baseline emissions of UK motorsport identified 138,361 TCO2e (Tonnes of Carbon Dioxide Equivalents). The usage of competition fuel totals 18,307 TCO2e. With a commitment to reduce this by 50% by 2030, and with sustainable fuel having an estimated 80% carbon emission reduction compared to fossil-based fuels, this proposal will address 5% of the reduction target – 6,918 TCO2e.  

Motorsport UK is proposing to continue to support and encourage the optional use of sustainable fuels during 2025. For 2026, Motorsport UK proposes to mandate that all specialist racing fuels contain a minimum of 50% sustainable content with a roadmap to 100% fossil-free racing fuels by 2030. 

This consultation, which is being shared with the entire UK motorsport community, is an important process for Motorsport UK to receive feedback which is carefully reviewed and considered before any next steps are taken. 

Click here to view the consultation. 

Some parts of motorsport are already championing these new technologies. Every vehicle at the 2024 Goodwood Revival ran on sustainable fuels, the British Truck Racing Championship utilises high-performance Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel, and the British Touring Car Championship recently conducted a successful test on 100% sustainable fuels. And, from 2026, Formula 1 will be transitioning to an entirely sustainable fuel.  

These sustainable fuels are developed as direct alternatives to conventional fossil fuels meaning that existing engines can continue to be used with only the established tuning considerations that would be needed if switching between existing fossil fuels. 

If you use “Commercially available Motor Gasoline” (part a of the current pump fuel definition in the Motorsport UK Yearbook), there is no change and you can continue to use this fuel in 2026 with no changes. 

If you use an FIA or CIK Fuel “specialist racing fuel” (part B of the current pump fuel definition in the Motorsport UK Yearbook), you will need to use a sustainable fuel from 2026. 

Where the use of a sustainable fuel is proposed to be mandatory, the judicial and eligibility framework that will support this will be an evolution of the existing control fuel comparison testing process. This approach was deployed and tested at the Goodwood Revival 2024. 

What are Sustainable Fuels? 

Broadly, sustainable fuels fall into two categories. 

Bio Fuels 

• Produced from biomass derived from organic waste and by-products primary processes such as timber processing and food production.   
• Biofuels re-cycle carbon dioxide captured through natural CO2 consuming processes such as photosynthesis. 

E-Fuels (Electrofuel) 

• Synthetic fuels produced from direct air capture of CO/CO2 and hydrogen electroysed from water.   

• E-Fuels fuels re-cycle carbon dioxide captured directly from atmosphere. 

About Regulations out for Consultation 

Proposed amendments to the Motorsport UK Regulations are developed by the expert industry and community representatives within Motorsport UK Committees after considerable analysis. 

No further progression is made without considering feedback from the Motorsport UK Community through a consultation process.  

Community feedback is shared with the specialist committees for careful review and consideration of modifications before any progression to seek approval from the Board.  

Motorsport UK welcomes community feedback on the proposed regulation amendments and will listen to the feedback and make decisions on the regulation changes in the best interests of the community.  

Further information on the proposed changes is available at: https://www.motorsportuk.org/the-sport/regulations/proposed-changes-for-consultation/