McLaren Racing Announces Major Investment in Sustainable Aviation Fuel Programme in 2024 Sustainability Report

(McLaren Racing) “I’m immensely proud of what we have achieved in 2024" McLaren Racing today (May 19, 2025) publishes its annual Sustainability Report, a transparent overview of the team’s environmental and social impacts in 2024, including details of a major investment in Sustainable Aviation Fuel certificates (SAFc).

Key achievements in 2024 include:

• Reduced total greenhouse gas emissions by 8.6% compared to 2023, before SAF investment
• Funded one million US gallons of sustainable aviation fuel, covering 100% of business travel emissions across all series
• 48% reduction in F1 road freight emissions from switching to biofuel, a direct replacement for diesel which reduces emissions by up to 90%
• Combined, our funding of SAF and reductions equate to a 23% decrease in emissions per race vs. 2023
• Achieved 37% material circularity in our F1 Constructor activities, including the development and manufacture of the F1 chassis
• 43% of new starters came from underrepresented backgrounds, taking the total of team members from underrepresented backgrounds to 33%
• Opened the state-of-the-art Optimum Nutrition McLaren Performance Hub, a dedicated facility for our people to support physical and mental health & wellbeing

In 2024, with the support of our partner Ecolab, McLaren Racing funded one million US gallons of SAF, covering 100% of the team’s business travel by air across all racing series. We also participated in Formula 1’s SAF purchasing programme to cover part of our air freight logistics. McLaren’s investments funded the use of renewable or waste-derived aviation fuels, which have the potential to reduce emissions by 75-90% compared to traditional jet fuel.

As the only motorsport team to have our net-zero targets validated externally by the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi), we continue to align with globally recognised best practice when it comes to environmental sustainability. Aside from our SAFc investment, we reduced our total GHG emissions by 8.6% compared to 2023 by continuing to streamline our logistics, optimise our infrastructure, and use biofuels, demonstrating McLaren Racing’s ongoing commitment to reach our overall decarbonisation targets.

We’re proud to compete across a number of racing series and as part of our comprehensive sustainability reporting we also track emissions per race. Our GHG reductions, combined with investment in SAFc, has led to a 23% decrease in emissions per race across all series compared to 2023.

Circularity continues to be a priority for McLaren Racing and 2024 signified another meaningful step towards improving circular practices in our sport, which means minimising the resources we consume, reducing waste in our processes, and maximising the value of the products and materials we use. Having announced the development of an FIA-commissioned F1 Constructors’ Circularity Handbook to help guide teams in the measurement of circularity, McLaren Racing applied the Handbook’s methodology and calculated 37% material circularity in its 2024 F1 Constructor activities, which covers the development and manufacture of our F1 car chassis. This figure, which can now be used as a baseline metric in our circularity journey, will help identify additional opportunities for circular practices and highlight focus areas with the potential to shape future regulations in the sport.

High performance starts with our people, and we’re proud to have opened the state-of-the-art Optimum Nutrition McLaren Performance at the McLaren Technology Centre in 2024 to support the health and wellbeing of our team. The facility represents a significant investment in our people, recognising the intense demands of working in our sport.

We’re proud of the progress we’ve made on our journey towards setting the standard for diversity and inclusion in our sport. In 2024, 43% of new starters came from underrepresented backgrounds, taking our total to 33% - on track to reach our goal of 40% by 2030.

Finally, we have continued our push to open up more pathways for women into STEM and motorsport careers. Programmes such as 60 Scholars and McLaren Racing Engage have helped to encourage and inspire the next generation of women in our sport. On the track, we continue to support F1 Academy, and in 2024 announced Ella Lloyd as the second woman to join our Driver Development Programme. Creating a pipeline of talented young women helps us to nurture a diverse and inclusive culture, which is why we’re pleased to report that 30% of our early careers population are women.

Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing, said:

“We remain committed to inspiring change, driving innovation and ultimately having a positive impact on people and our planet. We know that this is not something we can do alone, which is why I’m proud to see evidence of so much true collaboration in our 2024 Sustainability Report. It’s incredible to think that, in the same year as winning the F1 Constructors’ Championship, we have made real progress in environmental and social sustainability – whether that’s through our partnership with Ecolab and our significant investment in SAFc, our continued drive to open up pathways into our sport to those currently underrepresented, or key projects such as the F1 Constructors’ Circularity Handbook, developed in collaboration with Deloitte UK.

“Our people are our biggest asset, and offering the right environment that allows them to flourish and do their best work remains a key focus for us – and Optimum Nutrition has been instrumental in enabling us to deliver a state-of-the-art facility to unlock and support high performance. Finally, I believe that building a diverse and inclusive workforce is a fundamental driver of creativity and innovation, and I am thrilled to see our commitment to opening up pathways into our sport have an impact, with 33% of our people now coming from underrepresented backgrounds. My sincere thanks go to the whole team, our partners and everyone who was involved delivering these key initiatives.”

Kim Wilson, Director of Sustainability, McLaren Racing, said:

“I’m immensely proud of what we have achieved in 2024. Early in our sustainability journey, we committed to transparently reporting our progress to not only hold ourselves to account, but to lead by example. Racing is about innovation, agility, a data-led approach, and constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible – qualities that are just as crucial in our response to the environmental and social challenges the world is facing.

“I strongly believe that high performance and sustainability are two sides of the same mission – pushing boundaries both on the track and for our planet. Achieving 37% circularity in our F1 Constructor activities and reducing emissions per race by 23% thanks to the significant moves we have made in funding SAF in our championship-winning year, proves that sustainability and performance can go hand in hand. Improved data capture has also allowed us to better understand the people that make McLaren Racing, identify opportunities to drive change, and create a diverse, inclusive and high performing workforce. Sustainability requires a collective effort across our sport to drive systemic change. Looking ahead, I’m excited to see what we can all achieve in the years to come.”