Formula E was conceived to fulfil a role bigger than itself– originally to advance the adoption of electric vehicles to counteract climate change. Now, as an FIA World Championship, ambitions to extend that positive global impact are greater than ever before.
Driving innovation
Formula E is the fastest-growing series in motorsport and boasts the best pound-for-pound driver and team line-up in racing, with renowned road car manufacturers and automotive brands battling for points, the top step of the podium and the ultimate prize of being crowned champion.
READ MORE:Formula E's Season 6 sustainability report in full
The ultra-tight, hard-fought and high-level on-track competition offers up the perfect test bed – an Apollo Program-like proving ground to accelerate the development of new technologies from the drawing board right through to the production line and ultimately, help put more electric cars on the road.
Season 6 saw the series visit four cities for the first five races of the campaign – Diriyah, Santiago, Mexico City and Marrakesh – before the mid-season suspension as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Working with the FIA, and in close consultation with teams and local authorities, the championship defined a robust plan to conclude the season safely and in August 2020, resumed with its unprecedented nine-day six-race Season 6 finale at Berlin’s Tempelhof Airport Circuit, behind closed doors.
Better futures through racing
Formula E’s commitment to delivering better futures through racing drives our ongoing environmental, economic and social sustainability initiatives around the world. The launch of #PositivelyCharged ahead of the Berlin finale, as part of the FIA’s #PurposeDriven initiative, further reasserted our commitment.
As the curtain fell on the 2019/20 campaign, Formula E also announced that it had become the first sport with a net zero carbon footprint since inception, investing in internationally certified and verified projects in all race regions to offset emissions from six seasons of electric racing.
Net zero from inception
How did Formula E achieve net zero? By following three key steps outlined by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as best practice: effective measurement of carbon output, prioritising reducing its footprint and offsetting remaining unavoidable emissions.
Measuring: Calculating the overall footprint of the championship, race by race, with a focus on lowering emissions.
Reducing: Putting in place measures to optimise our freight, recycle waste at our events and use power from renewable energy sources where possible.
Offsetting: Offsetting unavoidable emissions through investment in Gold Standard, Verified Carbon Standard and Clean Development Mechanism projects. Those selected are socially sustainable, advance renewable energy production and maximise the environmental benefits of electric cars, building on Formula E’s work.
Positively Charged, together
Net zero forms a keystone of the championship’s Sustainability Programme, which is based on three pillars; delivering sustainable events, making a meaningful positive impact in each host city, and using our global platform to promote electric cars and the part they’ll play in addressing air pollution.
From optimising transportation and logistics to extending end-of-life options for lithium-ion battery cells and cutting out single-use plastics on site, the championship’s drive for sustainable practices has led to Formula E becoming the first and only category in racing to receive third-party ISO 20121 certification – the international standard for sustainability in events.
Raising awareness
In Season 6, the championship celebrated and shone a light on the efforts of the championship and its teams and manufacturers in driving sustainable vehicle technologies on World EV Day, and the race for cleaner air on World Environment Day and Earth Day, whilst investing in community engagement and education activities with donations to our host cities.
Leaving a legacy
Formula E, our teams, manufacturers and partners, have ambitions to go beyond creating an extraordinary racing spectacle, standing behind a powerful message of inclusivity and commitment with #PositivelyCharged to drive better futures through racing.
That’s why we introduced the Formula E Open Talent Call. The Open Talent Call for Presenters is the first initiative of Formula E’s Electric Futures programme, announced this summer in our open letter as part of the FIA’s #PurposeDriven movement.
Delivering on the promise of that letter to provide “greater opportunity for under-represented groups in our sport”, raw young broadcasting talents were encouraged to apply no matter their experience level. Entrants were judged purely on presenting potential and nurtured along the way in the search for new, diverse young voices - with the winner set to join the championship in Season 7.
Work continued in 2019/20 to promote gender equality in motorsport through initiatives such as FIA Girls on Track, which aims to increase the percentage of young women from eight to 18 years old in motor racing by inviting them to experience different aspects of the industry. In response to COVID-19, this has been adapted to Virtual Experience events and will continue to provide training and support to girls to help them enter the industry.
We also invested in community engagement and education activities with donations to our host cities, as well as a partnership with UNICEF to raise awareness and funds for their work to protect children against the effects of coronavirus globally. These funds were directed to projects such as those contributing to remote learning programmes and the supply of essential protective equipment for health care workers on the frontline.
We launched a number of education programmes for youth in London, and Rome and other Italian cities in Season 6, too, supporting children’s education throughout the pandemic and educate them on various topics such as sustainable mobility and lifestyles
To say “Danke Berlin!” after the city played host to the Formula E finale, more than 100,000 items of PPE and all unused hand sanitiser were donated to 18 different Berlin organisations including hospitals, health centres and schools with support from championship partner BMW i.
What’s next?
For Season 7, Formula E’s first as an FIA World Championship, we remain committed to environmental excellence whilst driving progress, technological and sporting innovation, leadership and building shared values amongst our community, as a championship, alongside our teams and partners and most importantly, with our fans.
We are Positively Charged, together.