Following the launch of #WeRaceAsOne last year, supporting the #PurposeDriven Movement launched by the FIA, Formula 1 is confirming that the initiative will become the official Environment, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) platform for Formula 1 long into the future and will continue to be used across the sport. The initiative was created in June last year ahead of our return to racing following the break in the Championship due to COVID-19. On our return to racing we wanted to show our determination to tackle the major issues that we as a sport, but also society, are facing. Those issues are important to the longer-term future of our sport, but equally have a major impact on the communities we race in and countries around the world.
On our return to racing in 2020 we wanted to recognise the two major issues dominating society’s consciousness during that time, COVID-19, and inequality. Throughout the season we paid tribute to people around the world for the incredible strength and fortitude shown against the global pandemic. The rainbow was chosen by Formula 1 to sit alongside #WeRaceAsOne as it became a symbol used internationally to bring communities together. Equally we used our restart to show that we as a sporting community stand united against racism and are doing more to address inequality and diversity in Formula 1. This was highlighted at every race with the twenty drivers uniting in their support of ending racism before the start of the race. We plan to include a moment before the start of each race this season to show our united support for important issues and will be discussing this with the drivers and the teams ahead of the start of the season. This season the rainbow will no longer feature alongside the #WeRaceAsOne platform. While the COVID-19 pandemic is still an ongoing battle, we are focussing the platform on the three core pillars of our ESG strategy. Those pillars are sustainability, diversity & inclusion, and community. These areas are a priority for the sport where progress has already been made but with more commitments to be delivered in coming months and years.
In 2019, Formula 1 set out its ambitious sustainability, diversity, and inclusion strategy to improve the long-term future of our sport. This included our commitment to be net zero carbon as a sport by 2030 and create a more inclusive and diverse culture across Formula 1, attracting more diverse talent across technical, commercial, corporate, and on-air roles. Additionally, the plan, in partnership with the FIA, looks at promoting a diverse driver talent pipeline by identifying and systematically eliminating barriers to entry from grass roots karting to Formula 1. As set out in our #WeRaceAsOne announcement last year, recent events have reinforced the importance of those issues and the need for us to accelerate and take further action to make our sport better, improve opportunity and have a positive impact on the world we live in. Since 2019 we have put in place the necessary actions, reviews, and structures to ensure we deliver on our 2030 and other commitments. While work has been constant and important plans delivered, we know we need to continue to deliver on this plan and show our fans, partners, and society that Formula 1 is committed to playing its part.
This year, Formula 1, the FIA, and the Teams will most notably focus on:
• Creating a clear path towards sustainably fuelled hybrid engines, something that will be of significant importance to not only the sport but the automotive sector.
• Reducing the amount of single-use plastic bottles and cutlery and food waste in the pit and paddock.
• Rolling out internships and apprenticeships within Formula 1 for under-represented groups to provide access to a promising career in the sport.
• Funding scholarships for talented engineering students from diverse and underprivileged backgrounds with work experience opportunities at F1 and the Teams during their studies.
• Growing F1 in Schools – already the world’s leading school-age STEM education challenge.
• Working with our promoters around the world to establish and deliver programmes that leave a positive and lasting community impact.
• Helping to grow awareness and support for the W Series, the FIA Women in Motorsport Inititiatives and all the talented young female drivers coming through the ranks.
• Moving towards new freight methods through adapting containers for use on modern aircraft and other modes of transport.
• Continuing to develop our remote operations capabilities where action to date has already eliminated c.70 tonnes of freight being taken to each race. We have united as a sport in our firm commitment to make lasting change and Formula 1 together with the FIA, the teams and our partners will continue to push ahead with our plans.
Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO, Formula 1: “Our WeRaceAsOne platform was very effective at raising the awareness of socially important issues and our steadfast commitment to make a positive change. We are very proud of it and the teams have embraced it fully. While our commitment through words to tackling issues like sustainability and diversity in our sport are important, it is our actions that we will be judged on. We have already made good progress on our sustainability plans and you will see strong actions being executed this year across all three of our WRAO pillars. We know we must continue to move forward on these issues and the whole sport is united in doing this in the months and years ahead.”
