The Formula 1 team McLaren will test the use of recycled carbon fibers at the next US Grand Prix in Austin and hope to make an important contribution to reducing CO2 emissions.
McLaren has teamed up with specialist company V Carbon to test the use of recycled carbon in its MCL60. The recycled material will initially be used for the advertising panels on the cockpits of the cars driven by Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
If the test in Austin is successful, McLaren wants to use the material for the rest of the 2023 Formula 1 season to examine further use in future cars.
Carbon fiber has been an integral part of Formula 1 vehicles for decades due to its favorable strength-to-weight ratio.
McLaren pioneered the John Barnard-designed MP4/1 in 1981, the first Formula 1 car to feature a carbon fiber composite monocoque. Carbon fiber-reinforced polymers are also an integral part of the design of the latest commercial aircraft from Boeing and Airbus, among other engineering applications.
Ecological concerns
However, the use of carbon fiber also comes with environmental concerns, with demand expected to double in the next decade. Studies show that about 30 percent of carbon fiber is discarded as waste during the production process.
By researching the use of recycled carbon fiber, McLaren hopes it has taken the first step toward “developing a fully recyclable Formula 1 car by 2030” – a car that can be built from recycled materials.
“We are proud to be at the forefront of sustainable materials together with V Carbon and to drive with recycled carbon fibers at the Austin GP,” says McLaren operations director Piers Thynne.
“The potential future applications of recycled carbon fiber are extremely exciting. V Carbon offers up to 85 percent of the original strength of carbon fiber, making it strong enough for a variety of applications in Formula 1 and beyond,” he says.
“We will continue to work closely with the FIA, Formula 1 and the other teams to accelerate change,” said Thynne.
Formula 1 wants to reduce its carbon footprint to zero by 2030
Kim Wilson, Director of Sustainability at McLaren, added: “Developing a fully environmentally friendly Formula 1 car is our big goal. We know that innovations in this area have the potential to make a major contribution to achieving our ambitious sustainability goals .”
“Using recycled carbon fibers in key parts of the Formula 1 car in this year’s US GP and analyzing their performance on the track is an important step towards reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions from the manufacture of our cars.”
McLaren’s initiative is part of Formula 1’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint to zero by 2030, as the production of Formula 1 cars is one of the largest contributors to a team’s emissions.
The team claims that recycled carbon fiber results in a 90 percent reduction in lifecycle emissions compared to standard carbon fiber.