Away from F1, Sebastian Vettel continues to make the headlines for his role as a climate warrior. The former world champion recently made an appearance at the Red Bull Formula Nurburgring event, where he drove around the circuit in a car running on E-Fuel, hoping to make the sport more sustainable.
The car was none other than the one that helped Vettel win the 2011 Driver’s title- The RB7, which is famously nicknamed “Kinky Kylie.” The car ran on sustainable fuel as Vettel hopes F1 can take inspiration from him and change the way they operate in the coming years. The German former driver has been in favor of propagating the ideology and leads by example as he uses E-Fuel in all the F1 cars he owns.
Sebastian Vettel could bring about an inspired change in F1
In November 2019, F1 announced their aim to go Carbon Neutral by 2030 following a year of research by F1, FIA, teams, and race promoters. By 2021, the organization reduced its carbon footprint by 17%. As they continue working towards their goal, Vettel’s ideas can prove to be extremely helpful in achieving them. After driving ‘Kinky Kylie’ around the Nurburgring, he claimed the car had no difference, which could be another positive for F1 moving forward.
“As far as the performance is concerned, it doesn’t change anything. Nor with the sound. I think that is our intention.”
“I think that was important to me, that you create a little bit of attraction to yourself.”
Given the global reach and fandom of the sport, the change to E-fuel could inspire millions to make the switch themselves. Even though the racing fuel constitutes less than 1% of F1’s emissions, the change could have far-reaching implications on the global transport sector. As per a projection, there could be nearly 1.4bn cars on the road globally, with only 8% of them being EVs.
The only possible way for Vettel to return to F1
Since the Nurburgring event, there have been many speculations around the four-time world champ’s potential return to F1. While the German isn’t saying no to the possibility, he suggests it isn’t high on his priority list for now.
However, he adds that the only way he would make a return to the sport is if the authorities decide to change the way they operate. Should the F1 cars start running on sustainable fuels instead of fossil fuels, Vettel might see himself making a comeback to the sport he loves.
In their 2022 ‘Sustainability and Diversity & Inclusion Progress‘ update, F1 reveals they are aiming to adopt sustainable fuels by the start of the 2026 season. F2 and F3 will also adopt the fuel starting from the 2027 season. Should F1 be able to achieve this goal, we might see Vettel back on the grid, especially with Audi set to enter the lineup in the same season.
