Calendar by geographic area: ecological progress or greenwashing?

If the F1 boasts of having advanced Canada following Miami, as part of “improvements in the geographical distribution of races”, She is careful to point out that the two Grand Prix will be spaced out… by three weeks, during which the teams will have to travel back and forth to their headquarters in Europe…

With a goal of carbon neutrality by 2030, Formula 1 has been increasing its environmental efforts throughout its calendar in recent years. Contrary to popular belief, the championship's emissions don't come primarily from Grand Prix races, but rather from transporting team equipment and personnel between each round.

On paper, the Miami-Montreal sequence would allow “achieve significant gains in freight efficiency, since some equipment can be moved directly from one event to another. "In reality, it's unlikely that the teams won't repatriate their equipment to Europe. Even for Cadillac, the only team that will be based across the Atlantic, the detour to go through the headquarters in Fishers, Indiana, is nearly 650 kilometers.

In 2019, the year the FIA ​​announced its 2030 emissions reduction ambition, the body published a report stating that Formula 1 had emitted nearly 260 tonnes of CO000 over the season. Three years later, in 2, F2022 officials proudly advocated a 1% reduction in their emissions, quickly criticized by energy expert Pierre-Olivier Pineau: “It’s not very difficult. We are in a system that is so inefficient that by actively managing energy consumption a little, we can find opportunities for significant reductions.", declared the HEC Montréal professor.

From America to the Emirates in less than 24 hours: a schedule that remains problematic

While the geographical grouping of Grands Prix certainly contributes to F1's reduction of its environmental impact, inconsistencies persist. The season begins in Asia/Oceania and then passes through the Middle East and then the Americas, which it will revisit at the end of the calendar after the European campaign. This is a consequence of contracts signed by promoters to determine their position in the calendar order, which sometimes leads to ecological aberrations.

For example, in 2023, less than a week separated the Las Vegas Grand Prix (November 16-18) from the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (November 24-26). More than 13 kilometers to cover with an eleven-hour time difference between the two destinations. Packing begins even as the Grand Prix is ​​in full swing, followed by a perfectly choreographed clean-up after the race to leave the circuit that same evening and arrive in the United Arab Emirates in less than twenty hours.

The situation is repeated in 2026 : the eleven F1 teams will leave Las Vegas after the Grand Prix to head straight to Qatar, even though the calendar will have already gone to Miami and Jeddah earlier in the season. “This season reflects our shared commitment to making the championship more sustainable and environmentally friendly.”, commented FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem at the same time. Nothing to add...

ALSO READ > In 2026, Formula 1 will directly compete with the Indy 500