Zero to Test Synthetic Fuel in French Rally Championship
Zero, a cutting-edge synthetic fuel producer, is revving up to test its innovative fuel in the motorsport arena for the first time this autumn, reports Autosport on August 15, 2022. The company, founded in 2020 by former McLaren, Mercedes, and Williams Formula 1 technical chief Paddy Lowe and Professor Nilay Shah, is set to power a 2B Motorsport-run Porsche 991 rally car driven by Gwen Lagrue, Mercedes F1’s driver development advisor, in the French Rally Championship.
This milestone marks the latest stage in Zero’s current motorsport sponsorship partnerships, which also includes an arrangement with the Sauber F1 team. Lowe hopes that his synthetic fuel will not only dominate the Formula 1 and other motorsport categories but also become a sustainable mobility power solution for the future. The World Rally Championship (WRC) has already taken the lead in adopting 100% sustainable fuel, making it the first FIA world championship to do so, while Formula 1 aims to power its grid with 100% sustainably sourced fuel by 2026.
“We haven’t got to that stage of let’s say performance analysis on a particular vehicle, but that will come in the next phase now,” he explained.
The company achieved a Guinness World Record in 2021 for the first aircraft powered by synthetic fuel, flown by a test pilot from the RAF.
Lowe expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming rally test, saying, “I guess this is a ground-breaking moment, and we will see that in the autumn. Gwen won first time out since we started the sponsorship, so let’s see if he can do the same with our fuel on board, that would be a great result.”
With a growing staff of 53 employees, including engineers from Formula 1, Zero is developing and producing synthetic gasoline, aviation fuel, and diesel. The company opened its first plant in Bicester last year and is now focused on producing fuel on a commercial scale. The synthetic fuel is created through a process of generating hydrocarbons from scratch from air and water, resulting in a completely clean fuel with zero environmental impact.
Although synthetic fuels are yet to make a significant impact in competitive motorsport, Lowe is optimistic that they could become prominent in the industry within two to three years. He also confirmed that Zero has initiated discussions with championships and teams regarding the possibility of supplying fuels in the future.
“All motorsports are interesting, and we are having a conversation with a range of motorsports rather than just Formula 1,” Lowe added. “We are having conversations with a number of the stakeholders in the sport around fuels and contributions for those fuels for 2026. That is part of our trajectory, and we believe we can bring some important components to the championships in 2026.”
As the WRC, F1, and other motorsport categories accelerate towards sustainability, Zero is poised to play a significant role in shaping the future of the industry with its revolutionary synthetic fuels. With its sights set on Formula 1, Lowe remains confident that his company can bring a game-changing solution to the sport.
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