Sustainability study: Formula E wins for the 4th time in a row, Extreme E loses podium place

The Formula E World Championship has once again taken the top spot in the fourth edition of the Sustainable Championship Index (SChI). In the study of 91 global championships on two and four wheels, the electric series finished ahead of Formula 1 and the MotoGP, which overtook the off-road series Extreme E.

The British company Enovation Consulting has published the results of a new study in which the sustainability of racing series was assessed on the basis of 25 criteria. These were determined on the basis of guidelines and models from the UN, EU and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The criteria are divided into six classes: Certifications, Accreditations and Awards, Environmental Criteria, Social Criteria, Engagement and Partnerships, and the Sustainability Approach. The database consists exclusively of data collected from race series publications in the period from December 2023 to November 2024.

Formula E took the top spot for the fourth time in a row, achieving 85 out of 100 points - the same result as last year. However, other series are catching up: While Formula E is one of 65 series whose results remained constant compared to 2023, 26 increased their results. These include Formula 1, which once again took second place, but - just like Formula E - achieved the highest honours for the first time. Behind them, the FIM Grand Prix World Championship (MotoGP) overtook Extreme E, which now occupies fourth place. The number of series in the lowest category fell from 58 to 54.

FIA rule ensures significant growth in certifications

The progress is particularly evident in the area of Certifications: Twelve series have now been able to collect points here, compared to just four last year. In addition, 15 race series are now calculating their carbon footprint, compared to just ten a year earlier. The number of FIA and FIM accreditations also increased, from 13 to 14 racing series. However, this number will continue to increase, as the FIA will require three-star accreditation for all world championships from this year onwards, and this will be mandatory for all FIA-sanctioned racing series from 2030.

In the area of Environmental Criteria, the number of series fell slightly, which is related to the fact that 106 motorsport series were analysed in the previous year. However, more than half of the racing series scored highly in the criteria of use of natural resources (53), transport and mobility (52) and waste management (51). The situation is similar in the area of Social Criteria, where 25 instead of 32 racing series scored highly in terms of accessibility.

20 race series entered into partnerships in the area of sustainability (+6). At 52, more than half of the motorsport series analysed have a code of ethics, guidelines or are subject to obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Formula E: the lead is shrinking

In contrast to many other championships, Formula E was unable to improve its results in 2024. However, the study makes concrete suggestions as to how the series could improve further: "The championship could look to further improve its sustainability certifications as it currently only holds the ISO 20121. Looking at other certifications, such as ISO 14001 Environmental Management System, would improve the efficiency of resources usage and consequently their environmental performance."

However, due to the implementation of a women-only test in Madrid and the announcement that it will be repeated in Valencia next autumn, the introduction of sustainable aviation fuel together with logistics partner DHL and the reduction of air freight to just two transport aircraft, an increase can be expected for the upcoming evaluation.

The SChI was developed by the British company Enovation Consulting together with Paolo Taticchi, Professor of Strategy and Sustainability at University College London. According to Enovation Consulting, it is "the only global performance system  assesses and measures the sustainability performance of motorsports stakeholders against the UN SDGs and the global ESG framework".