The Qatar Airways Australian Grand Prix will host almost half a million people over the three days of this year’s race weekend.
A mammoth 465,000 people attended last year’s sellout weekend, and that is expected to rise in 2026, given the increased popularity of F1 globally and the rise of Australian star Oscar Piastri.
With the amount of energy, resources, food, and drink being consumed at Albert Park, the Australian Grand Prix Corporation (AGPC) has invested a lot in zero-emission technology and initiatives in a bid to drive sustainability, inclusivity and innovation in F1.
All grid-supplied electricity is from 100% certified green power, including renewable sources such as hydro, wind and solar. The pit building roof is covered with solar panels that generate over 358 kWh during the event.
Meanwhile, single-use plastics generate significant waste, with a typical large event producing up to 750,000 single-use plastic bottles.
In Australia, around one million tonnes of annual plastic consumption is single-use plastic, and of the 84% sent to landfill, only 13% is recycled, according to Australian Government research.
This is why sporting events are now embracing the circular economy, which eliminates single-use plastics in favour of a closed-loop system. The scheme, operated by Green My Plate, has successfully helped in diverting nearly 40,000 plates and bowls from landfill.
The AGPC became an early adopter of the Victorian Container Deposit Scheme in 2023, which allows racegoers to return drink containers made of plastic, glass, aluminium, steel, or liquid paperboard for a 10-cent refund.
In 2024, waste management company Reground helped collect 740 kilograms of ground coffee, which was delivered to Northcore Local Food Garden to support soil health in fruit and vegetable plots, thereby avoiding 1,406 kilograms of landfill emissions.
This circular ethos extends to the Paddock, where all food that would otherwise go to waste from F1 teams and hospitality suites around the event is collected by OzHarvest, resulting in over 22,000 meals donated. Flowers from the hospitality suites are also donated to hospitals and care facilities.
The 2025 race featured STEM programs for 20,000 students and sustainable catering and waste management efforts.
Mercedes expands global carbon removal programmes
As the teams get to grips with the all-new power units and 100% sustainable fuels in 2026, some are investing more in their sustainability initiatives off-track.
The Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team has expanded its global carbon dioxide removal (CDR) portfolio by investing in seven new projects to reduce its global CO2 impact.
The team has pledged to invest approximately 18,900 tCO2e (tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent) in nature-based, engineered, and hybrid CDR projects to meet its net-zero targets for 2030.
These will go towards direct air capture, biomass storage, bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, biochar, ocean alkalinity enhancement, and enhanced rock weathering.
Alice Ashpitel, Head of Sustainability at Mercedes, emphasised the team’s CDR projects are designed to deliver impact in the communities and environments they compete in across F1’s demanding 24-race calendar.
“Emissions reduction remains our priority, and high-quality carbon removals are essential for tackling the residual emissions that remain,” said Ashpitel.
“By investing early across a diverse set of technologies and regions, we’re contributing to upscale durable climate solutions while supporting the communities and environments in which we race.
“As a team, we are determined to engineer change on and off the track, so I’m proud to see our ambitious portfolio aiming to deliver meaningful impact far beyond our world.”
Emissions reduction remains our priority, and high-quality carbon removals are essential for tackling the residual emissions that remain.
Alice Ashpital
This expansion represents one of the most diverse and globally distributed carbon removal portfolios in global sport and is a significant milestone in the team’s multi-year CDR strategy, which includes race team control net zero by 2030 and full net zero across all scopes by 2040.
In 2024, Mercedes reduced its race team control emissions by 35% compared to 2022, thanks to using HVO100 biofuel for its European logistics, sustainable aviation fuels, electrification of company vehicles, smart energy use and reduced gas consumption at their Brackley factory.
The team currently has initiatives across key regions on the F1 calendar, including Brazil, Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom, as well as other projects in Denmark and India.
The expanded CDR portfolio will be curated and delivered by the carbon removal marketplace CUR8, which will ensure rigorous evaluation and verification of the projects.
These initiatives from Mercedes and the AGPC underline how Formula 1’s sustainability efforts extend far beyond what fans see on track.
