Vettel to use alternative fossil-free fuel at Goodwood Festival

Published: 16/05/2023

Sebastian Vettel, the four-time Formula 1 World Champion and sustainable motorsports advocate, has confirmed he will use P1 Fuels’ 100% fossil-free, synthetic fuel to run in his cherished Williams and McLaren F1 cars at the upcoming Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Following the earlier announcement that the newly-retired Formula 1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel will return to the famed Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK this year – but only on the condition he runs his cars on synthetic fuel – P1 Fuels can confirm Vettel has chosen the brand as his synthetic fuel provider of choice.

The “Race without Trace” sustainable motorsports advocate will run two cars from his private collection up the Goodwood Hill this year. Vettel’s ex-Nigel Mansell 1992 Williams FW14B and ex-Ayrton Senna 1993 McLaren MP4/8 will be fuelled by P1 Fuels’ products without any mechanical changes to either car.

His first appearance at the globally-recognised and sold-out-for-2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed celebration since 2012, Vettel returns with a trailblazing spirit to find ways to replace fossil fuels with sustainable alternatives in order to secure the sport and environment for current and future fans.

Sebastian Vettel spoke about working with P1 Fuels and attending Goodwood Festival of Speed and said, “Motorsport is, and always has been, my passion and Goodwood Festival of Speed still stands out as one of the must-attend events to see fans and cars alike.

"However, in today’s world, where climate change and emissions are impacting us more than ever, it’s important to me to show that we can change our mindset for good. And, with sustainable fuels, show we drive just as quickly but without the CO2 emissions, especially at a place like Goodwood.

“Synthetic fuels offer a solution to having fun, responsibly. A lot of people just don't know that yet. It took me a long time to find a partner [P1 Fuels] that aligned with my beliefs on sustainable fuels, could deliver a direct replacement, and who also was commercially ready and viable to deliver that fuel. That’s why I’ve chosen P1 Fuels.”

Acting as a direct replacement, ‘drop-in’ fuel for a number of motorsports use cases already, P1 Fuels’ credentials and proof points include being the exclusive sustainable fuel provider for the World Rally Championship (WRC) and, working with leading pre-war Bentley specialist Vintage Bentley, enabling the first vintage Bentley to win first place while running on synthetic fuel, at a recent race event at Castle Combe, UK, in a 3 4 ½ Litre variant from 1924. The Vintage Bentley team also participated and raced at the renowned Goodwood Members’ Meeting event earlier this Spring running on P1 Fuels.

Commenting on the participation and confirmation that the renowned driver, Sebastian Vettel, will participate at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and run his private Williams and McLaren F1 cars, Martin Popilka, CEO at P1 Fuels, said, “Motorsport has long been an arena where innovations that shape the future of mobility are born – but it’s only when they are adopted that the magic happens.

"Sebastian choosing P1 Fuels as his synthetic fuel brand of choice on the global arena of Goodwood Festival of Speed, with his two cherished, classic F1 cars, is a key part in the adoption and proof that sustainable, non-fossil fuel can be used in any number of mobility and future mass adoption applications.

“Sebastian contacted us like any other customer, before he took the decision to participate at Goodwood Festival of Speed, and said he needed CO2-neutral fuel. After a few weeks of researching whether our fuel is really green and how it all works, he decided to buy fuel from us… That’s the true measure of success for our team.

"We’re the only supplier of fossil-fuel free fuel that doesn’t have an affiliation to the oil or fossil fuel industries. We are truly green and that was important to Sebastian.”

Known as the first organisation that has successfully commercialised CO2-neutral fuel, P1 Fuels operates a growing distribution network for public and motorsport-related sustainable fuel advocates to use. Its commercial team is working towards bringing these fuels to mass market at fuel stations in the near future.