Formula 1 will spearhead greener cars for us all

FORMULA 1 motor racing is hardly a hotbed of green activism. But if anyone knows a thing or two about squeezing the maximum amount of kinetic energy out of a litre of fuel, it is a Formula 1 engineer. Now the sport's governing body has decided to put this expertise to good use. As of this weekend, Formula 1 cars will be limited to Ford Focus-sized engines, concentrating brilliant minds on fuel efficiency issues likely to be relevant to the real world of family cars (see "7 tricks to keep F1 cars fast and fuel-efficient").

The motives are not entirely altruistic: mainstream engine-makers have drifted away from Formula 1, claiming that its challenges are "irrelevant" to their core business. Formula 1 needs them back.

But that is no reason to sneer. To meet the grand challenges of the 21st century, environmental concerns need to break out of their ghetto. If Formula 1 gets petrolheads fired up about fuel efficiency, so much the better.

This article appeared in print under the headline "Cool formula for fuel efficiency"

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