McLaren Racing, in partnership with professional services firm Deloitte, has developed a pioneering framework to measure and advance circularity in the production of Formula 1 cars, aiming to reduce waste and enhance sustainability in the high-performance motorsport industry.
The collaboration addresses the challenge of balancing the sport’s relentless drive for continual car improvements with environmental considerations. Over the course of a season, F1 cars undergo extensive modifications, with many components removed, altered, or replaced, generating significant material consumption. An analysis conducted by Deloitte revealed that the total weight of materials used by McLaren to build two race cars during a season equates to more than 600 complete F1 vehicles.
McLaren has set an ambitious goal to create a fully circular F1 car, defined as achieving 100 percent reuse or recycling of materials so that no waste is produced. This encompasses not only maintaining competitive performance levels but also reducing reliance on virgin raw materials, incorporating more recycled and bio-derived substances, and repurposing parts no longer needed. Kim Wilson, McLaren’s director of sustainability, emphasized the importance of establishing a clear and measurable definition of circularity to manage progress effectively.
To develop this framework, Deloitte convened experts across data analytics, technology, financial modelling, and circular economy principles, involving all stakeholders from suppliers to waste management contractors. The result was the F1 Constructors’ Circularity Handbook, which was commissioned and endorsed by the FIA, Formula 1’s governing body. The handbook introduces a scoring system that quantifies circularity based on incoming materials—including proportions of recycled or bio-derived content—and outgoing materials, considering how much is reused or repurposed. The methodology is conservative, only counting proven recycled content or verified reuse.
McLaren's circularity score stood at 22 percent in 2024 and held steady through 2025. While the unchanged figure may appear lackluster, the team notes this consistency was notable given the complex demands of simultaneously managing two current-season cars and developing a new, more energy-efficient generation for 2026, featuring greater electric power integration and reduced weight. The handbook has already prompted operational improvements, such as better segregation of scrap materials that were previously classified as hazardous waste but are in fact recyclable. Furthermore, the assessment uncovered previously unquantified sustainable elements—for example, a carbon fibre resin containing 28 percent bio-derived content—opening dialogue with suppliers about additional environmentally friendly product options.
Deloitte has identified around 40 potential interventions to enhance circularity further, drawing on expertise from various industries. David Rakowski, Deloitte’s global circularity lead, highlighted the transferrable nature of best practices across sectors and expressed optimism about the handbook’s growing influence within Formula 1 and other high-performance engineering fields. Both McLaren and Deloitte maintain that performance and circularity are not mutually exclusive, demonstrating that advanced motorsport technology can evolve alongside sustainable practices.