British motorsport made a major move towards a greener future this week as Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team and Motorsport UK confirmed that the 2025 IAME Waterswift Restricted Cadet class will run on 55% emissions-cut sustainable fuel.
The change impacts the youngest national category in British karting — the 8–12 age group that serves as the entry point for many aspiring drivers.
It is the first time a grassroots championship in the UK has fully switched to sustainable fuel, aligning the sport’s foundation with Formula One’s broader effort towards net zero by 2030.
Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff called it “an important milestone,” adding: “Motorsport has always been about innovation and performance.
"Now we have a duty to innovate for sustainability too.
"By introducing sustainable fuel at the grassroots level, we’re showing young drivers that racing and responsibility can go hand in hand."
Powering the future, today 🙏
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) September 17, 2025
The team has joined forces with @ourmotorsportuk to provide sustainable fuel to one of the classes within the British Kart Championships 💪
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Motorsport UK CEO Hugh Chambers echoed this, saying the change “sends a powerful message that the journey to net zero is not just for elite categories but for every competitor, right down to the first time a child gets into a kart.”
For the drivers themselves, the switch is unlikely to affect their performance on track.
Still, symbolically, it links junior racing to the same environmental commitments that shape Formula One and other top series.
Supporters hope it will normalise sustainable practices within motorsport culture and show that meaningful change is achievable even at the earliest stages of the sport.
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