At its Annual General Assembly in October, the FIA Institute agreed to expand its remit to address motor sport sustainability issues as well as safety.

The FIA Institute will now promote research into sustainability, providing information and guidance on the best environmental practices, procedures and technologies that can be applied to motor sport.

This will include aspects of vehicle design and technology, infrastructure management, emissions monitoring and control, environmental education, carbon offsetting programmes, energy optimisation and storage, and the preservation of the natural environment.

Sid Watkins, FIA Institute President, said: “There is no doubt that eco-technology and issues of sustainability have become an essential part of motor sport. In future, professional championships will embrace a more sustainable means of racing.

“This decision was unanimously adopted by the FIA Institute’s General Assembly at our annual meeting. It follows the unanimous recommendation made by the FIA Institute Executive in June to change its statutes to bring sustainability into its sphere of activity.”

Expanding its remit to investigate issues surrounding the environment is a natural progression for the FIA Institute. It is funded by an annual grant from the FIA Foundation, which already focuses on both safety and sustainability in mobility. It is a logical step for the FIA Institute to mirror these activities in motor racing.

The move also complements the FIA’s increasing involvement in environmental issues. The FIA recently created the Environmentally Sustainable Motor Sport Commission (ESMSC), specifically tasked with developing policy to promote sustainable motor sport. It is likely that the FIA Institute will be called upon to support the work of the Commission in a similar fashion to its current supporting role for the FIA Safety Commission.