Bridgestone Eco Rally10/08/2010
Environmental Fusion
The demands on a Formula One driver’s time on and between race weekends are more significant than perhaps we all realise but, for Bridgestone, the opportunities the Company gets to work with the drivers away from the race tracks are as valuable as ever.
Bridgestone Eco-Rally
Take for example the Bridgestone Eco-Rally, an event which saw the general public turn out to see celebrities, politicians and stars from the world of Formula One try their hand at eco-driving when the Bridgestone Eco-Rally travelled from Brighton to London’s Hyde Park last month.
F1 fans in particular lined the streets or went to Hyde Park to get a glimpse of AT&T Williams team driver Nico Hulkenberg and Director of Engineering Patrick Head.
Other UK celebrities included TV motoring journalist Quentin Willson and Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Chris Huhne.
Eco-Rally showcased latest technology
Sponsored by Bridgestone UK, the Bridgestone Eco-Rally showcased the latest in low and zero emission vehicle technology and included a full range of eco-vehicles from the Gutsi Zero Bus to the Honda CR-Z hybrid. The Ford Fusion world record-breaking hybrid also took part, representing Ford's electrification plans for Europe. In addition to the vehicles themselves, the free public exhibition at the finish line provided additional information on Bridgestone as well as eco-transport, introducing hundreds of people to new technologies such as electric motorbikes and solar-powered ferries.
But how did Nico Hulkenberg and Patrick Head contribute to the event exactly? Well, Bridgestone UK invited Hulkenberg to drive an all electric powered Mini E vehicle from the Westminster pitstop to the finish line while at the same time being quizzed about his opinion of eco-driving and his life as a Formula One driver by his journalist passenger. To be fair, it wasn’t quite his usual pace of vehicle but Nico enjoyed the experience and after doing several media interviews throughout the afternoon he then even had a go in Bridgestone’s F1 simulator.
Can Formula One influence greener motoring?
Director of Engineering at AT&T Williams, Patrick Head meanwhile gave an excellent speech that evening on the topic of whether or not Formula One and motorsport can influence greener motoring. Head commented later, "I was impressed to see the entrants, and enthusiasm for hybrid and electric cars, in Hyde Park at the finish of the Bridgestone Eco- Rally, and very pleased to participate in the talks and discussions afterwards. This activity is important in support of reduced hydrocarbon burn. Apart from supporting the spread of information through events such as this, Bridgestone also make an important contribution by developing tyres with lower rolling resistance.”
Patrick Head couldn’t have put it more succinctly. Bridgestone is making great strides to improve and develop its environment credentials, whether through products which are made and distributed in a more sensitive way to the environment or through products which reduce our impact on the environment. Similarly, Formula One is trying to put its own house in order and Head is well qualified to speak on the subject.
Formula One monitored emissions
Not only is the AT&T Williams team part of FOTA (Formula One Teams Association) which has recently conducted an audit of the carbon emissions of the teams running in Formula One, but the team, as a company, has been building some significant eco credentials of its own through its energy efficiency programme. This programme has two components: first, the development of new energy technologies derived from Formula One at both Williams Hybrid Power in the UK and at the Williams Technology Centre in Qatar, and secondly through its active membership of the Carbon Disclosure Project in order to measure and mitigate the company’s carbon footprint.
Who said Formula One doesn’t have anything to contribute to the development of environmental responsibility?
