Improving Formula 1 Sustainability by Ordering the F1 Season Calendar to Optimize for Carbon Emissions

Abstract

Formula One Racing (F1) travels across the globe, racing in more than 20 countries each year. While the series has placed an increased focus on environmental sustainability, the calendar order of the races in the season has not been optimized, leading to excess carbon emissions. This project determines the most emissions-efficient order of the Formula 1 Season Race calendar to reduce the organization’s carbon footprint from transportation logistics. The calculations assumed all current contract agreements between Formula One Management and race promoters were considered null and void; all locations of races in each continent had the same relative weather conditions in each season; teams can only bring upgrades from the factory to the two races closest to them; and the teams traveled by air and used air-freight for equipment between race venues outside Europe. Within Europe, only ground transportation is used. We first specify the first race of the season as a starting point to build the  optimized calendar. Then, a branch and bound algorithm to parse through the remaining races was used to  add the next closest race to the calendar until all races were  added. While the algorithm constructs the optimal race schedule, the  simulation program tracks  the distance traveled by plane or truck between subsequent races. The total distance traveled by each mode of transport is then multiplied by respective constants for carbon emissions per mile. Iterating over the yet unscheduled races helps arrive at the total carbon emissions from transportation emitted across a fully optimized season.