75th Anniversary of Formula 1

Lord Wallace of Saltaire Excerpts

Thursday 12th December 2024 Lords Chamber

[Lord Wallace of Saltaire (LD)]

My Lords, we know that petrolheads find motor racing tremendous, but we also know that motor racing has been connected closely to innovation in the industry. Are there any plans for experimenting with racing with cars that might be powered by electricity or hydrogen in the future?

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

The noble Lord raises a very good point. One of the roles of Formula 1 has been as a driver for cultural change, whether in health and safety, as it has developed safer cars, or in making things that were seen to be unacceptable acceptable in terms of technology and going to the cutting edge. In 2026 we will see a hybrid car for Formula 1, with a new sustainable fuel source. I look forward to seeing how that develops for the commercial market.