Toyota 86 the first full NZ Championship contribution to Sustainability Fund

The Toyota 86 Championship has become the first MotorSport New Zealand Championship to contribute to the organisation’s sustainability fund for the entirety of its season.

MotorSport New Zealand’s Sustainability Fund, established in 2021, aims to offset the carbon emissions produced in motorsport competition. The scheme is optional for event organisers and classes to take advantage of, with TOYOTA GAZOO Racing New Zealand the first category manager choosing to support the fund and offset their carbon emissions from their Toyota 86 Championship.

Across the championship’s six rounds, a total of 29,415kg of CO2 was emitted across the combined 38,797kms raced. Equating to 222kg of CO2 per car, per round, the cost for each competitor ranged between $7.50-$19.00 each round depending on the distance covered. MotorSport New Zealand also contributed a small subsidy for each car at each event.

The money received is then used to fund carbon-offset projects local to where the motorsport events take place. MotorSport New Zealand has partnered with Trees That Count to deliver these carbon-offset projects. In the case of the Toyota 86 Championship, 204 trees will be planted across New Zealand.

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing New Zealand’s adoption of this initiative is just one of the company’s efforts to ensure their categories’ sustainability following the move to fossil-free fuels for their headline Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Championship.

Nicolas Caillol, TGRNZ Motorsport Manager commented “Toyota New Zealand has committed to a reduction of 46% of its 2019 baseline CO2 emission by 2030.”

“TOYOTA GAZOO Racing New Zealand is playing its part to meet this objective by being the first FIA Formula Regional Championship to run with 100% fossil-free fuel. It is key for us to keep enjoying the sport and developing young talents with whilst keeping in mind of reducing the impact of motorsport on the environment.

“We see the offset of carbon emissions for our Toyota 86 Championship as an extension of this and will be looking to grow our commitment in the sustainability area as we move into our new GR86 car for the 2024-25 season.”

MotorSport New Zealand CEO, Elton Goonan, praises TOYOTA GAZOO Racing New Zealand for leading the way and joining the scheme and we hope that it encourages more events and categories to consider offsetting their carbon emissions.

“Our Sustainability Fund is world-leading for motorsport and has been recognised internationally as a finalist in the FIA President’s Awards for Climate Action,” said Goonan.

“The team at Toyota are incredibly committed to the sustainability of motorsport in all aspects and with the championship’s adoption of our scheme this year, they join the likes of Rally Otago and no doubt this will help pave the way for others to follow suit.

“I really want to encourage event organisers and category managers to reach out to us and start the conversation about how they can start their journey to offsetting their carbon emissions.”

“As demonstrated by the numbers above, the cost certainly is not prohibitive. Commercial sponsors and grant funders are increasingly wanting to see their benefactors actively considering their environmental footprint and factor in sustainability into the event and this is a great way to ensure that they are demonstrating that motorsport recognises that we need to play our part.”

Using a standardised calculation, MotorSport New Zealand requires only a few easily measured metrics to determine the carbon offset required for an event or class. The number of vehicles, distance covered during the event and the average fuel burn per kilometre are all that is required to determine the carbon emission and therefore the cost of offset.

As the carbon emissions produced, and therefore the cost to offset, are primarily driven by the distance covered at the event, the cost of ClubSport-type events can be as little as $4 per competitor.

Events or categories interested in exploring their options for carbon offsetting through the MotorSport New Zealand Sustainability Fund should contact Elton Goonan for more information.