Bringing together industry
leaders from the worlds of mobility and sustainability, the two-day forum
delivered thought-provoking discussions from an engaged audience.
Perry McCarthy, former Formula
One driver and the original ‘Stig’ from the acclaimed BBC TV series Top Gear,
kicked off the proceedings as the keynote speaker. He challenged and encouraged
the WRC community to be more vocal about its collective sustainable journey.
Highlighting the discussions was
Henna Virkkunen, Member of the European Parliament and EU Commissioner, who
congratulated the WRC and Secto Rally Finland on its use of fossil-free fuels,
revealing the EU’s plan to expand its zero-emission policy for 2035 to include
e-fuels.
She said: “I am personally for
the development of e-fuels. The waste management at this rally is an example
for all of us. Those examples can definitely boost the EU carbon neutral free
programme towards 2050.”
Her sentiments were shared by
Škoda Board Member for Technical Development, Dr. Johannes Neft, who said: “We
have to speak about sustainability in a holistic way. Thus, motorsport must fit
into our sustainability project. As we want to reduce our CO2 emissions by over
50%, we must work not only on reducing our carbon footprint, but we must also
try to invent new things endlessly, work on e-fuels or on bio composite parts
for example. Together with the FIA and the Promoter, we all go in the same
direction and the public needs to know what we are doing.”
CEO and Founder of P1 Fuels,
Martin Popilka, whose products have been developed and fine-tuned on the stages
of the WRC, highlighted the continuing work P1 Fuels is undertaking to reduce
the price per litre of its fuel for everyday road usage. An early adopter of P1
Fuels is Matias Henkola, founder and executive chairman of Rally Finland’s
naming rights sponsor Secto.
Henkola said: “The ideas are endless,
and the sense of urgency is shared and inspiring. At Secto LABS we will
continue pushing for sustainability while simultaneously enjoying the process,
showcasing just how spectacular a sustainable future can be.”
E-fuels weren't the only topic of
discussion. Lauri Perämäki and Haruka Arai from the Central Finland Mobility
Foundation (Cefmof) highlighted the advancements in hydrogen fuels, developed
in collaboration with Toyota Gazoo Racing and Toyota Mobility in Jyväskylä.
Other key speakers of note were ex-Formula
One driver and WRC competitor Heikki Kovalainen, former WRC winner and female
motorsport trailblazer Michele Mouton, FIA Sustainability and D&I Director
Sara Mariani, NEP Finland CEO Marko Vitanen and WRC Business Development
Manager Marc de Jong.
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