The Australian Racing Drivers’ Club (ARDC is pleased to announce that Sydney Motorsport Park (SMSP), which it manages in partnership with the NSW Government, has received Australia’s first and only sustainability accreditation[TN1] from motorsport’s governing body, the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), as part of its Environmental Accreditation Programme.
This remarkable achievement places Sydney Motorsport Park among an elite group of just 19 world-class venues, including Silverstone, Monza, Imola, and Mugello, to have earned this prestigious industry accreditation. Additionally, SMSP has advanced directly to a two-star rating out of a possible three stars, thanks to its impressive progress in the field of sustainability.
In July of this year, SMSP again retained its status of Australia’s #1 most sustainable circuit in the global Sustainable Circuits Index, which it has held since 2021. SMSP remains the only permanent racetrack in Australia to receive a ranking in the internationally recognised index. [TN2]
ARDC Sustainability Manager, Tan Nguyen, was pleased for SMSP to continue to lead the way in Australian Motorsport.
“Sustainability in motorsport is so much more than repurposing consumables like tyres, it’s about adapting a mindset towards more environmentally friendly methods and processes,” said Tan.
“Most importantly, however, it’s about instilling a culture of constant improvement.”
ARDC CEO, Glenn Matthews, echoed Tan’s sentiments, and acknowledged that tackling sustainability is a shared responsibility.
“The ARDC partners with a range of leading organisations that share our vision, including Closed Loop and global beverage group, Asahi,” Glenn said.
“SMSP’s international recognition for sustainability is testament to the relentless dedication and hard work of our partners.”
As a major drawcard in the Supercars season race calendar, the night round held at SMSP in July once again saw the multi-faceted entertainment precinct beat its own sustainability performance, diverting 76% of waste generated from landfill – a 10% improvement over the 2023 event.
Supercars COO, Tim Watsford, commended the ARDC for its fierce support of the premiere motorsport category’s own drive for more environmentally friendly practises.
“Like every facet of our sport, sustainability is a team effort and something we aspire to do together,” said Tim.
“The ARDC and its running of Sydney Motorsport Park is the gold standard for sustainable best practise in Australia, and we relish the opportunity to continue to push each other to improve and reach for even better outcomes in the future.”
By the Numbers: Sustainability at SMSP
With several months still to go, 2024 is continuing to shape up as another strong year of sustainable performance for the ARDC and SMSP, with the circuit already achieving the following in the first nine months of the year:
- Processed 894.7m³ of waste, with 650.5 m³ saved from landfill through recycling, repurposing, and composting.
- 6700 litres of cooking and motor oil recycled and used for other purposed, such as biodiesel.
- Over 60,000 coffee cups recycled and sent for upcycling projects, including building and construction materials.
- All waste was hand sorted on-site into 9 distinct waste streams: General Waste, Comingled Recycling, Paper & Cardboard, Simply Cups, Container Deposit Scheme, Organics, EPS (Polystyrene Foam), Scrap Metal, and Oil.
[TN1]Sydney Motorsport Park is the FIRST and ONLY circuit in Australia to receive FIA’s Environmental Accreditation
[TN2]Many other Australian circuits are included in the index but none of them received a ranking (e.g., Phillip Island, QR, The Bend)
