Elite sport must ‘give it everything’ to become more sustainable: Formula E at COP28

Action from the Jakarta E-Prix in June 2023. (LAT Images)
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Updated 21 November 2023
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Elite sport must ‘give it everything’ to become more sustainable: Formula E at COP28

  • 28th UN climate summit will take place in Dubai from Nov. 30 until Dec. 12

DUBAI: Formula E will call on elite sport leaders to “give it everything” in their sustainability efforts when its representatives attend the UN’s COP28 summit.

The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, its teams and partners will be represented at the event by a delegation hoping to showcase how high-performance motorsport and sustainability can co-exist without compromise. Formula E is the world’s first sport to be net zero carbon since its inception.

COP28, which will be held in Dubai from Nov. 30 until Dec. 12, will see governments discuss how to limit and prepare for future climate change. It is the 28th such annual UN conference.

Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds said: “Elite sport reaches a global audience of billions every week. Athletes are among the most followed and influential people on the planet.

“Collectively, we have the potential to make positive changes for a more sustainable future and encourage fans to do the same. To use popular football manager parlance, we need to ‘give it everything.’”

The Formula E delegation attending COP28 will comprise teams and partners including ABB, DHL, UNICEF, NEOM McLaren Formula E Racing Team, and Envision Racing Formula E Team, using thought leadership sessions to highlight the benefits they draw from the series, such as technology development.

Formula E was conceived in 2011 by businessman Alejandro Agag (now Formula E founder and chairman) and the FIA as the first all-electric single-seater motor racing championship. Its mission is to showcase sustainable mobility in the heart of iconic world cities.

The first race was on the streets of Beijing in September 2014. Nine seasons and 116 races later, Formula E is the first electric world motor racing championship to be officially sanctioned by the FIA, motorsport’s governing body.

Last season, Formula E and the FIA introduced the GEN3 race car — the fastest, lightest, most powerful, efficient, and sustainable electric race car ever built, capable of reaching speeds of up to 200 mph/322 kph. Next season, a significant technological development will be the ability of regenerative braking to provide 50 percent of the car’s energy.

Last season saw Formula E’s drivers push the GEN3 to its limits, breaking every on-track speed and sporting record. Proving that sustainability in sport does not mean compromising on action, most races saw triple-digit overtaking maneuvers.

Series manufacturers include Jaguar, Porsche, Nissan, Mahindra, Maserati, DS Automobiles, and ERT.

In 2020 Formula E became the first sport in the world to have its emissions reductions targets validated by the Science Based Target initiative. It is on track to achieve its target of a 45 percent reduction by 2030 across Scopes 1, 2, and 3.

Season 10 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship begins in Mexico City on Saturday, Jan. 13. The series then travels to Diriyah, Hyderabad, Sao Paulo, Tokyo, Italy (venue to be announced), Monaco, Berlin, Shanghai, Portland, and London.


Aoki beat Brady to win dramatic E1 Jeddah GP and take early championship lead

Updated 24 January 2026
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Aoki beat Brady to win dramatic E1 Jeddah GP and take early championship lead

  • The win marked the second time Aoki Racing Team has triumphed in Jeddah, giving the outfit an early lead in the championship

JEDDAH: Aoki Racing Team claimed victory at the E1 Jeddah GP 2026 after an intense final on the waters of the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia, fending off defending champions Team Brady.

The win marked the second time Aoki Racing Team has triumphed in Jeddah, giving the outfit an early lead in the championship. Pilots Sara Misir and Dani Clos delivered a commanding performance in front of thousands of spectators, capitalizing on a decisive final run.

After the checkered flag, Team AlUla — championed by LeBron James — were promoted to third place after debutants Sierra Racing Club received a penalty for an overtaking infringement, dropping them to fifth.

The race was packed with drama from the outset, with Misir going foil-to-foil with Team Rafa’s Spanish pilot Cris Lazarraga into the opening corner. There was a slight touch between the two E1 RaceBirds, with Misir emerging ahead.

Teammate Clos had earlier done the groundwork in Final 1 to secure the inside lane for Misir. The Jamaican pilot then dominated the remaining six laps, showcasing a strong display of teamwork and race control.

Misir was also awarded the coveted PIF Pilot of the Day award in recognition of her outstanding performance on debut for Aoki Racing Team. Her racecraft, control and consistency under pressure stood out throughout the day’s racing.

The Jeddah race marked the championship’s now traditional Saudi season opener, reinforcing the Kingdom’s growing role in the future of electric sport, sustainable mobility and innovation on water.

Trophies were presented to Aoki Racing Team by HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, minister of sport; to Team Brady by HRH Prince Sultan bin Fahd bin Salman Al-Saud, chairman of the Saudi Water Sports and Diving Federation; and to Team AlUla pilots by Sophi Horne, founder and chairman of Seabird Technologies.

Misir said: “It feels good. Dani went out there and finished P1, so I knew I had big boots to fill. I went out, kept my head down and tried my hardest.”

Her teammate, Clos, added: “I’m on a cloud. This is an amazing place to be — I’m happy with Aoki Racing Team, happy with everyone around me. This is super special for us.”

Alejandro Agag, founder and chairman of E1, who also presented trophies to the winning representatives, said: “Seeing Aoki Racing Team clinch victory here today in Jeddah by beating the defending champions was an exhilarating spectacle, framed against the Red Sea skyline.

“All the teams were cheered on by thousands of spectators who gathered to watch the racing action. Our thanks go to them and our fantastic partners — the Saudi Water Sports and Diving Federation and the Ministry of Sport — who have once again extended their hospitality and helped us deliver an incredible event.”

Attention now turns to Lake Como, Italy, from April 24–25, as the championship heads to Europe for the next stop on its global tour.