Racing greens - [engineering automotive]

The World Motor Sport Council vetoed development into fossil fuel-guzzling Formula One engines, instead encouraging the industry to focus on alternatives such as hybrid fuel systems. At the same time, Formula One is pushing hybrid drive systems that recover braking energy in race cars, while governing body the FIA has a 'Make Cars Green' website, aiming to reduce the impact of cars on the environment. But while the lion's share of race car development has focused on cutting carbon emissions, a team of researchers from Warwick University and the Warwick Innovative Manufacturing Research Centre in the UK wants to do more. Their proof- of-concept Formula 3 race car - 'WorldFirst' - not only runs on a biodiesel blend of waste cocoa butter and vegetable oil, but has been built with a host of unconventional sustainable materials, including flax, carrot fibre and potato starch.