Radical racer Gavin McAlpine made history during last weekend’s Hagerty Radical Cup UK, becoming the first driver to use synthetic fuel during the Championship. The green ‘number 17’ car crossed the finish line at Oulton Park Circuit last weekend using the “drop-in” SUSTAIN Classic Super 80 fuel from UK-based Coryton, without any modification to his SR3 XXR.
Supported by RAW Motorsports, Gavin McAlpine and his Radical SR3 XXR contested the third round of the single-make championship in front of over 20,000 spectators, with sustainable fuel developed by bespoke fuel specialist Coryton.
SUSTAIN fuels are developed by bespoke fuel specialist Coryton. The fuels currently derive predominantly from second-generation biofuels manufactured from agricultural waste, such as straw, by-products or waste from crops which wouldn’t be used for consumption. This means they utilise the carbon that already exists in our atmosphere, which the plants absorb as they grow, recycling it, rather than releasing additional CO2, as fossil fuels do.
Speaking about his decision to use sustainable fuel, Gavin McAlpine said:
“I have been exploring sustainable fuels for some years now. Two of the passions in my life are the natural world and the automotive world. And I believe that technological developments are the solution to many of the world environmental issues so being able to indulge now one of my passions and contribute to a sustainable low carbon future is great step forward for me personally, for the racing community and of course the future of transportation.”
Gavin’s passion for renewable energy and his fascination with innovation and technical possibilities has led him to become Chairman of RES (Renewable Energy Systems) the largest global independent renewable energy company now employing 5,000 people and operating across 24 countries developing, constructing and operating large-scale renewable energy projects around the world.
Radical Motorsport’s Global Head of Marketing, Jon Roach, added:
“The recent developments in sustainable fuel is an exciting step forward for motorsport, offering an alternative solution that can be enjoyed by owners of older cars without the need to make any modifications, and without any impact on performance. Seeing one Radical on the grid here in the UK is a small step, but a step in the right direction and hopefully will provide the catalyst to start the right conversations.“
Before the race weekend the engineering team at the Radical factory in Peterborough carried out extensive testing with the SUSTAIN Super 80 fuel to ensure that no calibration would be required at the race track, and also that running the fuel would not give any advantage or disadvantage compared to the rest of the Radical grid running the championship-regulated fuel.
SUSTAIN Classic Super 80 is a “drop-in fuel”, meaning it can be mixed with all traditional fossil petrols and with no modifications needed to the vehicle. Furthermore, the fuel undergoes a complete molecular restructure to produce a fuel that looks identical to traditional fossil petrol, but from biological sources with less than 1% ethanol to mitigate against the common issues of corrosion caused by a higher percentage of ethanol content. The blend is based on 80% renewable materials and delivers a minimum 65% greenhouse gas saving when compared to traditional fossil fuel, taking into account the carbon costs used to produce and transport the product.
David Richardson, New Business Director at Coryton, said:
“We’re delighted to be celebrating this sustainable first for the Hagerty Radical Cup UK and to have worked with Gavin and his team to make it happen. Through events like this, we can showcase the power of sustainable fuels and their ability to preserve the sights and sounds of motorsport, without relying on fossil fuel for our ICE engines. Every new milestone we mark takes us one step closer to a cleaner future, and we hope it inspires many more within the industry to explore the technology available.”
