Autosport International
Paddy Lowe to headline Autosport International Connect
Former Formula 1 technical chief Paddy Lowe will be one of the star names at Autosport International Connect to debate the future of automotive and motorsport fuel sources
Lowe will feature as part of the line-up of the virtual event ASI Connect taking place on 10-11 March to discuss the options for both renewable and net-zero carbon fuels that are transforming the industry.
The former F1 technical boss at Williams, McLaren and Mercedes has embarked on a new venture, Zero Petroleum, which is studying and developing the creation of synthetic fuel sources, which he believes will be part of the industry's cleaner future and can rival the rise in electrification.
It provides an intriguing dynamic following the technological advances in both electric-powered vehicles and synthetic fuels, with Lowe set to weigh in on the debate at ASI Connect.
"The need to move away from fossil fuels has never been clearer," Lowe said. "We are in a climate emergency. Electric vehicles are fantastic for many situations where weight and endurance aren't performance imperatives.
"However, the low energy density of batteries compared to liquid petroleum fuels (gasoline, kerosene, diesel) means there are many applications where electric power isn't an option and won't be in the foreseeable future."
The debate comes as major motorsport championships plot out futures using sustainable fuels, including Formula 1 - which aims to be net-zero carbon by 2030 with biofuels set to play a key role - while the World Touring Car Cup also recently announced a move into using sustainable bio fuels from this year. The inaugural Extreme E season also begins in 2021, plus the start of the seventh season of the Formula E world championship.
"The advantages of Zero Petroleum lie in their ease of application," Lowe added. "They can be used in combustion engines and plug-in hybrids and can make use of the existing network of petrol stations.
"The fuel we will produce is a drop-in solution. It will enable vehicles to run without any engine modification, creating a perfect net-zero carbon energy source for the transportation, motorsport and classic car industries."
Lowe will take part in an online-only event alongside industry leaders, who normally attend the live Autosport International show, to both network and discuss the future of motorsport.
Virtual attendees to ASI Connect will be able to book appointments and network through the event's bespoke mobile and desktop app, while also receiving a six month Autosport Plus subscription when they register.
For more information on ASI Connect, the latest show announcements and the chance to join the event please visit: www.autosportinternational.com
Magazine: Why McLaren can win again in F1
Top touring car and sportcar squad Schnitzer Motorsport set to be liquidated
Rating the best drivers of the century so far
Autosport's Top 50 feature has been a staple of the magazine for the past two decades since its first appearance in 2002. Here are the drivers that have featured most prevalently during that time
The best motorsport moments of 2021
Motorsport produced one of its greatest years of all-time in 2021 despite a backdrop of ongoing COVID-19 challenges and an ever-changing racing landscape. Through the non-stop action Autosport has collected the finest moments from the past 12 months to highlight the incredible drama and joy motorsport generates
The racing comeback artists who resurrected long-dormant careers
Making it in motorsport can be tough, and sometimes drivers move elsewhere before their best chance arrives. Here are some of those who made it back
The hidden racing gem attracting ex-F1 heroes
It’s rarely mentioned when it comes to assessing the best national contests, but the Brazilian Stock Car series that reaches its climax this weekend has an ever-growing appeal. Its expanding roster of ex-Formula 1 names has helped to draw in new fans, but it's the closeness of competition that keeps them watching
The one-time Schumacher rival rebooting his career Down Under
Joey Mawson made waves in the middle of the last decade, beating future Haas Formula 1 driver Mick Schumacher - among other highly-rated talents - to the 2016 German F4 title. A run in F1's feeder GP3 category only caused his career to stall, but now back in Australia Mawson's S5000 title success has set that to rights
The lesson football’s would-be wreckers could learn from racing
OPINION: The greed-driven push for a European Super League that threatened to tear football apart is collapsing at the seams. Motor racing's equivalent, the football-themed Superleague Formula series of 2008-11, was everything that the proposed ESL never could be
The F1 and Indy 'nearly man' that found contentment in Japan
Having had the door to F1 slammed in his face and come within three laps of winning the Indianapolis 500, the collapse of a Peugeot LMP1 shot meant Japan was Bertrand Baguette's last chance of a career. But it's one which he has grasped with both hands
The female all-rounder who arrived "too early"
From Formula 3 to truck racing, Dakar and EuroNASCAR via a winning stint in the DTM, there's not much Ellen Lohr hasn't seen in a stellar racing career that highlights the merit in being a generalist. But she believes her career came too early...