Formula 1 teams aren’t usually associated with carbon removal. But Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS just made one of the most diversified CDR investments any sports organization has ever announced.

Seven Projects, Six Pathways

The team added seven new removal projects covering:

  • Direct Air Capture (DAC)
  • Biomass Storage
  • Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS)
  • Biochar
  • Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement (OAE)
  • Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW)

Combined with earlier investments through Frontier and Chestnut Carbon, the total portfolio now covers approximately 18,900 tCO₂e across Brazil, Canada, the US, UK, Denmark, and India. The portfolio is curated by CUR8, a carbon removal marketplace focused on rigorous project evaluation.

Why This Matters Beyond Motorsport

The number itself — 18,900 tonnes — won’t move the planetary needle. Global emissions sit around 38 billion tonnes. But the structure of this investment matters.

Most corporate CDR portfolios lean heavily on one or two pathways. Nature-based credits dominate because they’re cheap. Mercedes instead chose to spread across the entire technology spectrum, from established (biochar) to frontier (OAE, DAC). That’s a portfolio strategy, not a box-ticking exercise.

The geographic spread also signals intentionality. Projects in India and Brazil mean the team is putting money into regions where CDR can deliver economic co-benefits alongside carbon removal — jobs, soil health, infrastructure.

The Corporate Buyer Problem

Here’s the tension: [Microsoft bought 93% of all CDR credits in 2025](https://www.captaindrawdown.com/posts/2026-03-05-cdr-daily-digest/). The market desperately needs more buyers. Mercedes joining — even at relatively modest volumes — signals that CDR isn’t just a Big Tech play. It has a natural home in any organization serious about net-zero claims.

As Alice Ashpitel, Mercedes F1’s Head of Sustainability, put it: “Emissions reduction remains our priority, and high-quality carbon removals are essential for tackling the residual emissions that remain.”

Exactly right. Reduce first, remove what’s left. More companies should follow this playbook.

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