TotalEnergies, a French energy giant, has ventured into sustainable sportscar fuel with its Excellium Racing 100, derived from grape residues. Initially launched in collaboration with the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) for the World Endurance Championship (WEC), it has now extended its reach to the GT World Challenge under the SRO Motorsports Group.
The partnership with SRO means that the GT World Challenge (Europe and Asia) will adopt Excellium Racing 100 from 2024, starting with the 75th edition of the 24 Hours of Spa. TotalEnergies sees this as a crucial step towards promoting sustainability in the GT3 world, aligning with the shift in regulations across sportscar racing.
With both WEC and GT World Challenge adopting the GT3 rule set, the transition to Excellium Racing 100 wasn’t overly challenging technically. The fuel has been fine-tuned through experience gained from supplying the WEC, ensuring seamless integration into the GT3 grid.
Maintaining fairness and equality among competitors is a priority for control fuel suppliers like TotalEnergies. Preparing for the switch involves extensive testing to ensure compatibility and performance parity across different teams and manufacturers.
Despite the switch to sustainable fuel, performance remains consistent, with minimal perceptible differences for drivers and spectators. The focus has always been on meeting performance targets while reducing carbon emissions, rather than enhancing power output.
TotalEnergies’ experience gained from supplying the WEC facilitates a smoother transition for teams moving into GT3, offering support and expertise in fuel usage and engine tuning.
The gradual rollout of Excellium Racing 100 reflects TotalEnergies’ strategic approach to sustainable fuel deployment in motorsport. With careful consideration of compatibility and customer needs, expansion into other racing categories remains a possibility for the future.
Ultimately, the adoption of sustainable fuel in GT racing signifies a broader commitment to carbon emissions reduction, with positive feedback from teams affirming the necessity of such changes for the future of the championship.
