On the Rally Track to Sustainability
- Romy Kraus
- Mar 30
- 4 min read
Inside WRC’s bold environmental shift, the business of racing green, and what Kenya’s Safari Rally is teaching the world
Inside WRC’s push for planet-positive racing, from tire tech to vultures and volcanoes
What happens when rally cars meet renewable energy, and tire companies go circular? At this game-changing panel hosted by Rally TV’s Kiri Bloore, the WRC’s top voices tackled the biggest challenge facing motorsport: how to race into the future without wrecking the planet.
Marc de Jong (Head of Business Development, WRC Promoter GmbH), Peris Njoroge (Sustainability Manager, WRC Safari Rally Kenya), and Filip Pawelka (Senior Marketing Manager, Europe, Hankook Tire) weren’t here to greenwash. From biodiversity blueprints in Kenya to Hankook’s recycled rubber revolution, they showed what it looks like when sustainability isn’t a slogan—it’s the entire game plan.
The Lowdown
— WRC’s 64-page “Road Book” outlines yearly, 5-year, and 10-year sustainability goals across innovation, emissions, biodiversity, inclusion, and operations.— WRC holds the record for most FIA 3-star environmental accreditations among championships.— Hankook’s Formula E tires now use 35% sustainable materials—with zero performance drop.— Safari Rally Kenya runs through World Heritage Sites and protected wetlands, using rally routes to highlight environmental innovation.— Hankook is targeting net zero by 2050, with regular progress reports, not just promises.— WRC’s broadcast strategy cuts air miles by 70% with a remote hub in Helsinki.— Kenya leads with 90% green energy—rallying is amplifying that fact to a global audience.
“Sustainability Lives Inside Us” — Marc de Jong
WRC’s Road Book isn’t a vision—it’s a checklist
Sustainability isn’t an add-on anymore. It’s threaded into how the WRC operates—from fuel cells and electric support vehicles to year-on-year reporting and ISO standards. Marc described it as a cultural shift: every rally decision now asks, “Is this reduce, reuse, recycle?”
“We’re the championship with the most three-star accreditation partners. It’s not something you buy at a supermarket—it’s something you do.” — Marc de Jong
“The Audience Expects It—Or Rejects It” — Filip Pawelka
For Hankook, performance and sustainability go hand in hand
In Formula E, Hankook ramped up to 35% sustainable materials in their tires. Performance didn’t dip. In fact, it often improved. But WRC’s audience is different—they crave speed, not sustainability lectures. Filip emphasized the art of balance: teach, don’t preach.
“If you overwhelm WRC fans, they’ll be irritated. You have to pick your spots.” — Filip Pawelka
“From Blow-Up Banners to Backpacks” — Filip Pawelka
Small changes still make a statement
Hankook doesn’t just think big—they think circular. Old Uefa event banners? Repurposed into backpacks by a factory that employs people with disabilities. It’s sustainability that touches fans directly.
“We’re not just reducing waste. We’re turning it into something people use and love.” — Filip Pawelka
“90% of Our Energy Is Green” — Peris Njoroge
Kenya’s Safari Rally is more than motorsport—it’s an environmental blueprint
Peris laid it out: they rally through wildlife conservancies, wetlands, and heritage sites. So they schedule stages around nesting vultures. Camp Moran’s stage supports silk bandages for soldiers. The geothermal zone powers 90% of Kenya with clean energy—and the rally routes spotlight it all.
“We don’t just plant trees. We grow them—8.9 million in three years.” — Peris Njoroge
“The Tires Already Have a Story” — Filip Pawelka
And the goal is to tell it better
Even in WRC, every tire contains a percentage of recycled material—and every tire is recycled. Hankook is working to bump sustainable content in rally tires to 20%+. It’s not just a tech win; it’s a comms challenge.
“It’s about bringing fans along—without losing the thrill.” — Filip Pawelka
“What We Learn Here Should Move the World” — Marc de Jong
WRC tech isn’t just fast—it’s future-ready
WRC isn’t just innovating for itself. Lighter, cleaner, more efficient rally tech should inspire consumer mobility, logistics, and engineering across industries. They’ve already slashed broadcast freight emissions by 70%, built green energy service parks, and are working with the European Space Agency on rally crowd movement data.
“If we’re not seen as the solution, we’re the problem.” — Marc de Jong
“It Starts With Support From the Top” — Peris Njoroge
How Kenya brought WRC back—with purpose
Getting WRC back to Kenya in 2021 wasn’t just logistics—it was a political and cultural lift. Peris credited strong government support and stakeholder engagement for enabling deep sustainability. Now, the rally doesn’t just respect the land—it restores it.
“From national policies to the graf’s food supply, sustainability is woven through everything we do.” — Peris Njoroge
Quickfire
Q: What tech is changing your sustainability game?
Filip Pawelka: EV-specific tires and AI-powered production that cuts waste.
Q: How do you balance long-haul events with green goals?
Marc de Jong: You offset—and you learn. We’re studying everything from freight reuse to partnering with local leagues and even sharing logistics with football teams.
Q: How do fans factor into your sustainability message?
Filip Pawelka: You teach them, but don’t shove it down their throats. WRC fans want speed—so show how sustainability makes that possible.
Q: What’s “Beyond Rally”?
Marc de Jong: A platform for all the things motorsport impacts—diversity, tech, environment. It’s a way to share and scale what we learn in WRC with the world.
