TT newcomer Ryan Garside wrote a small piece of racing history in the opening Carole Nash Sportbike TT yesterday, when he finished 28th on a Triumph Daytona 660 running on a 102 octane racing biofuel developed by British company Sustain.
Although not delivering zero emissions at the tailpipe, the fuel is more sustainable than regular petrol and was claimed to reduce the overall carbon footprint by around 80% when we spoke to the men behind it a few years ago.
The fuel used by Garside contains less than 0.1% ethanol content and is made mainly from fermented second-generation biomass such as food and agricultural waste, straw and other non-food by-products which would otherwise be thrown away. Sustain say that, unlike conventional fossil fuels where carbon stored underground for millions of years is released as CO2, these feedstocks are recycling carbon already in the atmosphere. In addition to racing, the company says that the fuel is ideal for classic cars and motorcycles, where it can be used with no modifications to the vehicle thanks to its high octane rating and low ethanol content.
We spoke to Garside before the race and he told us that the performance was ‘identical’ to running regular racing fuel, and was ‘better’ than the regular 95 octane pump fuel he would normally use. He told us: “We put it on the dyno of (tuning specialist) Frank Wrathall, and asked him for an honest opinion. He said that if we hadn’t told him he wouldn’t have known any different. You can only tell because it’s got no colour and it smells different!”
Ryan’s bike is entered by It’s Legit Racing, with team owner Mark Bannister adding: “As a team, we believe sustainable fuels are key to securing a brighter future for our sport and the planet. Behind the scenes, we’ve spent months putting Sustain to the test and have been really impressed by the results. Now, it’s time to prove this performance on the course, and we can’t wait to get started.”
Sustain brand manager Suresh Nahar added: “Over the past two years, we’ve built real momentum in the motorcycling community, joining forces with forward-thinking brands, events, and enthusiasts looking to protect their passions while reducing their environmental impact. Through our new partnership with It’s Legit Racing, we hope to build on this success even further, bringing a sustainable fuel blend to the Isle of Man TT for the very first time and working with an incredibly talented team to show just what it’s capable of.”
Sustain says its FIM-approved fuel, called Moto 40 and containing 40% sustainable content, reduces greenhouses gases by an estimated 38%. A similar fuel, blended by Malaysian giant Petronas, is used in the Moto2 world championship – with all Grand Prix classes expected to move to 100% sustainable fuels next year. Suzuki has also been at the forefront of developing sustainable fuel and consumables in endurance racing, with its CN (carbon neutral) project not only seeing the bike powered by 100% sustainable fuels, but also lubricated with bio-sourced engine oil and running on tyres made from recycled material.
