Is this the Future of Motorsport in Australia, as well as the World?

As car manufacturers strive to meet the challenge of energy efficiency, exciting advances in motorsport technology are leading the way.

With talk in Australia of emissions trading and with mandatory emission caps in both Europe and California, motor racing seems to be accepting that its future lies in energy efficiency. The peak body representing the car industry, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries welcomed Toyota's decision to begin production of a hybrid Camry in Australia from 2010. FCAI Chief Executive Andrew McKellar said that "Australian vehicle manufacturers are exploring a range of opportunities to achieve enhanced fuel efficiency and reduced carbon emissions".

The electric car market in Australia is moving out of its early adoption phase and electric cars will soon be part of mainstream sales. Now more then ever car enthusiasts, consumers and businesses alike will be able to experience the huge running cost savings associated with owning an electric car.

In the UK, the motorsport industry is developing environmentally-friendly technologies that go beyond racing. The green motorsport movement is part of the solution to creating greener cars - developing environmentally friendly technologies that go beyond racing

An Aston Martin fuelled by bio-ethanol is competing in the British GT Championship. And cars running on alternative energy are now in the LE Mans 24-Hours challenge. Even Formula One (F1), many of whose teams are UK-based, is exploring how to harness the massive braking power of its race cars and utilise it to drive the engines.

UK-based transmission supplier Xtrac helped Audi develop its ground-breaking diesel-powered R10 racing car: now this technology is being transferred to Audi's road cars. And these are plans to have cars using different fuels and engine technologies competing in the same UK championship.

Earlier this month (September 2009) Belgium recently took the lead among a set of top university teams vying for "zeroth place" in the Formula Zero European championship of hydrogen fuel cell cars. This carbon-free Grand Prix injects ingenuity and sustainability back into the races, starring get-up-and-go"karts" with a little H2O in their tailpipes.

Is this the start of a Motorsport Revolution? pardon the pun.....