A circular from controlling body Motorsport South Africa allows competitors to use eco fuels starting with this weekend’s Toyota Cape Dealer Rally in the Western Cape. Competitors may now use an ethanol-based gasoline blend with a maximum ethanol content of between 84 and 86 percent measured by mass.
The gasoline component of the blend will be 95 octane unleaded petrol. The MSA regulation added that national championship competitors may be required to nominate at any time during a season the brand and type of fuel to be utilised by them.
The fuel, complying with rules and regulations, can be from any supplier, or the ethanol/gasoline blend. Competitors may then only utilise the brand and type of fuel they have nominated for the rest of the season.
A competitor who then wants to change the type of fuel nominated must give written notice to the MSA Rally Commission before the start of any round of the championship. The competitor would then be required to use the newly nominated fuel choice for the remainder of the season.
MSA chief executive officer Francois Pretorius said the move strengthened the organisation’s commitment to preserving the environment. In 1996 MSA became the first national sports federation in South Africa to adopt an environmental code and appointed a specialist environmental panel as part of their structure.
Through this management structure MSA ensures that the highest environmental standards are met during the organisation and hosting of more than 1 200 motorsport events annually in South Africa. It also promotes environmental education among all motorsport role players and approximately 16 000 licensed competitors.
“We are deeply conscious of the role we can play in preserving our environment,” Pretorius said. “We will continue to take the lead in this regard, and the introduction of bio fuel into rallying is another indication of our commitment to do all we can to make our planet a better place on which to live.”