September was the hottest month since records began, and the numerous extreme weather events, whether ice shrinkage in the Arctic and Antarctic, wildfires in California or floods in France, are finally beginning to get through to climate sceptics. COVID-19 may be overshadowing everything just now, but there is this nagging feeling that if we can’t even handle that effectively, how can we overcome this far greater challenge? It is by no means all bad news on the climate breakdown side, though, as illustrated by two stories juxtaposed in the Financial Times recently.
The first was the announcement that Honda is pulling out of developing and producing engines for the F1 series, the world’s premier motor-racing competition. That will leave just three manufacturers making F1 engines – Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari – and casts some doubt over the future of the sport.
Honda has not been as significant as its three rivals. It withdrew once before – after the 2008 financial crash – but started up again in 2015, supplying engines for two of the ten teams. Now it is pulling out for good, following a decision to shift its engineering research and development personnel to electric and fuel-cell vehicles.
