Accelerated development

Racing has always served as the ultimate proving ground for new automotive technologies. Anything to make cars go faster, handle better, more reliably has been developed and tested on the track.

That's why I found this car from World First Racing so interesting. It's a Formula 3 racer, made from sustainable materials and powered by renewable fuels.

Scheduled to make its debut last fall at Brands Hatch, it didn't race because of a technicality, but this begs the question. Other than burning ethanol at Indy and Audi's diesel fueled GP cars, why haven't the auto companies used racing to develop alternative fuel technologies?

A few years ago Peter Delorenzo tried to form the Hydrogen Electric Racing Federation. I'm sure Detroit's economic woes put a crimp in those plans. But it's an idea worth reconsidering.

If we want our hybrid and electric cars to go farther, faster and more reliably, lets put them in the hands of the guys who are used to tinkering under tight timelines and developing new solutions to get them into victory lane.

It just might make auto racing relevant again.