DETROIT GRAND PRIX BECOMES FIRST-EVER MOTORSPORT EVENT TO EARN EVERGREEN CERTIFICATION FROM THE COUNCIL FOR RESPONSIBLE SPORT

DETROIT, Mich. (Jan. 16, 2026) – Continuing to raise the bar for sustainability and community engagement in motorsports, the 2025 Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear achieved Evergreen level certification from the Council for Responsible Sport. The Evergreen certification represents the highest possible designation from the Council for Responsible Sport and the Detroit Grand Prix is the first motorsports event worldwide to earn the special honor. The milestone certification reflects the Grand Prix’s continued commitment to environmental stewardship and the event’s efforts to make a positive impact across its local communities and neighborhoods.

Following the first year of the Grand Prix’s return to its original home on the Streets of Downtown Detroit, the 2023 Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear became the first motorsports event worldwide to earn Gold level certification from the Council for Responsible Sport. Recognizing and certifying events that meet a set of criteria for social and environmental responsibility objectives to make a positive impact in their communities, the Council for Responsible Sport has certified more than 250 events worldwide since 2007. After breaking new ground with its first Gold certification in 2023, the Detroit Grand Prix continued to build on its efforts with enhanced programs and initiatives as the event retained its Gold level status in 2024. Bolstered by continued sustainability efforts from the racing series that compete annually on the Downtown Detroit street circuit – including the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and INDY NXT by Firestone – the Detroit Grand Prix’s unique community engagement programs ultimately helped propel the event to its landmark Evergreen certification in 2025.

“The Detroit Grand Prix, alongside the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and the INDY NXT Series, continues to be a strong leader in sustainability in motorsport, achieving Evergreen certification for the 2025 event,” said Kat Phelan, Council for Responsible Sport Board Member and Verifier. “Through continued innovations such as the Safety-Kleen fluid recycling program – capturing used automotive fluids and preventing contaminants from reaching soil and waterways – the Detroit Grand Prix is championing meaningful environmental progress. We look forward to the continued positive impact this work will have on the world of motorsport.”

A key element of the Grand Prix’s Evergreen certification was its comprehensive and transparent measurement of greenhouse gas emissions. The event tracked and captured emissions over the course of the May 30-June 1, 2025 race weekend, marking a rigorous and proactive approach rarely seen in large-scale sporting events.

Partnerships and community-focused programs were also crucial in helping the 2025 Detroit Grand Prix reach Evergreen certification. Penske Truck Rental expanded its partnership with the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear to offset carbon emissions, not only for fan travel to the Grand Prix but also for operational and mobile fuel combustion, by investing in carbon sequestration programs across the Midwest. In collaboration with its partners at Priority Waste, the Grand Prix also broadened its recycling and waste diversion programs during last summer’s event weekend. Event organizers also worked closely with Grand Prix partners to foster community engagement, sustainability initiatives, youth enrichment, small business empowerment and arts and culture opportunities across the City of Detroit.

With support from Grand Prix Community Partners American Axle & Manufacturing, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Delta Air Lines, Delta Dental, DTE Foundation, Henry Ford Health, Huntington Bank, Lear Corporation and PNC Bank, the Grand Prix provided engaging opportunities for Detroit neighborhoods, businesses and communities to connect with the event.

For the third consecutive year, the Detroit Grand Prix’s Small Business Straightaway added to the community element of a special weekend in the Motor City in 2025. The Small Business Straightaway shined a spotlight on seven locally-owned businesses with a special focus on those owned by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) individuals, as well as women-owned and LGBTQ+ enterprises from every district in Detroit. The Grand Prix provided a platform for the eclectic collection of businesses to engage with event attendees while benefitting from the race weekend’s economic boost to the city.

Students from the Boys and Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan designed seven unique art murals honoring local communities displayed trackside during the Grand Prix weekend. The murals, each measuring 24 feet long by three feet high, were placed on the barrier walls surrounding the Downtown Detroit street circuit, in front of the free viewing platforms on Jefferson Avenue. New for 2025, a select group of Boys and Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan students also formed the Grand Prix Correspondents Club, which provided the opportunity to learn about different forms of media, communications and marketing, focused on motorsports.

Fueled by the commitment of its partners, the 2025 Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear once again offered an inclusive experience for fans with over half of the event's footprint accessible for free throughout race weekend.

For the third consecutive year, the 2025 Grand Prix welcomed approximately 150,000 people to Downtown Detroit, injecting millions of dollars in total spending into the local economy. In addition to the paid attendance areas inside the event’s footprint, the Grand Prix once again provided free access in Hart Plaza, Spirit Plaza, the Detroit Riverwalk, down Woodward Avenue to Cadillac Square and Campus Martius Park and all along Jefferson Avenue, through raised viewing platforms and activation areas on the blocks immediately north of the race circuit, made possible through the support of the event’s community partners.

“Achieving Evergreen Certification is a tremendous milestone for the Detroit Grand Prix and a testament to the dedication of our entire team, our loyal partners, and the Detroit community,” said Michael Montri, President of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear. “We are proud to help lead the way in motorsport sustainability and to demonstrate how major events can create meaningful environmental and social impact.”