Lewis Hamilton to race Toyota Prius at Monaco in 2009

No, not really, although they will be racing hybrids next year. From the "Token Gesture" Department:

Formula One teams and drivers have signalled their readiness to embrace eco-technology and other environmental initiatives being championed by the sport's governing body.

There is widespread agreement that the fuel-guzzling sport must respond in a responsible way to the environmental challenges of the modern era, with unique green-grooved tyres being run at this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix.

The tyres are largely symbolic although next season energy-regenerating hybrid devices, which store energy otherwise lost during braking and convert it into power, will be introduced to Formula One.

Regenerative brakes aren't going to make much of a dent in the gargantuan copper-bottomed carbon footprint of the whole Formula 1 roadshow...

Top drivers also jumped on board the eco-bandwagon, keen to do their part to raise public awareness of green issues.

"Green technology is the future of Formula One and we can help ensure it will be the future on our roads as well," said Ferrari's Felipe Massa.

"As drivers in the public limelight it is good that we can help spread these important environmental messages."

Massa's teammate, defending world champion Kimi Raikkonen, said he would do anything he could to help save the planet.

"If the safety and the new green technology lessons learned in motor sport are applied to motoring then the sport will have played a really important part in saving lives as well as perhaps helping to save the planet," he said.

Read it here.