At the FIA General Assemblies week in Kigali, Rwanda, FIA Regional Sport Clubs Meetings highlighted innovation, collaboration, and grassroots growth, and FIA programmes to empower Member Clubs and drive a positive future for motorsport globally.
FIA North & South America Sport Clubs meeting
Chaired by Daniel Coen, the FIA North & South America Sport Clubs Meeting highlighted strategic initiatives to advance motorsport across the region.
Valerio Iachizzi welcomed participants and commended the region’s collaboration and responsiveness. Key updates included the FIA Motorsport Funding Programme’s 2026 timeline, set to strengthen grassroots initiatives, and the presentation of the FIA eLibrary — a valuable resource preserving historical knowledge for FIA Member Clubs.
After celebrating achievements like the Campeonato Centroamericano de Kartismo and South American Karting Championship, participants looked ahead to 2025 with plans for a Pan-American Rally, a restructured Caribbean Junior Karting Championship, esports events, and training programmes.
The Jamaica Millennium Motoring Club provided updates on the Caribbean Drag Racing Cup, while the Barbados Motoring Federation and the Federación Dominicana de Automovilismo, highlighted the growth potential of OK-N Karting, offering cost-effective pathways for young drivers aligned with FIA standards.
The meeting reinforced the Americas’ dedication to innovation, collaboration, and progress in motorsport.
Asia Pacific Sport Clubs Meeting
Chaired by Lung Nien Lee, the Asia Pacific Sports Clubs Meeting celebrated a year of achievements in 2024 and outlined ambitious plans for 2025, with a strong focus on growth, accessibility, and grassroots engagement.
FIA Secretary General for Sport Valerio Iachizzi applauded a successful year of engagement, communication and sporting events, and introduced FIA General Manager Alberto Villarreal to the Members of the region, highlighting how his leadership reinforces the Federation’s people-centric mission.
Key updates from working groups were presented:
- Karting Working Group (Mark Horsley): Celebrated successful events in 2024, including the Asia Pacific Karting Championship, and emphasised the need for robust data collection to guide long-term strategies and increase female participation from the current 5–7%.
- Gymkhana Working Group (Dr. Yeung): Re-established the Asia Auto-Gymkhana Championship and announced plans for a four-round series in 2025, targeting participation from 16 ASNs.
- Rally Working Group (Loay Siregar): Introduced Sprint Rally in Indonesia as an affordable entry-level event, attracting over 150 participants.
- Volunteers and Officials Working Group (Dave Morrie): Highlighted programmes like First Gear and Girls on Track, achieving a 25% increase in officials and a 37% growth in female participation. Morrie stressed the importance of retaining volunteers through structured development initiatives.
- Karting Slalom Working Group (Niroshan Pereira): Outlined Karting Slalom activities across eight countries and training plans for the Asia Pacific Motorsport Championship (APMC) 2025.
- Esports Working Group (Alex Yoong): Reported on key events such as the Asia Pacific Esports Formula Cup and Cluster Training, with a focus on expanding grassroots competitions and fostering diversity.
Looking ahead, the Asia Pacific Motorsport Championship 2025 in Sri Lanka will feature six disciplines, prioritising affordability, accessibility, and regional unity. The meeting reaffirmed the FIA’s dedication to innovaiton and inclusivity, driving the future of motorsport across the region.
MENA Sport Club Meeting
Chaired by Essa Hamza Alfailakawi in the absence of FIA Vice President for Sport MENA Abdulla bin Isa Al Khalifa and HRH Prince Khalid Al Faisal, the meeting emphasised the importance of collaboration and innovation for the sport development in the region.
A moment of silence honoured Brigadier Salim bin Ali bin Khalifa al Maskary, former chairman of the Oman Automobile Association, acknowledging his impactful contributions to the FIA Community.
FIA Secretary General for Sport Valerio Iachizzi welcomed attendees, reaffirming his support for MENA Member Clubs and expressing his enthusiasm for the upcoming MENA Karting Cup in Doha in one week.
To empower its Members, the FIA presented key initiatives, including the FIA University programmes, FIA Motorsport Engineering Scholarship, FIA Motorsport Accelerator Programme, FIA Motorsport Funding Programme, and the eLibrary.
The FIA President’s Development Fund was highlighted as a transformative initiative aiming to boost motorsport participation. FIA Head of Sports Club Development & Education Greg Symes outlined eligibility criteria and encouraged engagement.
FIA Karting Commission President Akbar Ebrahim presented the Global Karting Plan, that aims to make Karting more accessible and affordable. Key pillars include a dedicated taskforce, President’s medals for top national karters, an “Arrive and Drive” format, and Karting Excellence Centres. The plan provides an alternative pathway for young drivers, complementing rather than replacing existing manufacturer and team-based competitions.
Sustainability remained a key focus. EMSO CEO Mahir Badri showcased the Club’s solar-powered facilities and eco-friendly initiatives, encouraging FIA Member Clubs in the MENA region to pursue and achieve FIA Environmental Accreditation.
The meeting also stressed the need for better coordination of cross-border events and the development of a unified regional motorsport calendar.
African Sports Club Meeting
Chaired by Rodrigo Rocha, the Africa Sport Clubs Meeting united ASNs and ACNs from across the continent to craft a dynamic vision for the future of motorsport in Africa.
Rodrigo Rocha made a reference to the Rwanda Automobile Club for hosting the event, the first ever of the kind, taking place in the African soil. He encouraged participants to prioritise innovation and collaboration as key drivers for ensuring the sustainability and growth of motorsport disciplines across the region.
Jerome Russell, FIA Head of Cross-Country, Baja, and Regional Rally, and Ronan Morgan, President of the FIA Drivers’ Committee, were joined by Dieter Rencken, recently appointed Executive Advisor to the FIA Road Sport Department and recognised for his rally expertise in Africa, to lead discussions on addressing declining participation in the African Rally Championship (ARC). The proposals included integrating Side-by-Side Vehicles (SSVs) and cross-country vehicles by 2025 to widen participation, transitioning to a Baja-style format by 2026 to enhance the championship’s appeal, and positioning the Safari Rally Kenya as a flagship event to increase visibility. The strategy also emphasised fostering grassroots engagement through affordable vehicle categories and talent development to ensure long-term sustainability and growth.
Key FIA updates included the FIA President’s Development Fund, the FIA University programmes, Motorsport in a Box, and the Affordable Cross Car project. Additionally, the FIA Immersion Programme, set to return in 2025, was highlighted as a valuable platform for equipping young Club staff with the knowledge and skills needed to strengthen their organisations and contribute to the global motorsport community.
Looking ahead, the meeting outlined ambitious plans to elevate African motorsport on the global stage:
- African Rally Championship Update: The championship will transition to a single event integrated into the WRC Safari Rally.
- African Karting Cup Evolution: Plans are underway to expand the second edition of the African Karting Cup into a larger event inspired by the FIA Motorsport Games. Discussions include rebranding it as the African Motorsport Competition, reflecting a broader scope. The inaugural edition is proposed for the first weekend of August 2025 in Maputo, Mozambique.
- Future ARC Events: Upcoming ARC events will be restructured and converted into either Affordable Cross Car events or Baja/World Rally Raid competitions.
- Cross-Country Rally Expansion: A new World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) event will take place in South Africa from May 19-24, 2025. This event will act as a model for African ASNs to observe and adopt successful rally formats.
Source : Fia
