otorsport in the Middle East and North Africa is entering an exciting new era with the launch of new regional championships for karting, drifting and Baja rallies and the digitalizing of the motorsport events organizing process with a new “e-permits” project.
Details of the three new challenge series’, the first in 35 years were announced in Kuwait City on Saturday (9th February) at the annual MENA regional congress of the FIA, to be attended by Jean Todt, FIA President and hosted by Kuwait International Automobile Club (KIAC).
“Drifting and Karting are now the most popular forms of motorsport in this region so it is important we create the opportunity for national champions to compete against other national champions.” said Ben Sulayem, FIA Vice President and President of ATCUAE
The all-new “e-permits” project is a first in motorsport and is part of a Digital Transformation of the governance of motorsport in the region. ATCAUE will pilot the project this year with a regional rollout planned next year. It is designed to improve the management of the sanctioning of safe motorsports via FIA member clubs.
“Technology is a big part of motorsport in particular Formula 1 but we on the governance side have up till now been slow adaptors of digital tools to improve the management of motorsport so I see E Permit as the start of many digital tools we can employ in the future to run motorsport better“ he added.
The annual congress for the 20 countries in the region also include a session on social media in motorsport presented by FIA Communications, FIA Environmental accreditation which has seen a large uptake in the region, and an Australian case study presentation by CAMs President Andrew Papadopoulos on Motorkhana / Solo Racing as a low cost form of motorsport.
