FIA warn race promoters against ‘turf wars’

Jamie Woodhouse
FIA warns promoters against "turf wars" over hosting races in 2020 when restrictions are lifted.

FIA warns promoters against "turf wars" over hosting races in 2020 when restrictions are lifted.

The FIA has warned race promoters not to engage in “turf wars” over the hosting of races when restrictions are lifted.

There is renewed hope for racing in 2020 with events to be held without fans and already a host of venues have come forward with their desire to host a behind-closed-doors race, while in Formula 1’s case other tracks not on the original calendar are looking to get in on the action.

But the FIA has made it clear that they will not allow promoters to become engaged in “turf wars” over the hosting of races.

Speaking to the FIA’s official publication Auto, the FIA’s deputy president for sport Graham Stoker said: “It will be an enormously competitive and potentially very crowded environment, and in one way that’s what we’ve got to hope for. We want to see the return of the enormously vibrant and diverse motor sport environment we are used to.

“However, it will need very careful management.

“When we look at things such as the International Sporting Code and international sporting calendar, the approach has to be flexible. It’s crucial that we prioritise the staging of events.

“What would be counter-productive would be to get involved in turf wars. Let’s not get involved in disputes about who has got which slot and what prior agreements might specify – that approach will not work.

“The main priority is get motor sport going again and if that means some ‘super weekends’ with multiple events happening, in co-operation and with flexibility, well, why not?”

“Just getting grassroots events or medium-level national events up and running, so that the confidence comes back, is very important,” he continued.

Motor sport has got to pull together, and we’ve got to have flexibility in terms of events and venues and thinking outside the box in order to get things going again in a spectacular way that will obviously attract public interest.

“We should also demonstrate that motor sport remains relevant and a positive influence, through its messaging and actions.”

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