ABOUT 500 top motoring executives from all over the world will gather in the Philippines for the sixth edition of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) Sport Conference set from June 4 to 6 in Pasay City.
FIA President Jean Todt will lead the delegates from national sporting authorities and mobility clubs of 245 organizations in 143 countries.
Themed “Empowering the Future: Unlocking Motor Sport’s Potential,” the three-day event will be hosted by the Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP) as the country’s “national auto club,” with the support of the Department of Tourism and other corporate sponsors.
Its first time to be held in Asia, the event also includes the FIA Sport MotorEx, which will host more than 30 companies and stakeholders that are scheduled to present innovative products and services, as well as offer an industry-themed platform for the analysis of future motor-sport trends.
The three-day confab will be followed by the Sport Regional Congress on June 3 and conclude with the World Motor Sport Conference on June 7. FIA is the world’s governing body of four-wheel motor sport.
During the launch in Manila, FIA Sport Conference Project Director Frederique Trouve said, “AAP has been very active in participating in FIA conferences and we have seen their loyalty and motivation in promoting motor sports among the youth through efforts, such as the Motor Sport Development Program. They have also organized many activities in terms of training in road safety.”
Spicing up the confab is the participation of former Formula 1 champ-driver Felipe Massa for an e-karting demonstration on June 6. The Brazilian superstar retired from F1 in 2017, after having raced in 269 grands prix, scoring 11 wins, 41 podiums, 16 pole positions and 15 fastest laps.
FIA will bring in six electric karts, where Massa will benchmark an official time to beat by local karters and guest drivers.
Key themes for discussion are the creation of a motor sport culture in new markets, while activities include extrication demo and motor sport skills challenges like drifting, gymkhana, slalom, e-karting and the FIA-certified online Gran Turismo Asian Regional Finals Championship set at the SM Mall of Asia grounds.