FIA Pushing for More Inclusiveness in Racing

The FIA has approved a raft of proposals brought by the Disability and Accessibility Commission at the World Motor Sport Council to make motorsport more inclusive for disabled competitors.

The Commission was launched earlier this year with national racing regular Nathalie McGloin, who is paralysed from the chest down, as its president, and with a mandate to encourage inclusivity while ensuring safety standards are not compromised.

Among the measures accepted with unanimous support at the meeting in St Petersburg were the introduction of a passport to make it easier for disabled competitors to enter events overseas by clearly outlining how they were able to achieve their licence and specifying their level of function.

A new Certificate of Adaptations for vehicles of disabled drivers has also been introduced to give scrutineers the information they need to assess whether the vehicle meets the required safety standard and to ensure that the modifications do not yield a competitive advantage.

“We have made great strides this year and the support I have received by the president [Jean Todt] and all members of the FIA gives me great confidence that we can make even more progress in 2019 and beyond,” said McGloin, pictured above.

“We’re shaping the future of motorsport forever with these extremely positive steps forward. This WMSC was a big statement that this sport is for everyone and I can’t wait to continue this good work in the new year.”

The FIA also confirmed that a grant will be made available for disabled competitors at a national level to upgrade their fire safety equipment to the latest FIA specification.

One of the most well-known disabled racers is British youngster Billy Monger. Monger was injured in a crash in 2017 and lost his lower limbs in the process. He was racing in the British F4 championship at the time.