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Why Not Add Motorsport to the Olympics?

Karishma Persad
black and white cheques painted on floor. Motorsport Olympics

Karishma Persad

Recent years have seen a rapid surge in the demand for motorsport by an increasingly diverse global audience.

The popularisation of Netflix’s Drive to Survive and the rise of motorsport influencers across social media platforms has cultivated a global audience. Despite this popularity, however, motorsport remains unrepresented on one of the world’s biggest and most notable stages – the Olympics.

Following the introduction of karate, sports climbing, surfing and skateboarding at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the more recent debut of breakdancing at the 2024 Paris Olympics, motorsport fans have wondered whether they can hope to see their favourite sport join the Olympics in the upcoming editions of the games.

The history of motorsport at the Olympics

Interestingly, motorsport would not technically be a completely new addition to the Olympics. Motorsport was first featured at the 1900 Exposition Universelle in Paris, of which the Olympics was a part. It included events for touring cars, small cars, taxis, delivery vans and trucks, as well as two endurance races and two motorcycle events.

These events, however, were not considered full medal events by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Rallying featured at the 1936 Berlin Olympics and 1972 Munich Olympics. Motorsport, specifically go-karting, was also included in the 2018 Youth Olympic Games as an exhibition event. Franco Colapinto, newly-promoted Williams Racing driver, and his teammate María García Puig won this event.

Will motorsport return to the Olympics?

In light of its historical, albeit unofficial, inclusion at the 1900, 1936 and 1972 Olympics, and with its popularity rapidly increasing among global audiences, the IOC and Los Angeles Olympic Organising Committee (LAOOC) have considered the inclusion of motorsports at the 2028 Olympics.

In 2022, the LAOOC announced motorsport was one of nine sports shortlisted for consideration. However, it was not among the final five sports submitted for consideration by the IOC in October 2023. This means it wont be included in the 2028 Olympic schedule.

However, fans of motorsport can still hope for the eventual inclusion of motorsport at the Olympics in the future. Via a spokesperson, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) thanked the LAOOC for their consideration of the inclusion of motorsport at the 2028 Olympics. They indicated that it would make another bid for the addition of go-karting to the Olympic schedule.

“The FIA has taken note of LA 28’s announcement concerning the additional sports that will be on the Olympic programme. We thank them for the attention they have given to motorsport and our organisation,” FIA said.

“The fact that the possibility of karting being included in the official programme of the Olympic Games has been considered is already a satisfactory first step. It encourages use to continue our efforts to refine an offer adapted to the format of this unique competition in order to be able to present a bid again in the future,” the organisation added.

Plans for the inclusion of further motorsport events at the Olympics have not yet been made clear through official sources. As consumer enthusiasm for motorsport increases, so too will the interest in bringing it to the world’s most prestigious multi-sport event.

Why is bringing motorsport to the Olympics so challenging?

Organisers must overcome a variety of challenges before motorsport can be brought back to the Olympics.

The definition of motorsports

The first and most important issue which must be overcome before motorsport can be included as an Olympic sport is its definition. “Motorsport” is an umbrella term for sports which primarily involve the use of engine-powered vehicles. As a result, there are several categories of motorsport, each of which is governed by its own regulatory body.

The four main categories of motorsport are:

Therefore, before motorsport can be brought to the Olympics, organisers must first decide which categories of motorsport will be included. This will involve, naturally, the exclusion of motorsport categories.

Logistics

Logistics pose major challenges to the inclusion of motorsports at the Olympics.

Location

The first logistic challenge relates to identifying the ideal site, especially if multiple motorsport categories are to be included.

Each of the four major motorsport categories has its own set of unique requirements. This makes it impossible to host multiple categories of these sports in the same location.

This is especially so in the case of powerboating, as it requires access to a large body of water.

This is the same for air sports which will require access to appropriate airfields and flying spaces. While automobile and motorcycle sports may allow for track space and some other resources to be shared, the participants of each sport will require separate garage and preparation spaces due to the unique requirements of the sports and the need for discretion especially on matters related to strategy.

Host locations which do not already have appropriate motorsport facilities available, such as, for example, Los Angeles, may struggle significantly to meet the facility demands of these sports.

Accommodation

The suitability of any chosen location will depend on its ability to accommodate thousands of persons throughout the event.  Motorsport teams require the participation of not only the pilot and their performance team, but also dozens of mechanics, engineers, strategists and data analysts, along with legal and medical experts. This is unlike the majority of sports which consist of only the athletes and coaching staff.

It is not uncommon for motorsport teams to have hundreds of personnel at any given race. If multiple teams are to compete at an Olympic motorsport event, the organisers will need to accommodate thousands of individuals. If multiple motorsport events happen, there is a high possibility this number would reach the tens of thousands. This is a significant financial burden as well as a spacial issue.

Sponsorship

Another significant issue which may arise from the inclusion of motorsport at the Olympics is that of sponsorship. Especially if teams are required to use a standardised car or other equipment.

Due to the expensive nature of motorsport, many pilots rely on sponsorship to fund their careers, especially early on.

These sponsorship agreements often require that the pilot represent the sponsor while racing or performing race duties. In some cases, this may require that the driver and their team use only their sponsor’s product while competing. This can pose a challenge to organisers and participants alike, especially if pilots are not allowed to use their sponsor’s product.

Equipment

The financial burden on organisers is likely to be increased further by the significant equipment requirements for each team. Some of these were highlighted by Charles Leclerc, a seven-time Formula One race winner who is currently driving for Scuderia Ferrari.

Leclerc served as one of Monaco’s torch bearers ahead of the 2024 Olympics. Although he believes the inclusion of motorsport at the Olympics is possible, he acknowledged the challenges that would make such an event difficult to organise.

“It would be great to have motorsport at the Olympics. However, I think it’s a bit more difficult to organise than other sports because obviously we are all driving for different constructors with different care in Formula One,” Leclerc said.

“And to be able to have all the same car, you will have to choose, obviously, which route you want to go, what downforce, what horsepower and everything. But it’s definitely possible.”

Concerns about the technical hurdles associated with bringing motorsport to the Olympics were echoed by Fernando Alonso, two-time Formula One World Champion, two-time 24-Hour of Le Mans winner and 2018-2019 FIA World Endurance Championship winner.

Alonso, who currently drives for Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team, stated: “I think it’s [racing as an event in the Olympic Games] quite unlikely because we have the machine with us. Even if you try to organize a go-kart race with exactly the same go-karts, it will never be exactly the same, probably. It is a very unique sport.”

Equipment is already limited

Currently, motorsport teams are required to develop their vehicles and engines, or source approved parts from partner manufacturers.

Though vehicles used in motorsport are governed by a strict set of regulations which outline the parameters within which the individual aspects of the vehicle must fall, there is often still significant variety among the vehicles used by the different teams. Furthermore, the development, maintenance and upgrade of the vehicles typically requires multi-million-dollar investments.

This presents a dilemma for organisers, as well as for the IOC. On one hand, the organiser can avoid the significant costs associated with hosting a motorsport event at the Olympics by requiring the participating teams to provide the majority of their equipment, including their vehicles.

This, however, is likely to significantly discourage participation by smaller, less-wealthy countries. This is especially true of those without a significant automotive or motorsport sector. Furthermore, should this strategy be employed, there is a significant risk of teams being able to secure better results due to their ability to access better-quality vehicles by “outspending” smaller teams. This risks promoting inequity which goes against the spirit of the Olympics.

How can this be prevented?

To prevent this, the organiser can supply the teams with standardised equipment, including vehicles. This, however, will place a significant financial burden on the organiser, which may subsequently compromise the quality of the equipment which can be provided, or, in more extreme circumstances, compromise the quality of the event itself. Furthermore, while this may assist in overcoming inequity among the teams, the standardisation of equipment, especially the vehicles is hardly ideal for the the athletes.

Typically, motorsport vehicles are designed to best accommodate their pilots, thereby maximising both their safety and comfort. A vehicle which is not comfortable or suitable to its pilot’s racing style risks reducing the quality of their performance. This can, in some cases, increase their risk of injury in the event of crashes or vehicle failure.

Mechanical, engineering and strategy teams may struggle to properly understand the intricacies of a provided vehicle, especially when time is limited. A poor understanding of the vehicle risks further compromising the pilots’ performance and safety.

Will Motorsport Ever Be Added to the Olympic Schedule?

Despite the historical precedent and growing global support, the inclusion of motorsport, in any form, is a complex matter. It requires the consideration of multiple significant factors, including a high economic burden and enormous logistical challenges. Ultimately, the inclusion of motorsport at the Olympics will be reliant on the host’s ability to overcome these challenges.

One thing is certain: we will have to wait longer than four years to see motorsport at the Olympics.

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Featured image courtesy of Marcelo Abreu on Pixabay. No changes made to this image. Image licence found here.

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