The FIA and Natsional'naya Federatsiya Avtosporta I Kartinga Respubliki Uzbekistan (NAFKU) have launched a new Esports Programme ahead of the official opening of the 2024 FIA Conference, held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

University students from across eight different academic institutions took part in a youth engagement programme, bringing the global world of FIA motor sport and mobility to a broad range of students from across Uzbekistan, introducing them to the work of the Federation, its Member Clubs and the multitude of opportunities there are for participation and career development in these industries.

The session culminated in the announcement of the Uzbek Esports Programme, which will take place over the next 14 days and be organised by NAFKU. Thanks to the ongoing collaboration between the FIA and iRacing, the Programme will be open to anyone in Uzbekistan, and those who sign up with the ASN to take part will receive a heavily discounted iRacing download code so they can get online and set their time.

The circuit will be Oulton Park’s International layout, and the car setup will be fixed to ensure that it is only driver skill that makes the difference in lap time. Esports has proven to be an excellent grassroots entry point for young people in motor sport, and this Programme is set to help maximise the impact and legacy of the FIA Conference by encouraging both existing Esports talents and those who are completely new to the sport to engage with NAFKU.

This initiative is part of a wider engagement strategy being deployed by over 70 ASNs who are distributing discounted iRacing codes and providing Esports training as part of the ongoing mission of the FIA to double motor sport participation around the world.

Click here to find out more about the Uzbek Esports Programme, and here to learn more about the FIA’s collaboration with iRacing.