FIA Motorsport Games glory goes to Team Spain
Host nation Spain has completed the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games at the head of the medal table as the third edition of the event concluded in host city Valencia this evening.
Spain began the final day leading the race to finish as the Winning Nation following its capture of four gold medals in the Rally category across Friday and Saturday.
The team, assembled by Real Federacion Española de Automovilismo and captained Luis Moya, a double FIA World Rally Championship-winning co-driver, contested all 26 disciplines held at multiple venues in and around Valencia. It finished the event with 18 medals, six gold, six silver and six bronze.
Germany came second in the final medal table with Italy third after Andrea Zivian/Nicola Arena won three gold medals in Historic Rally.
In total, 13 nations won gold medals with 26 leaving the Games with at least on medal. They included 12 first-time medallists, with seven nations winning a maiden gold.
Meanwhile, the third FIA Motorsport Games drew a total attendance of 49,000 fans who were treated to an incredible variety of motor sport, ranging from GT and single-seater racing to grassroots categories, such as Auto Slalom and Cross Car.
The successful athletes were celebrated at the Closing Ceremony held at the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia.
How the medal chase unfolded on the final day in Spain
Türkiye claimed its first gold medal when Ayhancan Güven won GT Sprint ahead of German youngster Finn Wiebelhaus and Spain’s Daniel Juncadella.
Ignacio Montenegro inherited the Touring Car gold for Argentina after Italy’s Maro Butti was disqualified for a technical infringement. Brazil and Czech Republic took silver and bronze. It was Argentina’s first FIA Motorsport Games medal.
Juan Cota Alonso secured Spain’s fifth gold by dominating the Formula 4 counter ahead of Peru’s Andres Cardenas – a karting medallist two years ago – and Team United Kingdom driver Reza Seewooruthun.
Team United Kingdom’s James Owen won Single Make GT cold after a penalty dropped on-the-road winner Ivan Velasco Sanchez back to third place behind Switzlerland’s Christophe Hurni.
After taking Drifting bronze in the 2022 FIA Motorsport Games Kuba Przygonski (below) won gold for Poland. Simen Olsen (Norway) claimed silver, while Sweden’s Joakim Andersson secured bronze.
The competitive action at the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games finished in thrilling fashion as Türkiye (below) edged Team Spain by just 0.3s to triumph in the Rally2 Medals Stage finale. Ali Türkkan/Oytun Albayrak threaded his Ford Fiesta through the penultimate chicane to rejoin the main circuit just ahead of host nation Spain and held to claim gold.
Tom Kässer/Stephan Schneeweiß hung on to narrowly claim gold for Germany by 1.0s ahead of Spain in the Medals Stage decider for Rally4.
Team Italy powered to victory in the Historic Rally Medals Stage at Circuit Ricardo Tormo. The United Kingdom and Spain were second and third.
Spain continued its run of gold medals with an historic victory in the first-ever Cross Car Mini competition. Hugo Fuertes reigned victorious at Aspar Circuit, to give the home nation a medal in all three Cross Car categories.
Team Belgium (above) scooped its second gold medal with Lucas Cartelle emerging out front from a drama-filled Cross Car Junior final.
David Méat captured Team France’s first medal of the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games by claiming his second Cross Car Senior gold in as many editions. Having won the top honours in Marseille in 2022, the three-time European Cross Car champion refused to give up his grip on the top step and repeated the feat during a dramatic Final at Aspar Circuit on Sunday morning.
Jorge Edgar (below) produced a fighting display to win Team United Kingdom its first gold medal of the FIA Motorsport Games in Karting Sprint Jr. Edgar started from seventh but worked his way to the fore, eventually coming out on top of a tight fight with Team Türkiye and Team Spain.
Lithuania won its first gold of the event with victory in Karting Sprint Sr, while second place for Team Andorra marked the nation’s first medal in the history of the FIA Motorsport Games. Spain took bronze.
Team Portugal claimed the gold medal in the Karting Mini final as Xavier Lázaro prevailed at the end of a pulsating 11-lap battle. The youngster won from Estonian Bennet Korjus, while Morales Mendez completed the podium for Spain.
Michaela Dorčíková and David Nemcek earned Slovakia its first-ever FIA Motorsport Games gold medal with Auto Slalom victory. They saw off previous gold winner Germany in the Semi-Finals before edging Estonia in the decisive match-up.
Germany successfully defended its Karting Slalom gold medal thanks to Maja Braun and Louis Stange. They beat Hungary in a close-run final, while the Netherlands beat Poland to bronze.