The Disability and Accessibility Commission put forward it’s first formal proposals since it’s inauguration at the beginning of this year last week in St Petersburg at the last FIA WMSC of 2019. All proposals were accepted with unanimous support from all WMSC members showing that the FIA is strongly supporting positive progress for disabled motorsport.

New licensing proposals for Appendix L of the FIA International Sporting Code will make entry to international competition for disabled drivers more transparent whilst maintaining safety. A name change to Licences for those with Disabilities was a small but necessary change whilst the introduction of Driver Passports and Certificates of Adaptations for Vehicles of Disabled Drivers were two completely new clauses for the Appendix. Driver Passports will accompany licences of disabled drivers giving information about the safety aspects of the driver’s disability such as time taken to independently exit a race car, adaptations approved for use by their ASN and whether the driver is ambulant or non-ambulant. These Driver Passports are intended to make it easier for drivers to compete abroad by giving race organisers and safety staff clear information about the driver’s functional ability. The Certificate of Adaptations will serve as an approval to homologated championships that the adaptations are safe and suitable for the driver, comply with regulations and do not give the driver an unfair advantage over his or her competitors. This Certificate will be issued to the driver directly by the FIA.

A Disabled Drivers Grant will also be available to disabled drivers competing at ASN level in 2019. This grant will allow drivers with national licences to upgrade their fire safety equipment to the high FIA level specification. This is a very clear message by the governing body of motorsport that they do not compromise on safety when it comes to disabled drivers competing in the sport and displays the great efforts they are going to to ensure that the sport is inclusive to every driver who wants to compete.

“We have made great strides this year and the support I have received by the President and all members of the FIA gives me great confidence that we can make even more progress in 2019 and beyond,’ says the President of the FIA Disability and Accessibility Commission Nathalie McGloin. ‘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’.

Last week proved to be a very productive week for global organisations championing the disabled communities across the world. The UN hosted a it’s International Day for Persons with Disabilities on the 3rd December at the UN head quarters in New York. The theme this year was 'empowering persons with disabilities and ensuring inclusiveness and equality’, a theme that the FIA is absolutely committed to embedding in their own policies both in Sport and Mobility with the Disability and Accessibility Commission.