Dear Gus LAGMAN, President of Automobile Association Philippines,

Dear Graham STOKER, FIA Deputy President for Sport,

Dear Wan HEPING, FIA Vice-President for Asia Pacific,

Dear ASN Presidents,

Dear World Motor Sport Council members,

Commission Presidents,

Dear delegates representing 93 National Motorsport Governing Bodies from all over the world,

Dear friends,

I am very pleased to be in Manila today for the opening of the 6th edition of the FIA Sport Conference.

Here, we are more than 300 members of the FIA family, coming together to ensure a strong future for the FIA.

It is always very encouraging to see so many of you taking part in this important event - for which I would like to warmly thank the Automobile Association of the Philippines for welcoming us, and hosting this conference in such a wonderful setting.

For the first time, the FIA Sport Conference takes place in Asia.  And it is about time!

Asia Pacific is an exciting region for motor sport.

123 events are scheduled in the international FIA calendar this year. Among them, 4 Formula One Grands Prix (Australia, China, Singapore and Japan), 1 Formula E-Prix (Hong Kong), 2 World Endurance Championship races (Japan and China), and 1 World Rally Championship (Australia).

There are 30 FIA Commission members in the Asia-Pacific region, 3 of which are Presidents (Wayne CHRISTIE for Rally, Tim SCHENKEN for Circuits, and Colin SYN for Volunteers and Officials), and Andrew PAPADOPOULOS, who serves as Chairman of the ASN Development Task Force. There are also 4 World Motor Sport Council members (Vice President Wan HEPING from China, Gary CONNELLY from Australia, Koichi MOURATA from Japan, and Gautam SINGHANIA from India).

The 6th edition of this popular event will focus on the exciting theme “Empowering the Future: Unlocking Motor Sport’s Potential”.

Discussions will cover key topics, such as creating a motor sport culture in new markets, and how to reach and engage young audiences through innovative new strategies.

These subjects affect ASNs, Motor sport promoters, Sponsors, drivers and fans alike.

Speaking of young audiences and the future - I want to remind you of something fundamental to me.

Providing as many people as possible with access to motor sport is one of the main priorities for the FIA and its clubs worldwide.

To achieve this goal, we have been working on clear pathways into our championships and investing in a number of youth projects. Women in Motorsport initiatives such as the Girls on Track project have brought many of you together under this common objective.

With the support of the European Commission and our new Disability and Accessibility Commission – which works across both sport and mobility under the leadership of Nathalie McGloin – we will provide greater access and eliminate the barriers to participation for a growing number of new motor sport enthusiasts.

Motor sport has a crucial role in our society – it is an inspiration to millions of people around the world, and a powerful platform for educating young people in terms of the skills and attributes required to succeed.

One of the key challenges we face today is how to engage with younger generations and inspire them to get involved in our sport, both as fans and as competitors.

To that end, those attending this conference will enjoy a wide range of plenary sessions, panel discussions and workshops aimed at mapping out a path for the future which embraces exciting new technologies, but preserves the essential principles of competition that remain fundamental to racing.

Respect the rules, respect the competitors, respect the team spirit: this is the essence of motor sport.

If sport is an education, motor sport is the school of excellence.

Let’s take a look at some entry level disciplines which you will be able to experience and discuss here in Manila.

Karting is one of the foundations of motor sport.

It is where budding young drivers cut their teeth, and by being so widely accessible it ensures that as many as possible gain access to the sport.

Karting is internationally popular, and is essential for the training of young drivers en route to a full-time career in Motor Sport.

At the highest level, last year the CIK-FIA World Championships showed the extent of their appeal in the number of competitors taking part, with 91 in OK and 94 in OK-Junior.

In 2018 we hope to surpass 100 in each of these categories at the CIK-FIA World Championship in Sweden next September.

It is essential that you are able to organise karting events in this region, and I encourage you to do so.

I am convinced that discussions during this Conference will make it possible to make progress on this matter.

It is crucial that the FIA Sport Conference possesses a strong experiential element, and the E-Kart challenge that we have brought to Manila this year will allow you to fully immerse yourselves in this new category.

For this special demonstration, it is our great pleasure to have Felipe Massa - the new Karting Commission President - set a benchmark time for local Karters and guest drivers to beat.

He will also join the panel of speakers tomorrow morning during the second Plenary to discuss the subject of “Attracting the next generation”.

E-Karting represents not only a new opportunity for you in terms of motor sport development, it also demonstrates that the world is changing and that we need to be a change leader!

E-Karting will also be demonstrated at the occasion of the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires (Argentina) in October this year. This marks a significant step for the FIA since its recognition by the IOC in January 2012.

Let me remind you that the FIA is a member of the IOC’s Association of Recognised International Sports Federations - the ARISF - and, in that respect, recognised as such by the International Olympic Committee.

We are here to support you in connecting and interacting with your National Olympic Committees.

This will strengthen you as clubs and Federations in your countries as the regulatory body for motor sport.

I would also like to highlight that, for the first time, a Drifting demonstration will be organised - including Taxi rides!

After the successful first FIA Intercontinental Drifting Cup held last year in Japan, this Conference provided the opportunity to highlight a discipline born in this region, which is growing rapidly and has huge potential for development as a low cost motor sport activity that will reach new audiences for our Federation.

Further motor sport activities will include Gymkhana and Cross Car demonstrations.

The Cross Car concept is burgeoning and now with all sporting and technical circuit guidelines in place, specialist manufacturers are launching models that comply with FIA standards.

Cross Car is another perfect grassroots category providing exciting and spectacular competition.

To continue to attract younger generations, we will rely on new disciplines and formats that provide safe and fair motor sport, but which are also fun and sustainable.

This is also why the FIA Formula E Championship, has great value, because it promotes urban electric mobility, which helps in the fight against pollution and encourages respect for the environment.

We created a new Commission for Environment and Sustainability last year, involving both sport and mobility pillars, and led by the former President of Mexico Felipe Calderon.

On behalf of President Calderon, Garry Connelly will present the new environmental accreditation process, which will be available for the ASNs later today in order to give you hands on and practical advice and solutions in this area.

I urge you to take part in the special workshop which is planned during the event.

Similarly, the establishment of the FIA Innovation Fund with the proceeds from the sale of the 1% stake in Formula 1 will support innovative and beneficial projects for sport and mobility.

I encourage you to make proposals to this effect with which the FIA can create a legacy.

Some projects were already selected, including the FIA European Young Women Programme to increase the participation of young women in motor sport, and the FIA Youth Olympic Games Project I mentioned earlier.

In addition to the aforementioned initiatives, safety remains at the top of our agenda and we conduct general research aiming to maximise safety in many respects.

During this Conference the team of the FIA Safety Department will reveal the first prototype of our latest top-end helmet standard, which represents a significant new milestone in safety.

You will also be updated on the most important safety research projects, including a dedicated presentation on the unique virtual crash simulation that is used in Partnership with Toyota Motor Corporation.

The 2018 FIA Sport Conference in Manila will also host the successful FIA Sport MotorEx. The exhibition area will welcome more than 30 companies and stakeholders from the global motor sport industry, who will present their products and services to you.

Dear friends, I would like to conclude with a few words about the future of the FIA championships.

Beginning with Formula One, which is the pinnacle of motor sport, it is a great pleasure to have Chase CAREY, CEO of F1, with us in Manila. Thank you Chase, for making the trip.

We brought a very important evolution this year with the Halo in F1 and F2, and a deployment plan for all single-seater categories to provide the drivers with better head protection.

The FIA and Formula 1 work together in achieving the same strategic goals, for more spectacle and competition between teams, better safety and more technological innovation.

For the continued health of the sport we are discussing governance, cost management, and technical simplification. To this end, we are conducting, with Formula 1, an in-depth dialogue with the teams and power unit suppliers already involved and potentially interested in joining F1.

It has already adopted new regulations for 2019, particularly in terms of aerodynamics, in order to promote closer racing between cars and more overtaking during Grands Prix.

It is a positive first step, and we are now working on the next step, finalizing the new regulations for 2021.

Looking at the Single Seater Pyramid: after successfully launching the new FIA F2 Championship in 2017, the WMSC confirmed the Formula 1 group as the promoter for the new FIA F3 Championship.

Both F2 and F3 championships will be hosted on the FIA Formula One World Championship platform, creating a clearly structured FIA single-seater pyramid.

Two regional competitions will also begin in 2018 in Asia and the Americas.

The other championships are also looking to the future.

After officially revealing the new FIA Formula E Gen2 car during the Geneva Motor Show, the next Formula E season will see cars with double battery life, allowing the entire race to be run without changing vehicles.

This degree of technological advancement will ultimately benefit all motorists.

It is a further reminder that motor sport is not only a show, but also a laboratory. In addition to introducing new technologies, Formula E will also race in new Cities – for example, an event is planned in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) where, as of this month, women will be permitted driving licenses and racing licenses.

I consider this a major breakthrough and I would like to congratulate our ASN for the role they played in this historic development.

The World Endurance Championship has a new formula, with a super season that includes 2 editions of the 24 hours of Le Mans and new regulations for 2020 that will soon be announced.

These achievements are thanks to a joint effort by the FIA and the promoter, and we look forward to seeing the FIA World Endurance Championship going from strength to strength as a result.

The new World Touring Car Cup is working very well – with 26 cars on the grid and exciting racing.

At the same time, we continue to work on the development of a sustainable world touring car championship for the future.

We celebrate the success of the World Rally Championship and World Rallycross, and we look forward to an evolution of the latter towards electric in 2020.

Finally, I am pleased to announce that 5 years of hard work has come to fruition with the launch of the FIA Certified Gran Turismo Online Championships.

The first live event was a great success in terms of participation.

We continue to refine the platform, but clearly we have a unique opportunity to address the younger generations with this fascinating game, which you can test over the coming days.

I invite you to race with the global community of FIA Gran Turismo.

Dear friends,

As you can see, much has already been achieved, and much remains to be done. I count on your full commitment.

As such, with regard to the FIA Sport Grant Programme, I would like to remind you that applications for funding opened on the first of June and will close on the 21st of August.

I encourage you to seize this opportunity to support motor sport within your country, which will make the FIA even stronger, as I always say.

I am also very pleased to remind you that a Sport Clubs Liaison Office, with 3 regional coordinators, has been in place since last year within the Development Department – and I encourage you to use it!

Through this initiative, we aim to offer an even better service to our 141 ASNs/ACNs.

Finally, please allow me to thank Deputy President Graham Stoker and the whole FIA team who have organized this conference, working together for the future of motor sport and the FIA.

My thanks also to the global partners of the conference: Brembo, Magneti Marelli, Panta, Pirelli, and Richard Mille; and to the local partners: the department of tourism of the Philippines, Petron, BMW, Hyundai, and Philippines Airlines.

I wish you all a fruitful few days in Manila, and I hereby declare the 2018 FIA Sport Conference open.