Motorsports is not currently included in the Olympics. However, the organizers of the Olympics are showing they are prepared to make innovations. The inclusion of skateboarding and breakdancing is an indication of this. In the past, it would have been difficult to imagine these sports at the Olympic Games.
Past experiments
In 1900, motor racing was part of the Olympics in France. The country hosted the Olympics and the World Expo and decided to combine them. However, car builders and not drivers won Olympic medals. If motorsports are to feature in future Olympic Games, it should be the drivers winning the medals. An idea would be for the drivers to compete against one another, driving the same cars. With US sports betting now legal in many states, bettors could place bets on which driver from which country would win the race.
First steps
What would have to take place for the inclusion of motorsports in the Olympic Games? The International Motorsports Federation would have to make a proposal to the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Some of the conditions for inclusion in the Olympic Games are that a sport must be for the youth, and both men and women must participate. It must be fun to watch and be sustainable.
Overcoming hurdles to including motorsports
The year-round global popularity of motorsports is second only to soccer. Wherever you are in the world, most other people know about races like Le Mans and Daytona.
Drivers aren’t athletes
Those not in favor of including motorsports argue that the competitors in motorsports aren’t athletes. They rely on their vehicles more than their bodies. At the original Olympics, four-horse-drawn chariot races were popular. Introducing vehicles is not such a foreign concept when taking history into account. When ensuring vehicle safety in difficult conditions, drivers need a great deal of skill and experience.
Venues
As far as venues are concerned, it would be easy to use already-established courses in the countryside. Olympic events don’t have to be held in the host city. This year, the Games feature surfing in Tahiti.
Sustainability
If sustainability is an issue, there have been moves in motorsports towards more sustainable electric engines. Some countries are already well into the hybrid/electric vehicle stage. Other sustainable practices of race event organizers include energy-efficient infrastructures and waste reduction.
Participation of women
The participation of women in motorsports has increased greatly in recent years, but when looking at the top echelons of motorsports, they are still missing. Extreme E and the W Series do offer support for female drivers. In 2023, the F1 Academy, a feeder series, came into being to help women join the single-seater pyramid. However, Extreme E driver, Catie Munnings, 25, says young girls don’t have a pathway they can emulate. They need to see more women in strategic positions to believe it’s possible to be an F1 driver. At present, all the famous race car drivers are men.
Adding a new dimension to the racing world
If drivers from all classes competed against each other in more than one class, it could add a new dimension to the racing world. The format could follow that of Olympic track events, with heat races to determine the starting field for the final. Imagine Max Verstappen battling it out against Kyle Larson or Lewis Hamilton against Scott Dixon.
A national team of about 10 to 12 people, including the lead engineer and crew, could also participate. As the Paris Summer Olympics gets into full swing, motorsports enthusiasts are likely to be dreaming of the day when their favorite sport is included in the Olympics.
