With the world’s attention focused on the FIFA World Cup in Brazil, motorsport is taking a backseat.
But while Formula One enjoys a phenomenal global footprint and worldwide television ratings, motorsport lacks a World Cup-type nationalistic duel.
When you consider its global reach and popularity, motorsport is in the upper echelon of sports that fight for the number two spot behind football, so why can’t it have its own international tournament with countries doing battle?
Formula One, while originally based on manufacturers and drivers racing in national colours for the pride of their countries, has evolved into a race between multinational brands with mixed identities.
Besides Ferrari and possibly Mercedes-Benz AMG, most teams lack this national identity. Red Bull Racing, for example, is Austrian-owned, British-based, powered by a French engine, with German and Australian drivers – hardly the sort of team that will unite a nation.
Other series have tried to get on the national bandwagon. A1 GP launched in 2005 as a single-seater series with drivers racing for their respective countries, but couldn’t carve out a sustainable championship in the Formula One off-season.
The lesson of A1 GP is that a series running regularly and independently can’t proclaim itself as the “World Cup of motorsport”, when the best drivers are concentrated in Formula One and other categories.
So what about a one-off event that occurs in the traditional motorsport season, a race that pits the best drivers against each other in equal machinery in a discipline that will test their skills?
Motorsport has done this previously but in what can only be described as uncompetitive and bland end-of-season events.
The Race of Champions, for example, unites drivers from around the world in a head-to-head competition racing identical cars in a stadium-sized short track. But it’s hardly a true test of talent and is lacking on the entertainment side.
It’s no surprise that Race of Champions organisers are trying to tap into football’s national team appeal, launching brand new competitions to coincide with football’s Euro 2016 and the 2018 FIFA World Cup, with ROC Euro and the ROC World Cup races between drivers from the world’s big football powers.
But what would really work is an event on a proper racing circuit with identical cars and a grid full of the world’s best drivers representing their respective countries.
This is very pie-in-the-sky stuff, as the self-interest of the major motorsport categories such as Formula One won’t allow a rival to steal the limelight.
But motorsport has a strong following across Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa. Why can’t it have an international competition inspired by the FIFA World Cup? With the right package, it has every chance to succeed.
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