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.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
It would need to be in a class that enables a broader number of countries to engage. Hence production cars may be the way to go.
sennaQLD
Guest
Never happen.As u stated Adrian A!GP fell over.That was the best chance of it kicking off.Motorsport has a long history of eating its own.This new Electric Formula will last as long as the old A1GP.The Professor is correct about RIIPPED OFF.
nordster
Guest
Mother Gaia thanks u ak ;) Lets all return to living in the dirt, shall we....rally acropolis style lol
nordster
Guest
Which is a different take to other proposals, well done. Festival of motorsport if multi discipline is interesting. I just think the 'world championship' aspect already exists in their respective series' they all race in. So its kinda duplication, and a logistically frightening duplication at that....
MJ
Guest
I guess the greatest concern is the formula, picking from karting, Open Wheel and their various formulae, Touring Car (DTM, WTCC, BTCC or V8 spec), Production Car, Stock Car, rally car, GT, off road vehicle (think Dakar type car or buggy), even Sprint Car or Dragster. Even trying for a combination is logistically hard to find a suitable facility for all.
Professor Rosseforp
Guest
Agreed. Also, enough countries have already been ripped off whilst hosting World Cups and Olympics -- let's not add more chances for pollies and bureaucrats to waste taxpayers' money -- I believe some car racing disciplines already have a good record of that, anyway.
NaBUru38
Guest
As in the Olympics, my proposal is that drivers compete in the disciplines they are capable. So Vettel, Alonso, Hunter-Reay and Hinchcliffe do formula racing, but Montoya can do stock cars and sports cars too.
ak
Roar Guru
No. There is no need to waste fuel which is precious.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
The race of champions should definitely be looked into again if people have a real desire to see a 'motorsport world cup'. There should be a new venue once every four years as with any major World Cup event, rather than having it in Bangkok as it was in previous years. New venues, a new set of regulations and more drivers/riders should be the focus if a World Cup style race of champions is to come to fruition.
nordster
Guest
Each event will always favour a particular discipline....open wheelers, sports cars, bikes....motor racing is so multi disciplinary. Its a nice idea which is why A1 and the Red bull events have started to begin with, have all sorta ended the same way sadly. Motor racing is great because it is so diverse and personally i've got little interest in seeing who is the "best" driver between say a motogp, an f1 and a wrc specialist. At least not as a regular serious event, it would be a fairly meaningless on that level. As an occasional exhibition dealy, sure i think the red bull events are good. Also the xgames has a rally event that maybe a few top level drivers could enter for sh*ts and giggles?
NaBUru38
Guest
For the sports car event, I wrote (http://tentenths.com/forum/showthread.php?p=3067980): "There would be three sports car racing events: two 40-minute heats for single driver GT3, a 2-hour race for two-driver GT3, and a 6-hour race for three-driver LMP1 teams and guest GT3 teams for non tin-top drivers and riders. Each country would field up to 5 drivers, so in a 24-vehicle grid there could be over a dozen countries represented. No manufacturer has multiple drivers from the same country." Now that I think of it, the GT3 race is much more realistic than LMP1.
NaBUru38
Guest
In 2012 I proposed a FIA/FIM Motorsport World Cup (http://tentenths.com/forum/showthread.php?p=3286837): "It would be held in a rotating single venue every four years. It would show all motorsport disciplines in a single event. The main disciplines would be formula racing, sports prototypes, grand tourers, touring cars, rallying, rallycross, superbikes, motocross, enduro and trial. Secondary disciplines could be oval racing, trucks, drifting, hillclimbing, ice racing, freestyle motoross, etc. I'd run the formula event with cheaper but still powerful IndyCar, GP2, Formula Renault 3.5 or AutoGP. Each country would field up to 3 drivers in each discipline, so in a 24-vehicle grid there could be over a dozen countries represented." What you need for this is a promoter than can get sponsors.