Motorsport

Within the FIA's structure, each affiliated National Sporting Authority (ASN) is recognised as the sole authority in their nation. Permission of the ASNs must be obtained to organise motorsport, and their licenses must be held by participants. Not all ASNs function in the same manner, some are private companies such as Motorsport UK, some are supported by the state such as France's FFSA, or in the case of the US's ACCUS, a council of sanctioning bodies is the national representative at FIA meetings.

ASNs, their affiliated clubs or independent commercial promotors organise motorsport events which often include competitions. A collective of events is called a series, and a grouping of competitions often forms the basis of a championship, cup or trophy.

Hierarchy of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (showing selected nations)

International	National Sporting Authority[11]	ASN Members/Associates etc
FIA	Motorsport UK	BRDC (British GP), BARC (BTCC), BRSCC (British GT), …[12]
	Motorsport Australia	Regional associations of motor clubs, motor/driver/racing clubs
	MotorSport New Zealand
	Motorsport Ireland
	Sports Development Group
	FFSA	ACO (24 Hours of Le Mans) …
	ACCUS	IMSA, Indycar, NASCAR, NHRA, SCCA, USAC[13]

Not all nations have a sporting authority affiliated with the FIA, some disciplines may not fall within the FIA's remit of control, or organisations may choose to ignore the claim of the authority of others. Examples include banger racing and stock car racing in the United Kingdom which are claimed by both the Oval Racing Council and the National Stock car Association,[14][15] despite the claim by the FIA affiliated ASN, Motorsport UK, to be the "governing body of all four-wheel motorsport in the UK".[16] SCORE International, National Auto Sport Association and National Off-Road Racing Association of the United States are also not members of the FIA affiliation system.

Circuit racing takes place on race tracks at permanent autodromes or on temporary street circuits. Competitors race over a set number of laps of the circuit, or for a set length of time, with the winner being the first to finish, or having completed the highest number of laps, with others classified subsequently.

Circuit racing replaced point-to-point (city-to-city) racing early in the history of motorsport, for both spectator appeal and as safety concerns brought in regulation of the sport, forcing organisers to use closed, marshalled and policed circuits on closed public roads. Aspendale Racecourse in Australia in 1906 was the first purpose-built motor racing track in the world.[20] After which, permanent autodromes popularly replaced circuits on public roads.

Mercedes-Benz Formula One car, the Mercedes W11

A 2020 Formula E car, driven by Felipe Massa

Hélio Castroneves at the 2019 Indianapolis 500

Formula Ford

Open-wheel racing cars

• Open-wheel racing involves vehicles with wheels that protrude from the chassis and body of the car. In general, open-wheel cars only carry the driver and are also known as single-seaters.
  • Formula racing is an informal collection of series that use a specific set of rules for race car design. The most prevalent international series are Formula One and Formula Two. Others include Formula 3, Formula Ford, Formula Renault and Formula Palmer Audi. Former 'Formula' series include Formula 5000, GP2 and GP3.
  • Formula One is an international championship governed by the FIA and currently promoted by the privately owned company, Formula One Group. The regulations contain a strict set of rules which govern vehicle power, weight, size and design. The rules do allow for some variation however.[21]
  • Formula E is a championship of open-wheel racing that uses only electric-powered cars. The series was conceived in 2012 and the inaugural championship started in Beijing on 13 September 2014.[22] The series is also sanctioned by the FIA and races a spec chassis/battery combination, with manufacturers allowed to develop their own electric power-trains. The series has gained significant traction in recent years.[23]
  • IndyCar Series originated on June 12, 1909, in Portland, Oregon.[24] Shortly after, Indianapolis Motor Speedway opened in 1909 and held races that ranged from 50 to 200 miles (80 to 322 km). Its premier race is the Indianapolis 500 which began on May 11, 1911. Today, IndyCar operates with over 20 teams and 40 different drivers.

NASCAR vehicles at Daytona International Speedway in 2004

A BMW M4 DTM touring car, racing in the DTM

Glickenhaus prototype sports car at Le Mans

Truck racing

Enclosed-wheel racing cars

• Enclosed-wheel racing involves vehicles with wheels primarily enclosed inside the bodywork of the vehicle.
  • Sports car racing is a category that includes production based grand touring (GT) and sports cars, and specialised racing prototypes. The flagship race is the 24 Hours of Le Mans which takes place annually in France during the month of June. It is a constituent race of the FIA World Endurance Championship.
  • Stock car racing originally used production 'stock' cars, the vehicles are now purpose-built race cars but maintain the body design and shape of production cars. The most prominent series are organised by NASCAR in the US, Canada and Brazil amongst other countries. Stock car racing series' in the UK and New Zealand use open-wheel single-seater race cars.
  • Touring car racing involves modified passenger cars intended for road use.[25]
  • Truck racing involves racing of modified large goods vehicle tractor units.

Rob Hall driving SCORE Stock Mini in Baja 1000

Off-road racing can take place on open terrain with no set path, or on circuits that do not have a sealed surface such as asphalt or concrete.

Notable off-road events on open terrain include the Baja 1000 desert race, organised by SCORE International.[26] The FIA authorise Extreme E, an electric off-road one-make series whose organisers have announced a hydrogen fuel series, Extreme H, to begin in 2025.[27]

Other off-road racing disciplines include:

• Rallycross
• Autocross (European)
• Lawn mower racing
• Autograss

Drag racing is an acceleration contest, usually between two vehicles, along a short and straight course. Vehicles of various types can compete.

Kart racing uses very small and low vehicles known as go-karts. It is generally accepted as the most economical form of motorsport available on four wheels. As a free-time activity, it can be performed by almost anybody, and as a motorsport in itself, it is one of the sports regulated by FIA (under the name of CIK), permitting licensed racing for anyone from the age of 8 onward.

A Ford Focus WRC rally racing car during 2010 Rally Finland

Rallying involves driving to a set itinerary, following a prescribed route and arriving and departing at control points at set times with penalties applied for diverging from the route or arriving late and early.

Special stages are used on some rallies where competitors drive against the clock. The classification of these rallies are determined by summing the times set with the fastest crews being victorious, as found in the World Rally Championship. This method is often called rally racing or stage rallying, whilst rallies that do not include special stages are distinctly regularity rallies.

Rallies that include routes that cover terrain off-road are also known as rally raid or cross-country rallies, the most famous example being the Dakar Rally. In the United States, the National Off-Road Racing Association (NORRA) was founded in 1967 along with the Baja 1000 race of that year that began in Tijuana and ended in La Paz. Since the 1990s, the race has been organised by SCORE International whilst NORRA's events have closer followed the FIA regulations and standards for cross country rallies, although the association has no affiliation to ACCUS, the US's FIA member.[28]

Other disciplines of automobile sport include:

• autocross (auto slalom)
• hillclimbing
• demolition derby
• drifting
• gymkhana (motorkhana)
• monster truck events
• tractor pulling
• land speed record attempts
• trials