FIA VP touts Kuwait motor racetrack

Move will help qualify Kuwaiti racers for int’l competition

ALGIERS, March 31, (KUNA): Nasser Al-Attiyah, vice president of Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (the International Automobile Federation or FIA), said Thursday the launching of Kuwait motor racetrack signals that His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah cares for youth and sports.

Speaking to KUNA on the sidelines of the FIA regional meeting for the Middle East and North Africa, he spoke highly of the handout from His Highness the Amir for launching of the racetrack which will help qualify Kuwait racers for international competitions.

“The State of Kuwait enjoy a galaxy of qualified youth who are capable of contesting the titles of international sports events, including motor and cycling races,” Al-Attiyah, the chair of the FIA MENA meeting, affirmed.

On the current meeting, he said it’s being held for the first time in Algeria and continues between March 29 and 31.

“The FIA is keen on sponsoring the motor races in MENA region and contributing to the activation and modernization of legislations relating to this sport,” Al-Attiyah pointed out.

“The meeting brought together representatives of 15 countries from the region to discuss a range of issues such as the level of participation in MENA rallies, the implementation of FIA procedures and the draft legal mechanism for drift sports.

“The conferees focus on ways to revive the Middle East rally which declined in the recent years though it is one of the oldest sports in the region,” he added.

Al-Attiyah called on representatives of the national motor sports associations and clubs in the region to work out a common vision for addressing the challenges facing the motor racing sport, including the lukewarm media coverage and the high cost of organizing a rally.

He also called for encouraging females to take part in motor sports and insinuating the auto makers into sponsoring the car races.

He highlighted the importance of motor racing sport in promoting the culture of traffic safety among motorists and the public awareness about the geography of, and tourist attractions in, the region.

Jean Todt, the FIA President and former CEO of Ferrari, is attending the regional meeting which was set to a close later Thursday.