Following on from a recent similar presentation at the WorldSBK event at Estoril, FIM President Jorge Viegas was on hand to lead proceedings at this weekend’s 24H SPA EWC Motos, second round of the 2022 FIM Endurance World Championship.
In front of a gathering of international media and in the presence of François Ribeiro - Head of Discovery Sports Events, representatives from Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps and FIM Board Members – who had held their most recent meeting at Spa - Mr Viegas confirmed that the FIM’s mission in FIM EWC is to create the rules together with the Circuit Racing working group and to apply the rules and the relevant sanctions issued by the FIM Stewards panel.
The FIM is also in charge of circuit homologation and safety including all medical aspects plus the antidoping programme. The FIM’s remit also covers the training of the officials, including the race director, clerk of the course, the technical and environmental stewards. This important training is conducted through FIM seminars delivered by FIM instructors around the World.
The FIM President also acknowledged that approximately four to five hundred track marshals are required during an 24Hours FIM EWC weekend and how big a challenge it is for these people who are volunteers and who dedicate their free time to our sport.
Having set out the position of the FIM, the FIM President then invited each member of the FIM staff who were in attendance to present themselves and to explain their role within the EWC structure.
The invited speakers included: Franck Vayssie, Commission Circuit Racing Director and FIM EWC Appeal Steward, Patrick Coutant, the FIM EWC Race Director, Christian Schneider, FIM EWC Chief Steward (Permanent), Igor Eskinja, FIM EWC Steward, Simon Maas, FIM EWC Steward, Rezsö Bulcsu, FIM EWC Safety Officer, Paul Duparc, CCR Sporting Manager and FIM EWC Safety Officer, Svetlana Nazarova, FIM CCR Coordinator, Ludovic Reignier, FIM EWC Technical Director, Dominique Hebrard, FIM EWC Technical Director, Bernd Schenkhut, FIM EWC Technical Director, David McManus, FIM EWC Medical Director, Kattia Juárez, FIM International Sustainability Commission Director and Isabelle Larviere, FIM Communications Manager.
After the presentations from each member of the FIM staff, the FIM President Jorge Viegas offered his concluding comment: “On the return to this wonderful circuit for the first time since 2001, thanks to the huge efforts and great collaboration of all the key stakeholders, it seemed like the ideal opportunity to explain and highlight the role of the FIM to the wider world and the important part it plays within the EWC. This weekend is again a real reminder of the work the FIM officials and volunteers do alongside their counterparts from other parts of the event organisation. Together they make a great team.”
François Ribeiro, Head of Discovery Sports Events added: “Since our organisations joined forces in 2015, we have enjoyed a very successful and mutually beneficial alliance that has gone from strength to strength, year after year. While the level of cooperation between us has always been clear, it has been perfectly demonstrated during the build-up to the 24H SPA EWC Motos. To bring back the FIM Endurance World Championship to this legendary venue for the first time since 2001 required several modifications being made to the track as part of an investment of twenty-five million euros. The FIM and Fédération Motocycliste de Belgique were instrumental throughout the homologation process, and we thank them again for all their support and assistance.”
FIM Communications