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 USA'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[9]	ASN Members/Associates etc
FIA	Motorsport UK	BRDC (British GP), BARC (BTCC), BRSCC (British GT), …[10]
	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[11]

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,[12][13] despite the claim by the FIA affiliated ASN, Motorsport UK, to be the "governing body of all four-wheel motorsport in the UK".[14] 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 at either permanent autodromes or on temporary street circuits. Competitors race over a set number of laps of the circuit, with the winner being the first to finish. Circuit racing replaced racing on open roads during the history of motorsport as more countries prohibited the activity and imposed speed limits.

Mercedes-Benz holds the record for the most consecutive constructor's championships in Formula One. Pictured: the Mercedes W11

A 2020 Formula E car, driven by Felipe Massa

Hélio Castroneves at the 2019 Indianapolis 500

Open-wheel racing cars

• Open-wheel
  • Formula racing is a set of classes of motor vehicles with their wheels outside of and not contained by any bodywork of their vehicle. These have been globally classified as specific 'Formula' series, the most common being 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 a class of single-seat and open-wheel Grand Prix closed-course racing, governed by the FIA and currently organised by the privately owned company, Formula One Group. The formula regulations contain a strict set of rules which govern vehicle power, weight, size and design. The rules do allow for some variation however.[19]
  • 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.[20] 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.[21]
  • IndyCar Series originated on June 12, 1909, in Portland, Oregon.[22] 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 practicing at Daytona International Speedway with Carl Edwards, Elliott Sadler, Ricky Rudd, Dale Jarrett, and Sterling Marlin in 2004

A BMW M4 DTM touring car, racing in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters

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 grand touring (GT) cars, 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. Sports car racing rules and specifications differentiate in North America from established international sanctioning bodies.[23]
  • Stock car racing is a set of vehicles that race over a speedway track, organised by NASCAR. Originally using production cars, the vehicles are now purpose-built race cars but maintain the body design and shape of production cars. Bootleggers throughout the Carolinas are often credited for the origins of NASCAR due to the resistance during prohibition.[24] Many of the vehicles were modified to increase top speed and handling to provide the bootleggers with an advantage over the vehicles the local law enforcement agencies would use in the area.[25] Many legends in NASCAR originated as bootleggers in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina, like Junior Johnson.[26] Organised oval racing began on Daytona Beach in Florida as a hobby, but quickly gained interest from all over the country. As oval racing became larger and larger, a group gathered in hopes to form a sanctioning body for the sport.[27] NASCAR was organised in 1947, to combine flat track oval racing of production cars.[28] Daytona Beach and Road Course was founded where land speed records were set on the beach, and included part of A1A. The highlight of the stock car calendar is the season-opening Daytona 500, also nicknamed 'The Great American Race' which is held at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.[29] NASCAR has now held over 2,500 sanctioned events over the course of 70 seasons.[27] Richard Petty is known as the king of NASCAR with over 200 recorded wins in the series and has competed in 1,184 races in his career.[30]
  • Touring car racing involves modified passenger cars intended for road use that race over closed purpose-built race tracks and street courses.[31]
  • Truck racing involves racing of 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.[32]

Other off-road racing disciplines include:

• Rallycross
• Autocross
• 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.[33]

Other disciplines of automobile sport include:

• hillclimbing
• demolition derby
• drifting
• gymkhana
• monster truck events
• tractor pulling
• land speed record attempts
• trials