The Covid-19 Pandemic has disrupted the sporting activities worldwide including motor sports. Now, though quite a bit of the competition has moved online, with the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) itself joining hands with Ultimate E for the recently concluded Indo Ceylon Grand Prix, that still leaves quite a bit of the grassroots-level motorsport athletes in a lurch. Hence, the FMSCI has announced a package for the year 2020 to stimulate the Indian motorsporting activity.
Now, the Government has already announced that stadiums can be opened but with no spectators, though clarity is needed on whether the sporting events can be conducted without spectators or not. Nevertheless, to encourage the resumption of grass root motorsporting activities as well as national championships to be held in sufficient numbers once the lockdown has been lifted, the FMSCI Council has announced a spate of initiatives.
The foremost among them is the free renewal of national level competition licences applied for in 2020 for the year 2021, if these licence holders do not take part in any event in 2020. Next, the FMSCI has announced a complete waiver of the permit fees for organisers, as well as for naming rights fees for all status of events in instances with no sponsor(s) associated with the event, with only 50 per cent of fees to be charged otherwise.
Next, a one-year extension has been announced for the existing promoters of various national championship events irrespective of whether these events were to be conducted in 2020 or not. Lastly the Council has stressed upon appointing local stewards to ease the burden of travel and hospitality costs for the organisers.