Press

The MXGP of Turkey which is set to take place on September the 1st and 2nd in Afyonkarahisar was officially presented to over 120 guests including national and international media as well as national sponsors on January the 9th. The event was hosted at the famous Çırağan Palace, a former Ottoman Palace now 5 star hotel, located on the European shore of the Bosphorus. Both national and international authorities were invited to the outstanding Palace’s Ballroom where a press conference was held. In attendance was Youthstream Vice President Luigi Zompetti, FIM Europe President Dr. Wolfgang Srb and Turkish Motorcycling Federation President Bekir Yunus Ucar, Governor of Afyonkarahisar Mustafa Tutulmaz and the Mayor of Afyonkarahisar Burhanettin Coban, all of which took the stage to introduce the event from their unique perspectives. The whole event was broadcasted LIVE on the local channel Kanal 3 while TRT Sports (Turkish Radio Television) showed a

The ceremony was staged, as already many times in the previous years, in the famous “Technisches Museum” in Vienna. It is one of the oldest museums of its kind, built more than 100 years ago. AMF is affiliated both to FIM as well as FIA; therefore the Champions of both categories were honored. AMF President Professor Harald Hertz welcomed the riders and drivers, their families, clubs, organizers, officials as well ÖAMTC Honorary President Werner Kraus, ÖAMTC Director Oliver Schmerold, FIM Europe President Dr Wolfgang Srb and FIM/CMI Director David McManus, who will conduct a “Chief Medical Officer” seminar on the weekend in Vienna.   AMF staff (from left): Michaela Landauf, Ingo Partsch, FIM Europe President Wolfgang Srb, AMF President Professor Harald Hertz, Eva Nebenmayer, Estephanie Dos Passos and Alexander Letitzki (staff members missing on the photo: AMF Secretary General Kurt Wagner, Martin Suchý and Eva Lachmayer).

FIM Europe is delighted to announce that the 2018 European Snowcross Championship will again be combined with the FIM World Championship and will again be promoted by Youthstream. The event will now be on Friday and Saturday 4th and 5th May at the Levi Ski Centre near Kittila in Northern Finland. Snow conditions at this time of the year are expected to be excellent and there will be about 14 hours or more of daylight. The event is open to riders over 16 years old on Pro-stock machines and will consist of 2 points scoring races to decide the 2018 European Snowcross champion. “I’m very happy to see this event once again combined with the World Championship and I wish to thank Youthstream, the SML and the organiser for their cooperation and assistance», stated Mr Eddie Herd, Chairman of the European Motocross and Snowcross Commission. The 2018 FIM Europe Snowcross

The 2017 Prize Giving Ceremony of the Finnish Motorcycling Federation (SML) took place at the Sibelius Hall (Sibeliustalo) in Lahti, 100 km north of the capital Helsinki. The Sibelius Hall is a modern wooden congress and concert centre and the home of Lahti Symphony Orchestra. Johan Julius Christian („Jean“) Sibelius (1865 – 1957) is widely recognized as Finlands greatest composer. Above, the Sibelius Hall. From left, FIM Europe President, Dr. Wolfgang Srb, Lenni Klemetti (Road Racing NSF 100 European Championship # 2), SML President, Tapio Nevala and SML Secretary General, Kurt Ljungqvist. Photo credit: Mikko Käkelä SML President Tapio Nevala and SML Secretary General Kurt Ljungqvist welcomed many riders, their families, clubs, organizers, officials; all in all around 500 guests. Prizes were given to the top three in each of the following disciplines: Road Racing, Vintage Road Racing, Ice Road Racing, Drag Racing, Motocross, ATV, Supercross, Watercross, SuperMoto, Trial, Enduro,

At the end of 2017, a year with quite many different activities, we have asked Silvio Manicardi, 2nd Deputy President and Chairman of the Non Sporting Council, to give us an overview of the main items on the “political” table and achievements of the Non Sporting Commissions. Following, the second part of his report. Silvio Manicardi, FIM Europe 2nd Deputy President and Chairman of the Non-Sporting Council, during his speech at the Road Safety Conference FIM Europe Congress in Rome As usual during our annual Congress we have organised the “Safety and Mobility” conference. This year the subject was the quite boiling: Sharing the road with Robots - When Motorcycle Meets Automation. This theme has raised a lot of interest with the presentations of high level experts and also due to the presence of European Parliament Member Mr Wim van de Camp, who explained the European Parliament Position. The presentations of

At the end of 2017, a year with quite many different activities, we have asked Silvio Manicardi, 2nd Deputy President and Chairman of the Non Sporting Council, to give us an overview of the main items on the “political” table and achievements of the Non Sporting Commissions. FIM Europe, as the name says, is the CONU representing Europe. What is happening from the “political side” in this Continent? Europe is an area where many rules and regulations are born, which are later followed by other areas in the World. FIM Europe closely follows the different proceedings representing our point of view. Regarding our PTW (Powered Two Wheels) world there are some issues of particular interest and I think that electric mobility and automated driving are the most exciting and also worrying ones. There is a very interesting document that I strongly recommend to read and it is Gear 2030-High Level

At the end of 2017 we’ve asked for analysis of the European Championships to Martin de Graaff, FIM Europe 1st Deputy President and Chairman of the Sporting Council. Here are his reflections. Looking back to the 2017 season we notice many highlights but also some less positive points – for example in many events organisers had to work hard on their tracks in bad weather conditions. On the other side, the crowded motorsport calendar was attractive for an increasing number of participants. In this time of the year all Federations celebrate the successes of the Regional, National, European or World Champions with prize-giving ceremonies. After this the riders take decisions about the next step in their careers. Riders and Federations are satisfied with the new digital platform to issue the licenses, which now is operating well after some minor starting problems. During the last meetings of all Commissions in October

John Chatterton-Ross Q. What was your highlight of 2017? A. The 17th September when Ana Carrasco won the World Championship Supersport 300 race! Q. That is a surprising answer from our representative to Brussels, any connection from Ana’s win to the work you do? A. That is why it is my highlight of 2017. Motorcycling needs more women riders. In sport this is significant. We see nothing unusual in women and men competing on equal terms in equestrian sports. To see this in motorcycling sport is fantastic. It is good the 300cc category is promoted as these motorcycles are cost effective for sport and road use, and as Ana proved on the track, a woman can race as well as any man. It is good politically too, making motorcycling more mainstream. Not just an activity for men. Ana Carrasco Q. Are there other barriers to more women riding? A. A

At the end of 2017, we’ve asked the Secretary General Alessandro Sambuco for an analysis of the year from the point of view of the General Secreteriat, which has its headquarters at Rome, in Italy. Here is his analysis. The year that has just ended has had as a high point the 2017 FIM Europe Congress in Rome. The General Secretariat was directly involved in the organization after the cancellation of the Congress scheduled in Luxembourg. In reality we are always busy organizing the Congresses but normally we are joined by the FMN hosting them. For the Rome Congress we have met every need with the limited human resources we have available, ensuring at the same time ordinary (and sometimes extraordinary) activities. The result has however filled me with pride and for this I thank the staff once again. My glance at the recent past cannot but dwell once again

The new issue of the MAG is online at the following link: https://issuu.com/fimeurope/docs/fim_europe_mag_6-2017  In this issue, all the updates about the FIM Europe activities and in particular the report about the Sporting Commissions Meetings at Fiumicino (Italy) and the Management Council at Papendal, the presence of FIM Europe at AMZS Awards, at the Annual Balkan Motorcyle Union Congress  in Romania and at the Award Ceremony of the Bulgarian Motorcycle Federation and many other news. Furthermore, in the Travel pages, the story and the pictures of a charming mototour in the middle of the Atlantic, by the lawyer Rodolfo Romeo, FIM Europe Chairman of the Judicial Panel.