New FIM President Jorge Viegas is on a mission to open the doors of the FIM, letting fans and those outside the organisation get a better understanding of their role. A Press Conference at the VisitQatar Grand Prix set this in motion, with the new FIM President explaining his aim clearly: to highlight the role of the FIM to the outside world and to show how its function is fundamental to the safe and fair running of the Championship through the services, support and staff that it provides.

“It is the first time in seven decades of Grand Prix racing that the FIM has organised this kind of presentation, like has been done here in Doha,” said Viegas. “My goal is to open the FIM to the outside world and to explain the fundamental role of the FIM and the important part it plays within the championship. Thanks to the close collaboration of all the stakeholders DORNA, IRTA, MSMA, we are all working hard together to manage and to promote with great success the FIM MotoGP World Championship. After today, we plan to repeat this kind of presentation in all of the other disciplines too.”

To set the tone of the new era though, it also began with a joke: why the press conference? “Maybe you’re not sure what we do…or maybe you think we’re a travel agency for old people!”

That’s certainly not the case. In MotoGP™, the FIM create the rules, together with the Grand Prix Commission, and apply the rules and the relevant sanctions issued by the FIM MotoGP Stewards panel. The FIM is also in charge of circuit homologation, safety – including all medical aspects – and the antidoping programme. If that’s not enough, their remit also covers the training of the officials, including the Race Director, Clerk of the Course, marshals, and the technical and environmental stewards. This important training is conducted through FIM seminars delivered by FIM instructors around the world.

As well as explaining the work, many of the key figures in the organisation also took to the mic to introduce themselves, with their roles named here:

Franck Vayssié (FRA) – FIM Commission of Circuit Racing Director & Clerk of the Course of the Qatar Grand Prix
Paul Duparc (FRA) – FIM Commission of Circuit Racing Coordinator
Franco Uncini (ITA) – FIM MotoGP Safety Officer
Bill Cumbow (USA) – FIM Permanent MotoGP Stewards
Ralph Bohnhorst (GER) – FIM MotoGP Stewards
Stuart Higgs (GBR) – FIM MotoGP Appeal Stewards
Giancarlo Di Filippo (ITA) – FIM Permanent Medical Officer
Fabio Muner (ITA) – FIM Marketing & Communications Director
Isabelle Larivière (FRA) – FIM Communications Manager

That gives fans a little better understanding of how crucial the FIM really are in the MotoGP™ World Championship. Speaking of which, we’re back on track at Termas de Rio Hondo on the 29th to 30th March in the Gran Premio Motul de la Republica Argentina.

(Story and photos from MotoGP.com)