FIA provides PPE to support restart of island motor sport

The Covid-19 safety protocols for this month’s restart of motor sport in the island have been reinforced by a shipment of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) from the world governing body, the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA). Following Track Days at Bushy Park Barbados over the past two Sundays, competition proper starts again next Saturday (July 18) at the same venue with the second round of the Barbados Rally Club’s (BRC) Autocross Championship.

  The Barbados Motoring Federation (BMF) has recently received 5000 disposable masks for use by competitors, officials and spectators, along with 20 heavier and more robust re-useable masks to be worn by those officials who would be dealing with more high-traffic areas such as scrutineering. The FIA has been leading from the front during the coronavirus pandemic, supporting its worldwide network of affiliates, while the Formula 1 World Championship finally got under way on Sunday in Austria. During the previous 10 days, more than 4,000 F1 drivers, teams and personnel were tested for Covid-19, with zero positive tests recorded; testing will continue, with results reported once a week.

  BMF Vice-President Mark Hamilton said: “It has always been important for us to manage the resumption of motor sport in a responsible and risk averse manner in the ongoing Covid-19 environment. We are very grateful for this donation of PPE, on top of the continuing guidance from the FIA, which we have already used as a resource for our own planning, alongside the protocols issued by the island’s Government.”

  In addition to the material support in the form of PPE, the FIA has published an 80-page document after consultation with the World Health Organisation (WHO), which deals with the necessary planning for Mass Gatherings in the context of the current Covid-19 outbreak, detailing pre-event planning, risk assessment and mitigation. The BMF has already used this document as the basis for its own guidelines to support its seven Member Clubs in the island.

  After motor sport ceased with confirmation of the first Covid-19 cases in the island shortly after the opening round of the Radical Caribbean Cup at Bushy Park on March 15, competitors have been without competition. The BMF is in the process of finalising a revised calendar, which currently lists a further 27 events, although it is not certain that all will run. After next Saturday’s BRC Autocross, the next confirmed events are the first round of the BRC MudDogs Safari Championship (Saturday/Sunday, July 25/26) and Bushy Park Motor Sports Inc’s (BPMSI) second Race Meet on Sunday, July 26.

Editor’s note: affiliated to the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), which rules the sport worldwide, the Barbados Motoring Federation (BMF) is the island’s governing body for motor sport; it represents the interests of its seven Member Clubs in discussions with Government departments which facilitate the sport in the island, in particular the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, which permits road closures for an agreed number of events each year. Away from motor sport, the BMF affiliate which answers the FIA Mobility remit is the Barbados Automobile Association (BAA), which is an executive committee member of the Government’s Barbados Road Safety Council.