Gracias Valencia
October 31, 2024
The joy shines that little bit stronger when you are racing for something bigger than yourself.
To our 646 racers from 82 nations – congratulations and thanks. See you in 2026 at the “Race of Nations”
Curtain falls on 2024 FIA Motorsport Games with closing ceremony in Valencia
October 28, 2024
The curtain fell on the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games yesterday evening when the closing ceremony was staged at Valencia’s City of Arts & Sciences, concluding four days of action in and around the Spanish city.
The third edition of the multidisciplinary event was unquestionably the biggest yet. It brought together 646 athletes representing 82 nations to race for medals in 26 categories, with competition staged at a variety of venues.
Host nation Spain emerged as the top performer, earning a record haul of six gold medals at its home event. A further 12 nations struck gold in 2024, while a total of 26 left the Games with at least one medal.
Spain reigns supreme in the Race of Nations
October 28, 2024
Spain is celebrating victory on home soil at the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games after taking a record haul of six gold medals in Valencia.
The Spanish squad finished well clear at the top of the table, ending four days of competition ahead of Germany and 2022 winner Italy. A total of 13 nations struck gold in 2024, while 26 left the Games with at least one medal. They included 12 first-time medallists, with seven nations winning a maiden gold.
Staged at multiple venues around Valencia, the third FIA Motorsport Games drew a total attendance of 49,000. Spectators were treated to an incredible variety of motorsport, ranging from GT and single-seater racing to grassroots categories, esports and karting.
The closing ceremony took place this evening at the City of Arts & Sciences in Valencia, where the successful athletes were celebrated, while Spain was recognised as the event’s top performer.
2024 Medal Table
October 28, 2024
Congratulations Team Spain. Winning the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games on home soil in Valencia!
Single Make GT: Team United Kingdom Wins After Late Thriller with Spain
October 27, 2024
Although James Owen did not cross the finish line first in Sunday’s Single-Make GT – Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli race, he became a gold medal winner for Team United Kingdom.
Owen ran much of the half-hour race in second place behind Team Spain’s Ivan Velasco Sanchez, but made a pass on his Ferrari 296 Challenge car with one minute to go for the lead. On the final lap, Sanchez nudged Owen’s Ferrari out of the way to reclaim the top spot and capture the checkered flag first. However, Sanchez was one of several competitors to receive a 25-second penalty for a starting procedure infringement and as a result, Owen was promoted to the win.
Owen’s gold medal was the second of the day for Team United Kingdom.
Finishing second for the silver medal was Team Switzerland’s Christophe Hurni, who also jumped Sanchez as a result of the penalty. The Spaniard hung on to third for the bronze medal.
Rally2: Türkiye takes gold by just 0.3s over Spain
October 27, 2024
The competitive action at the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games finished in thrilling fashion as Türkiye edged Team Spain by just 0.3s to triumph in the Rally2 Medals Stage finale.
Spain’s Alejandro Cachón / Borja Rozada entered the three-lap showdown at Circuit Ricardo Tormo as the favourites in Rally2 – for four-wheel-drive cars with 1600cc turbocharged engines. The Toyota GR Yaris duo won all 14 stages across Friday and Saturday to claim golds in the separate Gravel and Tarmac classes.
They lined up alongside Türkiye’s Ali Türkkan / Oytun Albayrak, who earned a pair of silvers in the two categories – and Mexico representatives Alejandro Mauro Sanchez / Adrian Perez for the 12.4-kilometre shootout.
In wet conditions, the Mexicans were quickest off the line in their Škoda Fabia to carry a slender lead into the first turn before the three crews undertook different length opening laps.
Cachón / Rozada had the shortest route to travel initially, duly emerging with an advantage of 25s. But they were left with the longest lap to complete before the finish, while Türkiye had the least distance to cover.
Türkkan threaded his Ford Fiesta through the tight penultimate chicane to re-join the main circuit just ahead of host nation Spain as their laps converged for the dash to the line. He held on by just 0.3s to claim gold.
Mexico’s chances suffered when Sanchez nerfed a tyre wall, however crossing the line in third still earned the country its first Games medal.
Drifting: Przygonski prevails to earn gold for Poland
October 27, 2024
Poland has claimed the final gold medal of the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games by defeating Norway in the deciding Drifting contest at Circuit Ricardo Tormo.
A losing semi-finalist in 2022, Jakus Przygonski could not be stopped this time. Driving a Toyota GR86, he defeated Sweden’s Joakim Andersson in the Top 4 match-up, then overcame Simen Olsen (Norway) in the battle for the top prize. Sweden claimed the bronze with Andersson overcoming 2022 winner Kristaps Bluss (Latvia).
This was Poland’s first medal of the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games and its first gold at the multidisciplinary event. Norway earned its first-ever medal, while Sweden took its third bronze after also finishing P3 in Historic Rally Tarmac and Cross Car Sr.
Rally4: Germany narrowly beats hosts Spain to claim gold
October 27, 2024
Germany’s Tom Kässer and co-driver Stephan Schneeweiß pipped Team Spain by just 1s in a closely fought Medals Stage on Sunday to claim gold in the Rally4 Overall contest.
Sergi Perez / Axel Coronado had already guided the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games host nation to wins in the separate Rally4 Gravel and Tarmac classes in the competition for front-wheel-drive cars. The duo also sat top in the combined times that determined the Overall leader board.
But the slate was wiped clean for the Medals Stage decider as the crews from Spain and Germany lined up alongside Brazil’s Luis Eduardo Stedile / Carlos Enrique Morales for the head-to-head, three-lap, 12.4-kilometre showdown at Circuit Ricardo Tormo.
All driving Peugeot 208s, it was the Brazilians who enjoyed the superior launch to take an early advantage before the crews embarked on their different length opening laps.
The Spaniards tackling the shortest loop to begin with, Perez / Coronado slid their way round the greasy track to cross the timing line with a 24s lead. However, they had to complete the longest route to the finish while Kässer / Schneeweiß had the shortest distance to travel.
A clean run meant that, as the laps converged, the Germans popped out into the lead and hung on for the sprint to the line to win the gold medal by just 1s. Behind Team Spain, Stedile copped a 10s penalty for collecting a cone on his way to earning bronze for Brazil.
Historic Rally: Italy triumphs on Medals Stage to snare gold
October 27, 2024
Team Italy completed an Historic Rally clean sweep at the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games as Andrea Zivian and co-driver Nicola Arena surged to victory in Sunday’s Medals Stage.
The duo entered the decider at Circuit Ricardo Tormo having already claimed gold across the separate Historic Rally Gravel stages on Friday before winning the Tarmac class on Saturday.
However, after 14 stages, it had been United Kingdom’s Ben Mellors and Alex Lee (competing in the mixed-surface category only) who topped the Overall leader board ahead of the Italians, with Team Spain’s Antonio Sainz / Carlos Cancela rounding out the top three.
The trio lined up side-by-side at the track for the 12.4-kilometre, three-lap showdown. Zivian made the most of the four-wheel-drive traction of his Audi quattro to launch quickest, before the three crews splintered off at the first corner to complete their different-length opening laps.
Having started his Toyota Celica in the outside lane, Mellors clipped a tyre stack at the end of his first tour – the Briton tackling the shortest route initially before finishing with the longest.
As the three drivers reached for their wipers on lap two as rain arrived, it was “Zippo” and Arena who emerged from the final corner with a commanding lead of 14.1s to snare the win, ensuring the Italians defended their Historic Rally gold medal achieved in the 2022 Games.
Mellors and Lee collected silver, as Team Spain’s Sainz and Cancela took home bronze for the host nation.
Karting Sprint Sr: Lithuania claims first Games gold
October 27, 2024
The surprise results continued in the karting Finals as Team Lithuania won gold in the Sprint Sr category.
While there is little doubting Markas Silkunas’ exceptional talent it was all eyes on home hero Ruben Moya Lopez ahead of the contest.
Moya Lopez had won all three Heats during the weekend and was seemingly set to continue his dominant form in the Final.
A multiple kart accident on the opening lap took out a number of competitors, as the huge field jostled for position in the early stages.
Team Andorra’s Alex Machado and Lithuanian Silkunas settled into second and third respectively, before the latter got the better of the duel.
Moya Lopez was unable to get away from the chasing pack and may be with the pressure of a medal deciding final weighing on his shoulders, Silkunas made his mark on lap eight.
The move wasn’t without controversy, however, as Moya Lopez’ kart ran wide and through the gravel following minor contact, before the #11 kart scrambled back onto the track down the order.
Silkunas pulled clear in the closing laps to win the first gold of the Games for Lithuania, whilst second place for Team Andorra represented the nation’s first silverware in the history of the FIA Motorsport Games.
Moya Lopez responded well to fight his way back up to third as the home crowd celebrated the final karting action at the wonderful Aspar Circuit.
| Load more |