The FFSA plans to resume racing at the beginning of August

Following the interventions of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Sports concerning the resumption of sporting and economic activities, update on the situation as of April 30 in three questions/answers.

1. As a rider, when and how will I be able to ride?

That's the question. We all want to be able to practice our passion again.

All French people are waiting for concrete measures and are uncertain about everyday issues. The unknowns are numerous and in so many areas. Therefore, we must be responsible and patient. This does not mean being inactive and not defending our cause.

LDuring the speech of the Prime Minister, Édouard Philippe, on April 28 before the National Assembly, it was mentioned that individual sporting activity could resume on May 11 by respecting certain rules that the Minister of Sports specified this morning.

La FFSA has already resumed contact with the services of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of the Interior and its supervisory Ministry in order to obtain the modalities for relaunching its activities respecting the principles set out by the government, progressiveness and territoriality .

LThe FFSA also offers a business resumption plan adapted to each of its worlds, with the preliminary development of a global reception plan. It includes a health protocol, common with the French Motorcycling Federation, drawn up by the Federal Doctors in conjunction with the representatives of the professional groups (ADEPA, GNCACEIPA and GNPK), the Ministry of Sports and the CNOSF. This protocol makes it possible to apply barrier gestures and respect physical distancing measures, without exposing oneself or others to a health risk.
 

Tthree universes are to be understood in this business resumption plan:
 

• Commercial activities of circuits and tracks

The FFSA recommends a reopening of circuits and outdoor tracks of karting, major economic players in the motor sports sector and more broadly in the tourism sector, from May 11, even if this must be done in a progressive and territorialized manner according to the map of departments as well as travel limits and decisions prefectural.

In particular, measures for staff and participants are provided for in the reception plan: a closure of restaurants, a maximum number of people present on the track, an obligation to wear sufficient PPE (personal protective equipment), a disinfection of helmets and vehicles, closing of locker rooms, etc.
 

• Club activities

Sport in general, through the values ​​it carries as well as the dense fabric of our clubs and our volunteers, has a vital role to play. Clubs are essential players in society and they must also be so during the period of deconfinement. This is why the FFSA recommends in its resumption of activities plan that clubs can welcome back our practitioners (amateurs and high-level) very quickly in order to allow them to fully play their social role. As such, the Minister of Sports specified on April 30 that training concerning individual sports in the open air, without contact, bringing together no more than ten people and respecting a safety distance of ten meters with a surface of 4 meters squares per person will be authorized from May 11.
 

• Circuit and road competitions

Motorsport, whether practiced on the road or circuit, contributes to the influence, dynamism and animation of our territories. It is anchored in the life of the French and their history.

After the cancellation of two major events of the 1st semester, the Paris ePrix in Formula E et the French F1 GP, and the announced postponement of the 24 hours of Le Mans, sports competition must absolutely be integrated into the State's recovery plan.

The FFSA therefore recommends being able to organize its competitions again from August 1st. To do this, the Federation is, with the French Motorcycling Federation and the French Cycling Federation, in permanent contact with the Ministry of Sports as well as the Ministry of the Interior so that the resumption arrangements are adapted to the health context and new government measures.

The question that also concerns our clubs concerns the administrative deadlines for files to be submitted to the Prefecture for the organization of the events. As indicated on April 28 by Edouard PHILIPPE, one of the criteria will be the departmental situation. Leagues and clubs therefore have a role to play with prefectures and local authorities in order to facilitate organizations. A communication kit will be sent very soon to each club for this purpose.

The FFSA and its entire sector want to take an active and responsible part in the revival of economic and social activity in our country.

2. Concretely, could a motorsport event be organized before September?
 

The FFSA, through the ad-hoc unit set up at the start of the confinement period, is working on developing different scenarios to adapt the calendars according to government decisions. Nevertheless, the Ministry of Sports reminded the Federations that, in a context of pre-deconfinement, it was necessary to exercise great caution in communicating the conditions for resuming federal activities at the risk of being contradicted by government measures and local.

The FFSA, present at CNOSF meetings, at the Ministry of Sports and within the Sports Economic Sector, defends the interests of motorsport and ensures that its stakeholders are fully taken into account.

All the work carried out with determination by the FFSA, its Leagues, its Commissions and its services, will when the time comes to be perfectly operational to communicate all the elements necessary for the gradual resumption of our passion.

To date, to the extent that a sporting event takes place in front of less than 5 people or behind closed doors, the latter could be organized from August 000, as long as it has obtained authorization from the Prefecture provided that the health and material conditions are met.

The evolution of the epidemic will remain a determining factor in the assessment of administrative authorities as well as possible new government measures still unknown to date.

3. The health crisis also has and will have an economic impact on the motorsport ecosystem. What measures is the FFSA likely to take?
 

Like other sectors, the motor sports sector is affected.

To reduce the negative impact of this crisis, we must, on the one hand, prepare as best as possible the conditions for resuming activity as soon as possible as explained previously, and on the other hand, take measures adapted to the economic context.

The FFSA Steering Committee has already decided to freeze the technical regulations until December 31, 2021 in order to avoid an increase in the cost of the practice.

Furthermore, fully aware of the difficulties encountered by everyone, the FFSA is currently carrying out a study to reduce the costs as much as possible in all its disciplines. To do this, consultation with all the players in our ecosystem (organizers, practitioners, preparers, manufacturers, partners, etc.) is planned.

The FFSA itself has initiated a plan to reduce its expenses and investments to regain a healthy and positive dynamic.

In addition, the FFSA, present in a CNOSF “Task Force” working group made up of around ten federations, carries a series of concrete economic measures to support players in the sports sector, such as the implementation of deductions. tax for companies investing in sports sponsorship or even the elimination for 2020 and 2021 of expenses incurred for the police and gendarmerie forces which are requested from the organizers.
 

Finally, the President of the FFSA Nicolas Deschaux, associated with the President of the French Motorcycling Federation, wrote to the Minister of the Economy and Finance in order to recall the importance and specificities of our Sector which has the rare particularity of connecting with strength the French industrial and sporting heritage. We hope that companies under the latter, which represents 13 jobs spread across the country and 500 billion euros in turnover, can benefit from government support and support measures.

The solidarity and responsibility of those involved in motorsport and, more broadly, motorsport will enable us to emerge from this unprecedented crisis which is undermining the sustainability of our structures and the practice of our passion.

Among the competitions likely to be affected, there is in particular the 4 Hours of Castellet, an event supposed to launch the 2020 season of theELMS the 19 July.