The Japan Times - FIA chief praises Middle East motorsport volunteers and officials

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has paid tribute to the dedicated force of volunteers and officials in Qatar and across the Middle East for their key role in making the region a thriving hub for international motorsport.

With October designated as 2026 FIA Volunteers and Officials Month, Ben Sulayem has taken the opportunity to confirm that the heroes of motorsport in his home region deserve to be acknowledged for being amongst the best in the world.

And the FIA President has praised the volunteers and officials who have performed admirably at the FIA Formula One Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix since the event’s debut at Lusail International Circuit in 2021.

“Volunteers and officials are the lifeblood of our sport, and without their dedication, professionalism and passion, there would simply be no racing or rallying,” said FIA President Ben Sulayem.

“We launched the first Volunteers and Officials Month last year, and I’m delighted that we have come together across our Federation for a second time to recognise the vital role volunteers and officials play across our sport.”

Around the world, an army of volunteers and officials, including flag marshals and scrutineers, race directors and medical and rescue crews, play essential parts to ensure a huge calendar of FIA events, from Formula One to rallying, hill climbing and drifting, run safely, fairly and smoothly.

“I’m proud to acknowledge that the volunteers and officials who contribute so much time and effort to make motorsport happen across the Middle East are among the best the sport has,” said the FIA President.

“Our Member Clubs in the region work tirelessly to maintain the highest standards behind the scenes in motorsport. This was highlighted by the commitment of the Qatar Motor & Motocycle Federation to ensure the hard work, dedication and efficiency that we’ve seen from marshals and officials at the Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix.”

A landmark FIA study earlier this year revealed the true scale, value and dedication behind the crucial role of volunteers in the FIA Formula One World Championship.

Conducted by the FIA University, the Federation's academic body, the first-of-its-kind research reveals that a minimum of 20,112 trained volunteers are required to staff all 24 rounds of the Formula One World Championship calendar each season.

An average of 838 volunteers operating at each individual race weekend represents a ratio of 42 for every F1 driver competing on track, the highest volunteer-to-competitor ratio of any global sport.

With each volunteer committing approximately 48 hours of dedicated service to each race weekend, that amounts to a remarkable 965,376 hours contributed to the world's premier racing series across the full season.The report highlights the depth of their commitment, with 65% of volunteers taking annual leave or unpaid time off to serve at events.

M.Ito--JT