Category Archives: FIM News

LETTER FROM THE FIM PRESIDENT – FIM SUSTAINABILITY WEEK 2023

Jorge Viegas, FIM President © Good-Shoot

This is the third annual occasion recognising and applauding the Sustainability Week within the FIM. A week dedicated to celebrating the efforts that the members of this great organisation make time after time and that this year will be held from 5 to 11 June.

Over recent times, we have welcomed a community increasingly involved in achieving the Agenda 2030. We have seen a large number of fans concerned about current critical issues, who are looking for conscious and committed entertainment.

In motorcycle sport, tourism and mobility we have made progress in fundamental areas such as education, inclusion and energy transition whilst taking advantage of the technological potential for phasing out fossil fuels. We have also worked on the reduction of the sound level, plus we have received with great enthusiasm the ambitious sustainability strategies from our promoters who have also spared no effort in the certification of our championships.

This year we are both pleased and proud to present our first ever Sustainability Report which will be presented during these celebrations.

Other relevant activities that we will celebrate are : 10 years of the KiSS Programme, which has the central objective to focus on the design and implementation of sustainable events; The sustainable enduro school for children in Portugal; the celebration of the World Environment Day, promoted by UNEP, which the FIM has supported since 2006 as well as other projects that will be added to all the activities and that will be announced throughout the week.

The motto of our 2023 campaign is “Join us to build a better future” – this is dedicated with great respect to the guild of engineers and mechanics who work every day in all sectors of our organisation and who have a predominant role in achieving our objectives.

As with every year, I convey a cordial invitation to all members of this great FIM family, our Continental Unions, Promoters, National Federations, Riders, Journalists, and Organisers to join the permanent efforts to preserve our environment, contribute to local communities, support global objectives and also to join in the celebrations of this great FIM Sustainability Week.

Jorge VIEGAS
FIM President

Click here to view the Key Notes
Click here to view the Social Media Kit

FIM MARKS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY WITH WOMEN IN MOTORCYCLING DOCUMENTARY

To mark International Women’s Day this coming Wednesday 8 March, the FIM has released a documentary entitled Women in Motorcycling.

Produced in conjunction with online broadcasting specialists WebsEdge, the FIM Women in Motorcycling Commission (CFM) has partnered with Can-Am, BMW Motorrad and MUNER University for this very special project with the aim of raising the profile of female motorcycle sport and inspiring the next generation of riders.

To watch the Women in Motorcycling documentary, click HERE

Featuring interviews with iconic female competitors, the twenty-two-minute film shares the inspirational stories of FIM World Champions Laia Sanz, Iris Kramer and Kiara Fontanesi along with trail-blazing road racer Andrea Coleman and up-and-coming prospect Ran Yochay.

A celebration of female motorcycle sport, Women in Motorcycling showcases three key areas in the motorcycle industry from on the road to engineering and racing.

“As soon as you put on the helmet it doesn’t matter what your gender is,” explains nineteen-year-old racer Ran Yochay. “What matters is our love for the sport and what matters is how we ride. If you’re good, you’re good – it doesn’t matter if you’re a man or a woman.”

Janika Judeika, FIM Women in Motorcycling Commission Director: The FIM is devoted to making motorcycling an open, inclusive and benevolent environment for all. That is why the Women in Motorcycling Commission continuously seeks ways to showcase role models who can inspire more and more women to not only join our sport, but also strive in it, no matter which path or discipline they choose. Joining forces with WebsEdge, BMW Motorrad, Can-Am, and MUNER University was a great opportunity to deliver our message to a wider audience and show girls and women everywhere that they are strong, capable, unstoppable and, most of all, supported by an extraordinary community of people!”

Stephen Horn, CEO, WebsEdge:“We were delighted to partner with the FIM to produce a film that explores the challenges and achievements of women in motorcycling. This is a ground-breaking and unique point of view of women in the industry who have made a difference. As a company we feel strongly about advancing gender equality and breaking barriers, we know the most powerful way of doing that is to share knowledge and experiences through storytelling.”

Markus Schramm, Head of BMW Motorrad: “Women are a strong part of our BMW Motorrad community. We have more and more female participants in track days and it is great that their interest in being actively involved in motorsport is also rising. As BMW Motorrad, we support them with many activities. The FIM commitment to support women in motorsports is fantastic and it has high importance for us to be a part of it. Our common goal is to interest even more girls and women for bikes and for racing and to assist them on their way into motorsports. We are excited about a future with more and more female racers competing in the different levels and disciplines of racing.” – Watch the BMW Movie Click HERE

Francesco Leali, MUNER professor and Advanced Automotive Engineering Program Director: “MUNER is promoting the value of diversity, with the belief that being able to attract more and more talented young women is not only a matter of equality, but it is a requirement to enhance the overall quality of the world of motorsport. For years we have been carrying out activities that aim to encourage women’s empowerment through, among others, creating a valuable network at both the national and international levels.
The collaboration with FIM on the Women in Motorcycle project makes us proud and confident towards a richer and fairer future.” – Watch MUNER movie Click HERE

Martin Ethier, Can-Am Marketing Director: “Can-Am is extremely proud to once again be a corporate partner of the International Female Ride Day for 2023 and support this global movement. With the largest female presence of any powersports manufacturer and programs like Women of On-Road Can-Am is committed to breaking down barriers and opening the open road to all. We look forward to celebrating this amazing event and empowering the next generation of female riders.” – Watch CanAM Movie Click HERE

FIM Communications

INFORMATION –  FIM ENDURANCE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP – 2023 PROVISIONAL  CALENDAR, 12 OCTOBER

Please find enclosed the Press Release / FIM Endurance World Championship 2023 Provisional calendar, 12 October.

Four of the best! 2023 EWC calendar follows a winning formula*

Preparations for the 2023 FIM Endurance World Championship are officially underway following the publication of the provisional calendar for the new season.

The events that make up the 2023 EWC calendar are same four that provided an exciting challenge for the EWC riders and their teams and delivered a thrilling spectacle for fans watching trackside and on television and online around the world in 2022.

And by following a winning formula, EWC promoter Discovery Sports Events has been able to present a calendar that offers consistency and stability during a period of economic uncertainty and at a time when COVID-19 remains a global health pandemic.

Four to the fore for season 44
Season 44 of the FIM Endurance World Championship begins at Le Mans in France for the 24 Heures Motos from 13-16 April. Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium is next with the second running of the 24H SPA EWC Motos from 15-18 June followed by the Suzuka 8 Hours in Japan from 28-30 July. The 24-hour Bol d’Or, which celebrated its 100th anniversary earlier this month, will form the deciding round of the 2023 EWC season at Circuit Paul Ricard in France from 14-17 September.

François Ribeiro, Head of Discovery Sports Events, said: “It was very important to build on the positive momentum of the 2022 season by announcing the planned 2023 calendar as quickly as possible and we are very pleased to present a schedule that offers consistency and stability at a challenging time globally. By including four fantastic events at venues with endurance motorcycle racing at their heart we have very hopes for another successful EWC season and look forward to welcoming back our existing teams and those taking part in the EWC for the first time.”

FIM Endurance World Championship 2023 provisional calendar*
• Round 1: 24 Heures Motos (Circuit Bugatti, Le Mans, France) 13-16 April 2023
• Round 2: 24H SPA EWC Motos (Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium) 15-18 June 2023
• Round 3: Suzuka 8 Hours (Suzuka Circuit, Japan) 28-30 July 2023
• Round 4: Bol d’Or 24 hours (Circuit Paul Ricard, France) 14-17 September 2023

Click here to view the document

VICTOR STEEMAN PASSES AWAY

The FIM, WorldSBK paddock and Autodromo Internacional do Algarve pass on their deepest condolences and sympathies

Following a serious incident in the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship’s Race 1 during the Pirelli Portuguese Round at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, it is with great sadness that we report the passing of rider Victor Steeman (MTM Kawasaki).

Victor Steeman was involved in a multi-rider incident at Turn 14, with the race immediately red flagged. Medical personnel and vehicles arrived at the site immediately and the rider was attended to trackside and at the circuit medical centre before being transferred by helicopter to Faro Hospital.

Despite the best efforts of the circuit’s medical staff, marshals and hospital staff, Steeman has sadly succumbed to his injuries.

Steeman was enjoying a superb 2022 FIM Supersport 300 Championship campaign and came into the Pirelli Portuguese Round with a chance of clinching the World Championship. With four wins, five podiums and three pole positions to his name this season, he took 12 points-scoring finishes out of 14 races. He also signed his name in the history books with pole position at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, becoming the rider with the most pole positions in the World Supersport 300 class.

The FIM Family, Dorna Group and the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve pass on their deepest condolences to Victor’s family, friends, team and loved ones.

A statement from Victor’s family reads: “Something you have always been afraid of as a parent of a motorcycle racer has now happened. Our Victor could not win this last race. Despite the unbearable loss and grief, we are extremely proud to share with you that our hero, through his passing, was able to save 5 other people by donating his organs. We would like to thank everyone for the way you have lived with us over the past few days. We will miss our Victor enormously.”