- All 82 nations present to launch third edition of multidisciplinary event
- Opening ceremony staged amid Valencia’s awe-inspiring architectural complex
- Competition begins tomorrow (Thursday 24 October) and concludes on Sunday
VALENCIA, SPAIN (Wednesday, October 23, 2024) – The third edition of the FIA Motorsport Games is officially underway following a spectacular opening ceremony staged this evening in Valencia (23 October).
A total of 646 athletes representing 82 nations were present to launch the multi-disciplinary event at the City of Arts & Sciences, a stunning complex of modernist buildings located close to Valencia’s historic port. Proceedings began at 19:30 and included each national delegation, with this year's hopefuls spanning Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, and Australasia.
They will compete across no fewer than 26 categories, a significant increase from the 16 contested last time out in France and six at the inaugural edition in Italy. The Rally category has expanded from three categories to nine, while further new additions include GT Single Make, Esports F4, Karting Mini and Cross Car Mini.
The opening ceremony also featured a number of notable speakers, led by FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who welcomed attendees via a video message. Carlos Mazón Guixot, the President of Generalitat Valenciana, spoke on behalf of the region, while Carmelo Sanz de Barros (FIA President of the Senate) declared the Games to be officially underway.
During the course of the ceremony, there were further speeches from Fernando Molinero (Sports Director of the Spanish Government); Ronan Morgan (FIA President of the Drivers' Commission); Anna Nordkvist and Manuel Avino (FIA Vice Presidents Sport Europe); and Stéphane Ratel (Founder and CEO of SRO Motorsports Group).
With the opening ceremony complete, attention now turns to the competitive element. This begins tomorrow (Thursday 24 October) with Rally and Karting Slalom sessions at Circuit Ricardo Tormo, while both the Esports GT and Esports F4 categories will return to the City of Arts & Sciences to run open qualifying.
Live coverage of the event will begin on Friday 25 October, kicking off an extensive on-site studio broadcast. The first competitive action will get underway at 16:15 CEST, when the GT qualifying session takes place, and continues throughout the weekend. There will also be regular updates from the off-track categories, ensuring that fans can watch events unfold in Spain.
Viewers can tune into the official FIA Motorsport Games YouTube channel to experience free-to-view coverage across the world, while there will also be regular updates on the event's Instagram, X, Threads and Facebook accounts.
