Over 3,000 Czech children have passed through a racing academy in the past seven years. That figure formed the centrepiece of discussions this week between motorsport’s global governing body and Czech government leaders in Prague.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, met President Petr Pavel, Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and Education Minister Boris Šťastný on Tuesday to discuss road safety initiatives and youth motorsport development. The talks underscored Czech Republic’s position as a key European automotive nation—and highlighted how international funding is reshaping grassroots participation.
The RacerBuggy 160 programme has become the flagship example. Designed for children aged five to eight, the autocross training division has introduced over 3,000 youngsters to competitive driving since launching in 2019. Running parallel is the Karting Academy, an educational scheme that’s hosted more than 1,000 participants—many now competing internationally.
Both initiatives receive grants from the FIA and its charitable arm, the FIA Foundation. That financial pipeline formed part of Tuesday’s agenda.
“The Czech Republic has a proud automotive and motorsport heritage and continues to demonstrate how mobility, innovation and sport can work together,” Ben Sulayem said following the meetings.
He thanked the three officials for what he termed “constructive discussions,” adding: “I look forward to continuing our collaboration as we work together to build a safer, more sustainable future for mobility and motorsport.”
The FIA president also outlined data-driven road safety tools during the visit, including the organisation’s Road Safety Index and Driver Safety Index. Both programmes provide benchmarking metrics designed to help governments measure—and reduce—traffic fatalities and injuries.
Czech Republic’s automotive sector gives the nation outsized influence within European motorsport circles. Jan Šťovíček, president of the Autoklub České republiky, serves on the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council, leads the Coordination Forum for Eastern and Central European Countries, and sits on the FIA Foundation board—a trifecta of roles that positions Prague as a central node in the federation’s continental network.
Šťovíček hosted Ben Sulayem during the visit and used the platform to showcase programme outcomes.
“It was an honour to showcase the positive impact that FIA funding is having across our programmes,” he said. “These grants are helping us strengthen grassroots motorsport, invest in young talent and create new opportunities for people to engage with our sport.”
The emphasis on youth accessibility reflects broader FIA priorities under Ben Sulayem’s presidency. Since taking the helm of the Paris-based organisation—founded in 1904 and now representing 245 member clubs across five continents—he’s championed diversity initiatives and grassroots expansion alongside the federation’s traditional governance of seven world championships.
Tuesday’s meetings also touched on sustainable transport and innovation, though specifics on policy commitments weren’t disclosed. The Czech government has previously supported electrification initiatives within its domestic automotive industry, which includes Škoda’s manufacturing base.
For Šťovíček’s team, the diplomatic engagement carries practical weight. Continued FIA funding hinges on demonstrable results—and the 3,000-participant figure for RacerBuggy 160 provides quantifiable evidence of reach. The Karting Academy’s international competitors offer qualitative proof that the pipeline is working.
The visit forms part of Ben Sulayem’s ongoing calendar of government engagements, designed to align national motorsport strategies with the FIA’s global safety and sustainability agenda. Similar meetings have taken place across Europe and the Middle East over the past 18 months, though few have centred so explicitly on youth programme outcomes.
Whether the Prague talks yield expanded funding or new policy frameworks won’t be clear until later this year. What’s certain is that 3,000 Czech children have now experienced competitive motorsport who might not have otherwise—a grassroots footprint that gave Tuesday’s diplomatic choreography its substance.
The FIA oversees motorsport regulations worldwide from offices in Paris, London and Geneva, working with national clubs to develop both elite competition and entry-level participation. Its foundation arm directs grants toward road safety research and accessibility programmes in dozens of countries.
By week’s end, Ben Sulayem had departed Prague. The karting academies continue enrolling students.
