Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), will inaugurate the FIA Asia Pacific Congress in Chiang Mai, Thailand, this Wednesday, emphasising the region’s increasing influence on global motorsport and mobility.
The congress, hosted by the Royal Automobile Association of Thailand, will convene leaders in motorsport and automotive mobility from across Asia and the Pacific to explore critical priorities such as road safety, sustainable mobility, the expansion of regional sporting activity and advances in transport innovation.
Looking ahead to the gathering, Ben Sulayem remarked: “I am delighted to be joining our members and partners in Chiang Mai for the FIA Asia Pacific Congress and I look forward to building on the region’s impressive progress in both mobility and sport.
“Asia and the Pacific are among the fastest growing areas of our Federation and the commitment shown by our members here is driving real impact – from safer roads and sustainable transport to new opportunities for grassroots and elite competition.
“This gathering is an important opportunity to strengthen collaboration across the region, share expertise in mobility and motorsport, and advance our shared priorities of safety, sustainability and innovation.”
This year’s FIA Asia Pacific Congress carries the theme ‘Innovate. Integrate. Accelerate: Driving a sustainable future for Mobility and Sport’, with sessions designed to equip Member Clubs with fresh strategies and insights on emerging trends shaping mobility and competitive sport.
The programme will spotlight sustainable approaches, affordable pathways for grassroots talent, and the growing role of artificial intelligence across the FIA’s spheres of work.
The congress comes at a time when the pace of motorsport and mobility innovation in the region continues to rise. Sri Lanka recently hosted the Asia Pacific Motorsport Championship featuring 18 nations and 204 competitors, while Malaysia is preparing to hold the first FIA ‘Arrive and Drive’ Karting World Cup this November.
In 2026, Formula 1 will return to Australia, China and Japan, alongside WRC and WEC events in Japan and Formula E rounds in Shanghai and Tokyo.
On the mobility front, the Safe Helmets for Asia Pacific Initiative (SHAP) recently convened its inaugural workshop in Manila, gathering participants from Cambodia, China, Nepal, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam to develop new pathways for improved helmet safety standards.