Community Engagement

The United Against Online Abuse (UAOA) campaign hosted an impactful “Girls on Track” event in Valencia during the FIA World Motorsport Games 2024, focusing on empowering the next generation of female motorsport talent. Held at Circuit Ricardo Tormo, this special event brought together young women from around the world to participate in interactive workshops designed to equip them with the knowledge and tools to navigate the digital space safely.

In collaboration with the European Sport Business School, the UAOA team led sessions on online safety, resilience, and the realities of social media, addressing the challenges young athletes may face in today’s digital age. Through these workshops, UAOA aimed to inspire confidence and create a supportive environment for young women entering the motorsport industry, embodying the campaign’s commitment to fostering a safe and positive online community for all.

The FIA Girls on Track – Rising Stars program aims to identify the best 12-16 year-old female drivers from around the world and help them reach a professional career in motor sport. This fourth edition in 2023 saw 16 promising talents train and compete Franciacorta for just eight places in the finals at the Ferrari Driver Academy in November.

Showing speed on track was just one element of the FIA Girls on Track – Rising Stars assessment, the drivers also needed to demonstrate their ability to adapt, progress and develop both on and off track throughout the entire process. The Training Camps were also designed to highlight many of the elements vital to becoming a complete racing driver, including physiological welfare, media interaction, personal presentation, safety and the value of team/driver relationships and tyre management.

Accordingly, the Girls On Track: Rising Stars partnered with UAOA to educate the young athletes on how to define online abuse, protect themselves on platforms and manage changing environments as up-and-coming competitors. 

Recognising the pivotal role of young athletes in online abuse discussions, these sessions are integral to the development of young audiences, particularly as several studies demonstrate a lack of sufficient digital literacy training. 

UAOA are grateful for the opportunity to be part of this programme supervised by the FIA, the FDA and Partners: Iron Dames, Scuola Federale ACI Sport, 3,2,1 Perform, Pirelli, OMP and Tony Kart.

The inaugural edition of the Young Driver Academy, launched by the motorsport governing body in Kazakhstan, AMFK, brought together young motor sport drivers from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan at Sokol racetrack in Almaty. 

The event gathered 12 highly skilled young male drivers and 3 exceptionally talented female drivers, carefully selected from three Central Asian countries—Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, alongside three from the Caucasus—Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia. Their inclusion in the Academy was made possible through the FIA Sport Grant Program.

AMFK’s commitment to nurturing motor sport talent was exemplified as they partnered with FIA experts to craft a comprehensive curriculum. This curriculum transcended the racetrack, offering valuable insights into motorsport governance, event organisation, administration, drivers’ and event safety, first aid, emotional intelligence, and media training. UAOA were proud to be invited to host the first digital literacy session in the region.

AMFK President Marat Abykaev expressed his enthusiasm for the project, stating, “This initiative not only places motorsport in our region under the spotlight but also serves as a catalyst for promoting the sport, particularly karting, among our exceptionally talented youth.”