Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) President Mohammed Ben Sulayem visited the Coloane Karting Track yesterday ahead of the three-day 2026 FIA Extraordinary General Assembly and Annual Conference, which is set to take place at Galaxy International Convention Centre (GICC) in Cotai from tomorrow.
According to the FIA website, the upcoming event is set to see over 450 senior FIA delegates across mobility and motorsport from 149 countries and regions, discussing “key initiatives in road safety, sustainable mobility, regional sporting growth, and innovation in transport”.
Ben Sulayem’s visit to the track yesterday included a tour and inspection of facilities, as well as the waving of the green flag for yesterday’s T4 race in the AAMC Karting Championship 2026. Interactions with several young excited racers competing also took place, with many asking for autographs and photos with Ben Sulayem, who was also one of the most successful Middle East Rally Championship drivers.
Following the tour, Ben Sulayem told media during the interview session that Macau has a long, successful history with motorsports and noted that the city is one of the places where the synergy between all those involved are united from FIA to the local government.
While answering questions about the Macau Grand Prix and its future, he also touched on the Formula 4 category as a whole, with Ben Sulayem pointing out: “F4 is becoming stronger and stronger. How many people are in Formula 4? By far, much more than F3. Why? Because it’s popular. Popular because it’s accessible. And that is good for the public”.
Moreover, in a follow-up question, he added that Formula Four is something that has a “very good future”.
He continued: “As I said, it’s a strong championship…it is the right, tailor-made championship for this part of the world. I’m always a believer that there is no one size that fits all. What they need here is different from what they need in the rest of Asia”, creating championships based on the needs of the place while working with local authorities.
Ben Sulayem also noted that he was impressed with what he saw during the visit and said that Macau has “healthy grassroots”, referring to karting, when it comes to FIA.
While highlighting that most famous racers from Formula One through Formula Four have all come from karting, he acknowledged an issue is that it has become expensive, pledging FIA’s big commitment to making it more affordable.
“Affordability is accessibility”, he said, highlighting that at the end of the year, there will be a chassis where the homologation is owned by FIA, allowing all regions to manufacture in their own country or region, bringing costs down.
Following the interview session, an award ceremony was held for the Slalom and T4 categories of the 2026 AAMC Karting Championship, in which Ben Sulayem was involved in presenting awards.
Also attending yesterday’s event were Sports Bureau (ID) Acting President Lei Si Leng, Automobile General Association Macao-China (AAMC) Chairman Chong Coc Veng, and AAMC President Roberto Carlos Osório, among others, welcoming and joining him throughout his visit to the karting track.
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem (from right to left), Sports Bureau (ID) Acting President Lei Si Leng, and Automobile General Association Macao-China (AAMC) Chairman Chong Coc Veng officiate at the Coloane Karting Track yesterday afternoon. – Photos: Rui Pastorin
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem signs the helmet of a young racer.
Young racers pose with guests and representatives at the Coloane Karting Track.
