Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile

Automobile racing has never been featured in the Olympic Programme, but, at Paris 1900, auto racing was contested during the sporting events held in conjunction with the Exposition Universelle. The Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympics also brought an auto racing demonstration event, a mixed team karting competition.

Internationally, automobile racing is governed by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA). Founded as Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus (AIACR) on 20 June 1904, and renamed in 1946, the federation has 245 motoring and motor sport club members in 149 countries as of January 2026. Its current president is UAE’s Mohammed ben Sulayem, and Paris is the location of the federation’s headquarters.

A member of the Association of the IOC-recognized International Sports Federations (ARISF), the FAI regulates and governs several disciplines, like circuit racing, rallies, cross-country, off road, or karting, and organizes several world-level competitions, such as the FIA Formula One World Championship (first held in 1950) or the FIA World Rally Championship (first held in 1973).