MOTORSPORT – Motorsport volunteers and officials from Bahrain and across the Middle East have been praised for their key role in making the region a thriving hub for international motorsport.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has paid tribute to the dedicated force of personnel in the industry, with October designated as 2026 FIA Volunteers and Officials Month.
Ben Sulayem confirmed that the heroes of motorsport in his home region deserve to be acknowledged for being amongst the best in the world.
The FIA chief has praised Bahrain for sending more than 500 race and administrative officials and marshals to Kuala Lumpur earlier this month to provide vital support for the Formula One Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia 2026.
“Volunteers and officials are the lifeblood of our sport, and without their dedication, professionalism, and passion, there would simply be no racing or rallying,” said Ben Sulayem.
“We launched the first Volunteers and Officials Month last year and I’m delighted that we have come together across our federation for a second time to recognise the vital role volunteers and officials play across our sport.”
Around the world, an army of volunteers and officials, including flag marshals and scrutineers, race directors and medical and rescue crews, play essential parts to ensure a huge calendar of FIA events, from F1 to rallying, hill climbing and drifting, run safely, fairly, and smoothly.
“I’m proud to acknowledge that the volunteers and officials who contribute so much time and effort to make motorsport happen across the Middle East are among the best the sport has,” said the FIA President.
“Our member clubs in the region work tirelessly to maintain the highest standards behind the scenes in motorsport. This was highlighted by the commitment of the Bahrain Motor Federation to deliver more than 500 officials and marshals for the F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.”
A landmark FIA study earlier this year revealed the true scale, value, and dedication behind the crucial role of volunteers in the FIA F1 World Championship.
Conducted by the FIA University, the first-of-its-kind research reveals that a minimum of 20,112 trained volunteers are required to staff all 24 rounds of the F1 calendar each season.
An average of 838 volunteers operating at each individual race weekend represents a ratio of 42 for every F1 driver competing on track, the highest volunteer-to-competitor ratio of any international sport.
With each volunteer committing approximately 48 hours of dedicated service to each race weekend, that amounts to a remarkable 965,376 hours contributed to the world’s premier racing series across the full season.
The report highlights the depth of their commitment, with 65 per cent of volunteers taking annual leave or unpaid time off to serve at events.
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