Licence proposals slammed

British amateur racers and their organising clubs have reacted angrily to proposals that will make it much harder for drivers to compete in races run at European venues.

If the plans of the FIA are ratified in October, drivers wishing to compete abroad will need an international licence. At a stroke, the hundreds of British drivers who race occasionally in Europe may be denied that chance.

The present system allows drivers with a UK National A race licence to take part in national-level events across Europe, at the same time as allowing non-MSA licence holders to come to the UK.

A spokesman for the HSCC said: “This will badly affect a lot of British competitors, and will severely limit the number of races that they can do outside the UK. We hope the FIA will urgently reconsider these changes.”

The change has its origins in EU law, but Britain’s governing body, the MSA, is lobbying for the ruling to be delayed and reviewed.

Drivers competing in international race series using an international race licence should be unaffected.