For many years known as The Racing Car Show and based in London’s Olympia, Autosport International or A24 as this year’s show was dubbed, traditionally marks the start of a new season and without fail, Europe’s largest annual motorsport expose provides a great platform for the sport to showcase plans for the coming year.
It also brings together old friends, creates new friends, and harvests the motorsport community: Manufacturers, Teams, Drivers, Suppliers, and enthusiasts.
This year show organisers implemented an improved floorplan to streamline the flow of visitors and avoid logjams previously existing at areas of the main hall where pathways converge and for sure, the improvements worked well.
A24 show organisers are aware that the main focus for most visitors falls into four main categories: Motorsport, Engineering, Performance and Live Action, so they reorganised the key areas in which each was located.
Over four-days the show demographic is always: trade and competitors Thursday and Friday with fans and enthusiasts Saturday and Sunday. As a result, these are always the busiest two-days and see many of the sport’s star personalities mingling and signing autographs.
Teams also use the fan support for launches and unveilings of new racing liveries, including this year M-Sport’s new WRC team Red Bull colour scheme (above).
Thers’s always a fast-moving series of interviews on the main Live stage with a kaleidoscope of personalities across all categories of the sport: BTCC, WRC, Le Mans, NASCAR, TCR and British Superbikes. But it was Sky Sports F1 presenter David Croft who captured the scoop of the week by interviewing newly redundant HAAS F1 team principal Gunther Steiner. The enigmatic Netflix Drive to Survive superstar in his first interview since Gene Haas’s fateful phone call earlier in the week, came across refreshingly honest, self-deprecating, and good natured, with no rancour directed at his former team. Possibly a large settlement or NDO softened the blow of unemployment?
Across at the international motorsport business forum Live stage, hosted by former AMR and now Skysport F1 strategist Bernie Collins, a prominent list of industry speakers discussed a range of topics relating to the currently thriving motorsport industry. Trade and industry visitors needing somewhere to hold business meetings were able to but a VIP Club package for £150 including refreshments, access to the Live stage green room and somewhere nice to relax and meet.
Adjoining the capacious main hall, the rejuvenated Engineering Hall assembled a multitude of trade suppliers, equipment manufacturers and professionals, sharing the area with schools, colleges and training associations who are focused on producing the next generation of motorsport technicians and designers.
But Cars were the overriding reason most visitors made the pilgrimage to NEC Birmingham on a cold, January weekend. Top of the premier division was the Ferrari 499P Hypercar that lifted the overall winner’s trophy at the 2023 Le Mans 24-Hour race, driven by James Calado, Allassandro Pier Guidi and Antonio Giovinazzi.
It was a fairy tale result for Ferrari on its return to top class sports car racing after 50 years and on the 100th running of the iconic French endurance race. Also on show was the Porsche 963, Ferrari’s Le Mans Hypercar competitor but although the German manufacturer didn’t win at La Sarthe in 2023 its tally of LM 24-H victories since its maiden 1970 win with the 917 stands at 19, against Ferrari’s 10.
The popular British Touring Car Championship was well represented by a plethora of driver favourites including insightful interviews with past champions Jason Plato, Matt Neal, Gordon Shedden and Andrew Jordan, together with reigning four-time BTCC champion, Ash Sutton. From the World Rally Championship, Cumbrian based M-Sport used the show to unveil new livery for its Ford Puma’s with reigning British Rally Champion Adrien Fourmaux now moving up to Rally1 to lead the squad following Ott Tanak’s surprise return to Hyundai, despite two 2023 rally victories for Malcolm Wilson’s team.
Also well represented was the UK’s national motorsport scene with many well-presented cars from club level championships on display, ranging from TCR or division 2 BTCC cars, to proprietary built 750 specials, all a credit to the high standard of engineering and innovation provided by dedicated preparers and teams, some truly amateurs operating from humble lock-up garages on slender budgets. The historic scene too was represented but not as prominently as past show. An ex-Colin McRae Subaru on display (below) was insured for a cool £1M!
The UK passion for club level motorsport was well illustrated by two significant clubs in neighbouring stands; the British Women Racing Driver’s Club acknowledged advocates for encouraging women in motorsport was appropriately located next to the British Motorsport Marshal’s Club, without whose help motorsport would not function! Not far away the governing body Motorsport UK was also represented with a busy central stand and regular appearances from CEO Hugh Chambers and Chairman Dave Richards.
So, what was the fan’s final verdict on A24? Without doubt the improved layout certainly made moving around smoother but several prominent motorsport players were notably absent this year. Perhaps the answer is to allot these key organisations (including the British Motor Racing Marshals Club, below) a basic show stand on a complimentary basis within an area designated for clubs and circuits. Among them, they generate footfall and interest especially in the low budget and affordable end of motorsport, all disciplines. Plus, next year can we have a show guide with stand numbers marked on the plan please?
That said, on its current showing A24 remains the annual Go To event for the motorsport industry and the three-year blueprint now implemented to streamline the layout and improve show content will only enhance the overall experience for visitors, many of whom are international. Overall, a worthy and worthwhile start to another busy season.
© Words Ken Davies
Images: Ken Davies & Autosport International
