The government plan that by 2040 pure petrol and diesel cars will be banned, has prompted many questions about the effect on motorsport and now Motorsport Industry Association CEO Chris Aylett shares his views before the Autosport International Show in the NEC next week.
“Ever since this announcement some question whether this will be the end of motorsport, but I simply don’t believe this will prove to be the case. The announcement didn’t clarify that petrol or diesel simply can’t be the ‘sole’ source of propulsion from 2040, so Hybrid vehicles, with internal combustion engines, will be fine, he said.”
“Ever since the Roman days of racing horses and chariots, humans just love competition in transport – planes, yachts, ships, bikes, trucks and cars.
“Over the next 20 years, we will see some fascinating developments in hybrid technology – an example being a turbocharged three-cylinder engine – superbly efficient, enormously powerful and lightweight. Some powertrains will involve electric power, some hydrogen and some even new power sources – it will be a memorable period of disruption and innovation.”
He went on, “We’ll see increasing performance from electric power units thanks to smaller, lighter batteries alongside increasing energy efficiency in the internal combustion engine. This fascinating period of innovative competition is the focus of the MIA Energy-Efficient Motorsport Conference on Wednesday 10 January at the NEC, the day before the Autosport International Show see the MIA website.
“These cutting-edge energy-efficient solutions will attract a new, young audience who will be entertained and excited by the transport of tomorrow. We’ll see new racing series emerging for this new audience to enjoy in a different way than today. I’m confident we will be enjoying similar, and also different, forms of motorsport up to 2040 and far beyond, which is good news for the industry and fans too.”
Motorsport Network is the world’s largest independent automotive and motorsport-related digital platform, connecting millions of people who love motorsport and cars. The network also creates key industry events including Autosport International and the annual Autosport Awards. Make sure you head over to www.autosportinternational.com to get your tickets.
Driverless racing
Roborace, the world’s first driverless electric racing competition, is set to take pride of place on the Autosport Stage at Autosport International.
Always at the forefront of future technology, visitors will have an opportunity to get close to Roborace’s autonomous ‘Robocar’ next week from Friday through to Sunday 14 January.
Roborace is a platform for the development of autonomous technology in an extreme environment and educates the public about the benefits and safety of these technologies when they make it onto our roads at scale.
