The Confederation of Australian Motorsport (CAMS) and the Automobile & Touring Club of the UAE (ATCUAE) yesterday pledged to forge greater cooperation between the two national bodies, particularly with respective to safety and well-being of drivers and officials.
CAMS President Andrew Papadopolous, who is on a brief visit to the UAE, held a meeting with ATCUAE President Mohammed Ben Sulayem on Wednesday.
Both, Mr. Papadopolous and Sulayem were unanimous in their view that “safety comes first” and efforts to improve safety standards in motorsport should not only be confined to drivers but must encompass all officials too, particularly with issues relating to dehydration.
Mr. Papadopolous informed his UAE counterpart that CAMS has developed the Clear to Steer programme aimed at assisting event organisers, officials, competitors and crew to understand the causes and effects of heat illness and dehydration.
The CAMS president noted that Australia and the UAE face near-similar racing conditions where drivers, crew and officials find themselves in hot, humid and sometimes poorly-ventilated environments.
Mr. Papadopolous disclosed that the Clear to Steer initiative of CAMS’s Safety 1st Strategy has been researched by the Australian Institute of Motor Sport Safety (AIMSS) which provides some simple steps for participants to monitor their own hydration levels and minimise risk of dehydration through an al-inclusive pack that includes a water bottle, information booklet and urine colour chart.
Sulayem, who is also FIA Vice President, showed keen interest in the Clear to Steer initiative and has taken up the offer to introduce it to drivers, crew and officials in the UAE.
“We have been active in creating awareness and educating all concerned about this very important safety issue,” Sulayem said.
“On a grid with a start line-up of 24 cars there are approximately 700 marshals deployed, underscoring the importance of the volunteer force,” Sulayem said while agreeing with Mr. Papadopolous on the universal sentiment that “without volunteer officials, we don’t have an event,” and hence it is imperative that that each official is happy and healthy.
Sulayem said ATCUAE officials would have a closer look at the Clear to Steer programme and where necessary add inputs to suit local requirements.
