MOTORSPORT AUSTRALIA CHANGE LICENCE STRUCTURE

Motorsport Australia change licence structure – Image: Supplied

Significant changes have been made to the licence and permits structure by Motorsport Australia as part of its ‘More Motorsport More Often’ initiative.

By HEATH McALPINE

Aimed at improving the access to motorsport participation, 90 per cent of competitor licence holders will pay less or the same for their 2021 licence renewals.

Competitors who experience an increase in renewal costs will be able to access more events with their new licence type.

Another change is the reduction of existing licence types from 11 to 34, reducing the need for competitors to request licence upgrades as they progress through the various tiers of motorsport.

For example, the Clubman Circuit Licence holder will now simply receive a ‘Circuit Licence’ and they will be able to compete at all levels of Circuit Racing, aside from those events where specific conditions apply, such as a Superlicence for Supercars.

The licence structure for Officials has also been simplified to encompass 40 types rather than the previous 78. This restructure is to better align the licencing with the training levels provided, whilst streamlining progression.

Thus, this stops Officials from continuing roles they’ve previously held and an easier pathway to learn new skills.

Event organisers and clubs will also experience the benefits of these restructures with permit types being reduced from 172 to 61.

Consistency in pricing is the key difference, whilst the new structure makes the permit process easier and fairer.

The changes are as a result of Motorsport Australia’s Recovery Taskforce, initiated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This year has provided us with an opportunity to critically review everything we do – from our own structure, through to our licence and permit offerings,” Motorsport Australia CEO Eugene Arocca explained.

“For our competitors, 90 per cent of you will be better off under this new structure and for those who aren’t – their new licence types will provide more access to more events.

“We are also here to help. Our membership team is happy to talk through your circumstances, with a bridging year on offer for some licence types to cushion the impact of any price increase.

“And while only a small number of competitors will be subject to an increase – those who are will now be able to access more events without the need to upgrade their licence. We’ve found in the past that some people may have chosen a lower licence type at first, only to find they need to upgrade midway through their licence period as they look to make the step up in competition.

“Our Officials are the lifeblood of the sport and we couldn’t do what we do without them.

“These changes will make things easier to understand and also align our training modules with the licence types, something that had not always been clear in the past. This will allow Officials a clear path for advancement through the ranks, as well as give new Officials a clearer understanding of how the structure works.

“When it comes to our event permits, over the years a number of products were bolted on to our system and even with 172 permit types, some activities didn’t fit into a product, so specific were the permits. These changes will make it clearer and more consistent. Significantly, it will make life easier for our event organisers to plan for their event.

“2020 has certainly been a big year of change and we acknowledge there is a lot of information to take in. Ultimately, these changes will reduce the barriers to participation, reduce the red tape and allow us to provide ‘More Motorsport More Often’.

“Our membership team will be on deck throughout the Christmas and New Year period (aside from the public holidays) to answer any queries via our upgraded member hotline – 1300 883 959.”

More information can be found at motorsport.org.au/moremotorsportmoreoften.

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