Day 1 – Strenghtening Collaboration

The FIA American Congress 2025 was officially opened in Asunción by Paraguayan President Santiago Peña, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem and Touring y Automóvil Club Paraguayo President Hugo Mersan. 

The opening session featured remarks from FIA Deputy President for Automobile Mobility and Tourism Tim Shearman, FIA Senate President Carmelo Sanz de Barros, FIA Region IV (South and Central America) President Ricardo Morales Rubio, FIA Region III (North America) President Frank Fotia, and FIA Vice-Presidents for Sport Fabiana Ecclestone (South America) and Daniel Coen (North America). 

They highlighted the opportunity to strengthen collaboration between Clubs across North, Central and South America, share knowledge and drive progress in both mobility and motor sport.

The FIA Safe Mobility 4 All and 4 Life initiative was also showcased as part of the programme, with updates on the training, mentorship, and local road safety projects developed by 13 FIA Member Clubs and their public authorities with guidance from international experts. The session set the stage for implementing these initiatives on the ground, emphasised the value of strategic partnerships, and featured a testimony from the Automóvil Club del Uruguay. 

Delegates received an update on the FIA Affordable Cross car programme and how the initiative is supporting motor sport development across the Americas, with case studies from the Touring y Automóvil Club del Perú and the Automóvil Club Argentino. 

Day 1 also hosted the FIA Region III Club Correspondents’ meeting, which focused on coordination, information-sharing and practical support to roll out FIA Mobility programmes across the region.
 

Day 2 – Driving Growth

The second day of the Congress focused on the potential for growth in motor sport and data-driven mobility solutions to strengthen participation and improve road safety across the Americas.

The Sport programme highlighted "Regional Motor Sport Development", showcasing priority projects led by FIA Vice Presidents for Sport for the North and South America region. Presentations covered Esports and Rally growth, along with updates on training and capacity-building initiatives to empower Sport Clubs.

"Accelerate Your Motor Sport" was an interactive session where Delegates worked in groups to develop strategies for typical national motor sport governing bodies. Facing real-world challenges, they practiced dynamic decision-making, gained actionable insights, and explored practical tools for strategic planning and adaptive governance to apply in their own organisations.

The Mobility programme centred on data and business development. In the session “From Data to Action: Evidence to Transform Road Safety”, Delegates examined how robust data collection and analysis can guide effective interventions and support evidence-based decision-making to improve efficiency and save lives. 

The session “Tools and Strategies to Accelerate Business Growth” focused on innovation in services and business models. Clubs shared strategies to create new revenue streams, deliver greater value to members and clients, and leverage technology, commercial approaches, and partnerships to diversify offerings and accelerate income generation.

Also during the day, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem and his leadership team visited the Colegio Nacional Silvio Pettirossi in Luque to learn more about the “Jóven Responsable al Volante”, a project by the Touring y Automóvil Club Paraguayo that aims to raise awareness and foster a new generation of safer and more responsible drivers.

 

Day 3 – Celebrating Achievements and Looking Forward

Day 3 of the FIA American Congress opened with an important highlight: the Prize Giving ceremony, where the FIA Regions III and IV Champions of the FIA Innovation Challenge 2025 were announced. 

FIA Member Clubs CAA Atlantic(Canada – Region III), CAA – BCAA (Canada – Region III), the Jamaica Millennium Motoring Club (Jamaica – Region III), the Associação Automobilística do Brasil (Brazil – Region IV), the Automóvil Club Argentino (Argentina – Region IV), and the Automóvil Club del Ecuador ANETA (Ecuador – Region IV) were named Regional Champions for demonstrating how innovation within FIA Member Clubs can deliver meaningful change.

Another key moment of the ceremony was the announcement of the third José Abed Award winner. The Touring y Automóvil Club Paraguayo received this award for their strong community commitment, particularly through the “Jóven Responsable al Volante” project. This initiative not only promotes road safety among young people but also builds bridges with the world of motor sport to foster a true culture of safety and save lives. 

The day continued with a discussion on the key takeaways from the Congress, first with FIA Vice President for Sport – South America Fabiana Ecclestone, FIA Vice President for Sport – North America Daniel Coen, President of FIA Region III Frank Fotia and President of FIA Region IV Ricardo Morales Rubio. They reflected on the success of the event, highlighting how it enabled Member Clubs to exchange experiences and how Delegates are now better equipped to address challenges across the continent, empowered by collaboration and the strength of the FIA network.

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem then took the stage to answer questions from Delegates. During this session, he announced the new FIA Members Graduate Pathway Programme, designed to identify and develop the next generation of leaders within our community. This new programme aims to create lasting cross-Club connections with the FIA and deepen the Federation’s understanding of Members’ needs while equipping participants with the skills they need to become impactful leaders. High-performing graduates, nominated by Member Clubs, will also have the opportunity to undertake fully-funded internships, rotating across the FIA global offices.

The Congress concluded with the traditional family photo. The FIA thanks the Touring y Automóvil Club Paraguayo, President Santiago Peña, and the people of Paraguay for their exceptional hospitality, as well as the FIA Member Club Delegates who made this event such a success.