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Charles Leclerc recently vented his frustrations with the media for misrepresenting his comments about former Ferrari teammate Carlos…
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Mionki’s motor sport journey stared in her native Kenya, also the home of the Safari Rally, an iconic fixture on the FIA World Rally Championship calendar. She began her career as a rally co-driver over a decade ago. “I started out in motor sport in 2011 in Kenya as a rally co-driver and rallied until around 2020. During the COVID-19 pandemic, of course, there was little happening with motor sport” she said during this year’s Qatar Grand Prix, her second Formula 1 event as Observer to FIA Formula 1 Stewards.
“I felt like I needed to exit the active competition but still remain in motor sport,” she explains. Conversations with experienced stewards in Kenya opened up a new chapter. “One of them talked to me about stewarding, which I felt is something that I can do. Based on my background in human resource and labour laws, I thought there was a bit of a connection with how a steward is basically a judge.”
After completing regional training in Africa and the FIA International Steward’s Training in 2022, the following year Mionki, a member of Kenya Motorsport Federation, joined the FIA High Performance Programme, an initiative which provides tailored education and mentorship to prepare stewards and race directors for roles at FIA World Championship-level events. “I did two days [at FIA office] in Geneva, training with other HPP members, doing both race control and stewarding,” she recalls.
Her first taste of Formula 1 came the same year when she was invited as Observer to Imola for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Though the event was cancelled due to severe flooding, she soon had another opportunity at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona. “It was an exciting experience – seeing how decisions are made, sitting in hearings, being able to ask questions,” she says. “The stewards were very open in the way they teach.”
The connection between Mionki’s rallying background in Kenya and her stewarding aspirations led to her growing expertise extending to WRC, where she observed the Stewards’ operations at the Central European Rally, the penultimate round of this year’s season.
For Mionki, the FIA High Performance Programme has been transformative. “It’s a fantastic initiative,” she says. “The stewards I’ve worked with are very open, encouraging, and involved us in decision-making processes. These experiences are invaluable.”
Her case also serves as the perfect example of the practical values offered by the FIA HPP programme. “You can sit in a classroom and learn a lot, but until you see it being done practically, you almost don’t get it. Moving from watching Formula 1 on TV to sitting in a steward’s room and experiencing what happens, I have a better understanding of decisions and why they are made. I’m grateful for this opportunity and I’d like to thank the FIA President and everyone else behind this programme,” she admits.
Looking ahead, Mionki aims to contribute to both Formula 1 and WRC at the stewarding level. “I want to be a Formula 1 steward and a WRC steward. I expressed my interest in those two areas because they align with my experience and passions,” she concludes.
The FIA HPP has 23 participants representing 16 different FIA Member Clubs from six regions. In addition, the FIA’s Regional Stewards Training Programme gathered 195 unique participants, with the average age being 37.5 and with 42% female participation.
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FIA1FIAAll fia sportFIASport ClubsSport Clubs Africa00Wednesday, December 18, 2024 – 11:39amWednesday, December 18, 2024 – 11:39am
Carlos Sainz admits that Ferrari’s bombshell decision last winter to replace him with Lewis Hamilton equated to a…
The post Sainz reflects on ‘shock and hurt’ of Ferrari exit appeared first on F1i.com.
Max Verstappen has doubled down on his uncompromising approach to Formula 1, insisting that he will “keep crossing…
The post Verstappen unapologetic: ‘I’ll keep crossing the line to win’ appeared first on F1i.com.
The MENA Karting Championship Nations Cup 2024, 17-21 December, hosted by the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) and taking place at the Lusail International Circuit is now underway.
The ‘Nations Cup’ format gives the opportunity to the competitors taking part to represent their countries and compete for the honour of being named MENA champions. This year, 16 nations will be represented: Qatar, Algeria, Egypt, Bahrain, Turkey, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Syria, Iran, Kuwait, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Jordan, and the UAE.
The 2023 champions included Team Qatar who marked victories in a number of categories, alongside winners from Morocco, UAE, Lebanon, and Oman, ensuring the 2024 championship will be rife with fierce competition and talented racing displays.
Six categories will be represented at the MENA Karting Championship Nations Cup: Micro Max, Mini Max, Junior Max, Senior Max, DD2, and DD2 Masters, alongside the R390 Sprint and R390 Endurance, with opportunities for drivers ranging from 8 years old to over 30.
Founded in 2020 by FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, this year marks the second year in a row that the event is hosted by the QMMF and held at the Lusail circuit.
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said: “It is an honour unlike any other to represent your nation in the sport you love, and I am looking forward to witnessing the talent and competition that these young drivers will bring to the track.
“Now in its fifth year, the MENA Karting Championship Nations Cup, represents the strength of motorsport in this region. We continue to see this unique competition go from strength to strength and the eyes of our sporting world are once again on Qatar.”
Supporting the base of the pyramid is a key pillar of the FIA’s newly launched Vision 2030: Motorsport Strategy, with the FIA devoting €10.3 million to grassroots activities in 2024 across 85 countries. This follows the announcement of the new Global Karting Plan at last week’s World Motor Sport Council that established a clearer and more accessible pathway into and through the FIA Karting system.
The MENA Karting Championship Nations Cups concludes a successful 2024 for Qatar and the Lusail International Circuit following their hosting of the FIA Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix at the start of December and the WEC official prologues and Qatar 1812km in February and March.
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SEASON 2024SportCircuit1SportKartingCircuitFIASEASON 2024FIA Karting00Tuesday, December 17, 2024 – 11:41pmTuesday, December 17, 2024 – 11:41pm
A poignant farewell played out at Ferrari’s Fiorano circuit on Tuesday as Carlos Sainz Jr. marked his departure…
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Nico Hulkenberg is preparing for a return to familiar territory, but the German driver is under no illusions…
The post Hulkenberg keeping it real: ‘It’s going to be tough’ appeared first on F1i.com.