F1 News
Verstappen can forget about this top prize (for now)
- Ludo van Denderen
Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing regularly have to build new showcases to accommodate all the trophies and medals. For now, the Dutch world champion does not have to make room for one prize: an Olympic medal. This is because the IOC has decided that motorsport will not get Olympic status.
Motorsport was one of the sports that would possibly make its appearance from the 2028 Los Angeles Games. There were a lot on the shortlist to be admitted, but only American flag football, baseball and softball, lacrosse and squash joined. Karate, breakdancing and motorsport were left out.
Cars long ago at the Games
Although organising motorsport competitions during the Games seems complicated - after all, there are so many different classes - the sport has been seen at the Games before. For that, we have to go all the way back to 1900. In Paris at the time, there were races for various vehicle types, including two- and four-seaters that had to meet a certain weight, taxis, vans, trucks and even fire engines. A 925-mile (14.88.64 km) race from Paris to Toulouse and back was won by Louis Renault (in a small car) and Alfred Velghe (in a big one).
Incidentally, the IOC decides every four years whether and if so which new sports will be admitted to the Olympics. So there will be another chance for motorsport for the 2032 edition. So Max Verstappen and all the other drivers in F1 will have to be patient for a while, because who knows?