Post by Lee on Nov 13, 2018 13:09:31 GMT
The Motor Sports Association (MSA) which is responsible for governing motorsport in the United Kingdom has been renamed Motorsport UK. There has been a period of change since January this year when 1981 World Rally champion co-driver and Prodrive boss David Richards became chairman.
Long-time Prodrive employee Hugh Chambers, who also worked closely with Richards at the BAR Formula 1 team in the mid-2000s, has collaborated with him on the rebrand. Chambers joined the organisation officially on November 1 as chief executive officer, having consulted on the rebrand since early 2018.
"No one is saying changing the name or putting a new logo above the door is going to change the culture of the organisation, but it is hoisting a flag above the building and saying 'we are going to behave differently from now on'," says Richards
"We can't get away from the fact that our principal purpose of being there is to regulate, but we also have a responsibility to promote the sport.
"I think that's the bit that's been missing of late.
"I believe the MSA in its previous guise has been a good regulator.
"What we are going to do however is - and this is what is absolutely necessary in our opinion - is to promote the sport better.
"If we don't do that, we will have diminishing participation, a loss of interest in motorsport and it would eventually disappear off the page and we have to address that."
Starting in 2019, licence holders will receive a number of benefits with their renewal, including discounts on accommodation, travel, outdoor clothing, breakdown recovery products, events and magazine subscriptions. The organisation is looking at the way it governs the sport, with Richards believing it needs to be free to remove red tape and make quicker decisions when necessary.
Long-time Prodrive employee Hugh Chambers, who also worked closely with Richards at the BAR Formula 1 team in the mid-2000s, has collaborated with him on the rebrand. Chambers joined the organisation officially on November 1 as chief executive officer, having consulted on the rebrand since early 2018.
"No one is saying changing the name or putting a new logo above the door is going to change the culture of the organisation, but it is hoisting a flag above the building and saying 'we are going to behave differently from now on'," says Richards
"We can't get away from the fact that our principal purpose of being there is to regulate, but we also have a responsibility to promote the sport.
"I think that's the bit that's been missing of late.
"I believe the MSA in its previous guise has been a good regulator.
"What we are going to do however is - and this is what is absolutely necessary in our opinion - is to promote the sport better.
"If we don't do that, we will have diminishing participation, a loss of interest in motorsport and it would eventually disappear off the page and we have to address that."
Starting in 2019, licence holders will receive a number of benefits with their renewal, including discounts on accommodation, travel, outdoor clothing, breakdown recovery products, events and magazine subscriptions. The organisation is looking at the way it governs the sport, with Richards believing it needs to be free to remove red tape and make quicker decisions when necessary.
