Fabiana Ecclestone, the Vice-President of the FIA for Sport in South America, conducted an extensive institutional itinerary across Brazil this week to promote road safety and female representation in motorsport.
The schedule included the launch of a youth road safety programme in Goiás, the announcement of a new female-specific award at the Capacete de Ouro ceremony, and participation in the FIA Girls on Track initiative at the Interlagos Circuit.
The road safety component began on Tuesday (3 November) at the Legislative Assembly of the State of Goiás (Alego). There, Ecclestone participated in the official launch of the Youth Ambassadors for Safe Mobility project.
This initiative is part of the global Safe Mobility 4 All & 4 Life (SM4A4L) programme, which the FIA developed in partnership with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). The project intends to empower teenagers to serve as ambassadors for road safety best practices within their communities, with Goiás serving as a pioneer state for a planned nationwide expansion.
“I am immensely grateful to the Government of Goiás for having the vision to invest in a road safety campaign. Implementing this project in Goiás today is the fulfilment of a major goal that will certainly yield great results. Motorsport has a unique ability to lend visibility and strength to awareness campaigns that save lives on the roads”, said Fabiana Ecclestone.
On Wednesday (4 November), the focus shifted to the 30th anniversary ceremony of the Capacete de Ouro (Golden Helmet) awards in São Paulo. During the event, Ecclestone revealed that a new award category exclusively dedicated to women will be introduced at the ceremony starting in 2027.
The announcement was made alongside Bia Figueiredo, President of the Female Motorsport Commission (CFA); engineer and commission project coordinator Rachel Loh; 16-year-old driver Manu Clauset; and Isabel Reis, Director of the publishing house Motormídia.
“I would like to thank Isabel Reis, who, as a woman, has also helped pave the way for girls in motorsport. My thanks also go to all the families, organisers, drivers, and sponsors for their complete involvement and dedication to this sport. Before joining the FIA, I worked extensively behind the scenes and I know just how tough it is. Seeing this event celebrating 30 years is very special. The women’s award is an excellent initiative. When Isabel told me about it, I felt I must welcome and, above all, support the work of these girls through our projects in South America and internationally. Today, we have strong female representation, and I invite everyone to get involved in motorsport, in whichever field it may be, because it is a truly passionate sport”, said Fabiana Ecclestone.
The ceremony also included a tribute to Rui Marques, the FIA Race Director in Formula 1, for his work officiating international events. Ecclestone attended the tribute alongside Giovanni Guerra, President of the CBA (Brazilian ASN). The week of activities concluded on Thursday (5 November) when Ecclestone attended the latest edition of FIA Girls on Track at the Interlagos Circuit.
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