[Duddha]

I believe there are strong misunderstandings here and if I may I will correct some as I work for the FIA that you all like to disagree with or blame for.

As a start, you have to differentiate that you do not need a series to be International to run to Appendix K or Historic Technical Passport but that is a standard, a standard that many have used and will continue to use because as first thought, it gives a level playing field across categories and cars and enables their classification by the regulations, but also the controls and check through the linked FIA Historic Technical Passport (HTP) or resources.

When it comes to safety standards, FIA has its own requirements laid out under Article 5 to Appendix K but most club series in the UK or even abroad if considering the geography of this forum are in fact enforcing national regulations or what Brits would call the blue book! As bad as the FIA can be, we also try for historic to keep things rather easy, if you take ROPS as an example, a few years back they granted a right to opt out of full cages and door bars for closed course racing, as opposed to rallying, to keep things more in line with the cars and safety required depending on the surroundings. Another one, you will be surprised to learn is that we keep certain homologation running for seats as an example, specifically for historics as a modern one would not fit many of the historic cars. Yet, that may be override even by your ASN or local club regulations, which is most of the time put on us, while in fact it's a rather national story.

The above is a glimpse of the technical aspects behind Appendix K and the HTP system. Yet and as bad as it can be to obtain those papers, as you hear almost behind every truck when attending one of these events, for the first trimester of 2023 we have had more than 284 HTP issued, that's roughly 7668 pages reviewed but above all an acceptance turnover that is higher than the actual number of submitted files. It's a support to the sport.

Then comes bits and bobs that always upset the racing world. Licenses are a usual aspect, but I consider that medical is prime, you are better safe than sorry and if an asthma inhaler disclosure sounds stupid, this is the procedure in all sports, most importantly because licensing is not tailored to historic but covers a world that is governed by doping criteria and where those items matter. I am licensed in other sports, less dangerous than you may think, yet I have stress ECGs and disclosures to make every year as well. So it's not just a bunch of bureaucrats making up rules, it's a global thing across sports.

Now and on the sporting side, saying Peter Auto is moving out from FIA is not entirely right. Peter Auto has series under the International Series status and others, his regulations are all still governed by Appendix K and enforcement of HTP as is the case for many if not all grids around Europe, there is a foot within the system.

Why is the Appendix K and HTP important? Well, that's only my opinion and I may be biased in my way of looking at things but I like to think competition must be on a level playing field. As bad as Appendix K or the HTP system may be, it's about allowing each of you to compete on a technical base that allows a car to go from one grid to another, event or series, knowing that you are on the same agenda. It's what it's been thought for, yet and now with almost every organiser bringing-in his own "supplementary regulations" and driving you into specifics of their own, good or bad, people still put it on us!

Yet today, everybody wants to run certain specifics or doesn't even care to look past the document and pictures to actually check that the cars are still correct and that's where things get horribly wrong. Motorsport is an arms race I have come to understand that. Yet, Appendix K and the HTP passport are possibly upsetting today because it's control and saying no, it's the last thing preventing this world to become the equivalent of super touring, where the looks matters more than what it should actually be.

Louis Quiniou.