The Trinidad and Tobago Automobile Sports Association (TTASA) is the governing body for Motor Racing and the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) ASN for motorsport in Trinidad and Tobago. One of the many opportunities which comes along with being an approved affiliate of the FIA is the access to professional development programmes, and today, the programme which we will be focusing our attention to is the FIA Immersion 2024.
The FIA Immersion Programme provides capacity building for Sporting Clubs through a custom developed ten (10) day workshop. The educational material and first-hand experience gained by the participants will then be shared with the ASN, geared towards the growth, development and sustainability of Motorsport in their respective region. This year, fifteen (15) young professionals selected from around the world will make their way to the FIA Headquarters in Paris to be immersed in a series of workshops and meetings with the FIA Mobility & Communications Teams, focused on sports, social responsibility, program management and the environment.
Participating in this year’s Immersion Programme and proudly representing the Trinidad and Tobago Automobile Sports Association will be young motorsport enthusiast and newly appointed executive, Mr. Kevin Surujbally.
Having been selected to participate by the FIA through a supported application by the ASN, Mr. Surujbally will be making the trip to Paris in September 2024. As an avid motorsport enthusiast, Mr. Surujbally has been heavily involved with the management team of TTASA and at the recently concluded AGM, was elected as the Honorable Secretary. Apart from this commitment, Mr. Surujbally also holds the role of the Human Resource & Business Improvement Manager at Caribbean Industrial & Agricultural Chemical Services Limited (CIACS).
Mr. Surujbally expressed ‘’I am very much elated to have been selected by the FIA to be part of this Autumns Immersion session. I would like to express my thanks to the Trinidad and Tobago Automobile Sports Association for their support towards my application earlier this year.
The opportunity to represent my country and work with both TTASA and the FIA towards the goal of taking motorsport forward, brings to me, a great sense of accomplishment and the perseverance required to support the development of motorsport in Trinidad and Tobago. I look forward to meeting with the other participants and understanding more as to how motorsport is managed in their region, as well as embracing what the FIA Immersion Programme provides and bringing back these newly found solutions to the ASN.’’
President of TTASA, Mr. Ashton Eligon shared ‘’Our team is very proud of Kevin. We wish him the best in his journey to Europe and have no doubt that he will be a great ambassador for the motorsport community throughout this Immersion Programme and thereafter.’’
From the FIA Headquarters in Paris, then to the FIA Geneva Headquarters to meet with various teams, together with being educated about procedures, management programmes and social responsibility, there is no doubt that the invaluable insight of this programme will significantly strengthen the functions of the ASN. The participants will also take part in the Rally Mont Blanc Morzine 2024, as working staff focused on the management of a successful sporting event.
