Valuable business growth in R&D and technology will be created with new sectors. A roadmap, which signposts the direction of future motorsport technology through to 2025, has been released today by the Motorsport Industry Association (MIA), for wider consultation and input.

"The successful effect, which the Automotive Council technology roadmap has had on the UK automotive industry, over the past two years, is most impressive," said Chris Aylett, CEO of the MIA. "For this Motorsport Technology Roadmap, we invite all in the business of motorsport to share their thoughts with others. By working together, our sector can deliver these ambitions more effectively and to mutual benefit.

"In due course, we expect our roadmap will highlight valuable 'crossover' points, when our technology path is ahead, or level, with that of the automotive sector and others. When these are spotted and highlighted, motorsport companies can secure valuable R&D partnerships with major OEM, or Tier Ones, to accelerate these technology overlaps."

Other UK sectors have created similar roadmaps recently. In general, the clear, strategic direction provided, which will bring increased trade and employment, has successfully encouraged funding to be made available from government and regional agencies.

The initial MIA Motorsport Technology Roadmap was researched and written by Ricardo, the world-leading engineering consultancy. It defines future motorsport development in five key areas - engine, transmission and driveline, vehicle, energy management and intelligent transportation systems. The MIA has circulated the relevant Automotive Council roadmap, written by Ricardo for the NAIGT, to demonstrate relevant technology plans for automotive, by way of comparison.

The initial MIA Roadmap forecasts that engine downsizing/down-speeding, direct injection, advanced boosting systems and energy recovery/split cycle will grow in importance. Hybrid transmissions, energy storage, lightweight structures, telemetry, moveable aerodynamics, thermal management and waste heat recovery systems are among other predicted areas of development. It predicts that electrification of braking systems, enclosed cockpits and covered wheels will become important from 2014 onwards.

"The MIA has released this consultation draft of our roadmap, which Ricardo created after discussion with selected motorsport technology leaders, as a start point only," said Chris Aylett. "Innovation in motorsport occurs quickly. We wish to catch - at high level, not in detail - the likely directions of technology travel, relevant to motorsport, to attract new business and funding to companies in our sector."

"This will highlight the valuable, strategic role which rule changes from motorsport governing bodies can play. They can, pro-actively, help our industry by creating technical rules, which in discussion with suppliers, encourage developments which are relevant to other sectors' technology plans - particularly automotive. This will, in turn, attract more sponsorship and business engagement from those companies."

The expanding business opportunities being created in the UK automotive industry include the recent news that Jaguar Land Rover has recently created another 2,000 engineering jobs, while both the Nissan and General Motors UK plants are to build new models and the Toyota plant is expanding, too.

"The MIA serves its growing membership, and the wider industry, by developing strategic plans which help develop their business," continued Aylett. "Knowledge we gain from our diverse, international membership identifies business trends and issues well ahead of time. We attack new target markets early, gaining the first foothold such as Off-Road in the USA, and new sectors through our Motorsport to Defence, Automotive and Marine initiatives. Developing a relevant Technology Roadmap is another important strategic objective, which we have created and will lead on."

"Ricardo is a world leader in innovation and technology, and our technology roadmap process is embedded at the core of our company and has been successfully employed at many of our customers," said Steve Sapsford, Ricardo's global market sector director. "Ricardo was approached by the MIA to develop a roadmap for motorsport, to provide its members and the industry with the high-level direction necessary to influence future investments in products and services. The aim is to forecast those likely technologies that need to be developed, across the various systems, in response to industry drivers, such as cost, sustainability, efficiency and road relevance. Since new technology is always being developed, this roadmap is a living document, continuously being updated to keep pace."

"We call for comment, observations and ideas from all engaged in the technology of the motorsport industry," said Aylett. "All such input will make this map more robust and relevant; it is restless and will never cease to be constantly reviewed, and publicised, so that all can benefit from our findings.

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The full version of this press release can be viewed at the MIA web site