The Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) has proudly announced it will now be known as Motorsport Australia in 2020 and beyond.

The new name signifies the changing nature of the sport and Motorsport Australia’s role as the government recognised sporting organisation for all four-wheeled motorsport in Australia, in addition to its delegated role as the National Sporting Authority by the Federation Internationale de’l Automobile (FIA).

Motorsport Australia’s responsibilities remain entirely the same and there is no change to the organisation’s constitution or structure, aside from the alteration of the organisation’s name.

The announcement was made today (Saturday) at Australia’s biggest and most historic race meeting, the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000.

CAMS President Andrew Papadopoulos said the change would assist the organisation to better represent motorsport at all levels.

“There are many reasons for this name change and we feel that the sporting, government, participation and commercial benefits are certainly among the key reasons the Board voted to make this historic change,” Papadopoulos said.

“Motorsport in this country is in a strong position – we’re proud of the recent growth across all areas of our sport, including having a record number of events, officials and active licence holders.

“Just because we are seeing that growth doesn’t mean we can rest on our laurels. We need to make sure we are doing what is best for the sport now and into the future.

“Anyone who may be looking to get involved in the sport will now know the first port of call will be Motorsport Australia – in line with other sporting bodies – and will not be confused about what our role is. We know from our own experiences, ‘CAMS’ or the ‘Confederation of Australian Motor Sport’ didn’t necessarily express the leading role we play to those unfamiliar with our sport.

“While other names were considered, the change to Motorsport Australia is the most obvious fit and brings us in line with what many other sports have already done, including the Australian Government’s own agency, Sport Australia.”

Papadopoulos said the organisation’s existing work internationally would also be boosted by the change, with training overseas remaining a key revenue stream for the organisation which is invested back into grassroots motorsport.

“Our people are playing a key role in the delivery of the first ever Vietnam Grand Prix in 2020, highlighting the talented group of officials and staff we are so very proud of. With a new name, the strong reputation of Australia in global motorsport will be further enhanced.”

CAMS CEO Eugene Arocca said the change had been a long time in the planning and included consultation with many industry stakeholders, including members, licence holders and government.

“We sought feedback from many of those already dealing with us on a regular basis and the message was clear – the change made sense but not at the expense of CAMS’ storied history,” Arocca said.

“That history dates back many decades to 1953. We can assure everybody in the sport that this history will not be forgotten in everything we do in the future as Motorsport Australia.

“What this new name does do is provide us with an opportunity to take motorsport in Australia to another level through better relationships with government and commercial partners across our various Championships, Series and events.”

“For our members and licence holders, you won’t need to do anything as part of this change. Your licences remain current and will gradually be replaced as they are renewed. Any competitors who would like a replacement sticker for their licence or vehicle can also get in touch via our website.”

Arocca said there had been a lot of hard work undertaken by staff and the Board to make this change happen.

“This has not been a simple task and I’d like to thank all of our staff who worked very hard behind the scenes to make this change a reality,” Arocca added.

“I’d also like to acknowledge the work of a much-loved member of the motorsport family in Ron Klein, who assisted us in the planning for this change. Unfortunately, Ron tragically passed away in recent times, but his work in helping to get Motorsport Australia up and running will certainly be another chapter in what is a very impressive legacy.”

From 28 October, the organisation’s head office will be located at 275 Canterbury Rd, Canterbury, Victoria – following the sale of its existing Malvern East headquarters in 2017.

The official changeover to Motorsport Australia will come into effect on January 1 2020.

As of this date, the website for Motorsport Australia will be motorsport.org.au.