By Mikhil Bhat/Doha

A lot is at stake today as far as the world of motorsports is concerned. The all-powerful World Motor Sport Council will meet today and the 27-member council is expected to discuss a range of crucial topics including the running order of the 2015 World Rally Championship, the recent costs row in Formula 1, medical commission findings, etc.
The Council, part of the five-day FIA Annual General Assembly and Prize Giving Gala event at Doha’s St. Regis Hotel, is headed by FIA president Jean Todt, and comprises of the likes of Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, Drivers’ Commission president and former Formula 1 driver Emerson Fittipaldi and Force India F1 team co-owner Vijay Mallya.
Mallya had recently told Autosport magazine: “From Austin to today, F1 has been hogging the headlines following the sad disappearance of two teams. So it is clearly of concern. “What my friends in the financial world cannot figure out is how a sport that generates $1.7 billion in revenue cannot sustain 11 participating teams.”
Marussia F1 team has gone under and was put up on auction recently, while Caterham F1 has been looking for buyers. Caterham had managed to get onto the grid of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after raising $3.7 million through crowd-funding.
So far FIA’s only response has been a statement released at the United State Grand Prix on October 30, saying, “Looking beyond the end of the 2014 season, these failings once again acutely raise the question of the economic balance of the FIA Formula One Championship and justify the position, expressed many times by the FIA, in favour of any initiative that will help reduce costs in order to ensure the survival of the existing grid or attract potential new entrants.”
In the other meeting rooms yesterday, preliminary discussions by clubs and federations to discuss their various projects were held.
The event is expected to see attendance of 163 member clubs and federations from 116 countries and around 800 guests over five days.
Meanwhile, all the clubs and federations present in Doha have been positive about QMMF’s organisation of the event, further boosting Qatar’s profile in organising international sport and sport management events.
“It’s not strange to have such a wonderful organisation with Nasser al-Attiyah at the helm,” said Malaysia Automobile Club vice president Wan Zaharuddin Ahmad. “Motorsport is seeing a renaissance all over the world and we as Asian federations must be involved in it efficiently in order to achieve our target. Malaysia will support this direction led by Mr. Nasser al-Attiyah.”
Portugal Automobile Club president Carlos Barbosa said, “I notice hardwork and progress every time I visit Qatar thanks to QMMF president Nasser al-Attiyah and everyone who belongs to this federation. As FIA vice president al-Attiyah can do a lot for the world in general and the region in particular and I personally appreciate his ambitions.”
Automobile and Touring Club of Lebanon’s Imad Lahoud said, “Hosting of this international event by Qatar expresses our love for motorsport in MENA. In Lebanon, we support the efforts of Nasser al-Attiyah for development of motorsport in the region.”