Speaking at the final Formula One race of the last decade, FIA president Jean Todt said the existence of international motorsport faces two main threats in the future. One would be the fallout from a high-profile, fatal accident and the other would be the impact -- perceived or otherwise -- that racing has on the environment.
Safety has been a major concern for motorsport since the 1970s. As speeds increased, fatalities rose and although there were improvements in safety in the 1980s and early 1990s, the deaths of Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix put the sport under a level of scrutiny it had not experienced before.