Every four years, some of the world’s most popular sports compete in the Olympic Games over a period of two weeks – but one sport is excluded from participation.

Athletics, swimming, diving, gymnastics and cycling are integral parts of the Olympic Games, while new additions such as skateboarding and BMX riding have been very well received by spectators.

Football has been on the Olympic calendar since 1900 – women’s football has been included in every edition since 1996 – and other sports such as rugby, tennis, golf and cricket are all part of the 2028 calendar.

However, one sport that has never been represented at the Olympic Games is motorsport – and in particular Formula 1.

Compared to other sports, it would be more difficult to justify Formula 1 as an Olympic discipline because there are competitive differences between the cars and a switch to 20 cars with production parts would not be feasible.

However, there is a specific reason, already contained in the Olympic Charter, why motorsport is excluded from the Games.

It states: “Sports, disciplines or events in which performance depends essentially on mechanical propulsion are not permitted.”

The rule is listed in the Charter as Rule 47.4.2, but has been removed in recent years.

In 2012, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) officially recognized the FIA, the governing body of Formula 1, and electric karting was presented as a demonstration sport at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympic Games.

The aim was to integrate the electric kart event into the schedule for Paris 2024. But ultimately it was not to be.

Car races were held at the 1900 Olympic Games in Paris.

The events were mostly run as point-to-point races behind Paris and Toulouse, with manufacturers listed as participants.

Data on the winners of all 14 races is not available because most of the results were not publicly recorded and the races were never recognized as official by the IOC. The riders were awarded medals.

One race was won by Renault founder Louis Renault, who was driving – you guessed it – a Renault.

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The F1 drivers themselves are mostly against the idea of ​​making the sport part of the Olympic Games – these voices include Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.

Verstappen said last month: “It’s too car-focused. (Drivers) didn’t grow up in that Olympic environment – I don’t think we belong on the Olympic stage.”

“And that’s fine because we have our own championship, which I think is very well received.”

And Fernando Alonso pointed to the problems with the car when he said: “I think it’s quite unlikely because we have the machine with us.”

“Even if you tried to organize a go-kart race with exactly the same go-karts, it would probably never be exactly the same.

“It’s a very special sport.”