From the birth of the automobile, one sees racing drivers and allowing different models to measure them. These competitions are growing and are emerging various types of events by implementing very different vehicles.

Some of these competitions are standard models compete commercially on a large scale, but more or less heavily modified, eg rallies or SuperTouring, while others depict vehicles specially designed for racing, such as Formula 1, or Sport-Prototypes participating in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Success in these sports depends both on the vehicle and the team that prepares the driver. Some classes also crowned both the best driver and the best manufacturer and the best team.

The racing can be extremely physical (centrifugal acceleration curve, acceleration and braking to) in F1, it is not uncommon to exceed 4 g. A driver can lose up to five pounds in a Grand Prix or endurance race (dehydration).

The organization of motor sport is overseen by the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), which works with national sports federations, including the French Federation of motorsport, which has 70 000 members. There are a variety of amateur and professional competitions, go-karting to formula cars, or slalom rally through the hillclimb and progression pathways for young competitive drivers.