Motor Racing

Synonyms / Other Terms Used

Motor Racing Track, Motor Racing Facility, Racetrack, Racing Circuit, Motor Sports, Automotive Sports, Autodrome, Speedway

Category

Sports, Sporting Activities, Activities, Tourism

Message / Function

For notice in general and to indicate the location of facilities for motor racing

	Source	Description
1)	Unknown	Frontal view of race car with driver
	BTA 1989	Frontal view of race car with driver
2)	Unknown	Frontal view of race car
	Free Icons Library	Frontal view of race car
	OAP	Frontal view of race car with driver and rear wing
	GSR Portugal	Frontal view of race car with rear wing
	Ecuador	Side view of race car on horizontal base
	Fiori R	Side view of race car, compressed horizontally
	CNIS	Side view of sports car with rear wing or spoiler
3)	Unknown	Side view of go-kart with driver
	CNIS	Side view of go-kart with driver
	Québec	Side view of go-kart with driver
	CNIS	Side view of motorcycle with driver
	JackVisualAssets	Side view of motorcycle
	Bolivia	Two chequered flags, crossed, with front view of car below
	SADC	Side view of full face helmet in front of chequered flag
7)	Unknown	Two chequered flags, crossed, poles end inside side view of wheel
	Québec	Two chequered flags, crossed
	BS 8501:2002	Chequered flag
	UKDT	Chequered flag
	Catalunya	Chequered flag
	Aragón	Chequered flag
	DER	Chequered flag
4)	Unknown	Chequered flag placed diagonally
	Dutchicon	Chequered flag
5)	Unknown	Helmet and goggles below
	Yo! Baba	Side view of full face helmet
	USGS	Oval track in outline

Note: Some of the examples shown above were mirrored horizontally to contrast differences.

Discussion

While automotive related pictograms seem to be in the foreground, motor racing covers more types of motor sports like off-road racing, drag racing, rallying and many others. Therefore the range of pictograms shown in the table above gives an incomplete picture of the diversity of variants and image contents possibly available to indicate the location of facilities for motor racing. Examples found also reflect changes of the appearance of race cars over time. While no single visual stereotype can be identified, variants showing a chequered flag might be the best representation for all different kinds of motor sports.

Data from tests is rather limited:

Gehringer (1976) examined the seven pictogram variants for the referent Motor Sports Facility in an Appropriateness Ranking Test. This study also included a variant showing a go-kart, but for example no motorcycle racing related pictograms. Pictograms showing a frontal view of a race car were judged as most appropriate. The numbers 1) to 7) represent the final rank order of the symbols tested.

Fiori (2008) explored a map symbol showing a side view of race car that is labeled Fiori R in the table above. Classifying answers from a Comprehension Test for the referent Autódromo / Cartódromo, only 57.8 % of the responses were judged as correct. Answers reported are manyfold, but these all seem to be related to Motor Racing: besides Formula 1 and Motor Sports responses were among others Racetrack, Motor Race and Cart. No detailed information about the response class assignments are available for this study.

Recommendations

As no information is available on comprehensibility of some of the concepts shown, we suggest conducting a Comprehension Test for several pictogram variants, and also including image contents like the checkered flag, which would not be restricted to a specific kind of motor racing. To correctly judge the appropriateness of the symbols tested, information about the degree of familiarity with motor sports should be obtained, too.

Tests of pictograms of referent Motor Racing

Fiori, S. R. (2008): Mapas para o turismo e a interatividade - proposta teórica e prática. Tese de Doutorado - Depto. de Geografia, FFLCH-USP.

Gehringer, J. (1976): Reihungstest über 8 Begriffe aus dem Sportwesen - Priorität II. Report to the Austrian Standards Institute (ON) dated February 1976, Vienna.