Racing is one of the few sports that has a truly living history. The laws that made change necessary over the years are now making it impossible for vintage machines to race wheel-to-wheel again. Motorsport Australia updated its regulations to comply with current public health law, and these changes barred historic racing cars with period-accurate tobacco sponsorship liveries from competition. The decision was haphazardly made after Fox Sports Australia even refused to broadcast a historic touring car race to avoid falling foul of the law.

 

Australia first restricted tobacco advertising in 1993, but the country's government updated nearly all of its regulations with the Public Health (Tobacco and Other Products) Act 2023. According to Speedcafe, Motorsport Australia wasn't aware of the amended law until last month, even though it took effect in 2024. The Act featured "a prohibition on the display, publication, or promotion of any regulated tobacco product" on any car's livery. Previously, the law featured carve-outs for historic cars that competed with tobacco liveries before December 24, 1992.