Encouraging motor racing cartel (6)
I believe the answer is:
firing
'encouraging' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both to do with human feelings as well as being present participle verbs.
Perhaps you can see an association between them that I don't see?
'motor racing cartel' is the wordplay.
'motor racing' becomes 'fi' (FI resembles F1, Formula 1).
'cartel' becomes 'ring' (both can mean a criminal group).
'fi'+'ring'='FIRING'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for firing that I've seen before include "Dismissal" , "Discharging a gun" , "Shooting; sacking" , "Discharging, sacking" , "Dismissing" .)