The thrill of watching highly engineered supercars race each other at unimaginable speeds is unmatched. Formula 1 races are the pinnacle of excellence in the motor sporting category. For every avid motor sport enthusiast, watching one of the races live in Monaco or Italy is on top of the bucket list.
Here is an opportunity to get one step closer to that dream. The Indian Racing Festival (IRF) 2024 is being hosted in Chennai until September 1. It caters to India’s growing motorsport fan base. This year’s event promises to be a game-changer with the debut of the F4 India Championship on a brand-new circuit. The Chennai Formula Racing Circuit, a 3.5 km street circuit around Island Grounds, will host South Asia’s first-ever night race too.
Under its banner, are two major championships: the Indian Racing League (IRL) and the FIA-certified Formula 4 Indian Championship (F4IC). The Indian Racing League (IRL), India’s only four-wheel racing league, is also the world’s first gender-neutral racing championship. “Each team will have one female driver, and an international driver apart from Indian International and a native Indian driver,” he adds.
The street circuit with 19 corners was launched in August 2023 in a partnership between Racing Promotions Private Limited (RPPL) and Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) for races that were supposed to be held in December. The races were called off due to floods after Michaung cyclone.
The circuit was designed with multiple chicanes (a sharp double bend created to form an obstacle) and elevation changes. Following an anti-clockwise direction, the circuit runs through key roads around the Island Grounds—Anna Salai, Swami Sivananda Salai along the Cooum River, and Kamarajar Salai near Marina Beach. It then moves over Napier Bridge, through Flag Staff Road, and returns to Island Grounds.
The pit and paddock structures have been set up inside Island Grounds, with grandstands positioned around the circuit. Tyre walls are installed at certain points for safety as well. The track, built according to FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) guidelines, will be ready for the practice session, where drivers will have limited laps to familiarize themselves with the circuit one day before the main race.
The track is crafted by Driven International, the same team behind the Hyderabad Street Circuit, which hosted India’s first Formula E race in February 2023. “We have gone through multiple rounds of safety checks by the FAI to make sure that all the safety specifications are in order,” says Akhilesh Reddy, co-founder of RPPL.
Apart from that, the Formula 4 Indian Championship provides a platform for aspiring drivers, offering an entry-level opportunity into single-seater racing. This championship has been attracting young talent from India and abroad, with drivers earning Super Licence points while competing on home soil. Super Licence points are part of a system implemented by the FIA to regulate the eligibility of drivers for F1. To obtain a Super Licence, a driver must accumulate at least 40 Super Licence points over a three-year period. They can do so, by performing well in FIA sanctioned races like F2, F3, F4, and other international championships.
The specialised cars which are being used for the festival are brought in from Italy and France. The F4 championship will use Mygale F4 Gen 2 cars, which have Alpine 1.3L Turbo engines. These single-seater cars can reach speeds up to 210 kilometre per hour (kmph) and are equipped with Halo Safety, and a full-carbon bodywork. On the other hand, the IRL will use Wolf Thunder GB08 racing cars . These are also single-seater cars and can reach speeds up to 240 kmph.
This will be the second round of the championship. The third round will be held at Kari Motor Speedway, Coimbatore on September 14 and 15. Locations for further rounds are yet to be decided.
The The Indian Racing Festival 2024 will be held in a circuit around Island Grounds, Chennai from August 30 to September 1. The races are open and free for the public.
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