With less than a week left for Chennai to host South Asia’s first-ever night motor race, workers are toiling day and night to ensure that the 3.5-km circuit for the Chennai Formula Racing is ready on time to host the event on August 31 and September 1.
The Indian Racing League (IRL) starts at the Madras International Circuit on August 24-25, followed by India’s first-ever night race at the Chennai Formula Racing Circuit on August 31-September 1.
The Chennai street circuit for Formula 4 racing around the iconic Island Grounds is the longest in South Asia and certified by FIA (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile is the governing body of motor sport).
At the circuit, soft tyres that act as a safety cushion are being placed at strategic points in front of the temporary, wiremesh fence topped structures that are being put up around the circuit. These structures divide the circuit and the rest of the road. Viewing galleries are being put at two places. A row of highmast lights are coming up on the Sivananda Salai that runs along the Cooum river.
“We have been instructed to speed up work so that the testing can happen next week,” said a worker at the site. The circuit spans Island Grounds, Victory War Memorial, Napier Bridge, Sivananda Salai and that region of the Chennai’s arterial road, Anna Salai, that skirts the famous Thomas Munro statue.
Sivananda Salai being done up for the race
In February 2023, Hyderabad hosted Formula E World Championships in a 2.8 km street circuit track laid along the picturesque Necklace Road on the banks of the Hussain Sagar lake, with the iconic Gautam Buddha statue at the backdrop.
In Chennai, the event was supposed to be held on December 9 and 10, 2023. However, unprecedented rains on December 3 and 4, caused by cyclone Michaung , brought the city to its knees, affecting life for almost a week. The event had to be given up.
The Chennai Formula Racing Circuit is being made by Racing Promotions Private Ltd (RPPL), co-founded by Akhilesh Reddy, B Abhinandan and professional race drivers Armaan Ebrahim and Aditya Patel, in collaboration with the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu. RPPL is the promoter of Indian Racing League and F4 Indian Championship and holds exclusive rights for 4-wheeler motorsports leavue in India.
This FIA-certified championship is intended for aspiring and up-and-coming racing drivers and the Indian Racing League which is India’s only motorsports league with men and women drivers competing in a team-based championship, says Vijay Dhamu, Sports Performance Management Consultant.
Drivers will be from India and overseas in both the championships.
Participants
Six teams will participate in the league, including newcomers Kolkata Royal Tigers (Kolkata), which is owned by the former captain of the Indian cricket team, Sourav Ganguly; Speed Demons Delhi (Delhi), owned by Bollywood actor; Arjun Kapoor, Goa Aces JA Racing (Goa) owned by actor and film producer, John Abraham; Hyderabad Blackbirds (Hyderabad) owned by Telugu actor, Naga Chaitanya; Chennai Turbo Riders (Chennai) owned by The Accord group of the politician, Jagatrakshakan; and former champions Bangalore Speedsters (Bengaluru).
The inaugural ticket for the event was recently presented to Udhayanidhi Stalin, Tamil Nadu’s Minister of Youth Welfare and Sports Development. The first 2,000 tickets for the Chennai Formula Racing Circuit are available with a special discount, with prices under ₹1,000.
There will be a live telecast on Star Sports Select 2 channel and will be streamed online by FanCode.
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Published on August 23, 2024
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