FIA-backed Formula Regional Championship and Formula 4 launching in India
By Sanjay Jadhav
August 20, 2021
Mumbai: In a major boost for motorsports in India, FIA-backed Formula Regional Indian Championship and Formula 4 Indian Championship are set to make their debut. Hosted by Racing Promotions (RPPL), the championships will commence in February 2022, across 4 cities – New Delhi, Chennai, Coimbatore and Hyderabad.
The F4 Indian Championships and Formula Regional Indian Championships, which will be based on F3 cars, are both certified by the FIA. In a first for India, FIA Super License points will be given to winners of these championships, bringing Indian racing talent one step closer to Formula 1.
Additionally, Indian Racing League will run as a support race to Formula Regional and F4 India. It is also expected act as a feeder series to promote talent to the two FIA licenced championships.
An investment of 100 crore has already been made so far into cars and setting up street circuit infrastructure, which will India’s first-ever FIA Graded Street Circuit in Hyderabad. In addition to Armaan Ebrahim and Aditya Patel, former Formula 1 driver Narain Karthikeyan and cricket legend Kapil Dev have come on-board as mentors and advisors for the business.
RPPL is committed towards investing in the long-term development of motorsports in India and building talent from the grassroots, heralding a potential new racing culture in the country.
Present on the launch, Joint MD, RPPL, Armaan Ebrahim reflected “It is great to finally have world-class equipment and race cars on our home soil. We welcome Akhilesh and Navjeet to our company, and look forward to building a series of championships that enable Indian drivers to compete at the highest level globally and will make Indians a force to reckon with in the motorsport world.”
Speaking about the Racing Promotions current endeavours Mr Akhilesh Reddy, Chairman, Racing Promotions stated, “Monaco being a sovereign city-state has produced F1 drivers, and we as a country of a billion-plus now have the platform to give aspiring racing drivers the opportunity to compete with the best in the world and potentially a stepping stone to the apex of motorsports which is F1”
While Mr Navjeet Gadoke, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, RPPL added “Our investment will revolutionize Indian motorsports, and the objective is to build a world-class, holistic ecosystem for motorsports which will become a force to reckon with, not just for this sport, but Indian sports in general.”
Commenting on the launch FMSCI, President said “The introduction of the Formula Regional India certified by the FIA to be followed by the F4 India certified by the FIA is certainly a landmark moment for Indian Motorsport, the FMSCI and the promoters, Racing Promotions Pvt Ltd. (RPPL). The FIA Single Seater Commission and the FIA World Motorsport Council approved the two championships last month. Not only will both these championships provide a truly International platform for Indian drivers who can now race at the International level competing against International drivers in their own country, but it also comes with a huge bonus package which is the FIA Driver points. The FMSCI would like to congratulate Mr. Akhilesh Reddy, Chairman RPPL, Mr Navjeet Gadhoke, Vice Chairman, RPPL and the entire Racing Promotions team for putting together such a phenomenal package which will take Indian Motorsport to much higher echelons.”
