Motorsport in India

German racing driver Adrian Sutil driving for Indian F1 team Force India at the 2011 Malaysian Grand Prix.
The official logo of Mahindra Racing

Motorsport is a popular form of sport in the nation of India. Formula One in particular has taken off in the country in the 2000s, with two Indian driver competing (Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok) and the first ever Formula One Indian Grand Prix taking place in 2011, at the newly built Buddh International Circuit. India is also the home of one of the current Formula One teams, Force India, but the team's base is in the United Kingdom. The Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India is the official governing body of motorsport in the country. India also compete in the Moto GP, Moto 3 class with Mahindra Racing. Mahindra are based in Switzerland but holds an Indian licence.

History

On 1 February 2005, Narain Karthikeyan became India's first Formula One racing driver. In March 2007, he also became the first ever Indian-born driver to compete in a NASCAR Series. He debuted in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in the Kroger 250.[1] Force India F1 is a Formula One motor racing team. The team was formed in October 2007, when a consortium led by Indian businessmen Vijay Mallya and Michiel Mol bought the Spyker F1 team for € 88 million.[2] After going through 29 races without a point, Force India won their first Formula One World Championship points and podium place when Giancarlo Fisichella finished second in the 2009 Belgian Grand Prix.[3] New Delhi hosted the Indian Grand Prix in 2011 at Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida, 50 km from New Delhi. Karun Chandhok currently is the test driver for Team Lotus & Karthikeyan is the test driver for HRT in the 2011 Formula One season. Both Chandhok and Karthikeyan stepped in (for Jarno Trulli and Daniel Ricciardo, respectively) at the 2011 Indian Grand Prix; it was the first time two Indian drivers compete in the same Formula One Grand Prix.

In December 2013, Mahindra Racing join the FIA Formula E Championship.[4] For the first season in 2014-15, Karun Chandhok drives alongside Bruno Senna.[5] Mahindra finishes 8th of the Teams Championship. The Indian pilot leaves the team after the first season,[6] and is replaced by Nick Heidfeld.[7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.nascar.com/2010/news/headlines/truck/04/02/scompton.nkarthikeyan.debut/index.html
  2. ↑ "Spyker F1 team officially sold". GPUpdate.net (GPUpdate). 5 October 2007. Retrieved 31 January 2011.
  3. ↑ "Spa-Francorchamps results". BBC Sport. 30 August 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-30.
  4. ↑ http://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/mahindra-racing-joins-formula-e/
  5. ↑ http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2014/may/karun-chandhok-and-bruno-senna-sign-for-mahindra-racing.aspx
  6. ↑ (French) http://fr.motorsport.com/formula-e/news/decu-par-mahindra-karun-chandhok-sautorise-a-regarder-ailleurs/
  7. ↑ http://www.e-racing.net/2015/08/10/mahindra-confirm-senna-and-heidfeld-for-season-two/
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