Chennai: The 46th South India Rally will be held at the Madras International Circuit, at Irungattukottai about 40 km from here, from tomorrow along with the second round of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally championship (Asia Cup) will be run concurrently.
The FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship promoted by Blueband Sports, goes green and the South India Rally, a carbon-neutral event by planting 6000 trees ahead at the Madras International Circuit where much of the action will take place.
Blueband Sports and Lions Club, Chennai, came together for a tree planting exercise to lend the 2023 season a ‘Go Green’ theme.
Chief Promoter of Blueband Sports Premnath Kasinath, told reporters here last evening that, the ‘Go Green’ initiative was one of many such ventures planned for the 2023 season, including introducing a Ladies Class, new venues, delayed telecast of Super Special Stage, and a substantial hike in financial incentives to participants, besides expanding the INRC to seven rounds.
“Over the past year, Blueband Sports has introduced a slew of changes to make the INRC economically viable for the drivers. The ‘Go Green’ theme and associating ourselves with various social organisations helps us to reach out to new audience via the Social Media by way of footfalls”, he said.
“I am proud to say that the Indian Rally Championship received 14 million hits on Instagram reels during the Rally of Nagaland weekend. I take this opportunity to thank MRF Tyres for their unstinted support which we hope will continue,” he said.
FIA APRC Working Group President & MMSC Vice-President Vicky Chandhok said besides being the Chairman of the Event, said: As for the APRC, it augurs well that there are 15 entries, but there is more to be done to attract more participants, especially at the grassroot level.”
“To this end, we intend to develop a dedicated Rally test track at the MIC so that more events such as the Rally Sprint, can be held. Promoters Blueband Sports are going the right way by investing in the sport”, he said.
“The future lies in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities where the sport will get a lot more exposure and attract bigger audiences. We have to step out of big cities and into rural India”, Vicky Chandhok said.
Top drivers, three-times APRC champion Gaurav Gill, 2021 National champion Aditya Thakur, Samrat Yadav, Pragathi Gowda and 2019 title winner Chetan Shivram also spoke.
