) 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.
