The MMSC Race Fest

The MMSC Race Fest entertained and teased in equal measures as one-make racing in India seems to be fast approaching a saturation point.

Something’s got to give, goes the old saying. After well over five years of seeing automotive manufacturers in India foray into motorsport via the route of one-make cup racing, the saying holds up for fans in India.

Racers trying to make it in a sport that is anything but mainstream in India often complain of apathy of the corporate sector towards motorsport. And while that is true, the automotive sector is an in built industry that can and to an extent does support racing. However, not exactly in the manner that many participants and fans hope for.

One-make cup racing has, so far, been the way that car, motorcycle and even truck manufacturers have gone circuit racing in India. Volkswagen, Toyota, Honda, TVS, Yamaha, Suzuki and Tata; these are the manufacturers for whom the marketing potential of motorsport is best used by competing against each other.

Out of these, Toyota, Honda, TVS and Suzuki were present at the 2015 Madras Motor Sport Club (MMSC) Race Fest to give drivers and riders the opportunity to race at the Buddh International Circuit.

The weekend had a very two-wheel feel to it and additional spice of having former 500cc motorcycle grand prix world champion Kevin Schwantz at hand in order to promote Suzuki’s Gixxer Cup only added to the feeling.

Schwantz himself was encouraged by the one-make series that he feels are useful in helping young and rookie riders get their start in racing. However, that start does eventually have to lead somewhere doesn’t it? And that somewhere – be it in the case of cars or motorcucles – is a national championship with manufacturer and manufacturer-supported squads hiring the best racers and engineers from around the country in an effort to beat each other.

A set up like this is what makes a career in motorsport in India viable in the first place and justifies one-make cup series as well as development series in both two wheels and four.

Another argument against seeing the likes of Toyota, Volkswagen, Maruti and Hyundai – and likewise their two-wheel counterparts – is that the administrators within India’s motorsport governing body cannot come up with a product good enough to pitch to the mainstream media.

But perhaps the motorsport community needs to accept that the sport missed that boat a long time ago. Rather, the focus should be put on online streaming and coverage that will reach hardcore fans more than those who watch sports on television only to catch the big ticket events.

Thankfully a base exists, here’s hoping it can be built upon. Provided of course, that those in the boardrooms are as eager to duke it out as the drivers and riders on the track.