In a country so vast, its surprising that motorsport is still at such a nascent stage. Albeit for a few rallies organized by Maruti, the upcoming Volkswagen Polo Cup Races and the JK Tyre track events, India is still yet to evolve into an era of grand motorsport.
We've often spoken of a Formula One track, and though that is coming up in Greater Noida, it remains to be seen when the first race will actually be held. No doubt, F1 will bring in a new era to Indian motorsport and the track will open new frontiers for other races, however India has a heritage in rallying as well.
The Himalayan was one of the oldest and most dangerous rallies ever run, second only to the Dakar Rally. Why is it that impetus to rallies is not increasing in the country. We don't need tracks or major infrastructure to be set up at the cost of crores of rupees, all we need is proper awareness and great PR to push an event to such stature.
I have personally taken part in the Desert Storm rally as well as the Raid de Himalaya, and according to me, both are world class rallies. FIA approved, yet participation seems to wane at entry time.
Rallies are a great way to evoke tourism in the far corners of the country, as well as bring in a certain amount of revenue to various states that rallies run in, however the development and lack of manufacturer participation on this front has left the sport to reside in a small corner of Indian motorsport history.
Manufacturers need to sit up and take a look at what is available. By ushering in a rally team, what you essentially get is great publicity as well as a chance to prove your product pitted against the elements. Why is it then that manufacturers don't look into this area? A prime example is what Mitsubishi has managed with their Pajero brand; a brand soley built on its credentials in the Dakar Rally.
Just imagine, the credentials A Mahindra or a Tata could give to their SUV's if they were to compete in the Raid or the Desert Storm and win. India has great rally drivers, and the need for nurturing this sport is also extremely necessary. WRC might seem like a distant dream, however India offers terrain and tracks to train some of the best drivers. Manufacturers need to broaden their horizons and really take this up as part of their marketing and product promotion plans.
Posts
