MRF International Challenge racing launched

Mumbai, Jun 26 (UNI) Racing of the highest standard, involving four-wheelers and two-wheelers, will make its debut in India with the MRF International Challenge racing championship.

This was announced by Anthony Rodricks, in charge of motorsports at MRF Limited along with Farad Bathena, former National Rally Champion, representing organisers Bathena&Associates and Robin Shroff, administrator, the Motorsports Association of India, the official ASN of the FIA in India at a press conference here today.

The MRF International Challenge will be a Touring Car Championship and is expected to attract about 100 competitors. In one Category, the Asian Motor Racing Club of Sri Lanka has confirmed participation of 12 GT cars, with a mix if EVO9 and Subaru cars. Two rounds will be held this year at the Kari Memorial Speedway in Coimbatore, the first round on August 26, 2007, followed by the second round on December 16, 2007.

The other four-wheeler categories are the Asian 1600 Saloon class, which will see cars with the Honda Twincam Type R engines; the Indian Open upto 1600cc Turbocharged; Turbo 2000 turbocharged Indian cars; Super 2000 Naturally Aspirated Indian cars; Super 1600 Naturally Aspirated Indian cars and the upto 1450 cc Group N Naturally Aspirated Indian cars.

In the two-wheeler category, the MRF Challenge Trophies will be up for grabs in the 2 stroke Indian bikes Group C 160cc; 4 stroke Indian bikes Group B 250 cc; Friegn bikes up to 600cc and foreign bikes up to 1000cc, it was announced at the conference.

MRF limited will be the title sponsor for the event and MAI regulations will apply for the four-wheeler events, while FMSCI regulations will apply for the two-wheeler section.

In another interesting development for motorsports in the country, Anthony Rodricks also announced the introduction of the Formula MRF 1600 cars later this year. The cars will be built on the lines of the internationally popular Formula Ford 1600 by J Anand of Jaya Automobiles, Coimbatore at the MRF Powerhouse in Chennai. The prototype is expected to be ready for testing by October 1, 2007.

According to Rodricks, 10 cars will be manufactured, of which Team MRF will race two and eight will be rented out to aspiring racers to race anywhere in the world as the specifications will meet all Formula 1600 racing requirements.

UNI