As a petrolhead, would you pay to see a bunch of electric cars go around in circles? I would have said no until I started watching Formula E. I had clearly judged the book by its cover, but no more. As an avid motorsport fan, I had grown to like Formula E and couldn’t be happier when I discovered that Formula E was coming to India.
Formula E’s India race is clearly a sign that the world of motorsport clearly hasn’t written India off just yet. And this is certainly something to be happy about because it could mean that at some point in the future, maybe, just maybe, Formula 1 could head back to India.
For those who haven’t yet gotten around to Formula E, it is a fantastic championship that is living and breathing proof that an electric future might be filled with high-pitched whines but is no less exciting and arousing than our present. It is the only sport certified net zero carbon since its inception.
The ABB FIA Formula E championship was conceived in 2011 in Paris by a bunch of visionaries who could clearly see the future. A total of 11 teams, with 22 cars, will participate in round 4 of the Formula E world championship held in Hyderabad on 11th February 2023. These 11 teams include notable names like Porsche, McLaren, Andretti, Jaguar, Maserati, Porsche, Nio, DS and many others.
The fourth stop of this Formula E championship comes to India as a part of a four-year agreement that will see races held in India until 2026. It will be held on the Hyderabad Street Circuit near the iconic Hussain Sagar Lake to add some views to the background. The cherry on top is that the circuit utilizes many of Hyderabad’s roads to create a street race course that sports 17 turns over its 2.83 km length.
A special event was held at the Gateway of India, Mumbai, yesterday evening to start the 30-day countdown for the event. Attendees included Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India Nitin Gadkari and many others who helped bring this glorious championship to Indian shores.
The Formula E championship couldn’t have come to India at a better time, given the massive influx of EVs in the Indian auto market. It stands as a testament to what electric vehicles are capable of.
Words: Sresht Garg
