13146
MRF Challenge 2012 - the next big thing?
Posted on 
Single-seater racing will never be the same again with the MRF Challenge 2012 upping the ante like never before
MRF may be a tyre manufacturer but the company’s involvement in motorsport needs no introduction. Far from stopping at just supplying tyres to racing series, MRF has constantly been a driving factor in bettering Indian motorsports over the years and the latest in a long line of efforts is the MRF Challenge 2012.
For the new season, MRF is pulling all the stops and bringing in one of the most sophisticated single-seater race cars the sub-continent has seen. Dubbed the F2000, the F3-spec formula car was recently unveiled in a brief showcase at a shopping mall in Chennai by none other than HRT driver Narain Karthikeyan.
The F2000 uses a carbon-fibre chassis by Dallara – a name that has been at the forefront of motorsport engineering on the international scene. Powering the car will be a 2-litre Renault engine that is capable of dishing out 210 horses and is mated to a 6-speed sequential gearbox.
With this kind of a setup, the MRF Challenge 2012 will be the fastest one-make single-seater racing series in Asia when it debuts with its opening round as the support race for the Indian F1 Grand Prix in October.
The second round will again be a support race to the first ever FIA GT1 race at the Buddh International Circuit in December after which the series will head to Chennai for two more rounds in February where the four-round season will culminate. The first two rounds that are being held as support races to F1 and GT1 will feature two races per round while the Chennai rounds will include three races per weekend bringing it up to a total of ten races in the first season.
The entry fee for the entire season is Rs 45 lakh while a prize fund of around Rs 55 lakh will be on offer as well. A total of 20 cars are being assembled locally for the series at Jayem Automotive based in Coimbatore under technical collaboration with Dallara.
The MRF Challenge 2012 very well could spell the next step in racing careers for both Indian and International drivers and together with the Volkswagen Polo R Cup and Toyota Etios Motor Racing Series will definitely go leagues in taking Indian motorsport to a new high – which definitely comes as great news for budding racers, provided they can cough up the entry fee of course!
Do you like this story?
- Previous Story
- Next Story
Readers' opinions ( 1 )
Post a Comment
Post a Comment-
Saif
Does it mean anyone with the means to pay the entry-fee can participate ? What do teams get for their 45L entry fee in terms of support/equipment?
ChangeMyTyre.com expands its product range
by Rahul Basu
Adds Alloy Wheels and 2 Wheeler Bike Tyres to its...
MRF ZLO performance tyre launched
MRF's first take on a performance car tyre,...
Chevrolet Enjoy : Special Coverage
Designed to take on everything from the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga to the Toyota Innova the Enjoy is...
Volkswagen XL1 : Special Coverage
The Volkswagen XL1 is a production ready technological masterpiece that showcases how efficient yet...
