P1 Powerboat Indian Gran Prix Of The Seas Kicks Off On March 3

India has a coastline that spans over seven thousand kilometres. There's over two thousand kilometres of internal rivers as well. It was only a matter a time before we used it for racing, wasn't it? Kicking off proceedings for India's first ever 'Gran Prix Of The Seas' is the P1 Powerboat Championship, that will be held in the first week of March, 2017. The brainchild of P1 Global and Procam International, the championship will see seven teams battle it out for glory. The teams will feature two boats apiece, who will race along a 5.2 km long defined race track at Marine Drive, Mumbai. 

Teams will head out for a sighting lap, followed by two flying laps to determine their position on the qualifying grid. For the second race, the final positions of the first qualifier are flipped. The grid positions for the finals will be adjudged on the basis of combined best times of both boats. The two qualifier races will take place on March 4, whereas the final race will be held on March 5. 

What's the race boat like? Well, it's called the P1 Panther. Powered by a 250PS V6 engine, the powerboat can clock 120kmph on water - equivalent of 240kmph on land. The 28-foot long boat is designed to race in 6 feet of water, which means the action can take place close to the shores - close to the spectators. Here's a fun statistic that was shared with us: the boat can consume 105-litres of fuel in an hour if you go flat out. Gulp!

What we particularly like about the boatorsport (excuse the pun) is the fact that the podium is decided purely on the skill of the drivers and the navigators. It isn't a technical battle since every single participating boat is built to the exact same specifications. All boats feature the same engine, make the same amount of power, and even weigh the same. 

Dakar boy CS Santosh, and two-time APRC champion Gaurav Gill will be the two Indian pilots for the first season, giving us all the more reason to cheer. We cannot wait for the action to unfold!