Red Bull Soapbox Race 2016 Mumbai: Report

When we think races here at ZigWheels, we usually equate it to Formula 1 and MotoGP and the like – fire-breathing machines of metal and carbon fibre, powered by screaming petrol engines, spewing horsepower and torque out in the need for speed. But, every once in a while, there comes along an offbeat derivative of racing that is just so wacky and brazen, it just is refreshing and hilarious to watch. This fun is what the Red Bull Soapbox Race is all about.

First held in Brussels in 2000, the Red Bull Soapbox Race has now grown into a global phenomenon, now being held everywhere from Australia to Brazil. So, pretty much everywhere the energy drinks giant has a presence. It first came to India in 2012, and is now back this month. The venue for the event is the Supreme Business Park, nestled in the picturesque and upmarket Hiranandani Gardens in Powai, Mumbai.

Soapbox racing, or gravity racing, is an event where participants race against one another or the clock on a downhill stretch of road, in self- and team-designed vehicles that are propelled solely by gravity. The vehicles should have steering and braking capability, necessary to navigate the tight course, but they are more or less just four wheels, sometimes three, with seating space for one driver, and little else. The objective being fun above all else, participants are judged not just by their race timings, but also their presentation, creativity of design, and performance and showmanship. But make no mistake, this is still a race, and some of these contraptions can reach speeds as high as 40-50kmph on the narrow straights.

This year’s event, presented by the energy drinks giant in association with Maruti Suzuki, cell phone manufacturer OnePlus, and hospitality partner Café Coffee Day, among others, saw a huge turnout of both young and old thrill-seekers who converged on the cool Sunday afternoon, 13 November 2106, for the festivities. The event was co-hosted by Cyrus Broacha, VJ Jose, and Indian rapper Baba Sehgal, and also boasted many famous attendees from the Bollywood and sporting fraternity.

Get latest updates on
the automobile community

Login Now

Before the event started, international BMX and flatland champion Viki Gomez, on his first trip to India, stirred up the crowd with his repertoire of acrobatic stunts. The race was then flagged off by film stars John Abraham and Sonakshi Sinha, who were present to drum up publicity for their upcoming action film Force 2.

As the race got underway properly, a dizzying array of contraptions came flying down the hills in quick succession. Some of the dune buggy-lookalikes, created with methods as varied as 3D printing and laser etching, at Mumbai’s Maker studios, boasted social statements or allusions to pop culture. There were a couple of Pokémon-themed carts, a Star Wars-themed design, as well as a particularly hilarious cart festooned with jokes from Salman Khan’s movies.

Quite a lot of these crude racers didn’t even make it past the first hard left turn, as their parts simply disintegrated, much to the amusement of the onlookers. The safety marshals were out in full force, though, so there wasn’t as much as small nicks and scratches on the drives, which could’ve frankly put a dampener on the proceedings.

When the dust finally settled, it was team The Other Guys (no relation to the 2016 Shane Black movie) who clinched the crown in the Red Bull Soapbox Race 2016. Kith and Kin and The Maratha Riders bagged the second and third places, respectively, while Team Frakenwagen won the Audience Award as a special recognition for their creatively-made horror-themed vehicle.

 In its second outing in India, the 2016 race saw the participation of over 40 teams, and Red Bull is bullish on the activity gaining even more steam here in the future.