HYDERABAD: Thrilled to witness the Indian Racing League’s precursor event to the Formula E championship, many motorsport enthusiasts were disheartened by the chaos that reigned over Sunday’s event. The racing event was filled with drama on and off the track but was marred by the alleged mismanagement, leaving the fans disappointed.
The drivers and the staff were late, which led to an abrupt end to the race before the final lap. Despite holding valid tickets, many motorsport enthusiasts were not allowed to enter the venue as many VVIPs had already occupied their spots.
Home Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali, Animal Husbandry Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav, Energy Minister G Jagadish Reddy, and Hyderabad Mayor Gadwal Vijayalakshmi’s arrival pushed visitors, who had purchased tickets for thousands of rupees, far off the track. “I spent Rs 8,500 on VIP lounge tickets but I was not allowed to enter because VVIPs were there,” said Arun Mudhiraj, who had come to watch the race with his daughter. They were barred by the police because of security reasons.
Tragedy averted
The race was scheduled to begin at 10:15 am but was delayed by over an hour as the staff and drivers arrived late. When the trial race finally started and everything was going on smoothly, Vishnu Prasad, one of the drivers from the Chennai Turbo Riders team, who had zoomed past the spectators had a close shave after a tree branch fell on his car. The two cars trailing him crashed into him. The race had to be paused to take out the driver on a stretcher. Fortunately, no serious injury was reported.
Race stopped abruptly
The race had to end abruptly before the drivers could finish the last lap. The winners’ names were declared during the second round. Although the speeding cars clocked 120 kmph on straight roads and made turns at nearly 90 kmph, they could not finish the race as the event was running at least one and a half hours late.
The event had to be cut short after the light started fading.“It is too dangerous to continue the race in the dark. Hence the list of Formula E World Championship candidates will be declared based on the race scheduled in MIC Chennai on November 25-27 and December 2-4, and later in Hyderabad on December 10-11,” said David from Indian motorsport company, Racing Promotions Pvt Ltd, and Indian Racing League.