JOVITO LOPES
PANJIM: Goan sportspersons as well as sportslovers awoke to a rude shock as the government announced that Goa will host the Round 4 of the 2025 Indian Racing Festival - Formula 4 - with the State government and private promoters committing significant investments in crores to establish what is being described as South Asia’s first ocean racetrack.
What has stunned many is that the Goa government is ready to shell out a handsome sum of Rs 47-52 crore for the event being organised by a private organisation. Surely, it is not a grant. It is as good as being the co-hosts, which is the bone of contention.
The race will showcase Goa Aces JA Racing, the winners of 2024 event. The team 2025 line-up: 15-year-old Enzo Rujugiro of South Africa, 16-year-old Luviwe Sambudla of South Africa. It is promoted by actor and film producer John Abraham. This will be their second year with Abraham’s ownership, but third overall.
The other probable teams - Kichcha’s Kings Bengaluru of actor Kichcha Sudeepa (French racer Sachel Rotge, Austrian Clara Stiebleichinger, one of three female drivers in the championship); Chennai Turbo Riders (Kareen Kaur of Singapore, Shane Chandaria); Hyderabad Blackbirds which has been taken over by actor Naga Chaitanya in 2023 (16-year-old Greek driver Vasilis Apostolids, 16-year-old Australian Annabel Kennedy; Kolkata Royal Tigers, taken over by former national cricket captain Sourav Ganguly (Mozambique’s licence driver 16-year-old Ghazi Motlekar, Ishaan Madesh); Speed Demons taken over by Bollywood actor Arjun Kapoor (South Africa’s 16-year-old Ntiyiso Mabunda, 16-year-old Pune’s Saishiva Sankaran); Godspeed Kochi (15-year-old South African Wian Boshoff).
The objective of F4 series is to develop young racing talent in India, providing a pathway to highest levels of motorsport. No details were provided if a Goan rider would participate in the race. It is being organised by Racing Promotions Private Limited (RPPL) with Akhilesh Reddy and Navjeet Gadhoke as directors. It was cofounded in 2021 by sports car racer Aditya Patel, former FIA Formula Two driver Armaan Ebrahim and RPPL. It is a FIA-sanctioned single seater series.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant went overboard as he announced that the Goa government will be contributing around Rs 47-52 crore with the estimated expenditure for the event being Rs 127 crore and Rs 80 crore being borne by Racing Promotions Limited and private partners. This includes approximately Rs 27 crore towards hosting and licencing fees and further Rs 20-25 crore towards permanent structure.
"This is government infrastructure and it will remain forever,” pointed out the Chief Minister.
The government, in justifying the hosting the event, stated: "Obviously, the facilities created, including upgrades to the existing track, will be retained by the State, enabling future motorsport and cultural events to be organised in Goa without having to build from scratch".
The government stated that it is positioning the event as a major boost to tourism, employment and the State's reputation as more than a just leisure destination, highlighting the spin-offs for hotels, restaurants, transport operators and small businesses across Goa. These are measurable quantities after all. Usually, once the event is over, detailed follow-up studies are rare. So, one really may not know if the projections even came true.
It has been underlined that the local Goan talent and manpower would be involved wherever possible with opportunities across event management, hospitality, logistics and technical qualified support. The most important message put across is: "For Goa’s youth, the event is being marketed as an entry point into motor-sport-related careers, engineering and data-driven technology."
How exactly this will be translated into reality is left to one's imagination. It is pertinent to note that the basis to get into F4 is the need for significant karting experience and a solid foundation in racing to move up to open-wheel cars.
One needs significant financial investment, potentially crores to cover the seat, team coaching and travel costs, a well-connected team of engineers, mechanics and sponsors alongwith good racing academy in the capital-intensive world.
One needs to gain extensive experience in competitive karting to showcase one’s talent and develop fundamental racing skills. Perhaps, the event could prod Goan youth to enter the arena leading for Formula 4. Basically, one needs a good, competitive karting track, which at the moment does not appear on the Goan horizon.
At one time, karting was prospering in Goa, especially at the Nuvem Track, among the nine best in India. It was known as G-force Gokarting, known for its curves, challenging layout with tight sections and U-turns, providing thrilling and high-speed experience on its 480-meter long track. The track was even tested by the first India's first Formula One driver, Narain Karthikeyan, who expressed his delight after his 10-laps. The track is a thing of the past now, with recent reports indicating that the track is not fully operational. It was once famous for having one of India’s longest track. It was owned by Dr Sydney Moraes. Presently, there is an outdoor operational 340-m go-karting at Arpora.
Experts have opined that to join Formula 4 racing in India, one must start by getting into karting, then gain experience and secure significant sponsorship or have substantial personal funds to transition into the single-seater series. Karting provides the foundational skills for single-seater racing.
That being the pre-requisite, the priority needs to revolve on setting up of adequate technical track, Goa Karting Association and competitions. That will call for hefty financial support from the Government's Sports Authority of Goa (SAG) which will have to revise, or better overhaul, its meagre pattern of assistance as one will have to take into consideration the logistics, technical staff and support, and most importantly, handsome financial commitment. This is what is called grassroots which the new National Sports Policy stresses on.
The Goan youth will be looking to figure out how the sport would be launched in Goa for their benefit as it is an adrenalin pumping activity. In the absence of the vision to promote the sport through its mission, it could be just a mere show, more so for the tourists, with of course, the locals flocking the venue to watch it, driven by the novelty factor in its maiden year. In the long run, is it justifiable to be called hub for motorsports? Certainly, a big spectacle it will be, no doubt.