Chennai to host last round of MRF Challenge

Chennai, Jan 31 (IANS) The Madras Motor Racing Track at Sriperumbudur will host the finale of the MRF Challenge Feb 8-10, making its first ever visit to India’s longest serving purpose-built motorsport venue.

The MRF F2000, Dallara designed and Renault powered cars built in Coimbatore, will be the premier category of racing in the weekend. They will be joined by the MRF Formula 1600 cars in their debut as the premier category of the Indian National Racing Championship (INRC).

The third and final round of the MRF Challenge will feature four races, two each Saturday and Sunday.

The MRF Challenge will see the return of all the current series leaders. Jordan King currently leads the points table from Conor Daly by just five points with Alice Powell in third, just one point ahead of reigning Formula 2 champion Luciano Bacheta. Japanese Yudai Jinkawa will also return, this time bringing along one of his peers Shinya Michimi.

There will be five new drivers entering the series. Apart from Michimi, there will also be new entries from the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy and Germany.

Josh Hill, son of the 1996 Formula 1 World Champion Damon Hill and grandson of double World Champion Graham Hill, will make his debut in the MRF Challenge. Spain and Italy will be represented by lady racers Carmen Jorda and Vicky Piria, both of whom have GP3 experience, and the lone German entry in the series is Formula ADAC driver Sebastian Balthasar.

India will be represented by Formula 2 racer Parthiva Sureshwaren as well as the reigning Asian Formula Pilota Champion Parth Ghorpade.

The MRF Formula 1600 cars will make a return to the venue which saw their debut in 2010. The championship will consist of four rounds with three races per round, totalling 12 races.

The MRF F1600 cars have a space-frame chassis, designed by single-seater manufacturer Van-Diemen with a Ford 1600cc Duratec engine built in Coimbatore.

IANS 2013-01-31 14:12:02