The Madras Motor Sports Club (MMSC) will host India’s first-ever international karting competition, the FIA-CIK Arrive and Drive, in September at its Madras International Karting Arena (MIKA) in September this year.
Announcing this at the MMSC annual awards function to honour the 2025 National Racing Championship winners here on Thursday, MMSC Vice-President Vicky Chadhok said: “The Arrive-and-Drive competition in September at the MIKA circuit, will be one of the three rounds and we will see karters from across the globe competing, and it is the first of its kind in India.”
Another first for MMSC will be a 4×4 off-road facility, also at the Madras International Circuit facility at Irungattukottai in Sriperumbudur, about 40 km from here.
“That apart, we have plans to introduce the Crosscars into the Indian motorsport ecosystem. First of the crosscar is expected at the MIC shortly and we will be adding another four or five of these vehicles that will be seen in a club championship. Later, this will be developed into a National Championship,” Chandhok said.
In another incentive to young racers, the winner of 2025 MRF Formula 2000 championship will be awarded an all-expense paid test drive with Double R Formula 3 team run by former World F1 champion Kimi Raikkonen and Steve Robertson. “This is a big step up for the MRF F2000 winner in terms of experience and exposure,” Chandhok pointed out.
He said: “We also thank MRF Tyres, Honda and TVS for their active involvement in our National Championships.”
Chief guest Arun Mammen, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, MRF Ltd., outlined his company’s involvement in motorsports and a strong presence in various championships globally. He reiterated that MRF would continue to support motorsports in India across various disciplines.
“With the Indian economy attaining global stature, MRF has kept pace, and we will continue to make Motorsports broader-based and more popular in India. We also see encouraging signs that the Government is taking steps to enhance world-class events in India,” Mammen said.
He disclosed that MRF has its own testing facility which gave the company an edge. “We now possess the capability to test and develop tyres in the quickest possible manner, as we now have our very own specialised tyre testing facility with multiple tracks for various kinds of testing — the only facility of its kind in India. This gives us an unmatched edge in speed, precision and responsiveness to the tyre needs of all our customers in India and across the world.”
