FMSCI doing its best to get government backing: Bharat

Indian racers might have started taking baby steps towards being a force in motorsports. But, the lack of financial support and guidance have always pegged the aspirants back.

Letting the corporate world know the opportunities that motorsports, as a lucrative business model, provide is the need of the hour, stated Ashwin Naik, a former Indian national rally champion. Naik was part of a panel discussion titled ‘Winning in Indian motorsports – an emerging market for business and career and issues related to motorsports in India’.

The panel, moderated by the eminent TV anchor Charu Sharma, included the President of the Motorsports Clubs in India (FMSCI) Bharat Raj, along with Arvind Pangaonkar, head of TVS Racing, Gautam Maini, MD, Maini Precision and Wiseline Sigamani, DGM, Toyota Kirloskar Motors.

Gautam stated that the scenario has changed in the recent past with the likes of JK Tyres, TVS and others showing interest in the sport. “I believe it is up to the ones involved in the sport to present it as a viable business opportunity for the corporates. There is no doubt that the FMSCI has done a good job on that front,” he said.

“Another important aspect in developing the scope for motorsport in the country is its commercial value. We need to take the sport to masses. Countries like Singapore and Malaysia can be our role models. I believe, we need to bring more races and street races to our nation to achieve that goal. And here is where the government support is of most importance.”

Bharat, meanwhile, assured that FMSCI would do its best to get the government support. “Now, with we being recognised as a sports body, it is easy for us to have a dialogue with the centre. We are working on the finer aspects of the sport like relaxation in taxes and duties, to begin with. But, such decisions take time,” he said.