Like everything else, motorsport activity has taken a break in the real world. However, thanks to technology, the excitement of wheel-to-wheel action can still be experienced while we’re sunk in the couch. If you are good at it, you can become a professional virtual racer too!
Like Chennai’s Amith Kutti, who was crowned champion in the Mumbai Falcons Indian Sim Racing League that concluded, after a thrilling finale. Supported by Volkswagen Motorsport and sponsored by Mumbai Falcons, the Indian SIM Racing League (ISRL) witnesses top competitors slug it out on virtual tracks.
Recap
Amidst close competition, Season 3 champion Kutti amassed 377 points, winning six out of the 10 races over 5 rounds to pip Thrissur’s Abdul Malik (345 points; one win and four podiums) and another Chennai lad Sai Prithvi (341 points; six podium finishes) to the title. The Season 3 winners received cash prizes from Mumbai Falcons, with the champion getting Rs 15,000, the first runner-up Rs 10,000 and the second runner-up Rs 5,000. In addition, the title winner Kutti also earned a fully paid testing and training session for a day from Volkswagen Motorsport India, who have been part of the ISRL from the first edition.
Also Read: Volkswagen Introduces Limited TSI Edition Of The Polo And Vento
Second-placed Malik won a training session with Rayo Racing while Prithvi, third, got a race entry from IndiKarting. Top racers from across the country took part in the competition, with Kutti dominating the first 2 rounds and winning all 4 races; UK-based Muhammad Ibrahim snatched pole and won Race 1 of Round 3. Round 4 was dominated by the lads from Thrissur and saw Abdul Malik earn his maiden victory in Race 1 while Abdul Fattah won Race 2.
Entering the final round, 3 racers were in a close fight for the title. Kutti had a narrow lead and secured his position by winning Race 1 after Malik had a relatively poor race by his standards. Former International racer and India’s representative to the Volkswagen Scirocco Cup in Europe, Oshan Kothadiya, currently based in the Netherlands, won his final race of the season.
Ameet Gadhoke owner of Mumbai Falcons commented “We at Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited are proud to associate with the Indian Sim Racing Challenge. During these trying times of the Covid-19 pandemic, SIM racing has offered an alternate platform for racing aspirants to continue to hone their talents.”
Sirish Vissa, Head of Volkswagen Motorsport India, said “I am glad that ISRL is making motorsport racing fun and exciting for the young racers. It is great to see the enthusiasm and traction for Mumbai Falcon ISRL in its third season. Basis the continuous development of the ISRL platform, I believe, it is offering a near realistic experience to the racers on the way we run our national racing championships in India. I look forward to meeting these young champions and train them in one of our Polo Cup cars in the near future. Till then, I urge you all to stay safe, stay at home and keep honing your racing skills on your sims.”
Season 4 dates and format will be announced shortly, with the new schedule promising to increase the duration of the season.