Formula E precursor on India's first street circuit enthrall Hyderabad

Hyderabad, Nov 20:  Formula-3 cars vroom around Hyderabad's picturesque Hussain Sagar lake as India's first street motor racing enthralled hundreds of people on Sunday.

The country's first street circuit around the lake in the heart of the city saw the second round of the first leg of Indian Racing League (IRL).

The first round was flagged off by minister for municipal administration and rural development K.T. Rama Rao on Saturday.

Twelve electric single-seater cars participated in the race on a 2.37 km long track around the historic lake, offering a visual treat to the racing enthusiasts and others.

The week-end visitors to the lake bought the tickets to watch the race from seven specially built galleries while many curious onlookers were seen catching a glimpse from Telugu Talli flyover and adjoining multi-storied buildings. Some were seen taking pictures or recording videos on their mobile phones.

About 10,000 people watched the race from galleries and many were thrilled to see the racing cars in different colours vroom on the street circuit.

A total of 22 drivers from 11 teams participated in the race during the week-end.

The IRL is a precursor for the Formula E race to be held in Hyderabad in February next year.

The next two rounds of IRL will be held in Chennai and the final will be held in Hyderabad as a build-up to the mega event on February 10 and 11.

This will be the first-ever Formula E World Championship race in India.

According to Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), IRL races were organized as a sort of trial run on the track to test its readiness for the February event.

The trial runs on the same track will be conducted again on December 10 and 11.

This is to ensure that the track is fit for the mega event and all the requirements are met as per the FIA specifications, an official of HMDA said.

IRL is a Formula-3 equivalent, a single-seater motor racing championship where the drivers compete in single-seater cars built by Italian constructor Wolf Racing using Aprilia engines.

The Telangana government is spending about Rs.100 crore on organising the Formula E race.

Formula E is the premier electric single seater racing series in the world governed by the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA).

With this event, Hyderabad will join the prestigious list of E-Prix host cities such as New York, London, Berlin, Seoul, Monaco, and Rome.

The event will see 22 drivers from 11 teams including Team Mahindra to fight it out for the victory around the Hyderabad Street Circuit.

As a run up to the marquee race, the state government will be organizing the Hyderabad e-Mobility Week from February 6-11.

Minister K.T. Rama Rao said the week would be packed with several exciting events that will showcase the global electric vehicle ecosystem in Hyderabad.

As part of the week-long celebrations, the city will host the Hyderabad EV Summit, the Rall-E Hyderabad, and the Hyderabad E-Motor Show before closing the week with the Hyderabad E-Prix.