The Indian Racing Festival (IRF) faced a challenging task in overcoming the delays that marred its opening day. A seven-hour delay on Saturday forced a packed schedule for Day 2 of the second round at the Chennai Formula Racing Circuit, leaving drivers, teams, and spectators with high expectations. Despite a delayed start, the FLGB cars roared back to life on a bright Sunday morning, filling the Chennai streets with anticipation. While the action began an hour later than planned due to track inspections and safety simulations, the cars were able to get valuable track time. They seemed to be gaining speed with each lap, but interruptions and delays continued to disrupt the practice sessions.
One incident during an Indian Racing League (IRL) practice session involved the rear bodywork of a car flying off and a bollard ending up in the middle of the track. The yellow flag was displayed after a significant delay, but the debris was swiftly removed. Despite intermittent overcast conditions, the sky eventually cleared, revealing a breathtaking sight of race cars bathed in the blazing sunlight. Most of the qualifying sessions were completed before the lunch break, leaving spectators eager for the main race action.
Just after 4 PM, the highly anticipated moment arrived: the FLGB 4 cars took to the street circuit, the lights going out to signal the start of the first official lap. Before a lap could be completed, a Safety Car (SC) was deployed after one of the cars lost control and spun. However, racing resumed quickly, showcasing a highly competitive field. The FLGB cars battled fiercely for points, making daring moves to overtake their rivals on the narrow streets.
A similar SC incident occurred on the first lap of the Formula 4 race when Zakariya Mohammed went off track and stalled. Following the incident, spectators witnessed intense battles on the track. Despite the inherent difficulty of overtaking on a street circuit, the track layout seemed to allow for close racing. The racing acumen on display was followed by stunt shows before the final competitive action brought an end to India’s first-ever night street race.
Despite the hiccups, the historic event, witnessed by celebrity team owners Sourav Ganguly, John Abraham, Naga Chaitanya, and Arjun Kapoor, potentially marks a new era for Indian motorsport. While adequate infrastructure and efficient administration remain challenges for India to host major global motorsport events, the visual spectacle of high-speed cars gleaming in the golden hour, replacing the usual Chennai afternoon traffic, offered a glimpse into what could be. The weekend began on a somber note with drivers returning to their hotel shortly after arriving at the track. However, the initial disappointment was somewhat salvaged by the thrilling spectacle of cars racing into the night.
