F1 Star Mika Hakkinen Kicks Off Madras International Karting Arena

Madras International Karting Arena, which is India's first karting track certified by the Commission Internationale de Karting (CIK) was officially inaugurated by double Formula 1 champion Mika Hakkinen here on Wednesday. Former India F1 driver Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok were also present during this occasion.

World-class design and location

The Madras International Circuit (MIC), a few kilometres away from Chennai, is going to be the game-changing face of motorsport in India. It will be 1.2km long, designed by Driven International, in consultation with Karun Chandhok, and is based on CIK international standards, which is a potential venue for future editions of World Championships.

Host to national championships and even the Indian Racing Festival, the Madras International Circuit had a dirt track for rally events. It includes a karting circuit as a part of plans made by the Madras Motor Sports Club (MMSC) to transform MIC into a multi-purpose motorsport facility offering competitive and leisure time activities, including corporate events.

The Vision behind MIKA

MMSC's president, Ajit Thomas, said he was very proud of himself by constructing India's first CIK-certified karting track. "We have worked very closely with the CIK to make sure that the track meets all global standards and it is very big for promoting grassroots level of motorsports.".

In this respect, he added that MIKA will be a venue for racing enthusiasts as well as casual drivers. "We aimed for the track to be invigorating for driving but even easy to handle. It has been connected with the actual paddock and pit lane at the main track, making it accessible to competitors while also allowing us to accommodate leisure and competition karting",.

This track, also commonly known as MIKA, is known for its high quality. The MIKA track is equivalent to the karting circuits of the international level.It was his first visit in Chennai and he was thrilled to unveil this karting circuit. “Karting forms the base of every Formula 1 racing aspirant, and this investment made by the MMSC will propel the development of talent to become future race champions from India," said Hakkinen.

He pointed out the interesting track lay-out with corners, which should challenge the best racers and make racing exciting. "In combination with the latest CIK safety standards, such a track can really be compared with the best in the world".

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Future plans

The Madras International Karting Arena is already equipped with floodlights, a control room, and electric karts charging stations. Further plans in the MMSC facility will make it an arena for family outings and corporate events.

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