LETTERS
As we celebrate the 1st anniversary of India's only nationally-distributed motorsport magazine here are a few of the messages that have poured in
A huge shout out to all our friends who have written in to us on our first anniversary
Maruti Suzuki is proud to be the pioneer in motorsports today. We’ve been inclined towards the idea of motorsports for a long time now. It is very integral to the way we think at Maruti Suzuki. We’re trying to address this new age customer. Customers, who are becoming younger by the day, constantly looking for a different kind of experience and are willing to go that extra mile to seek thrill and adventure and that’s where motorsports comes in.
Motorsports in India is currently at a very nascent stage, with a very niche group of enthusiasts vying for the sport. There is no dearth of FMSCI approved events, ensuring availability of multiple formats that suit the taste of every kind of motorist across the nation. It is now the responsibility of like-minded corporates to join hands to make it more mass and the vision should be making it a mainstream sports.
We at Maruti Suzuki have a very diverse portfolio of events. Rallies like Maruti Suzuki Raid De Himalaya, Dakshin Dare and recently concluded Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm have become cult events over the years. Different set of challenges await competitors in each of the rallies. Today, these rallies see a huge following of adventure lovers and sports enthusiasts, and have been iconic, in their own right. In 2016-17 we have introduced two more championships in formats which are comparatively more accessible. Maruti Suzuki FMSCI National SuperleagueTSD Rally Championship marked 6 new and different territories this year and Maruti Suzuki FMSCI Indian National Autocross Championship will be concluded in the first week of March after successfully conducting 7 rounds in north and south zones. Participation is very exciting in both the championships and seems to be the way ahead for future.
The realization of motorsports being safe, affordable and accessible is something that will happen eventually, but will require combined efforts of the corporates well as the regulatory bodies/federation.
Motor Sport India magazine is one such effort which is helping the sport and the sportspeople by giving the general public and enthusiasts a glimpse in to the world of motorsports and imparting a taste of the challenges faced by this niche set of enthusiasts, who brave these challenges year after year to pursue this crazy passion they hold in their hearts. I would this this opportunity to congratulate Sirish and team for completing one year of Motor Sport India magazine and association with Maruti Suzuki Motorsports.
Vinay Pant
AVP Marketing, Maruti Suzuki
From a very long time, from the days when
I was racing, I was keen to have access to a motorsports magazine focusing on Indian motorsport. This finally happened last year and is a landmark for Indian motorsport and its stakeholders and participants. The magazine has been going from strength to strength with every passing issue and we will strive to work even more closely with the editorial board to give all our participants, organisers, sponsors and manufacturers the maximum exposure possible. It is of great significance to have completed one year and I would like to congratulate the editorial team for doing a fabulous job. Knowing Sirish for the go-getter that he is, I am sure he will come up with more avenues and tools to truly reflect the hard work, determination and achievements of all concerned.
Akbar Ebrahim
President, FMSCI
Please accept our thanks and congratulations on the 1st anniversary of your magazine Motor Sport India. We see so much of negativity in the public about motorsport that it is refreshing to have a positive, educative magazine like yours
covering virtually every motorsport event in the country. We think the magazine is a great motivator for many young enthusiasts who need the right direction. Our motorsport schools / teams are doing a good job with limited resources, and we appreciate all the coverage you give us. Anil Kumar S
Director, Apex Racing Academy
Congratulations on turning one! Motor Sport India Is a magazine whose time has come when motorsport is rapidly growing in the country. It's driven by the passion of those who love motorsports and brought out by those who love motorsports. All the very best!
C S Santosh
You know who he is!
Congratulations to the whole Motor Sport India magazine team for one year of insightful and engaging coverage of motor racing! It's wonderful to be part of your journey and learn of all the exciting developments in Indian motorsport on a global scale. It is always a great pleasure to receive your magazine and I look forward to helping celebrate many more milestones to come. Dilbagh Gill
Team Principal, Mahindra Racing Formula E Team
Congratulations on your First Anniversary! Motorsports is a sport that should be developed in our country. To encourage talent, the Gautam Singhania Rolling Trophy has been presented to FMSCI for "The Indian Motorsports person of the Year". I am glad there is an auto magazine devoted to this global sport! All the best! Gautam Hari Singhania
Founder, Super Car Club of India
Congratulations to Motor Sport India on your first anniversary! I look forward to many more years of your stories highlighting the excitement of motorsports and the joy of driving for readers across India.
Guillaume Sicard
President, Nissan India Operations
I would like to congratulate everybody on the successful first anniversary issue of the Motor Sport India magazine – the only magazine devoted to motorsport in India.
It is really fantastic to know that there is a dedicated motorsport magazine in India as motorsport is thriving and also the integral part of every global automotive manufacturer. It is good to see the two wheeler manufacturers in India are actively involving in Motorsport and nowadays even four-wheeler manufacturers are looking at motorsport.
A magazine like this will certainly help lot of motorsport enthusiasts. My best wishes to Sirish and his team.
J Anand
MD, Jayem Automotive
Kudos to Sirish and Motor Sport India's spirited team for completing one glorious year. As the Indian automotive market gets strengthened, there couldn't have been a more opportune time to acquaint car owners with aspects that bring out the fun of driving. As part of our DNA, all Ford products in India quintessentially deliver the Fun of Driving in each of their segments – from Figo and Aspire, all the way up to the legendary Mustang. We are happy to have associated with Motor Sport India in creating some memorable content with our special series 'Track Attack' and look to stay engaged with Motor Sports India to support such engaging content in the future. Kapil Sharma
Ford India Communications
Would like to wish the magazine all further success and with your experience, am sure it will grow to much greater heights.
KD Madan
MMSC trustee and councillor to FMSCI
Many congratulations and a happy anniversary to Project GTO Publishing for a valiant effort in treading the tough territory of Indian motorsports.
The credit for the success and the popularity of the Arunachal Festival of Speed and the Orange Festival of Adventure and Music in the farthest corner of the country, Arunachal Pradesh, is equally yours.
It has been a great pleasure to personally know you bunch of dedicated journos, contributing to nation building in your own style. Accelerate on… pedal to the metal!
Lhakpa Tsering
President, Motorsports Club of Arunachal
Motorsport in India is now going through an exciting phase where a dedicated magazine like Motor Sport India is an excellent way to increase awareness on the category. Kudos to the team on crossing this milestone and congratulations on a successful debut year!
We have a similar reason for celebration at Hero MotoSports as we complete our 1st anniversary in April. Our debut year has given us initial successes with an impressive showing at the Merzouga and OiLibya Rallies in Morocco, followed by a solid performance in our first ever Dakar and, finally closing our debut year with a podium finish at the Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm 2017. We take pride Getting a taste of bike racing astride the
race-spec TVS Apache RTR 200 4V
in being part of this growing category, and look forward to taking the sport further, both on the national and international circuit. We do wish for many more fans and followers to come together, in creating the ecosystem for world class riders, world class teams and many new customers. Congratulations once again and all the best from the Hero MotoSports Team!
Markus Braunsperger
CTO, Hero MotoCorp Ltd.
The last decade has witnessed an increase in the pace of growth for motorsports in India, and we are glad to be a part of this dynamically growing environment. For any sport to grow it is important that the right catalyst foster its growth and Motor Sport India magazine has been a great supporter and facilitator in accelerating this growth. The magazine not only supports and promotes the sport but also tells some unique and interesting stories of the racers and enthusiasts. The magazine helps to educate, grow, support and encourage the motorsport ecosystem and we at Volkswagen look forward to interesting times ahead. We extend our heartiest congratulations to the entire team on completing its first year journey and wish them ample success for the coming years.
Michael Mayer
Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars
My warm congratulations on behalf of Mahindra Racing to Motor Sport India magazine on the completion of its first anniversary with the March 2017 issue. Both are pioneers in their respective fields with Mahindra Racing being the only Indian manufacturer competing at the highest level of international motorsport in MotoGP racing and Motor Sport India being the only magazine dedicated to covering motorsports across India. The magazine has also come a long way in a short time with insightful and incisive coverage that is truly reader friendly. Keep up the great work! Mufaddal A Choonia
CEO, Mahindra Racing
The members and office bearers of Coimbatore Auto Sports Club wish to congratulate the editorial board of Motor Sport India magazine for their successful publication of an informative Motorsport magazine and appreciate their dedication.
Prithiviraj J
Hon. Secretary, Coimbatore Auto Sports Club
It is one year since the first issue of Motor Sport India magazine was published by Project GTO Publishing. Congratulations!
Since then, we have seen the arrival of magazines dedicated to off-road vehicles and to motorcycles. All the above have been delightful to read. Your publications have gone from strength to strength. Well done. The first jubilee is traditionally known as the paper anniversary, an appropriate designation for a glossy journal. May this paper anniversary turn to silver, gold and diamond anniversaries. Our club looks forward to celebrating your centenary in the next century.
Ravi Kumar
Chairman, Calcutta Motor Sports Club
Motor Sport India magazine which is the only dedicated magazine to the sport in India, has done a commendable job. As a brand that was born on the race track, Mercedes-Benz and Mercedes-AMG has been closely associated with motor sport and we are proud of our global achievements in the realm of motor sport, F1 in particular. We wish the Motor Sport India team all the best in your effort of making motorsport more popular in India, by covering it widely. Stay unstoppable in all your efforts.
Roland Folger
MD & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India
In between all the automotive news of launches and reviews comes a refreshing and adrenaline-filled magazine called Motor Sport India. I would like to congratulate the team on their 1st anniversary and applaud their outstanding contribution and dedication for covering motorsports in India. Looking forward to many more reviews of Elite Octane's drag racing and motorsport initiatives. In addition to the above, looking forward to Sirish's participation for some blistering quarter mile runs.
Rongom Tagore Mukerji
Director, Elite Octane Inc. &
FMSCI Drag Racing Commission Member.
My heartiest congratulations to Motor Sport India and its magnificent team on its first anniversary on a job well done. It has been a wonderful year for Indian motorsports with many youngsters emerging from the ranks and making the country proud. We have seen the sport grow in the nation, with a number of fine drivers making their mark even from remote corners of india. We at JK Tyre Motor Sport are proud to be part of this revolution and believe that in the not too distant future motor sports will become one of the most popular sports in the country.
I wish you all the very best in the years ahead. Sanjay Sharma
Head, corporate communication and motorsport, JK Tyre & Industries ltd
As Motor Sport India celebrates its first birthday, I take the opportunity to congratulate all those involved with the content and production of the magazine. Indeed, motorsport enthusiasts now have something worthwhile to look forward to. Whether it is bikes, cars and their upkeep, Motor Sport India has, over the last year, certainly provided a wide canvas for its readers. As one who has been a pioneer in promoting motorsport and nurturing budding talent, I must say MSI has the best of the game in its pages.
I trust the coming issues will have much more to offer. On behalf of the team at Sportscraft, here’s hoping that the magazine will continue to provide readers meaningful insight, unique perspective, critical analysis and expert advice. All the best for many more anniversaries. Shrikant Karani
Sportscraft
Motorsport in India has come a long way – from the time it started with enthusiasts racing in the mid-20th century till now with world-class champions representing the country across various categories of the sport. FMSCI, over the decades that it has been actively encouraging motorsport in the country, has played a vital role in bringing the sport to the level it is at today. But all this while, there was a gap between the enthusiasts who formed the world of motorsport and those who didn’t even know the existence of this adrenaline-pumping world. The incredible job of bridging this gap and going beyond that to encourage those in the sport and giving them the recognition that they always deserved was done by the motorsport magazine.
Sirish Vissa
Head, VW Motorsport India
TVS Motor Company congratulates Motor Sport India for the first year milestone. In addition to supporting all the initiatives from TVS Racing, Motor Sport India has helped fuel interest and recognised the efforts of the racing community. We truly appreciate the fantastic effort by GTO Publishing to provide extensive motorsport coverage to Indian readers. Wishing the team good luck for the future.
Varghese M Thomas,
Vice-President, Corporate Communication, TVS Motor Company
Motorsport or rather the success of it has to be driven by passion and by people who literally have high octane flowing through their veins. The administrative success of governing bodies in the past is a perfect example of the statement I make. They have always had the sport in mind and I’m glad to see that your exclusive motorsport magazine has turned the corner with one year completed and is heading out for a larger footprint. On my personal behalf and on behalf of the Madras Motor Sports Club may I take this opportunity to wish you guys all success. As you saw at the MMRT, we are on a constant upgrade mode and we’re happy to have the team from evo India at our track anytime! Vicky Chandhok
MMSC vice president, FIA APRC chairman
Many congratulations on your first anniversary and wish you luck for the bigger achievements that await Motor Sport India. I have had a chance to follow Motor Sport India over the last few months and wish to congratulate the team on the carefully curated content and the keen insight into the auto industry that they present with every issue. I applaud you on becoming the only motorsports magazine circulated all over the nation – no mean feat.
Vimal Sumbly
MD, Triumph Motorcycles (India) Private Limited