Grassroots Motorsport in India: A race stalled at the start
This article is authored by Keshav Tayla, former business consultant. He is presently focused on grassroot motorsports development and ops in India.
India's motorsport scene may boast names like Narain Karthikeyan and Jehan Daruvala, but for every driver who breaks through, hundreds fade out before they even get on track. The real problem lies at the grassroots level, where motorsport in India is barely crawling.
Karting, the global gateway into racing, remains largely inaccessible. A single day of testing at a competitive karting track can cost as much as ₹30,000–₹50,000, making it out of reach for most middle-class families. Professional circuits are concentrated in a few cities like Chennai, Bengaluru and Coimbatore, leaving the rest of the country with either rental karting avenues or nothing at all.
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Schools and colleges don't offer structured motorsport programs and talent identification is essentially non-existent. There's no ladder system in place; no scholarships, no scouting, and minimal federation support for first-time entrants. Private academies are few and expensive and sponsorship at the entry level is virtually unheard of.
Worse, young drivers often burn out, not because they lack skill, but because the system lacks continuity. There's no progression path from rental karts to competitive national level racing without significant personal funding.
If India wants a sustainable motorsport future, investment must start from the bottom. That means subsidized karting programs, public tracks in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, school partnerships, and a serious rethink of how motorsport is perceived, not just as elite entertainment, but as a viable sport with career pathways in driving, engineering, and management.
Until that happens, India's racing future will remain parked at the pit lane.
The Road Ahead: Untapped Potential
Despite the challenges, India holds immense potential to become a motorsport hub. A massive youth population, a growing automotive industry, and rising interest in motorsport content offer fertile ground. With the right infrastructure and policy support, grassroots racing can create jobs, not just for drivers, but engineers, mechanics, event managers, and media professionals. Local karting leagues, school partnerships and regional championships can nurture talent early and reduce dependence on foreign training. Motorsport also promotes STEM education and discipline, making it a powerful tool for youth development. If harnessed right, India could be grooming the next generation of global racing talent.
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