Latest news with #TT
7NEWS
2 days ago
- Automotive
- 7NEWS
Audi says it needs to 'get back on track', and a sports car will help it
Audi's CEO has been candid about the German automaker's performance at the moment, but says a turnaround is imminent. 'I don't want to beat around the bush, we have to get back on track now,' said Gernot Döllner in translated remarks published by German publication BILD. 'We've needed the last two years to clean up.' An unnamed source from within parent company Volkswagen Group's board was even more frank, telling BILD that 'Audi is our crisis case' and calling its current models 'okay – average'. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. ABOVE: Audi TT Mr Döllner has a laundry list of things he wants to do to help burnish the brand's image, including more humour in its advertising and more 'clarity' in its design. Audi is also looking ahead to an 'identity builder' that'll be revealed shortly before this year's Munich motor show in September. It'll be an electric vehicle (EV) but also 'a highly emotional sports car – not a TT, not an R8, but something in between'. Mr Döllner even said, 'I have a gut feeling that we are on the verge of such a TT moment,' referring to the impact of the original TT which entered production in 1998. ABOVE: First-generation Audi TT That suggests not only the introduction of a distinctively styled and sporty vehicle, but also one that could set the design direction for the brand moving forward. September's reveal won't be a mere concept car either, with the Audi boss confirming it will enter production. It'll fill a gaping void in Audi's lineup too, as the TT and R8 have exited production and the brand no longer builds any coupes or convertibles. But a new sports car alone won't fix things at Audi. The company, like others within the VW Group, has had to contend with software delays and issues out of the recently reorganised Cariad division. ABOVE: Audi SQ7 As with brands like Porsche, it's also undertaking large-scale cost-cutting efforts. This includes removing a level of management, slashing the number of committees from 130 to 35, and warning more job cuts will come between now and 2029. As Mr Döllner told the publication: 'Audi must become a different company.' Like other luxury brands from Europe, it has had to contend with a changing climate in both China and the US. In the former, increasingly sophisticated domestic offerings have been luring buyers away from foreign brands, while in the latter tariff uncertainty has upended product plans. ABOVE: Audi E5 Sportback This weekend's announcement of a 15 per cent tariff imposed by the US government on European imports, including cars, does at last provide some clarity. Audi isn't retreating from either market. It's weighing a US plant, like that which BMW and Mercedes-Benz have, but Mr Döllner says it must be profitable. It currently builds vehicles in Mexico for markets like the US, where these are now impacted by tariffs. It's also rolling out a separate brand in China, confusingly called AUDI, which will offer models tailor-made for that market developed in partnership with MG parent company SAIC Motor. This includes the already revealed E5 Sportback. China is by far Audi's largest market, with 649,900 vehicles delivered there in 2024 – 92 per cent of those produced locally. That's more than twice as many vehicles as it delivered in its next largest markets of Germany (198,342) and the US (196,576). Audi recently delayed its transition to being an EV-only brand, with cooling demand for luxury EVs in major markets forcing the move as it has with many other brands. The brand had previously confirmed it would be EV-only outside of China by 2033, but now the goal has been shifted to 2035. After Audi's global deliveries rose 17.4 per cent in 2023 to 1,895,240, they slumped 11.8 per cent in 2024 to 1,671,218. Its EVs also took a 7.8 per cent hit, falling to 164,480 deliveries. ABOVE, clockwise from top left: New-generation A6, Q5, Q3, and A6 e-tron Sales in Europe fell 11.1 per cent, in China by 10.9 per cent, and the US by 14 per cent. In Australia, they fell by 19.5 per cent to 15,333. But Audi has been busily overhauling much of its product portfolio. A new Q3 small SUV enters production this year, following the launch of new-generation A5, Q5 and A6 models, plus new EVs in the A6 e-tron and Q6 e-tron. With a much fresher portfolio, Audi will enter 2026 on a more solid footing. Mr Döllner believes as much, telling BILD: 'I think we're passing the low point.'
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Perth Now
Audi says it needs to 'get back on track', and a sports car will help it
Audi's CEO has been candid about the German automaker's performance at the moment, but says a turnaround is imminent. 'I don't want to beat around the bush, we have to get back on track now,' said Gernot Döllner in translated remarks published by German publication BILD. 'We've needed the last two years to clean up.' An unnamed source from within parent company Volkswagen Group's board was even more frank, telling BILD that 'Audi is our crisis case' and calling its current models 'okay – average'. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Supplied Credit: CarExpert ABOVE: Audi TT Mr Döllner has a laundry list of things he wants to do to help burnish the brand's image, including more humour in its advertising and more 'clarity' in its design. Audi is also looking ahead to an 'identity builder' that'll be revealed shortly before this year's Munich motor show in September. It'll be an electric vehicle (EV) but also 'a highly emotional sports car – not a TT, not an R8, but something in between'. Mr Döllner even said, 'I have a gut feeling that we are on the verge of such a TT moment,' referring to the impact of the original TT which entered production in 1998. Supplied Credit: CarExpert ABOVE: First-generation Audi TT That suggests not only the introduction of a distinctively styled and sporty vehicle, but also one that could set the design direction for the brand moving forward. September's reveal won't be a mere concept car either, with the Audi boss confirming it will enter production. It'll fill a gaping void in Audi's lineup too, as the TT and R8 have exited production and the brand no longer builds any coupes or convertibles. But a new sports car alone won't fix things at Audi. The company, like others within the VW Group, has had to contend with software delays and issues out of the recently reorganised Cariad division. Supplied Credit: CarExpert ABOVE: Audi SQ7 As with brands like Porsche, it's also undertaking large-scale cost-cutting efforts. This includes removing a level of management, slashing the number of committees from 130 to 35, and warning more job cuts will come between now and 2029. As Mr Döllner told the publication: 'Audi must become a different company.' Like other luxury brands from Europe, it has had to contend with a changing climate in both China and the US. In the former, increasingly sophisticated domestic offerings have been luring buyers away from foreign brands, while in the latter tariff uncertainty has upended product plans. Supplied Credit: CarExpert ABOVE: Audi E5 Sportback This weekend's announcement of a 15 per cent tariff imposed by the US government on European imports, including cars, does at last provide some clarity. Audi isn't retreating from either market. It's weighing a US plant, like that which BMW and Mercedes-Benz have, but Mr Döllner says it must be profitable. It currently builds vehicles in Mexico for markets like the US, where these are now impacted by tariffs. It's also rolling out a separate brand in China, confusingly called AUDI, which will offer models tailor-made for that market developed in partnership with MG parent company SAIC Motor. This includes the already revealed E5 Sportback. Supplied Credit: CarExpert China is by far Audi's largest market, with 649,900 vehicles delivered there in 2024 – 92 per cent of those produced locally. That's more than twice as many vehicles as it delivered in its next largest markets of Germany (198,342) and the US (196,576). Audi recently delayed its transition to being an EV-only brand, with cooling demand for luxury EVs in major markets forcing the move as it has with many other brands. The brand had previously confirmed it would be EV-only outside of China by 2033, but now the goal has been shifted to 2035. After Audi's global deliveries rose 17.4 per cent in 2023 to 1,895,240, they slumped 11.8 per cent in 2024 to 1,671,218. Its EVs also took a 7.8 per cent hit, falling to 164,480 deliveries. Supplied Credit: CarExpert Supplied Credit: CarExpert Supplied Credit: CarExpert Supplied Credit: CarExpert ABOVE, clockwise from top left: New-generation A6, Q5, Q3, and A6 e-tron Sales in Europe fell 11.1 per cent, in China by 10.9 per cent, and the US by 14 per cent. In Australia, they fell by 19.5 per cent to 15,333. But Audi has been busily overhauling much of its product portfolio. A new Q3 small SUV enters production this year, following the launch of new-generation A5, Q5 and A6 models, plus new EVs in the A6 e-tron and Q6 e-tron. With a much fresher portfolio, Audi will enter 2026 on a more solid footing. Mr Döllner believes as much, telling BILD: 'I think we're passing the low point.' MORE: Everything Audi
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
Audi says it needs to 'get back on track', and a sports car will help it
Audi's CEO has been candid about the German automaker's performance at the moment, but says a turnaround is imminent. "I don't want to beat around the bush, we have to get back on track now," said Gernot Döllner in translated remarks published by German publication BILD. "We've needed the last two years to clean up." An unnamed source from within parent company Volkswagen Group's board was even more frank, telling BILD that "Audi is our crisis case" and calling its current models "okay – average". CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. ABOVE: Audi TT Mr Döllner has a laundry list of things he wants to do to help burnish the brand's image, including more humour in its advertising and more "clarity" in its design. Audi is also looking ahead to an "identity builder" that'll be revealed shortly before this year's Munich motor show in September. It'll be an electric vehicle (EV) but also "a highly emotional sports car – not a TT, not an R8, but something in between". Mr Döllner even said, "I have a gut feeling that we are on the verge of such a TT moment," referring to the impact of the original TT which entered production in 1998. ABOVE: First-generation Audi TT That suggests not only the introduction of a distinctively styled and sporty vehicle, but also one that could set the design direction for the brand moving forward. September's reveal won't be a mere concept car either, with the Audi boss confirming it will enter production. It'll fill a gaping void in Audi's lineup too, as the TT and R8 have exited production and the brand no longer builds any coupes or convertibles. But a new sports car alone won't fix things at Audi. The company, like others within the VW Group, has had to contend with software delays and issues out of the recently reorganised Cariad division. ABOVE: Audi SQ7 As with brands like Porsche, it's also undertaking large-scale cost-cutting efforts. This includes removing a level of management, slashing the number of committees from 130 to 35, and warning more job cuts will come between now and 2029. As Mr Döllner told the publication: "Audi must become a different company." Like other luxury brands from Europe, it has had to contend with a changing climate in both China and the US. In the former, increasingly sophisticated domestic offerings have been luring buyers away from foreign brands, while in the latter tariff uncertainty has upended product plans. ABOVE: Audi E5 Sportback This weekend's announcement of a 15 per cent tariff imposed by the US government on European imports, including cars, does at last provide some clarity. Audi isn't retreating from either market. It's weighing a US plant, like that which BMW and Mercedes-Benz have, but Mr Döllner says it must be profitable. It currently builds vehicles in Mexico for markets like the US, where these are now impacted by tariffs. It's also rolling out a separate brand in China, confusingly called AUDI, which will offer models tailor-made for that market developed in partnership with MG parent company SAIC Motor. This includes the already revealed E5 Sportback. China is by far Audi's largest market, with 649,900 vehicles delivered there in 2024 – 92 per cent of those produced locally. That's more than twice as many vehicles as it delivered in its next largest markets of Germany (198,342) and the US (196,576). Audi recently delayed its transition to being an EV-only brand, with cooling demand for luxury EVs in major markets forcing the move as it has with many other brands. The brand had previously confirmed it would be EV-only outside of China by 2033, but now the goal has been shifted to 2035. After Audi's global deliveries rose 17.4 per cent in 2023 to 1,895,240, they slumped 11.8 per cent in 2024 to 1,671,218. Its EVs also took a 7.8 per cent hit, falling to 164,480 deliveries. ABOVE, clockwise from top left: New-generation A6, Q5, Q3, and A6 e-tron Sales in Europe fell 11.1 per cent, in China by 10.9 per cent, and the US by 14 per cent. In Australia, they fell by 19.5 per cent to 15,333. But Audi has been busily overhauling much of its product portfolio. A new Q3 small SUV enters production this year, following the launch of new-generation A5, Q5 and A6 models, plus new EVs in the A6 e-tron and Q6 e-tron. With a much fresher portfolio, Audi will enter 2026 on a more solid footing. Mr Döllner believes as much, telling BILD: "I think we're passing the low point." MORE: Everything Audi Content originally sourced from: Audi's CEO has been candid about the German automaker's performance at the moment, but says a turnaround is imminent. "I don't want to beat around the bush, we have to get back on track now," said Gernot Döllner in translated remarks published by German publication BILD. "We've needed the last two years to clean up." An unnamed source from within parent company Volkswagen Group's board was even more frank, telling BILD that "Audi is our crisis case" and calling its current models "okay – average". CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. ABOVE: Audi TT Mr Döllner has a laundry list of things he wants to do to help burnish the brand's image, including more humour in its advertising and more "clarity" in its design. Audi is also looking ahead to an "identity builder" that'll be revealed shortly before this year's Munich motor show in September. It'll be an electric vehicle (EV) but also "a highly emotional sports car – not a TT, not an R8, but something in between". Mr Döllner even said, "I have a gut feeling that we are on the verge of such a TT moment," referring to the impact of the original TT which entered production in 1998. ABOVE: First-generation Audi TT That suggests not only the introduction of a distinctively styled and sporty vehicle, but also one that could set the design direction for the brand moving forward. September's reveal won't be a mere concept car either, with the Audi boss confirming it will enter production. It'll fill a gaping void in Audi's lineup too, as the TT and R8 have exited production and the brand no longer builds any coupes or convertibles. But a new sports car alone won't fix things at Audi. The company, like others within the VW Group, has had to contend with software delays and issues out of the recently reorganised Cariad division. ABOVE: Audi SQ7 As with brands like Porsche, it's also undertaking large-scale cost-cutting efforts. This includes removing a level of management, slashing the number of committees from 130 to 35, and warning more job cuts will come between now and 2029. As Mr Döllner told the publication: "Audi must become a different company." Like other luxury brands from Europe, it has had to contend with a changing climate in both China and the US. In the former, increasingly sophisticated domestic offerings have been luring buyers away from foreign brands, while in the latter tariff uncertainty has upended product plans. ABOVE: Audi E5 Sportback This weekend's announcement of a 15 per cent tariff imposed by the US government on European imports, including cars, does at last provide some clarity. Audi isn't retreating from either market. It's weighing a US plant, like that which BMW and Mercedes-Benz have, but Mr Döllner says it must be profitable. It currently builds vehicles in Mexico for markets like the US, where these are now impacted by tariffs. It's also rolling out a separate brand in China, confusingly called AUDI, which will offer models tailor-made for that market developed in partnership with MG parent company SAIC Motor. This includes the already revealed E5 Sportback. China is by far Audi's largest market, with 649,900 vehicles delivered there in 2024 – 92 per cent of those produced locally. That's more than twice as many vehicles as it delivered in its next largest markets of Germany (198,342) and the US (196,576). Audi recently delayed its transition to being an EV-only brand, with cooling demand for luxury EVs in major markets forcing the move as it has with many other brands. The brand had previously confirmed it would be EV-only outside of China by 2033, but now the goal has been shifted to 2035. After Audi's global deliveries rose 17.4 per cent in 2023 to 1,895,240, they slumped 11.8 per cent in 2024 to 1,671,218. Its EVs also took a 7.8 per cent hit, falling to 164,480 deliveries. ABOVE, clockwise from top left: New-generation A6, Q5, Q3, and A6 e-tron Sales in Europe fell 11.1 per cent, in China by 10.9 per cent, and the US by 14 per cent. In Australia, they fell by 19.5 per cent to 15,333. But Audi has been busily overhauling much of its product portfolio. A new Q3 small SUV enters production this year, following the launch of new-generation A5, Q5 and A6 models, plus new EVs in the A6 e-tron and Q6 e-tron. With a much fresher portfolio, Audi will enter 2026 on a more solid footing. Mr Döllner believes as much, telling BILD: "I think we're passing the low point." MORE: Everything Audi Content originally sourced from: Audi's CEO has been candid about the German automaker's performance at the moment, but says a turnaround is imminent. "I don't want to beat around the bush, we have to get back on track now," said Gernot Döllner in translated remarks published by German publication BILD. "We've needed the last two years to clean up." An unnamed source from within parent company Volkswagen Group's board was even more frank, telling BILD that "Audi is our crisis case" and calling its current models "okay – average". CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. ABOVE: Audi TT Mr Döllner has a laundry list of things he wants to do to help burnish the brand's image, including more humour in its advertising and more "clarity" in its design. Audi is also looking ahead to an "identity builder" that'll be revealed shortly before this year's Munich motor show in September. It'll be an electric vehicle (EV) but also "a highly emotional sports car – not a TT, not an R8, but something in between". Mr Döllner even said, "I have a gut feeling that we are on the verge of such a TT moment," referring to the impact of the original TT which entered production in 1998. ABOVE: First-generation Audi TT That suggests not only the introduction of a distinctively styled and sporty vehicle, but also one that could set the design direction for the brand moving forward. September's reveal won't be a mere concept car either, with the Audi boss confirming it will enter production. It'll fill a gaping void in Audi's lineup too, as the TT and R8 have exited production and the brand no longer builds any coupes or convertibles. But a new sports car alone won't fix things at Audi. The company, like others within the VW Group, has had to contend with software delays and issues out of the recently reorganised Cariad division. ABOVE: Audi SQ7 As with brands like Porsche, it's also undertaking large-scale cost-cutting efforts. This includes removing a level of management, slashing the number of committees from 130 to 35, and warning more job cuts will come between now and 2029. As Mr Döllner told the publication: "Audi must become a different company." Like other luxury brands from Europe, it has had to contend with a changing climate in both China and the US. In the former, increasingly sophisticated domestic offerings have been luring buyers away from foreign brands, while in the latter tariff uncertainty has upended product plans. ABOVE: Audi E5 Sportback This weekend's announcement of a 15 per cent tariff imposed by the US government on European imports, including cars, does at last provide some clarity. Audi isn't retreating from either market. It's weighing a US plant, like that which BMW and Mercedes-Benz have, but Mr Döllner says it must be profitable. It currently builds vehicles in Mexico for markets like the US, where these are now impacted by tariffs. It's also rolling out a separate brand in China, confusingly called AUDI, which will offer models tailor-made for that market developed in partnership with MG parent company SAIC Motor. This includes the already revealed E5 Sportback. China is by far Audi's largest market, with 649,900 vehicles delivered there in 2024 – 92 per cent of those produced locally. That's more than twice as many vehicles as it delivered in its next largest markets of Germany (198,342) and the US (196,576). Audi recently delayed its transition to being an EV-only brand, with cooling demand for luxury EVs in major markets forcing the move as it has with many other brands. The brand had previously confirmed it would be EV-only outside of China by 2033, but now the goal has been shifted to 2035. After Audi's global deliveries rose 17.4 per cent in 2023 to 1,895,240, they slumped 11.8 per cent in 2024 to 1,671,218. Its EVs also took a 7.8 per cent hit, falling to 164,480 deliveries. ABOVE, clockwise from top left: New-generation A6, Q5, Q3, and A6 e-tron Sales in Europe fell 11.1 per cent, in China by 10.9 per cent, and the US by 14 per cent. In Australia, they fell by 19.5 per cent to 15,333. But Audi has been busily overhauling much of its product portfolio. A new Q3 small SUV enters production this year, following the launch of new-generation A5, Q5 and A6 models, plus new EVs in the A6 e-tron and Q6 e-tron. With a much fresher portfolio, Audi will enter 2026 on a more solid footing. Mr Döllner believes as much, telling BILD: "I think we're passing the low point." MORE: Everything Audi Content originally sourced from: Audi's CEO has been candid about the German automaker's performance at the moment, but says a turnaround is imminent. "I don't want to beat around the bush, we have to get back on track now," said Gernot Döllner in translated remarks published by German publication BILD. "We've needed the last two years to clean up." An unnamed source from within parent company Volkswagen Group's board was even more frank, telling BILD that "Audi is our crisis case" and calling its current models "okay – average". CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. ABOVE: Audi TT Mr Döllner has a laundry list of things he wants to do to help burnish the brand's image, including more humour in its advertising and more "clarity" in its design. Audi is also looking ahead to an "identity builder" that'll be revealed shortly before this year's Munich motor show in September. It'll be an electric vehicle (EV) but also "a highly emotional sports car – not a TT, not an R8, but something in between". Mr Döllner even said, "I have a gut feeling that we are on the verge of such a TT moment," referring to the impact of the original TT which entered production in 1998. ABOVE: First-generation Audi TT That suggests not only the introduction of a distinctively styled and sporty vehicle, but also one that could set the design direction for the brand moving forward. September's reveal won't be a mere concept car either, with the Audi boss confirming it will enter production. It'll fill a gaping void in Audi's lineup too, as the TT and R8 have exited production and the brand no longer builds any coupes or convertibles. But a new sports car alone won't fix things at Audi. The company, like others within the VW Group, has had to contend with software delays and issues out of the recently reorganised Cariad division. ABOVE: Audi SQ7 As with brands like Porsche, it's also undertaking large-scale cost-cutting efforts. This includes removing a level of management, slashing the number of committees from 130 to 35, and warning more job cuts will come between now and 2029. As Mr Döllner told the publication: "Audi must become a different company." Like other luxury brands from Europe, it has had to contend with a changing climate in both China and the US. In the former, increasingly sophisticated domestic offerings have been luring buyers away from foreign brands, while in the latter tariff uncertainty has upended product plans. ABOVE: Audi E5 Sportback This weekend's announcement of a 15 per cent tariff imposed by the US government on European imports, including cars, does at last provide some clarity. Audi isn't retreating from either market. It's weighing a US plant, like that which BMW and Mercedes-Benz have, but Mr Döllner says it must be profitable. It currently builds vehicles in Mexico for markets like the US, where these are now impacted by tariffs. It's also rolling out a separate brand in China, confusingly called AUDI, which will offer models tailor-made for that market developed in partnership with MG parent company SAIC Motor. This includes the already revealed E5 Sportback. China is by far Audi's largest market, with 649,900 vehicles delivered there in 2024 – 92 per cent of those produced locally. That's more than twice as many vehicles as it delivered in its next largest markets of Germany (198,342) and the US (196,576). Audi recently delayed its transition to being an EV-only brand, with cooling demand for luxury EVs in major markets forcing the move as it has with many other brands. The brand had previously confirmed it would be EV-only outside of China by 2033, but now the goal has been shifted to 2035. After Audi's global deliveries rose 17.4 per cent in 2023 to 1,895,240, they slumped 11.8 per cent in 2024 to 1,671,218. Its EVs also took a 7.8 per cent hit, falling to 164,480 deliveries. ABOVE, clockwise from top left: New-generation A6, Q5, Q3, and A6 e-tron Sales in Europe fell 11.1 per cent, in China by 10.9 per cent, and the US by 14 per cent. In Australia, they fell by 19.5 per cent to 15,333. But Audi has been busily overhauling much of its product portfolio. A new Q3 small SUV enters production this year, following the launch of new-generation A5, Q5 and A6 models, plus new EVs in the A6 e-tron and Q6 e-tron. With a much fresher portfolio, Audi will enter 2026 on a more solid footing. Mr Döllner believes as much, telling BILD: "I think we're passing the low point." MORE: Everything Audi Content originally sourced from:
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
Audi TT likely to come back in electric avatar, concept to debut in September 2025
The Audi TT went out of production in 2023. Considered as one of the most popular sports cars, the Audi TT seems to be gearing up for a comeback, but this time in an all-electric guise. Audi CEO Gernot Döllner has revealed that the German luxury car manufacturer is readying a concept model for debut in September this year. Interestingly, the Volkswagen AG-owned car manufacturer is testing a prototype that has been spotted wearing camouflage. The test mule spotted was based on the upcoming Porsche 718 EV. Also Read : Upcoming cars in India German publication Bild has reported that the upcoming Audi concept model that is expected to preview the electric version of the TT will be christened as TT Moment 2.0. Audi CEO has said that this electric concept car will debut this fall and will be unveiled during the Munich Motor Show. The report claims that the Audi TT Moment 2.0 will be larger than the TT that has been discontinued. The report also claims that it would come as a shrunk-down iteration of the Audi A5 Coupe/Convertible. In that case, it would be positioned between a TT and R8 when it enters production. The report stated that the production version of the concept model would enter manufacturing in the next two years. The report further stated that the TT successor could come considerably sportier and be offered with an available dual motor setup, which means each motor will be powering one axle and sending power to all four wheels. Audi has not revealed any details about the electric sports car yet. However, with the Porsche 718 Electric's launch pushed back to 2027 due to battery issues, the Audi model too would come around that time only. We can expect that more details about the Audi TT electric sports car to be revealed in the coming months, before the Munich Motor Show. Check out Upcoming EV Cars in India, Upcoming EV Bikes in India. First Published Date:
News18
3 days ago
- Sport
- News18
Sharath Kamal Calls For 'Structured' System In Order To Bolster TT In The Nation
Last Updated: The 43-year-old iterated that promise alone is not enough and added that a system that supports long-term growth is of essence. Seasoned Indian TT player Sharath Kamal opined that a well-defined system for the sport would help the nation to help the transition of young talents to senior professionals. The 43-year-old iterated that promise alone is not enough and added that a system that supports long-term growth is of essence to help young talent make a successful leap to the senior level despite promising results. 'We can't rely on one-off stars, we need a structure that consistently produces champions," Sharath said. 'There's a lot of young talent, but the key issue lies in the transition. Unless we put the right systems in place, we won't see junior champions turn into senior champions," he continued. India secured three bronze medals at the 2024 Asian Championships, marking a historic first in women's doubles with Ayhika and Sutirtha Mukherjee, and achieving a maiden bronze in the women's team event. At the Paris Olympics, the women's team reached the quarterfinals for the first time, surprising world No. 4 Romania in the round of 16. In singles, both Manika Batra and Sreeja Akula made it to the last 16. 'The real challenge is consistency. One medal must become two, and that must grow into five or six," Sharath said. A systematic pipeline, starting with kids as young as 11, would help in supplying a consistent lie of talent to the to level of the sport in India. 'Looking at 2036, we must start with kids who are 11 or 12 now. That's how deep the planning has to go," he added. 'We're all trying in that direction. I hope we'll see a systematic change soon." Sharath, the Vice Chairman of the Indian Olympic Association's Athletes Commission, lauded the National Sports Bill which focuses on a athlete-first framework and also touched up on anti-doping provisions. 'Having athletes participate in policymaking alongside executive board members marks a new phase for Indian sport. It ensures that decisions are grounded in on-ground realities," the paddler said. 'This time, it won't just be athletes who are penalised, but also coaches and others involved. Often, the athlete is the one caught, while others continue unchecked. That will now change." (With Inputs From PTI) view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
