Chennai, November, 2022.
ExxonMobil Lubricants Pvt. Ltd. is associating with
Racing Promotions Pvt Ltd (RPPL) for the Indian Racing League as the official lubricant
partner to revolutionize motorsports in the country. Flagging off on November
19 in Hyderabad, the first edition of Indian Racing League (IRL) powered by
Wolf Racing, is the only 4-wheel racing league featuring six city-based
franchise teams. Drivers both women and men, including Ex Formula One & Le
Mans drivers will be racing in this inclusive equal platform. The Round 2 and
Round 3 will be held at Madras Motor International Circuit(MMRT) on late
November and December over weekends, with the grand finale back in Hyderabad on
December 10-11.
To usher in a new era and build up the motorsports ecosystem
in India, IRL aims to create visibility for the sport on global racing
platforms. The partnership with ExxonMobil will add further value to the sector
in India, which is already among the top five fan markets for F1 and has
witnessed tremendous growth in popularity for motorsports in recent years.
The maiden edition of IRL will feature 24 drivers
participating in 12 races through 4 rounds of pulsating action to claim the top
spot using the renowned Aprillia 1100 cc 220 HP engines. It will also witness
India’s first FIA Graded Street Circuit in Hyderabad. It will be the first time
that street racing will take place in India for which extensive safety and
security arrangements are being made. With its proximity to the city centre,
this track will prove to be a huge crowd puller for the league.
Vipin Rana, CEO – ExxonMobil Lubricants Pvt Ltd, said: “Our partnership with RPPL to power the
Indian Racing League – Wolf Racing builds on our focus to support motorsports
in India, where a community of racing enthusiasts are building a powerful new
circuit. We believe it is our commitment to support this emerging sport in the
country and create a compelling platform of world-class reputation and reach.
We see motorsports gaining tremendous traction across the country, and we want
to offer our proven support to the teams and contribute to building the real
next big thing in motorsports – from India for the world.”
Akhilesh Reddy, Director MEIL and Chairman, RPPL, added: “We are excited to kick off the Indian
Racing League (IRL) and are delighted to have ExxonMobil as our partners in a
one-of-its-kind league in India. With IRL, we aim to revolutionize motorsport
and put India back on the map of motorsports and to provide opportunities for
budding Indian racing drivers. Our vision is to take an all-Indian team to F1
in the next 5-7 years and an all-Indian women team to F2 in the next 10-12
years. We thank ExxonMobil for coming onboard and be a part of this journey to build
the next big thing in motorsports in India.”
With a history in motorsport dating back to 1978,ExxonMobil
has a rich legacy of supporting motorsports globally, including Formula One
championships. ExxonMobil supplies the current world champion –Oracle Red Bull Racing
team, with Mobil 1™ engine oils and provide world-class engineering support
throughout the race season.
Kicking off with Indian Racing League, RPPL will
also be hosting the Formula Regional Indian Championship and Formula 4 Indian
Championship. Formula Regional Indian championship and the F4 Indian
championships is certified by the FIA – the ace governing body and championship
winners will be awarded FIA Super License points.