EXCLUSIVE | 'India not ready to compete with the world, but… – Veteran racing driver Gaurav Gill
ISRL: Gill also said that the Indian Supercross Racing League will be a game changer in the country.
Pune: In a country like India, where cricket is worshiped as a religion, it is very difficult for other sports to find any space in the hearts of fans. But times are changing and changing fast and it was evident at the historic Indian Supercross Racing League (ISRL) debut in Pune on Sunday where the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex was packed to the rafters. 'Supercross' is a form of racing where the event takes place on a dirt track; not many Indians will be familiar with it.
Unfortunately, despite the event being held in India, there weren't too many Indians in sight and that forced us to ask veteran motorsports racer Gaurav Gill if 'Indian racers are not good enough to compete internationally'.
To this question from India.com, during an exclusive interaction with Gill, co-owner of 'Gujarat Trailblazers', said: “India is not yet ready to compete with the world but times are changing fast and I am sure in the next five years you will see champions from our country. With this competition, you can definitely expect the country to fall in love with the sport. I hope that in the next year or two we will see a lot of parents getting their kids into racing. The Supercross format should excite them. All in all, the future of Indian racing looks bright. At this point this is all I can say.”
Gaurav Gill at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune (Image: India.com)
The Arjuna winner is a motorsport icon with a career spanning more than twenty years. His achievements include his notable debut performance in the 2000 INRC season, two consecutive victories in the Indian Formula Rolon and Maruti Racing Championships in 2004 and 2006, and seven victories in the Indian National Rally Championship.
Gaurav Gill at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune (Image: India.com)
Meanwhile, it was not a good day at the office for the Trailblazers, who finished fifth among the six teams in the Pune leg with 114 points. They would definitely try to come back during the Ahmedabad leg, which takes place on February 11.