Tata Motors to kick off truck racing Season III on 20 March

Tata Motors on Wednesday announced Season III of the T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship 2016, scheduled to be held on 20 March at India's F1 race track the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) in Greater Noida.

In keeping with its commitment of making trucking aspirational for Indian drivers and bringing them to truck racing, Season III of T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship will also feature an Indian truck drivers' race for the first time.

Like in the earlier seasons, the championship will continue to host experienced international drivers representing six teams, featuring 12 Tata Prima race trucks built for the purpose.

Tata Motors conceptualized and introduced a new Indian Truck Driver Race selection and training programme based on the company's strategic objective of making the profession of truck driving aspirational and at the same time act as a catalyst to induct drivers into the commercial vehicles profession.

These Indian Truck Drivers will be selected from a pool of truck drivers who are employed with Tata Motors' key customers all over the country. In all, Tata Motors will have 12 Indian truck drivers selected to race at the T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship 2016.

Ravindra Pisharody, executive director, commercial vehicle business unit, said, "Ever since it was first introduced in 2014, T1 has proved to be a great platform to showcase the prowess of the Indian commercial vehicles industry and that of Tata Motors, and Season III presents us with a great opportunity to launch our next big initiative - Indian race truck drivers."

The T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship is organized by MMSC (Madras Motor Sports Club) and is inscribed on the calendars of FIA (Federation Internationale de l'Automobile) and FMSCI (the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India), making the event truly global.

The FMSCI is a long-standing member of the FIA and is the only national motor sport federation recognized by the government of India, for the promotion and control of motor sport in India, and is affiliated to the prestigious Indian Olympic Association.

On race day, there will be two race categories: Super Class comprising Indian race truck drivers, and pro class comprising internationally acclaimed drivers, with proven expertise in the field of truck racing, like the British Truck Racing and European Truck Racing championships.

Tata Motors, the country's largest commercial vehicles manufacturer, brought the popular motorsport of truck racing to India in 2014, with the last T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship held in March 2015, having witnessed over 50,000 cheering enthusiasts.