Panel set up to oversee preps for Formula E racing in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: As Hyderabad is all set to host the Formula-E racing on February 11 2023, a managing committee has been formed to look after the arrangements including event preparation, review on the progress of the works, marketing and outreach. The committee will be chaired by the Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) Minister K T Rama Rao and Anand Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Group.

The calendar for the ninth season (2022-23) of the Formula E championship was approved by the FIA (the Fèdèration Internationale de l'Automobile) World Motor Sport Council on June 29, 2022. Hyderabad is all set to host the first ever ABB FIA Formula E World Championship race.

With this championship, India is back on the global motorsports map, having hosted earlier the Formula One race at the Buddha International circuit in Greater Noida from 2011-13. With this, Hyderabad becomes the only city from India and one among the 13 cities across the globe who will be hosting Formula E racing. This championship is an electric powered single seater championship that started in 2014 and was granted World Championship status by the FIA during the seventh season in 2020-21. Unlike Formula One, which is hosted in the purpose-built circuits, the Formula E, also known as E-prix, races are held on the street circuits, thereby promoting electric mobility and racing to the fans, said the organisers.

In January 2022, the State government and Formula E officials had signed a letter of intent (LOI) to host the race in the city with "Ace Urban Race" as the promoter partner along with FIA. The track has been finalised and the race will be held on a 2.37 km track around the Hussain Sagar Lake - the circuit covering around the Secretariat Complex, going through Lumbini Park as a loop.

In order to ensure inter-departmental coordination and to meet other aspects such as transport, logistics accommodation, media planning, outreach, marketing and promotion and other works have been taken up in a perfect manner. KTR has also reviewed the proposed action plan and arrangements which are to be in place and has decided to constitute two high level committees.

The Managing Committee will be chaired by Minister for MA&UD, Anand Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Group, Dilbagh Gill, Chief Executive Officer and Team Principal Mahindra Racing, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Ace Urban Race, Representative of FIA.

The committee will also include three subject experts/ brand ambassadors, which would be decided by the Committee, Arvind Kumar, Special Chief Secretary (MA&UD) Department, Member Convener.