The first Formula Regional Indian Championship have been revealed that will bring the Formula 3 race cars to the Indian circuits and streets. The announcement emerges as a big move for Indian motorsport on the global map, making it a part of the ladder for drivers to move up in international racing including F3, F2 and eventually F1. In addition to the F2 regional races, the race weekends will also see the Indian Formula 4 championship and Indian Racing League serve as support events.
The Formula Regional Indian Championship is being built on the same lines as F3 Asia and the Formula Regional European Championship. This will be India's first-ever FIA-graded F3 championship and it will act as a ladder to reach the FIA F3 championship. The grid will comprise a total of 15 drivers in 15 races with each race lasting for about 30 minutes. And there will be five rounds in a season. There will be both Indian and international drivers on the grid. While F3 will largely comprise international drivers, F4 will see more of the Indian talent on the grid.
The F4 India champion will get a free seat in Formula Regional India, while the F-Regional India champion will get a free seat in F3 Asia
Racing Promotions Private Limited will be the promoters of the series and have promised a commitment of at least five years. The organisers have also partnered with Prema Powerteam as a technological partner.
The Formula Regional Indian Championship becomes really interesting for the drivers since it's an FIA-sanctioned series, which means the drivers qualify for FIA superlicence points. While this does not guarantee the driver an F1 seat, it will surely help them get closer to the dream. In order to get a superlicence, drivers need to score 40 points over a period of three years. Moreover, the F4 India champion will get a free seat in Formula Regional India, while the F-Regional India champion will get a free seat in F3 Asia.
The provisional calendar announced plans to kick off things in February 2022 and run until the end of March next year. The first two rounds will be held at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida, followed by a street circuit in Hyderabad. The fourth round will be held at the Kari Motor Speedway in Coimbatore followed by the Madras Motor Race Track (MMRT) near Chennai. Finally, the inaugural season will conclude in Hyderabad.
The Formula Regional Indian Championship has partnered with the Prema Powerteam as a technological partner
The big update is the street circuit in Hyderabad. While complete details on the circuit layout are yet to be revealed, the organisers have promised an FIA Grade 2 circuit that will be 2.376 km long and will have a straight measuring 602 metres.
