Motorsports in India turned over a new chapter on Friday as TVS opened an immersive racing experience at KidZania here, with an aim to groom young motorcycling enthusiasts in the country.
KidZania is a learning centre for kids to hone problem-solving and management skills through role-playing activities, like that of a doctor, a businessperson or even a delivery personnel.
The TVS Racing Experience Centre involves the synergy of motorcycling and technology in a way that both parents and children can be educated about the sport.
“I’ve often seen parents get very defensive against bike racing because what they see as a ‘bike race’ is some hoodlums driving carelessly at ridiculously high speeds,” Vimal Sumbly, the Head Business - Premium, TVS Motor Company said at the launch event here.
Starting from scratch: The assembly point will allow kids to assemble the bike as if they were working in their own garage. | Photo Credit: Neeladri Bhattacharjee/Sportstar
“But one of the basic objectives of the program is to educate them that motorcycling can be a safe sport if done in a secure environment with the help of professionals.”
The centre, the second in India after Mumbai, comes at the right time, with the country set to host its first-ever MotoGP race at the Buddh International Circuit in September 2023.
“We have known places like Chennai and Mumbai to be hubs of racing. Now it is time for Delhi to be made an epicentre of motorsports,” Sumbly said.
The ‘Experience Centre’ comprises two sections – the shop and the race track. While biking simulators and AR-aided bike customisation are two key features in the shop, the assembly block takes the experience of being a young biker to a very different level.
Under the supervision of experts, kids can now assemble a bike like they are working in their garage.
“This looks very interesting. My daughter is five, and she looks delighted here. It is still early to judge what this is, but if my daughter finds joy here, then nothing like it,” Deepti, one of the parents who had come to the launch told Sportstar.
Is this real? Deepti’s daughter, barely six, was overjoyed to see a centre dedicated to motorcycling. | Photo Credit: Neeladri Bhattacharjee/Sportstar
The other advantage of such a grooming program is to prepare Indian kids to become future champions in motorcycling.
Though the country has seen relatively more success in Formula 1, Formula 2 or Formula E, with Narain Karthikeyan, Karun Chandok, and now Jehan Daruvala making the headlines, the success in motorcycling (in terms of MotoGP) has fallen short.
TVS – one of the trailblazers in motorcycling in the country and the first Indian manufacturer to compete at the Dakar Rally in 2015 – is trying to change that, especially with MotoGP Bharat around the corner.
The TVS Rookie Cup, for racers between 13 and 17 years, has made an attempt to attract more teenagers into motorcycling. And these ‘Experience Centres’, in Mumbai and now in Delhi NCR, will be precursors to that.
“Driven by the philosophy that inspiration starts young, and aspiration starts younger, we aim to offer a fun and interactive experience for children,” Sumbly said.
“In line with this, we have launched our first ever TVS Racing virtual championship for these kids to experience the world of motor racing at KidZania and get the opportunity to explore it in-depth.”
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