Twenty drivers from different parts of the world will test their skills in the $100,000 Delhi championship with MRF, a support event for the inaugural Formula One race in the country.
Qualifying for the two-race championship is scheduled for Friday, while the 10-lap races will be held on Saturday and Sunday.
The drivers belong to Great Britain, Australia, France, Finland, Iran and India. There are eight Indian drivers. Seventeen-year-old Vikash Anand is the youngest of the lot. Briton Alice Powell is the only woman among the competitors.
The drivers will compete in Formula MRF 1600 cars, powered by Ford Duratec 1.6 litre engines.
“All cars are equal and minimal modifications will be permitted. Only raw talent will be put to test,” said Arun Mammen, managing director of MRF, at a press conference here on Monday.
The winner will take home $50,000 and the runner-up will be richer by $30,000. The third-placed driver will receive a cheque of $20,000.
Hispania Racing F1 team driver Narain Karthikeyan said the circuit was good for the MRF cars. “It is going to be exciting,” he said.
Participating drivers :
Arjun Balu, Karthik Shankar, Vikash Anand, Amittrajit Ghosh, Zaamin Jaffer, Ameya Walavalkar, Ashwin Sundar, Gaurav Gill (India).
James Thorp, Howard Fuller, Sean Walkinshaw, Jordan King, Chris Palmer, Alex Waters, Alice Powell (Great Britain).
Kourosh Khani (Iran), Jukka Honkavuori, Mikka Makela (Finland).
Nicholas Percat (Australia), Philippe Layac (France).
