The view Bonnie Thomas has enjoyed from the top step of the podium at the ongoing Volkswagen Polo R Cup racing series is the result of 14 years dedicated to motorsport. The 33-year-old racer from Thodupuzha, who has tried his hand at navigating and racing rally cars with some success, has now taken to burning rubber within the confines of a racetrack, and now leads the Polo R Cup with 131 points with two rounds remaining.
“I entered motorsport because I have always been passionate about racing. The first opportunity I got was as navigator to Bikku Babu in the Popular Rally held at Edamalayar and Bhoothathankettu, which was the Kerala leg of the National Rally Championship till 2010. We went on to win a few races together and I then navigated for Lohit Urs in 2004 before getting my first break as a driver at the Goa rally in 2006,” says Bonnie.
While his first outing was promising and he finished second on the first leg of the rally, it was in the 2008 Popular Rally that Bonnie the driver made his mark, topping his category (1400cc) and even outracing a few cars from higher categories, finishing third overall. After some more rally success and a stint as co-driver to Lohit Urs again in the Mahindra Super XUV Rally Team (they placed second), Bonnie took the plunge to circuit racing with the Polo R Cup.
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Unlike his rally participation experience, the present championship requires drivers to participate in all rounds, and Bonnie says the whole event is managed with utmost professionalism. “Being a part of the JK Tyre Championship, which has other series within it, time is of the essence and each venue will have multiple races over a weekend. So, the whole system is designed for maximum efficiency, while also serving as an affordable entry into motorsport, which is wrongly considered a rich man’s sport.”
The level of precision required becomes apparent as he starts talking about the championship. The annual Polo R Cup started in India in 2010, and today runs heavily modified cars with race-tuned gearboxes and much more powerful supercharged engines than the road going models. “Unlike rally, where you can’t be flat out all the time, here you need to always be at 100 per cent. Any less and the guy behind gets past and any more may see you make a mistake,” says Bonnie, who won his two races at Coimbatore, which by his definition is a “slow track” as the cars can only reach top speeds of 180 kmph.
The next two rounds will be held at Buddh International Circuit in Noida, which hosted the two Formula One races held in India. On the longest straight at Buddh, Bonnie expects the 19 cars to be pushing 220 kmph as they vie for position. “The best thing about a racing series like this is that drivers from different backgrounds can meet and learn things from each other, while also being exposed to some of the best minds in motorsport and receiving specific training.”
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While he is happy about professional motorsport becoming more affordable, he laments that it still does not get its due. “One issue is advertising, while we have the option of getting sponsors to help meet our registration fees, the lack of media coverage makes it difficult for even interested sponsors to consider the sport seriously. Support from the government side has been limited because motorsports are not officially recognised, and hence there is no waiver in import duty for the necessary parts.”
Bonnie says he is hoping to prove his credibility as a racing driver with his performances, and now that he has the lead, he is looking forward to the next rounds in Noida to seal the championship, which will open up opportunities in other racing series. “Interest in motorsport is beginning to pick up now and with more affordability it is only bound to go up. Unlike what people think it is not a daredevil sport. In fact, carmakers often improve safety and security and develop advanced technologies for race cars which eventually make their way to road cars, so it is a good thing,” he says.
The winner of the Polo R Cup gets to go abroad to drive for the Scirocco cup, Volkswagen’s higher racing series, but Bonnie is looking at other opportunities as well. “I am looking to start a tuning firm somewhere down the line that prepares vehicles for races and rallies, and guides young drivers to help them with their future in motorsport,” he says.
His dedication to the sport seems to be paying off in a big way, and Bonnie will be eager to use all his experience to clinch the Championship. We’ll find out how his title effort continues soon enough, when the cars roar on to the track on November 7.