Formula Bharat is a student racing competition that invites students of engineering colleges to build and race formula-style prototype racing cars in an effort to provide hands-on experience and encourage participation in motorsport – still a fledgling category in India. This year, the Formula Bharat event will be spread out over six days at the Kari Motor Speedway in Coimbatore.
This year’s event will see competition between 26 internal combustion teams and 31 electric teams compete for the winning trophy. The competition doesn’t just come from India, but also Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Dubai, and Nepal. Teams have the responsibility of securing sponsorships or donations to fund themselves, which gives them a taste of the parts of motorsport that aren’t broadcasted on television.
Competing teams are bound by certain regulations, within which they are challenged to exhibit engineering innovation for the ultimate goal of winning. Competitors are evaluated by a jury comprised of experts from the world of motorsports and the automotive and component industry based on various criteria like design, cost-effectiveness, marketability, and dynamic performance. The race itself will not only test the performance of the cars, but also their durability and resilience under real-world conditions. Last year’s combustion category was won by Veloce Racing from the Vishwakarma Institute of Technology while the electric category was won by STES Stallion Motorsport Electric from the Kashibai Naval College of Engineering.
The event site will welcome visitors from January 20, and will feature guided tours for those who wish to learn more. Visitors will have access to viewing areas, musical performances, award ceremonies, and interactions with participating teams, partners, and organisers. On sale are online and on-site visitor passes.
This year, Formula Bharat is sponsored by MathWorks, Epsilon Advanced Materials, HARMAN Automotive, River, DigiKey, Zuken, Exponent Energy, Brose, Baaz Bikes, Bosch Global Software Technologies - BGSW, Ansys, IG Drones, EFEV Charging Solutions Put Ltd, and Coexlion.