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Tag: Akbar Ebrahim
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Akbar Ebrahim welcomes Mondokart as sponsor for FIA Karting Worlds
Paris, 25 May 2022: The Federation Internationale de l’Automobile is pleased to announce a partnership with the Mondokart organisation which will see the Italian karting supplies e-commerce platform become the title sponsor of the two FIA Karting World Championship events later this year.
Under the terms of the agreement, the world championship events in Le Mans, France from September 1-4 will be known as the Mondokart.com FIA World Championship KZ-KZ2. The world championship event in Sarno, Italy from September 15-18 for OK-OK Junior will be similarly titled.
In addition, Mondokart will extend its support to selected rounds of the FIA Karting European Championship from 2023.
Akbar Ebrahim, the President of the FIA International Karting Commission (CIK-FIA), welcomed the backing of Mondokart at a time of growth and ambition for karting worldwide.
“We are delighted that Mondokart has thrown its support behind karting in the shape of their title sponsorship of the FIA Karting World Championships,” he said. “As we look to expand the footprint of karting globally and attract more youngsters to the sport by making it more accessible and affordable, commercial partners like Mondokart will play a pivotal role in achieving our aims. We look forward to a strong collaboration together.”
Simone Colombo, the CEO of Mondokart, said: “Passion for karting is the core of what we do. Through this agreement, Mondokart Racing S.p.A. wants to invest in karting and become a partner in the development of the sport that over time has produced numerous champions.
“Mondokart Racing was born as a physical store in the 90s and thanks to the development of online sales since 2013, has become a reference point for 30,000 customers in 96 countries. At Mondokart, we see this agreement as a starting point to a collaboration with the FIA which we hope will continue with mutual satisfaction as a long-term partnership.”
Mondokart was founded by the Lidonnici brothers (Enrico and Giulio) in the early 1990s and specialized in karts and spare parts sales in the province of Milan. The company was acquired by Simone Colombo in 2013 and was re-born as an online operation. The Mondokart Megastore in Pogliano, Milan was inaugurated in 2017.
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Many values can be learned from Karting, it is a good education for life: FIA Chief
Bengaluru, 10 May 2022: Following the election last December of Emirati Mohammed Ben Sulayem to the position of FIA President, there have been a number of changes in the FIA Karting organisation chart. Felipe Massa left the CIK-FIA presidency, which he had held since 2018, to take up the post of FIA Drivers’ Commission President. Akbar Ebrahim from India is the new CIK-FIA President from February 4, 2022, with Britain’s John Ryan as Vice President. With Frenchman Alban Martinet succeeding Kay Oberheide as CIK-FIA Executive Secretary in October 2021, an entirely new team will take the reins for the 2022 season.
At 58 years of age, Akbar Ebrahim combines a great deal of experience in motor sport and business. In an interview at the end of March, he revealed extensive knowledge of the many aspects of karting today and a longer-term vision of its evolution in close collaboration with the main stakeholders of the discipline.
MR. PRESIDENT, COULD YOU START BY TELLING US ABOUT YOUR CAREER IN MOTOR SPORT?
I have mainly raced single-seaters. I raced in Formula 3 in India for a number of years and then raced in Formula Asia and Formula Ford before competing in British F3 and some F2 events. I also did the occasional rally and touring car race in India. After that, it was time for me to focus on my professional business career.
HAVE YOU STILL KEPT IN TOUCH WITH MOTOR SPORT?
Yes, I have. I started to set up structures to support and develop young talent in my country. That’s when I became more interested in karting. There was a lack of training structures to provide them with the technical bases concerning chassis, engines and tyres. I got involved in the concept of an academy for young people, particularly with regard to organisational aspects. I had the opportunity to experience driving a kart because I wanted to understand the whole process. Thanks to karting, young people who wanted to progress in motor sport could familiarise themselves with driving, of course, but also with teamwork, collaboration with technicians and other drivers, everything that is important for the future. I am convinced that karting is also a good education for life and that many values can be learned from it. The projects carried out in India have greatly increased the visibility of the sport and encouraged parents to consider karting for their children.
WHAT IS YOUR VIEW OF KARTING COMPETITION TODAY?
The top level of competition is concentrated in Europe with the FIA Karting events and some private series. The organisation is of a high quality, and the standard of competition is impressive among very professional teams. Events are well attended and the media coverage is interesting. The collaboration with the promoter RGMMC provides very good results. The current categories are well defined and their stability is geared towards success. It is a good platform for drivers who aspire to pursue their careers in motor sport. Of course, the question of budgets remains if there is to be an increase in the number of participants. The FIA Karting Academy Trophy plays an important role in this area and its success is only growing. We have also increased the number of karts of the Academy from 2022 with the agreement of our partners.
It’s not a revelation to say that the lower echelons deserve our full attention. There is much to be done to broaden the base of the pyramid. The FIA has already started to invest in discovery and education programmes in countries without infrastructure on the African and Asian continents. I am convinced of the importance of these initiatives, whose success depends on the structuring of the programmes and their effectiveness on the ground.
Bridges must then be put in place towards the top level. This will be one of the priorities of my mandate. There is no shortage of ideas, but we must focus on viable solutions. I am fortunate to be able to count on the experience of my Vice-President John Ryan and his in-depth knowledge of the subject.
HOW WILL YOU START YOUR PRESIDENCY IN CONCRETE TERMS?
It is essential in my position to go to the competitions and meet the key players. I plan to attend many FIA Karting events to see how they are run on the ground. I want to establish productive contacts with the manufacturers and teams. I am well aware that this cannot be done effectively during a race weekend. I have therefore planned additional trips to establish close relations with the karting industry in order to understand the various issues. I also need to familiarise myself with the workings of the CIK-FIA working groups and team in Geneva under the responsibility of Executive Secretary Alban Martinet.
I am happy to have been chosen for this mission which includes many aspects. I am fortunate to take on this responsibility at a time when the FIA Karting is well structured with an excellent grasp of the top level and varied perspectives. It will be a significant support to diversify its actions towards new audiences.
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Akbar Ebrahim, first Indian to head the International Karting governing body
Bengaluru, 3 Feb 2022: President of the Indian Motorsports Federation, fmsci, Akbar Ebrahim gained entry into the prestigious World Council of the FIA, according to news received here from the governing body of world motorsports, on Thursday.
The former Indian Rally and Racing champion, is currently the head of Indian motorsports, the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (fmsci). He is now appointed as the head of CIK, which is the governing body karting all over the world under FIA.
Ebrahim, popularly known as ‘Akku’, among his close associates will be sitting on the World Motor Sports Council which was earlier represented by Gautham Singhania, following the travel restrictions imposed on the elected member Vijay Mallya.
He is the first Indian ever to be elevated to this prestigious position, said an fmsci release.
”I am aware that this is a huge responsibility and I shall strive to the best of my ability to do justice to the position, the CIK, the FIA and the global karting community,” Ebrahim said in a release.
”As a team, we will focus on further strengthening the top end of the karting pyramid and at the same time will lay a lot of emphasis on broad basing the sport at all regional, national and grass root levels.”The Commission Internationale de Karting ( CIK ) is the international sanctioning body for kart racing and consists of 37 members across the globe.
UK’s John Ryan has also been nominated as the vice-president of the Commission. Many others were nominated to different other commissions. No other Indian names were considered. Aditya Patel’s name was doing the rounds for one of the Commissions but in the end his name did not appear in the final list. Earlier, Vicky Chandhok was in the Truck Racing Commission.
The newly-elected President of the governing body of the International motorsports, Federation Internationale Automobile (FIA), Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who chaired the World Council meeting said: “A new era has begun for the FIA, through the creation of a governance framework founded on openness and global diversity. This is a key pillar of our strategy and I warmly thank the World Councils’ Members, who have approved the changes. Responsibility and authority of World Councils, which emanate from our Members, will be increased. A more effective oversight model will be designed, stakeholders’ priorities will be aligned, and a responsibly profitable FIA operation will be ensured. To reach these objectives, the Federation’s governing bodies and administration will work closely together to make the FIA the global voice of motor sport and mobility.”
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Akbar Ebrahim elected as FMSCI president again; Farooq Ahmed new VP
Chennai, 12 October 2020: Former racer and ex-FMSCI president Akbar Ebrahim was unanimously elected as the president of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) at the Annual General Meeting of held 2020 via Video Conference. Farooq Ahmed of Chikmagalur Motor Sports Club will be the new Vice-President replacing Shivu Shivappa for a term of two years.
Akbar Ebrahim The FMSCI is the National Governing body of Motor Sports in India. It is a member of the World Governing body of Motor Sports the FIA the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile and the FIM the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme.
The FMSCI has more than 50 affiliated units across the country with more than 1200 registered athletes but unlike other federations, only the council members elect the office-members as per the FMSCI Constitution. The council consists of 10 members who are: 1) Akbar Ebrahim, Meco Motor Sports Pvt. Ltd., Chennai 2) Bharat Vivek Chandhok, Madras Motor Sports Club, Chennai 3) Farokh Commissariat, Indian Automotive Racing Club Ltd., Mumbai 4) Farooq Ahmed, Motor Sports Club of Chikmagalur, Chikmagalur 5) Prithiviraj J., Coimbatore Auto Sports Club, Coimbatore, Member of The Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) 6) Raj Kapoor, Northern Motorsports, Noida 7) Sanjay Sharma, Performance Cars Racing Trust, Delhi 8) Shivu Shivappa, Karnataka Motor Sports Club, Bengaluru 9) Ms Sita Raina, Calcutta Motor Sports Club, Kolkata 10) Tamal Ghosal, Just Sportz Management Pvt. Ltd., Kolkata.Farooq Ahmed file photo, addressing media in front of a Coffee Day Cafe in Chikmagalur in 2018. An FB image courtesy @motorsportsclubofckm Akbar Ebrahim said: “I would like to thank the General Body Members, Outgoing President & Vice President, Current councillors and New councillors of the FMSCI for their unanimous support in mandating me as the President for another term in office. I would also like to congratulate Mr Farooq Ahmed on his election as Vice President which was unanimous and with no contest.”
“Going forward, it is, without doubt, going to be a very challenging and tough year given the unprecedented pandemic situation the whole world is facing. I am sure that the FMSCI will collectively rise to the occasion and manage the situation to the best of its ability. I am also sure that in the coming days, weeks and months, the sport will start to flourish and bring back the smiles on each and every one of us who are passionate about the sport,” Ebrahim added.
`The outgoing President J Prithviral said: `I place on record my gratitude and thanks to the entire Motorsport fraternity for the support during my tenure as President. Motorsport was also affected because of Covid- 19, things are looking brighter now and trust we will be in top gear soon.” -
Madras Motor Sports Club upgraded paddocks inaugurated
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L to R – Khushru Madan, Ajit Thomas, Indu Chandhok, Gopal Madhavan, Vicky Chandhok and Akbar Ebrahim. Image by Anand Philar Upgraded Paddock complex unveiled at MMRT
- Second Paddock on western side with own circuit
- MMSC VIP Hospitality suites, 20 spacious garages
Chennai, February 2: The trip around the Madras Motor Race Track (MMRT) taking the mediapersons to the new Paddock Building on the West was a nostalgic tour for the two `grand daddies’ of Madras Motor Sports Club.
Two founding members, Indu Chandhok and Gopal Madhavan, were excited to talk about their days. The passion, the commitment and burning desire for motorsport resulted in the duo along with a few others procuring 300 acres of farm land. “We have to negotiate with hundreds of people including the 67 farmers who sold us the land. We had to purchase in small bits and pieces and for some bits there were more than a dozen heirs who had to be the signatories for the registration. We bought the land for Rs.12 lakh, which was a huge amount and we could not sustain the loans and we sold off 100 acres after a year or so for Rs.12 lakh,” revealed Mr Chandhok, who is also one of the founding fathers of FMSCI, the Indian Federation.
In keeping with its reputation as an institution always on the move and in step with the swiftly changing times, the Madras Motor Sports Club on Friday unveiled a significant upgrade to the Paddock and related facilities. A new pit complex with garages and hospitality suites has been developed at a cost of over Rs 20 Crore, at India’s first FIA-licensed track here.
In a matter of a year, the MMSC carried out massive development work with 20 pit garages, a spectator viewing terrace and VIP hospitality suites that can accommodate up to 400 people along the the pit-lane on the eastern side, thereby creating a truly international-standard facility at the MMRT in Irrangattukottai, near Sriperumbudur.
The development work has already received rave reviews from the competitors and aficionados. The spacious garages for the teams allow the competitors and their teams to have plenty of space to work on their cars and bikes.
The new pit complex follows on from the upgrade done to the race control room with state-of-the-art hardware installed last year as well as India’s first and only bespoke a drag strip. A second paddock on the western side with its own short circuit allows the MMSC to effectively split the track into two and host two separate events concurrently.
Also being developed is a full-fledged, permanent rally track measuring 7.5 Kms. The MMSC is working closely with triple Asia-Pacific Rally champion Gaurav Gill to start a driving academy in the near future.
Earlier, work on widening of the run-off areas and resurfacing of a few sections of the track was also carried out as the circuit received FIA Grade-2 certification. The MMSC is thus the only private motorsport club in India owning an international race track.
Reviewing the development work, MMSC president Ajit Thomas said: “It has been a long journey for MMSC from its humble beginnings 66 years ago. Even after we moved our racing activities from Sholavaram to the new track near Sriperumbudur, we constantly strove to improve, not just in terms of conducting events, but also upgrading facilities over a period of time.
“In 2014, the track received FIA Grade-2 certification, but in keeping with our philosophy of ever onward, we decided to refurbish and upgrade the existing facilities at considerable expense. The new paddock and facilities will allow us to host not just racing events but also create a venue that auto manufacturers, sponsors and agencies would be proud to use for their events.”
Speaking on the occasion, Indu Chandhok, one of the founder-members of the Madras Motor Sports Club and the Trust, said it was due to the largesse of the late Chief Minister Dr MGR, who was a regular visitor to the Sholavaram Races, that the MMRT project was made possible.
The Sholavaram track belonged to the Army and the Navy who wouldn’t allow any upgrading nor resurface the surface which was being used for testing tanks. Indu approached the CM informally who immediately granted permission to the MMSC to buy the land after first offering it free which the club declined, said Indu Chandhok.
FMSCI president Akbar Ebrahim recalled his first race at the MMRT in 1990, driving for Wallace Sports managed by Vicky Chandhok while Gopal Madhavan who was in charge of the project was felicitated along with Indu Chandhok.
About Madras Motor Sports Club
The Madras Motor Sports Club has been the pioneer in developing and promoting motorsport in India since 1953, and we look to further improve in the years to come. It is the club’s endeavor to provide more opportunities for competitors, and to this end, it has chalked out various progressive programmes. From the days of Sholavaram , MMSC built its own racetrack which was inaugurated in 1979 and secured its FIA Grade-2 international certification in 2014, making it the only club which owns such a facility that has been further upgraded with international-standard Paddock, complete with VIP hospitality suites, 20 spacious garages and a separate Paddock on the western side with its own circuit. The club has organised the Porsche Super Cup, Formula Campos, Formula Asia, Asian touring car championships, Formula 3, Tata Prima Truck racing championship, the FIM Asia Road Racing Championships (2-wheelers) besides a host of other motorsport events over the years. The club also has active participation for its events from vehicle manufacturers who also use the Madras Motor Race Track (MMRT) extensively for testing their products.
eom/with inputs from MMSC press release
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