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World rally simulator enthralls fans
The Ford World Rally Championship simulator is in India at the moment.
- NDTVSports
- Updated: February 25, 2007 09:53 AM IST
Read Time: 2 min
Mumbai:
The Ford World Rally Championship simulator is in India at the moment, and some of the biggest names in Indian motor sport, were queuing up to try their hand at the machine.
And while Armaan Ebrahim couldn't do what he does best, which is driving a car at high speeds, the others did.
The Castrol Ford World Rally Simulator, a full size machine, gave people a taste of exactly what it feels like to drive in a World Rally Championship.
Perhaps the reason Narain Karthikeyan didn't try his hand at the simulator is because he is a Formula One driver, and was non-committal even when asked about his possible tie-up with BMW for the 2006 season.
"All I can say is that I am in talks with them and with other teams, but at this point in time I can't say much more than that," said Narain Karthikeyan, Former Member, Jordan F1 Team.
Growing popularity
The simulator was part of the Castrol Auto Car Performance show in Mumbai.
The fact that it has come to India for the first time is reflective of the growing popularity of motor sports in the country.
With the A-1 Grand Prix making its debut this year, there is plenty of scope for budding enthusiasts.
Team India's performance in A-1 is another positive.
"The whole A-1 Grand Prix has gone better than expectation. We were aiming for top ten finishes by the end of the second year, but we have been getting there within the first five races itself. Maybe by the end of the third year, we might even get a podium finish," said Akbar Ebrahim, Coach, Team India A-1 GP.
If it inspires motor sports fans to try their hand at rally driving, the Focus World Rally simulator will be travelling to Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Chandigarh before finally making an appearance at the Auto Expo in New Delhi in January.
Topics mentioned in this article
Formula 1
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