Vicky Chandhok

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Vicky Bharat Chandhok (born 7 April 1957) is an Indian racing driver and motorsport administrator. From 2003 to 2005 and from 2010 [1] to 2013, [2] he served as president of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI). He helped bring the Indian Grand Prix Formula 1 races to India during his second term as president of the Indian federation. [3] [4] [5] [6] As a representative of the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone, he also oversaw the construction of the F1 track at Buddh International Circuit. [7] He also served as a consultant for Jaypee Sports International (JPSI), the company that built and owned the Formula One track. He currently serves on the FIA Truck Racing Commission and the FMSCI Council. [8] Additionally, he has won multiple Indian rallying titles. [9] Karun Chandhok, India's second F1 driver, is his son and his father Indu Chandhok, is the founding member of the FMSCI and the Madras Motor Sports Club (MMSC). [10]

In 1982, [11] Chandhok wed Chitra, and they had two sons: Suhail Chandhok and Karun Chandhok. Bharat Indu Chandhok, the second son of Lala Indersain Chandhok, not only participated in Sholavaram races but was also an active participant in the founding of FMSCI and MMSC. His grandfather, Lala Indersain Chandhok, was an avid enthusiast who sowed the seeds of motorsports in the family.

Chandhok made his debut as a driver in a modified Ambassador in Sholavaram in 1972. He continued to race in the 1970s and 1980s [12] and participated for many years in the Indian National Rally Championship. [13] He quit racing and rallying in 2000 after 28 years, having won over 350 awards. [14] After a five-year hiatus, he competed in the South India Rally in 2000, [15] which he won in a Mitsubishi Lancer that had just made its debut in Indian rallying. Sandeep Lal was his co-driver, and Manoj Dalal, his long-time navigator, was the event's Clerk of the Course. He made a brief comeback in 2018 by competing in the South India Rally 2018 at the age of 61. [16] He and co-driver Chandramouli finished third in the INRC1 category. [17] [18]

Chandhok established the Wallace Sports and Research Foundation in 1989 to train rally and race drivers. Akbar Ebrahim, who went on to become the president of FMSCI, [19] was one of the first students at the Wallace Foundation. Under Wallace's direction, Ebrahim competed in his first race at the brand-new Madras Motor Sport Track [20] now renamed as Madras International Circuit.

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References

  1. ↑ admin (21 December 2010). "Mr. Vicky Chandhok elected as the President and Mr. Shrikant Karani elected as the Vice President". MotoXindia. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  2. ↑ "Roll of Honour – FMSCI" . Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  3. ↑ "FMSCI's Vicky Chandhok opts out of reelection". MotownIndia.com. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  4. ↑ "Indian F1 Grand Prix on Sunday could be last, warns Vicky Chandhok". the Guardian. 22 October 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  5. ↑ "Indian motorsport in doldrums: Ex-FMSCI boss Vicky Chandhok". Business Standard India. Press Trust of India. 25 May 2015. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  6. ↑ "FMSCI nominates Akbar Ebrahim as its Deputy in Federation Internationale de L'Automobile". The Economic Times. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  7. ↑ Grover, Mayank. "Vicky Chandhok takes pride in FMSCI, Karun & Indian Formula 1 Track". www.sportskeeda.com. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  8. ↑ Pande, Bhanu. "Indian motor-sports administrators Farhan Vohra, Vicky Chandhok and Sanjay Sharma pursue a passion in relative anonymity". The Economic Times. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  9. ↑ "Council & Sub Committee – FMSCI" . Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  10. ↑ "Karun Chandhok - Williams Heritage Driver". https://www.williamsf1.com . Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  11. ↑ "Madras Musings - We care for Madras that is Chennai". madrasmusings.com. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  12. ↑ Takle, Abhishek. "Why did 70,000 fans flock to a town in Tamil Nadu to watch Indians motor-racing in the early 1970s?". Scroll.in. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  13. ↑ "2018 INRC: Vicky Chandhok to compete in Chennai Rally in a VW Polo R2". Overdrive. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  14. ↑ "Rallying genes come alive 18 years after retirement". www.sakaltimes.com. 24 April 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  15. ↑ D'souza, Rajesh (25 April 2018). "Vicky Chandhok to make a comeback to competitive rallying". Mad About Racing. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  16. ↑ Kudchadkar, Hari. "Vicky Chandhok – At the age of 61, a comeback into the world of rallying". Evo India. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  17. ↑ "INRC 2018: Vicky Chandhok Bags Podium at First Round in Volkswagen Polo R2". News18. 30 April 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  18. ↑ Sportstar, Team (29 April 2018). "Gill, Vicky Chandhok finish on podium in INRC". Sportstar. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  19. ↑ "Madras Musings - We care for Madras that is Chennai". madrasmusings.com. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  20. ↑ "Madras Motor Sports Club upgraded paddocks inaugurated". INDIA in F1. 2 February 2018. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
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