Fireside Chat w/ Akhil Rabindra

We are back with a new addition to our Mini-series for IRL Podcast!

In this episode, we have the reinging champion of IRL, Akhil Rabindra! We explore his journey, the challenges of GT racing, and language barriers with international teams. We compare single-seater and GT cars, stress teamwork, and delve into racing strategies and preparations. We touch on the unpredictability of technology and weather, highlight racing opportunities in India, and share career-defining moments. 

Running this podcast takes up a lot of passion, hard work, and real money. If you like listening to our podcast and have the money to spare, please consider donating at F1 Fanfiction is a F1 Podcast (buymeacoffee.com)

Join F1 Fanfiction at our Socials:

Instagram: @f1fanfiction
Tiktok: @f1fanfiction
Twitter: @f1fanfiction

Music

Intro: Howling (Sting) - Gunnar Olsen
Outro: Your Intro by Audionautix

**Navigating the World of GT Racing:**

* Transitioning from Formula cars to GT cars involves adapting to different driving styles, endurance-oriented racing, and heavier vehicles.
* GT cars prioritize car survival over driver comfort, leading to limited air conditioning usage in hot conditions.
* Physical training for GT racing focuses on brake control and managing the heavier car's momentum.

**The IRL Experience:**

* Akhil Rabindra, the reigning IRL champion, is excited about the upcoming season despite the increased competition.
* Rabindra's previous experience with Neel Jani, a highly accomplished driver, helped him improve his skills and approach to racing.
* Rabindra emphasizes the importance of teamwork, communication, and planning in achieving success in IRL.

**Adapting to New Teams:**

* Rabindra highlights the challenges of working with new teams, including language barriers and different working styles.
* Effective communication and collaboration among drivers, engineers, and mechanics are crucial for success.
* Rabindra emphasizes the need for experimentation and data analysis to optimize car performance.

**Key Takeaways:**

* GT racing presents unique challenges and rewards compared to Formula racing, requiring drivers to adapt their skills and strategies.
* Teamwork, communication, and a systematic approach are essential for success in IRL racing.
* Adapting to new teams and working effectively with diverse groups of people is a critical skill for drivers in international racing. # Akhil Rabindra: A Journey Through the World of Racing

---

## Introduction

In this episode of the IRL Podcast, the reigning champion of IRL, Akhil Rabindra, shares his journey, the challenges of GT racing, and the language barriers he faced with international teams. We delve into the differences between single-seater and GT cars, emphasize teamwork, and explore racing strategies and preparations. Akhil also highlights the unpredictability of technology and weather, sheds light on racing opportunities in India, and shares career-defining moments.

---

## Key Insights and Perspectives

* Akhil Rabindra emphasizes the importance of preparation before a race weekend to ensure optimal performance. He stresses the significance of practice, visualization, and strategy to execute plans effectively.

* When approaching a new track, Akhil focuses on understanding the flow, identifying key corners, and gradually improving his driving. He acknowledges the challenges of street circuits and the need to balance risk-taking and consistency.

* Akhil discusses the mental aspect of racing, highlighting the need for focus, staying calm under pressure, and maintaining consistency throughout a race. He emphasizes the significance of mental exercises and visualization to enhance performance.

* Akhil shares his experiences with different tracks, emphasizing the importance of adapting to various conditions and learning from past mistakes. He acknowledges the role of bumps and track surfaces in affecting car setup and driving style.

* Akhil expresses his admiration for Lewis Hamilton, citing his aggressive driving style and ability to push the limits. He also highlights Hamilton's resilience in overcoming adversity and his commitment to using his platform for positive change.

* Akhil discusses his family background, revealing that he comes from a non-racing family with a strong emphasis on education. He credits his father's entrepreneurial spirit and his mother's unwavering support for his success.

* Akhil outlines his future goals, expressing his desire to compete in GT3 and eventually participate in prestigious 24-hour races such as the Nürburgring 24 Hours, Spa 24 Hours, and Le Mans 24 Hours. He also aims to become a factory driver and win major championships.

* Akhil describes the camaraderie and healthy competition within the Hyderabad Blackbirds team, highlighting the strong bonds and mutual support among the drivers. He acknowledges that he is the only unmarried and childless member of the team, jokingly inviting eligible drivers to join.

---

## Conclusion

Akhil Rabindra's journey in the world of racing is a testament to his dedication, perseverance, and passion for the sport. His insights into the mental and physical aspects of racing, his experiences with different tracks and teams, and his admiration for Lewis Hamilton provide valuable lessons for aspiring racers and fans alike. Akhil's future goals are ambitious, and his determination to succeed is evident. The IRL Podcast offers a unique platform for listeners to gain insights into the world of Indian racing and the challenges and triumphs faced by its drivers.

[00:00.000 -> 00:07.500] Interesting thing is, if you go to a very hot weekend, you cut off the air con because you need to use that to cool the car.
[00:07.500 -> 00:08.100] Oh!
[00:08.100 -> 00:13.000] So, yeah. It's very common. We don't need it when it's cold.
[00:14.200 -> 00:20.200] So, if it's very hot, you know, you would prioritize car surviving.
[00:20.200 -> 00:20.900] Makes sense.
[00:46.240 -> 00:53.120] Hello and welcome to the IRL podcast, a show where we are diving into what's happening this quarter or the end of this year with the Indian racing scene. If you've not checked out the previous episodes, go check them out. There's three out already with people making this happen on the ground, behind the scenes, stories about
[00:53.120 -> 00:58.480] what's happened last year, what's there to see and be hopeful for this year. We are your hosts,
[00:58.480 -> 01:07.440] hosted by the F1 Fan Fiction Podcast. I am Akash. And I'm Sar'm Sarang and today we've got the reigning champion from last
[01:07.440 -> 01:12.960] year. That's where I'll leave it because if I try to introduce him, it's going to be a monologue of
[01:12.960 -> 01:18.000] me just reading out all of the amazing things that he's done. So off to you guest, off to you.
[01:18.000 -> 01:26.720] Hi everyone, my name is Akhil Rabindra. I'm 27 years old, born and brought up in India in Bangalore for the past eight odd years.
[01:26.720 -> 01:29.160] I've been living in the UK, racing and working.
[01:29.800 -> 01:35.160] Yeah, so last year was a very good year in terms of my international racing and my domestic racing.
[01:35.160 -> 01:37.840] I had a very strong year in Europe
[01:38.360 -> 01:43.160] with many podiums and finishing 8th in the championship and of course in India
[01:43.680 -> 01:47.100] I came first in the championship and of course in India, I came first in the championship
[01:47.100 -> 01:52.220] and the team came second. So, I'm actually looking forward to this year because we want
[01:52.220 -> 01:57.180] to win the team's championship and I want to win the drivers championship. So, looking
[01:57.180 -> 01:58.180] forward to this year.
[01:58.180 -> 01:59.180] Yeah, yeah.
[01:59.180 -> 02:00.180] Welcome, welcome to the show.
[02:00.180 -> 02:01.180] Welcome to the show, man.
[02:01.180 -> 02:07.600] When we start to research you, like when I started, I'm like, wait, how are we going to make notes?
[02:07.600 -> 02:11.400] Like there's so much out there. I really need to dig through everything now.
[02:11.800 -> 02:15.480] Right. So much came up, man.
[02:15.480 -> 02:22.680] Like it is like it felt like your schedule was probably wake up, get in a car, drive, get out of the car and sleep.
[02:22.880 -> 02:24.560] Probably like for the past few years.
[02:24.460 -> 02:25.880] Get in a car, drive, get out of the car and sleep probably like for the past few years.
[02:28.200 -> 02:32.760] But how does it happen? Like you've done so much in like maybe the last decade.
[02:32.920 -> 02:34.480] What's that been like?
[02:34.520 -> 02:36.800] How do you get around doing so much in a decade?
[02:38.320 -> 02:41.200] First of all, I think I've been very fortunate and grateful.
[02:41.200 -> 02:44.800] I've had a lot of support from parents and sponsors.
[02:46.400 -> 02:52.400] As you guys know, and you've covered a lot, it's an expensive sport. So to sustain for a decade is and mostly international,
[02:54.240 -> 03:00.000] it's really hard. But saying that, you know, I started off in India where I learned all my roots,
[03:00.000 -> 03:06.560] go karting and set the base up. Did a bit in Asia and then there is a certain threshold where you can race in India
[03:07.040 -> 03:09.600] you know do well, win about, go to Asia and then
[03:09.900 -> 03:15.280] eventually if you really want to get into the world of motorsport, you have to move to the UK or Europe. That's the
[03:15.600 -> 03:22.160] racing, that's the Mecca of racing from go-karts to Formula One if it's engineering, drivers, mechanics
[03:23.280 -> 03:27.400] so finished my 12th grade, very good parents.
[03:27.400 -> 03:28.720] So they said, we've got to study,
[03:28.720 -> 03:30.320] you've got to keep studying.
[03:30.320 -> 03:33.160] That track doesn't stop irrespective of what you do.
[03:33.160 -> 03:36.400] I wasn't a very good student, but I had a good excuse.
[03:36.400 -> 03:37.600] I just said I was racing.
[03:37.600 -> 03:39.080] So, I'm asking you to meet up.
[03:39.080 -> 03:41.120] They only gave me one four letter word.
[03:41.120 -> 03:43.080] They said, P-A-S-S, pass.
[03:43.080 -> 03:43.920] That's it.
[03:43.920 -> 03:45.200] All you need to do.
[03:45.200 -> 03:48.880] It's not going to happen. We are not going to bother you.
[03:48.880 -> 03:51.360] Yeah. The podiums can stay on the racetrack.
[03:51.360 -> 03:56.960] Yeah. And every time you come back with an article or a trophy back to your principal or something, you know,
[03:56.960 -> 04:00.240] maybe there's a few marks over there. So, I got a free entry.
[04:00.240 -> 04:06.520] So, saying that, I moved to the UK to do my undergrad. I did my undergrad at the University
[04:06.520 -> 04:12.000] of Edinburgh. Like I said, I was not very good at education. So pick sports management.
[04:12.000 -> 04:17.960] I was never geared up for engineering or computer science or whatever everyone's taking today.
[04:17.960 -> 04:21.800] So pick something in line where I probably knew most of the answers before getting in.
[04:21.800 -> 04:30.080] So it was an easier course. And then raced in UK for the first two, three years. I did Formula 4, Formula 3. And then
[04:31.040 -> 04:37.520] we took a very conscious decision of moving to GTs because it is a financial commitment. There
[04:37.520 -> 04:45.280] are many more aspects, but there is a significant finance. And the problem is in racing every level you go it keeps
[04:47.280 -> 04:48.040] probably doubling if not close to doubling
[04:53.600 -> 04:53.960] So we said, you know, you know everyone we all dream to get to Formula One and sometimes you got to dream a bit
[04:56.360 -> 05:01.660] Realistic out there, right? You know, there are 20 seats They don't change every year few change for the future which change there are like 10 in the pipeline
[05:01.660 -> 05:04.400] So yeah, okay. Let's jump to the GT universe
[05:01.880 -> 05:05.440] There are like 10 in the pipeline. So yeah, okay, let's jump to the GT universe.
[05:05.440 -> 05:08.760] You know, there are 10 manufacturers, 10, 15 manufacturers, depending on which year
[05:08.760 -> 05:14.320] you see as a ladder, the whole universe there is, you know, probably 100 drivers and it's,
[05:14.320 -> 05:21.040] you know, it's global, your pockets in Asia Pacific, your pockets in the US, Europe, UK
[05:21.040 -> 05:22.160] and all over it.
[05:22.160 -> 05:27.280] So we decided in ever since 2017 2017 been on the GT ladder.
[05:27.280 -> 05:32.120] Yeah, tell us a little bit more about like your journey through GT racing in general.
[05:32.120 -> 05:38.520] Like I know like a lot of folks might not be actually aware that like for GT races like
[05:38.520 -> 05:44.000] you have multi class racing happening on the same track. So tell us a little bit more about
[05:44.000 -> 05:50.000] what are the different categories that are there and how does it work out how do you work up the ladder? Sure so GT yes
[05:50.000 -> 05:56.320] it's it's very complicated for those if you don't follow motorsport but we do not have a F1 or GTs
[05:56.320 -> 06:02.160] or an F2 unfortunately we have kind of three levels as of this year and from next year it's
[06:02.160 -> 06:09.360] only going to be two levels so we have GT4 which is the lowest which I've been participating in. The highest level is GT3
[06:09.800 -> 06:16.000] and a variation of GT3 is GTE. E is endurance where the car is slightly different
[06:16.080 -> 06:21.640] but the famous race is the 24 hours of Le Mans World Endurance Championship. You race a
[06:22.160 -> 06:28.160] WEC. You race a GTE car. So but GTE is like the pinnacle right and there's
[06:28.160 -> 06:34.880] only two levels. A GT car is essentially a car which anyone could buy on the road, a manufacturer
[06:34.880 -> 06:42.160] produces that car for the road. The car we race is you get the shell of the road car but the engine,
[06:42.160 -> 06:46.740] suspension, chassis, brakes, everything on the inside is race spec,
[06:46.740 -> 06:48.580] right, just the chassis looks like,
[06:48.580 -> 06:51.020] just the exterior looks like the race car
[06:51.020 -> 06:54.460] and even those components have changed for light weighting.
[06:54.460 -> 06:59.100] But it's just the frame and just the outside
[06:59.100 -> 07:00.100] and everything else is the same.
[07:00.100 -> 07:03.400] So GT4, GT3, like anything like going up in motorsport,
[07:03.400 -> 07:04.940] more power, more aero.
[07:04.940 -> 07:09.760] So that's what it is. Now, the complicated part is the categories which you mentioned earlier.
[07:09.760 -> 07:15.520] So, there are classifications of drivers. So, you have bronze drivers.
[07:15.520 -> 07:19.840] Basically, either you have not raced a lot or you are just getting into racing.
[07:19.840 -> 07:22.600] You have silver which is an upcoming racing driver.
[07:22.600 -> 07:25.400] You have gold who has raced a lot and you
[07:25.400 -> 07:29.920] have platinum who has won a lot. So, it is a bit like golf where you want to be a shiny
[07:29.920 -> 07:34.400] bronze or a shiny silver. You do not want to be gold or platinum because nobody picks
[07:34.400 -> 07:40.840] you. So, that is the catch over there. So, if you can remain a shiny bronze or a shiny
[07:40.840 -> 07:46.900] silver, you are very valuable for teams. Interesting. And then the categories come in.
[07:46.900 -> 07:56.600] So, you have Pro-Pro, which means 2 silvers, 2 golds, 2 platinums or anything above a silver is called Pro.
[07:56.600 -> 08:01.200] Pro-Am is again anything above a silver as the Pro and 1 Am.
[08:01.200 -> 08:03.800] And then Am Racing is basically 2 Ams.
[08:03.800 -> 08:05.840] And now they have come out with these new
[08:05.840 -> 08:12.240] fancy category called gold where you need one gold one silver one and a few more of these
[08:12.240 -> 08:18.000] variations but essentially you need if not two two of these categories or three of these categories
[08:19.120 -> 08:22.000] interesting so basically just confuse the fuck out of
[08:25.000 -> 08:30.000] So basically just confuse the fuck out of all the audience. Someone sitting somewhere with a complex algorithm, hitting that random button.
[08:30.000 -> 08:32.000] What new category do we introduce?
[08:32.000 -> 08:34.000] I'll put it to you this way.
[08:34.000 -> 08:36.000] It's like this is like first year drive to survive.
[08:36.000 -> 08:39.000] You watch two, three years, then you know everyone and how things are.
[08:39.000 -> 08:42.000] Sure.
[08:42.000 -> 08:45.760] As part of this whole thing, you're racing with the Aston Martin group.
[08:45.760 -> 08:46.120] Yeah.
[08:46.160 -> 08:51.480] Well, if, if internet is to believe, be believed, it says you're the only
[08:51.480 -> 08:54.480] Asian or the first Asian to be, to be selected.
[08:54.880 -> 08:57.120] How, how does, how does one get selected?
[08:57.400 -> 08:59.160] So that's actually an interesting process.
[08:59.160 -> 09:02.120] So, you know, and probably I'll use more formula and examples
[09:02.120 -> 09:03.400] because people might be aware.
[09:03.800 -> 09:07.000] So a lot of the formula one drivers, I mean, drive to survive has done a good job.
[09:07.000 -> 09:08.000] So use that.
[09:08.000 -> 09:09.640] Yeah, for sure.
[09:09.640 -> 09:14.320] So if you watch Formula 1 teams right now, and you know, when they're spanning the camera
[09:14.320 -> 09:20.960] into the pit, they show one random upcoming driver and say he's a academy driver.
[09:20.960 -> 09:26.480] So basically, this is the Formula 1 guys, you know, securing their pipeline of drivers
[09:26.480 -> 09:32.040] from, can be from karting, Formula 3, Formula 2, and this is like their stock of drivers.
[09:32.040 -> 09:34.120] So same thing in GTs, right?
[09:34.120 -> 09:40.400] You have, it's a very weird word, but it's called factory drivers.
[09:40.400 -> 09:43.960] Aston Martin Racing has three or four factory drivers who are paid to go race everywhere
[09:43.960 -> 09:44.960] in the world.
[09:44.960 -> 09:49.180] Then you have three drivers who are a level below and then you have Academy drivers
[09:49.220 -> 09:55.340] So basically Academy drivers again, they they have like it's it's like a it's like a pyramid, right?
[09:55.340 -> 10:01.040] The bottom of the pyramid is Academy drivers like us you filter into junior and then you filter into factory
[10:01.040 -> 10:07.720] So our aim and goal is always to make factory then your day job is you get paid to go race around the world. So,
[10:09.040 -> 10:12.640] and the world basically, yeah. Yeah. Unfortunately,
[10:12.640 -> 10:16.200] unfortunately once you're a factory driver, you don't really, um,
[10:16.600 -> 10:20.040] you're there for, you know, uh, five years or a decade or something like formula
[10:20.040 -> 10:22.600] one, right. Some they're there always. So the rotate,
[10:22.600 -> 10:27.200] and then even the junior drivers, once you're there, there you know you're there for like a while so it's
[10:27.200 -> 10:31.680] it's a bit like a it's like a corporate structure unless someone goes away or
[10:31.680 -> 10:34.600] moved out you could won't get up to the next position so you're gonna remain in
[10:34.600 -> 10:42.080] that position. The sad part is corporate culture has permeated here as well.
[10:42.080 -> 10:48.400] Yeah interesting that's like when did you get the
[10:48.400 -> 10:52.320] news of like you're driving for Aston Martin and like what was your reaction right after.
[10:53.040 -> 10:59.680] So this was basically in 2019 so they had a whole shootout like any shootout there's a simulator
[10:59.680 -> 11:07.780] evaluation there's a fitness evaluation there's an interview. So we all young, young aspiring drivers come in with our docket, say we're going to be
[11:07.780 -> 11:11.000] the next Hamilton and all that.
[11:11.000 -> 11:12.960] And we're going to be working harder than everyone.
[11:12.960 -> 11:16.280] I'm fitter than everyone, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
[11:16.280 -> 11:20.600] And end of the day, you know, you got to do well on your, on your assessments.
[11:20.600 -> 11:25.300] And the interview is also to just you know evaluate your speaking ability
[11:25.300 -> 11:29.540] because today in Formula One if it's so much more than driving a car fast
[11:29.540 -> 11:36.500] there are enough of us. So you got to be like an entire package and an
[11:36.500 -> 11:41.020] appreciating package to the team right adding value if it's your personality
[11:41.020 -> 11:47.080] social media presence whatever so the biggest advantage I had was I represent
[11:47.080 -> 11:53.360] a big country, a large country. And then if I take the extended region of Asia Pacific,
[11:53.360 -> 11:58.960] it's a larger demographic. So with Formula One getting bigger and better and drive to
[11:58.960 -> 12:05.240] survive, so you need a bit more diversity out there. So, I also believe it's a bit contrary.
[12:05.240 -> 12:08.360] A fast driver is a fast driver, right?
[12:08.360 -> 12:11.360] Nobody looks at color, creed, religion and all that.
[12:11.360 -> 12:12.720] If you are fast, you are fast. That's it.
[12:12.720 -> 12:16.760] So, I don't like to play on any of those brownie points.
[12:16.760 -> 12:19.560] But my job is to drive the car as fast as I can.
[12:19.560 -> 12:20.560] I like that.
[12:20.560 -> 12:28.760] If I have 1 million subscribers or followers or like one I need to be fast in the car that's
[12:28.760 -> 12:29.760] it.
[12:29.760 -> 12:33.120] That's the only duty I have.
[12:33.120 -> 12:34.120] That's interesting.
[12:34.120 -> 12:35.120] Yeah.
[12:35.120 -> 12:36.120] Oh, on that note, okay.
[12:36.120 -> 12:41.440] I have to, I have to commend you for building an amazing website for yourself.
[12:41.440 -> 12:42.440] Thank you.
[12:42.440 -> 12:43.440] Yeah.
[12:43.440 -> 12:45.640] No, I mean, till now for all the drivers that I've checked
[12:45.640 -> 12:49.160] their profiles and everybody this is the first one when I went there I was like
[12:49.160 -> 12:55.480] wait is this a driver's website what's going on here? That was very well built.
[12:55.480 -> 13:00.120] Thank you. I want to give a shout out to the guys who designed it. It's outer circle so
[13:00.120 -> 13:11.120] they've done a good job so shout out to them. Awesome. So you've also driven... So now that you're with the Brits, but like you've also driven for a French team.
[13:12.520 -> 13:19.080] How do they differ? I mean, we see at least again, to draw parallels between F1, we're seeing a civil war that's happening with the French.
[13:21.480 -> 13:25.480] But in reality, what's the difference between working with the French guys and the Brits?
[13:25.480 -> 13:32.040] You know, I have been very fortunate. I have done, even in India, I have done Tamil, I have done Marathi.
[13:32.040 -> 13:39.680] Then I have done like a Chinese team. And when I come to the UK, I have done, being specific, Scottish, then English.
[13:39.680 -> 13:46.720] And then I have done German, French. And then I've gone to the US and their own culture.
[13:46.720 -> 13:52.160] So, the positive thing is all the words and sign languages are the same.
[13:52.160 -> 13:56.000] It's a steering wheel and a pedals in a car. You do this, everyone understands that.
[13:57.760 -> 14:02.800] The vocabulary is the same wherever you go. So, irrespective of wherever they're from,
[14:02.800 -> 14:06.360] there are just words and phrases and actions to do, they will understand.
[14:06.360 -> 14:09.240] So that barrier is eliminated.
[14:09.240 -> 14:13.960] But yeah, saying that British teams are easier to work with.
[14:13.960 -> 14:16.040] I mean, motorsport was born here, right?
[14:16.040 -> 14:18.480] If you take Formula 1 and all that.
[14:18.480 -> 14:22.840] So and they've been consuming it, even if you don't know how to drive a car, it's in
[14:22.840 -> 14:25.840] their history, it's in their day-to-day life.
[14:25.840 -> 14:32.000] So, they understand it. They get it. And most of them now have been educated in it. Not to say that
[14:32.000 -> 14:39.040] other countries and other people aren't. And it's also English, right? Because in India, we
[14:39.040 -> 14:44.960] go to an English medium school where just communicating is easier. When you go to a French-German team,
[14:44.960 -> 14:45.440] there are again
[14:45.440 -> 14:50.160] various levels. You'll always have somebody who speaks better than the other person but it's never
[14:50.160 -> 14:56.960] 100 percent. And unfortunately if it's bad, then it's like gamsharad. Which is like it's too draining
[14:56.960 -> 15:06.400] where you can't do that like, can you explain something or like words. You need someone who speaks your language.
[15:06.400 -> 15:09.960] So some of them also very patriotic.
[15:09.960 -> 15:12.600] They like if you learn their language.
[15:12.600 -> 15:18.000] But if you are in the team for a year or something, you learn, Hi, how are you?
[15:18.000 -> 15:19.000] The food is nice.
[15:19.000 -> 15:20.000] Did you sleep well?
[15:20.000 -> 15:21.000] And just some random things.
[15:21.000 -> 15:23.440] You know, you can't speak technically in that language.
[15:23.440 -> 15:24.880] But it's that concept, right?
[15:24.880 -> 15:28.120] Like some white guy telling us Namaste or whatever.
[15:28.120 -> 15:30.840] And we just like become so happy. It's the same thing.
[15:31.000 -> 15:35.000] Yeah. Same thing. Yeah. So that we do. You say Bonjour and all that.
[15:35.000 -> 15:35.800] And we do that.
[15:35.800 -> 15:36.800] Oh wow.
[15:38.920 -> 15:41.680] Put the smile on their face and then go back to the Damsharad.
[15:47.000 -> 15:50.000] Yeah. I can imagine. And like, especially wearing all your gear, like wearing your helmet,
[15:50.000 -> 15:52.000] wearing your tracksuit and everything.
[15:52.000 -> 15:56.000] And then playing Damsaraj, like explaining what's wrong with the car or something
[15:56.000 -> 15:58.000] must be quite a challenge overall.
[15:58.000 -> 16:02.000] But you know, fortunate enough, I learned this in India, right?
[16:02.000 -> 16:07.200] Because see, I'm from Karnataka and I don't fluently speak all the neighboring languages.
[16:07.200 -> 16:14.400] When I was in the team which was speaking Tamil, I had to learn because I can't come and speak English and they don't understand it.
[16:14.400 -> 16:17.000] So, you got to pick up the language, speak the lingo.
[16:17.000 -> 16:21.200] And again, when I shifted to Marathi team, that's even more hard.
[16:21.200 -> 16:24.800] So, it's the same concept everywhere, right?
[16:24.800 -> 16:29.040] So, if you take like a guy from Delhi and he's acing in a Kerala team, right?
[16:29.040 -> 16:32.000] He has to... The local language is Malayalam. So, he has to like...
[16:32.000 -> 16:37.680] Unless they also know now, but you got to come down to a level where, you know, both speak each other's language to some extent.
[16:37.680 -> 16:38.480] Nice.
[16:38.480 -> 16:39.880] That's really interesting.
[16:39.880 -> 16:42.720] With respect to GT, what came to my mind was, right?
[16:42.720 -> 16:50.460] Like, now that you've made this transition, I mean, it's almost been what, seven years since you've moved from F3 to GT.
[16:51.800 -> 16:58.880] Having driven, like, what aspects did you enjoy? Do you still think that was better? Which, what's your pick on the whole thing?
[16:59.640 -> 17:09.520] See, Formula cars, the one thing which cannot take away is the aero, right? Because you're cornering it, you know an F3 car back then was fast and today it's much faster.
[17:09.520 -> 17:16.240] You know, we weren't that fast but you know you would take corners at 200, 220, 250 sometimes that's far.
[17:16.240 -> 17:19.040] All that, that feeling you know you can't recreate.
[17:19.040 -> 17:26.640] So that part is just, you know you can brake so late, the lateral G is so high.
[17:26.640 -> 17:33.640] In a GT car, because of its inherent weight, it's never going to have lateral G of 4-5G, right?
[17:33.640 -> 17:39.880] Because that mass and the physics of the tyre, because someone told me this, in GTs you're limited by the tyre.
[17:39.880 -> 17:49.440] You know in Formula 1 and all that, you're not limited by the tyre unless you go 10 times it will give up so so it's a very different driving style and also it's more
[17:49.440 -> 17:54.800] endurance oriented you know most races are the minimum is like an hour and you go up to 24 hours
[17:55.360 -> 18:00.000] it's it's heavier the wear and tear is different the braking style is different
[18:00.000 -> 18:05.540] it's a lot more energy exertion in most, people don't understand that it's actually harder
[18:05.840 -> 18:09.200] because you're sitting in a car and for the little physics,
[18:09.200 -> 18:12.800] I know as you leave a car in the sun and you come back, it's going to be hot inside.
[18:12.800 -> 18:16.140] It's like that for like an hour or many hours.
[18:16.140 -> 18:18.300] So, it's really hot.
[18:18.300 -> 18:21.700] I mean, like 50 degrees, it depends on where you race and what time of year.
[18:21.900 -> 18:23.700] It's much harder.
[18:24.340 -> 18:25.800] But again, it's end of
[18:25.800 -> 18:29.780] the day you ask any racing driver and say if it's got four wheels and a
[18:29.780 -> 18:34.760] steering wheel I'm happy to drive it fast. A new question here okay I have to
[18:34.760 -> 18:39.100] ask like do these GT cars have any air con in them or do they just shut it down
[18:39.100 -> 18:47.320] for a week? We do okay so the interesting thing is if you go to a very hot weekend, you cut off the
[18:47.320 -> 18:49.840] air con because you need to use that to cool the car.
[18:49.840 -> 18:50.840] Oh.
[18:50.840 -> 19:00.360] Yeah. It's very complicated. We don't need it when it's cold. Because if it's very hot,
[19:00.360 -> 19:02.360] you would prioritize car surviving.
[19:02.360 -> 19:05.280] Makes sense. Yeah. The car is a bigger asset.
[19:05.280 -> 19:06.280] Sure.
[19:06.280 -> 19:07.280] Yeah.
[19:07.280 -> 19:12.440] So it was like if it's in between, yes it works, but this is when like I said the am
[19:12.440 -> 19:13.440] drivers come in, right?
[19:13.440 -> 19:17.520] I mean if they are not very fit, they don't do it very often, they are not going to sit
[19:17.520 -> 19:19.400] in 40-50 degrees for an hour.
[19:19.400 -> 19:21.080] They need some ventilation.
[19:21.080 -> 19:22.560] So it's really for them.
[19:22.560 -> 19:23.560] Makes sense.
[19:23.560 -> 19:35.000] Since you were talking a little bit about like the physics of the cars itself, like the difference between a single-seater and GT cars, before we move on to our next topic about IRL, I wanted to ask about for you, right?
[19:35.000 -> 19:46.880] For example, like you are racing in GT3 cars, for IRL again, it's going to be a single-seater. I wanted to understand how does the physical aspect change in both of these series of racing?
[19:46.880 -> 19:51.560] Is there any difference in terms of physical training that you have to change?
[19:51.560 -> 19:55.520] And what kind of forces are applied in each category on your body?
[19:55.520 -> 19:57.800] Like how does that entire aspect work?
[19:57.800 -> 20:03.840] That's a brilliant question and it's very apt for this because like I said, my race
[20:03.840 -> 20:07.000] car weighs between 1.3 and 1.4 tons.
[20:07.000 -> 20:12.000] The IRL cars fully fueled up, liquids, driver and all is 400 plus kgs.
[20:12.000 -> 20:16.000] You go go-karting, you go go-karting is 140 kgs.
[20:16.000 -> 20:23.000] So, it's I mean again you don't have to be a genius to stop 1.4 tons and 400 kgs.
[20:23.000 -> 20:25.440] The level of brake pressure is very different.
[20:25.440 -> 20:32.840] So, it's like I'm fed and you come to go-karts, it's like I'm like feathering the brake and it's just like hovering.
[20:32.840 -> 20:38.200] And so, it's a big change in and most racing, see when you go fast,
[20:38.200 -> 20:42.800] it's your throttle is pinned to the floor and it's steering input.
[20:42.800 -> 20:50.440] Half of racing is just getting your braking right and that's the hardest part. So yes, last year I think half of my effort
[20:50.440 -> 20:56.720] was just trying to get my feel of the brake to see what is maximum pressure and where
[20:56.720 -> 21:01.600] is anything in between. So depending on the corner I know that input. And especially coming
[21:01.600 -> 21:08.160] from a very high, coming from a heavy car and whacking it like really putting say a hundred hundred bar of brake pressure
[21:08.160 -> 21:12.540] and IRL cars are like 40 bar you just need you need to get that feel of what
[21:12.540 -> 21:18.120] 40 bar feels like and releasing it it's a it's a bit like squeezing squeezing
[21:18.120 -> 21:23.760] orange or a pressure ball right it's that feel of the brake more than anything so
[21:23.760 -> 21:28.800] yeah and most race cars in Formula cars and GT cars,
[21:28.800 -> 21:32.000] the brake is like a wall. It doesn't move.
[21:32.000 -> 21:33.700] So, it just pressure on.
[21:33.700 -> 21:34.200] I see.
[21:34.200 -> 21:35.700] So, and...
[21:35.700 -> 21:38.700] I suppose there's not a lot of travel in the brake itself, right?
[21:38.700 -> 21:40.700] There isn't. There isn't.
[21:40.700 -> 21:41.700] Yeah.
[21:41.700 -> 21:42.700] Interesting.
[21:42.700 -> 21:45.840] Since you are the reigning champion, like driver's champion,
[21:46.240 -> 21:51.240] how is it going into the next year of IRL with that accolade behind you?
[21:52.960 -> 21:57.000] I think, I think it's, uh, I'm motivated. I'm, uh,
[21:57.160 -> 22:01.480] I'm excited because I think we've got a bunch of new drivers this year,
[22:02.520 -> 22:06.400] uh, with all the old guys too. Everyone knows the tracks except for the new track.
[22:06.400 -> 22:08.880] Everyone knows the car and the tyre.
[22:08.880 -> 22:12.240] So, it's definitely going to be more challenging.
[22:12.240 -> 22:14.720] But yeah, I'm open for the challenge.
[22:14.720 -> 22:18.960] So, I wished my old teammate was there for 4 hours.
[22:18.960 -> 22:20.320] He's only there for the last 2.
[22:20.320 -> 22:23.600] So, we'll maximize it before he comes.
[22:23.600 -> 22:30.080] Have you requested the placard guy at the airport to come with Akhil Rabindranath, reigning champion?
[22:30.080 -> 22:31.080] No.
[22:31.080 -> 22:36.080] Some sort of ceremonial...
[22:36.080 -> 22:46.480] Darling and all. But you briefly touched on your old teammate.
[22:46.480 -> 22:55.840] But you've paired with Neel Jani outside of IRL as well, if I'm not wrong.
[22:55.840 -> 23:00.160] How's he... I mean, you've shared that camaraderie before.
[23:00.160 -> 23:02.560] Again, correct if I'm anywhere wrong here.
[23:02.560 -> 23:08.320] But you've shared that camaraderie. How does that play in a tournament like this which is happening for the first time
[23:08.320 -> 23:12.040] and only two teammates knowing each other out of all the teams there?
[23:12.040 -> 23:17.360] So, I've not raced or competed in any championship with Neil outside IISL.
[23:17.360 -> 23:30.080] But ever since his name got announced last year, first thing was, I was shitting myself. He is extremely fast. He has won a lot. And he is consistent.
[23:30.080 -> 23:34.640] More often than not, any car he drives anywhere in the world, he is on the podium.
[23:34.640 -> 23:39.920] So, first I was like, shit. And then I am like, now, there is no A game and all.
[23:39.920 -> 23:43.880] Every lap I do has to be an A game in it.
[23:43.880 -> 23:47.000] I leave the pit lane also, it has to be perfect.
[23:47.000 -> 23:52.000] Because when your teammate is such a guy, he also expects you to do well.
[23:52.000 -> 23:56.000] So the most common kind of example I give to people in India is,
[23:56.000 -> 24:00.000] it was genuinely like me batting with Virat Kohli.
[24:00.000 -> 24:03.000] It's the biggest example I can give.
[24:03.000 -> 24:07.760] The amount of experience he has, the knowledge he has, the race craft he has, car know-how.
[24:07.760 -> 24:13.080] It's like, when you are sharing the car, it's like, I mean it was like a, I was fan-boying over him.
[24:13.080 -> 24:17.800] I watched all his interviews. I watched most, I watched like few of his key races.
[24:17.800 -> 24:25.000] I watched his Spa lap where he went, where he beat the Formula 1 car record out of Spa.
[24:25.000 -> 24:27.000] Full stalking research.
[24:27.000 -> 24:30.000] And when I met him, I was trying to be like,
[24:30.000 -> 24:31.000] Hey, what's up?
[24:31.000 -> 24:33.000] I was like, just take off.
[24:33.000 -> 24:35.000] I don't want to be late.
[24:35.000 -> 24:39.000] I was just like, I know everything, but I'm just like...
[24:39.000 -> 24:41.000] So, yeah.
[24:41.000 -> 24:43.000] So, the first few days...
[24:43.000 -> 24:47.180] And then, the problem, the really nice thing with Neil is, he's just easy to work with, right?
[24:47.180 -> 24:52.320] He comes with no great baggage or anything. And he's just there to do a good job, right?
[24:52.320 -> 25:00.800] So, and yeah, the learning was immense. On track, off track, setting the car. So, I think it was one of the my, I mean, I think one of the best teammates.
[25:00.800 -> 25:06.600] Now, from going from there to like, did you know he was not gonna race the last race?
[25:06.600 -> 25:09.520] Because I mean, you all were neck and neck with the Drivers' Championship.
[25:09.520 -> 25:14.320] Had he been there, it would have been like a photo finish sort of like, who takes the podium.
[25:14.320 -> 25:19.520] I was actually happy he was not there.
[25:19.520 -> 25:25.760] It would have been him only, right? because of the lead he had.
[25:25.760 -> 25:28.640] It's one big element out of the question.
[25:28.640 -> 25:31.200] Thank you for all the help.
[25:31.200 -> 25:35.600] Can you do the same next year?
[25:35.600 -> 25:52.500] So, I mean, it's also because end of the day when you're so focused on yourself, your car, your performance, we weren't even thinking of results.
[25:52.500 -> 26:06.000] We just had, we had a plan, like it's so, I know it's like textbook words I'm saying, but every session we had a plan with our engineers, with our mechanics, with either of us, what we are going to do, what we are going to try,
[26:06.000 -> 26:08.000] is it going to work, not work, keep adapting?
[26:08.000 -> 26:10.000] Every single thing we had a plan.
[26:10.000 -> 26:14.000] And it's just simple, plan, execution, plan, execution.
[26:14.000 -> 26:17.000] We didn't think next race, next session, next round,
[26:17.000 -> 26:19.000] we are leading, not leading thing.
[26:19.000 -> 26:23.000] Just make the car better for the current session
[26:23.000 -> 26:25.600] and the next session and whatever you want to try.
[26:25.600 -> 26:29.520] And that's the experience and knowledge it brings.
[26:29.520 -> 26:35.920] Just focus on the now. Let's improve. Let's get the car to the best state possible and then work on your driving.
[26:35.920 -> 26:49.900] So, I think it's only the last round. And I swear, it's just the last round I was thinking of this championship and all that. Because when you are... I mean, we were very fortunate also because we had a very good first round.
[26:49.900 -> 26:55.100] The second round was so-so. And the third round, because he was not there, was also so-so.
[26:55.100 -> 27:03.800] But yeah, he also set the tone and context of what is expected from me, from the engineer, from the mechanics and the other sister car.
[27:03.800 -> 27:06.640] So, that discipline was good.
[27:06.640 -> 27:07.840] Interesting.
[27:07.840 -> 27:13.600] One thing I want to ask is like, from what I hear from you is like basically in a gist is like
[27:13.600 -> 27:17.360] working with him has helped you a little in the sense of
[27:17.360 -> 27:21.120] how to conduct the whole team kind of and like how to like
[27:21.120 -> 27:24.160] deal with them. That's what I get from what you're saying.
[27:24.160 -> 27:31.360] So I wanted to ask you about like how does it change like how do you adjust yourself
[27:31.360 -> 27:35.040] every time when working with a new team and you know getting in sync with them
[27:35.040 -> 27:40.680] because I'm pretty sure like different people work in different ways and like
[27:40.680 -> 27:48.240] how does it work out for you in general. Yeah again great question see like Neil, like Neil even though he's half Indian, he's never raced in India.
[27:48.240 -> 27:54.960] He's done the show, he's done the show in Delhi and I think he went to, he did something on the Himalayas, the base camp drive.
[27:54.960 -> 27:59.520] So, otherwise there's no India connection, right? Nor has he raced with anyone.
[27:59.520 -> 28:05.280] So, yes, there's dynamic. Again, we come back to language. We had mechanics, we were racing in the south, so most of them were Italians.
[28:05.280 -> 28:13.600] So there's already a language barrier. We had Italian, we had a combination of Italian and Tamil mechanics and an Italian engineer who actually spoke good English.
[28:13.600 -> 28:26.980] So we have a bit of communication, say a gap everywhere. At the same time, it's a car which I have not driven. It's a car he's not driven. The IRL want to make it a one-make championship, right?
[28:26.980 -> 28:32.520] But most things are equal, but they give you two or three parameters where you can play around and adjust things.
[28:32.740 -> 28:37.240] So that's when we said, okay, these are the three variables we have, right?
[28:37.240 -> 28:42.980] Let's go either end to try how this feels, that end, somewhere in the middle.
[28:42.980 -> 28:49.340] All we said, let's get this right and with the engineer also he's he's worked on this car before so he was
[28:49.340 -> 28:53.680] the most important so because we like if I make a change on my car I know what's
[28:53.680 -> 28:56.840] gonna happen if Neil makes a change in his car he knows what happened but it's
[28:56.840 -> 29:01.200] not necessarily the same which applies on the wolf car so that kind of trio of
[29:01.200 -> 29:09.560] knowledge between two drivers and their experience combining with the engineer who knows that car, I think that's when we really got the value of the car.
[29:09.560 -> 29:12.360] And I think it's also like, because he's driven, right?
[29:12.360 -> 29:15.640] Once you give him two laps, he learns the circuit.
[29:15.640 -> 29:17.780] You give him four laps, he's the fastest on the track.
[29:17.780 -> 29:22.320] So there's not much for him to do there.
[29:22.320 -> 29:31.680] On a similar note, so you tell yourself before getting into any race is remember where you started, right? So, but on a broader
[29:31.680 -> 29:48.000] spectrum, what's your more of a mental exercise routine? How do you work that part? How do you constantly stay whatever you are doing because this whole career in itself is a draining one and someone needs to sustain.
[29:48.000 -> 29:57.000] Yeah. So, for me, it's very simple. I like to do all the work before the race weekend and then when I'm there, I'm just executing.
[29:57.000 -> 30:07.200] It's like practice whatever, read whatever, watch whatever, refresh your memory, talk to whoever, do all the work right before the race weekend.
[30:07.200 -> 30:12.800] Because come race weekend, you can't be learning it. And also we do a lot of visualization.
[30:12.800 -> 30:19.300] It is how best you can implement your plan, your strategy and whatever you want to execute.
[30:19.300 -> 30:31.000] So, even like I said, for every session, there is a plan, there is a strategy, right? So, you come with a very crystal clear thinking, free practice one, I'm going to try this,
[30:31.000 -> 30:36.000] I'm going to try some driving things, some corners I'll try braking late, early,
[30:36.000 -> 30:39.000] some setups on the car and then it's figuring out, right?
[30:39.000 -> 30:43.000] Practice is just to like get that harmony between your driving style,
[30:43.000 -> 30:46.400] who you're sharing with the car with and the track.
[30:46.400 -> 30:51.400] So, get the car really dialed in, make sure you are happy with it, the way it is moving about
[30:51.400 -> 30:53.600] and then start improving in your driving.
[30:53.600 -> 30:58.400] Same thing, qualifying. Every single session, there is a plan, there is a strategy
[30:58.400 -> 31:03.800] and more often than not, today with technology, you can call people, video call people
[31:03.800 -> 31:05.600] and kind of plan things beforehand.
[31:05.600 -> 31:10.880] You don't have to reach the round of the race weekend and like, what are we doing tomorrow?
[31:10.880 -> 31:15.320] It's like, you finish all that and then it's just reducing variables more than anything.
[31:15.320 -> 31:17.880] It's clean and simple and executing.
[31:17.880 -> 31:22.200] So, on that front now, Chennai is a new track.
[31:22.200 -> 31:25.360] Asso, I think, was like the Hyderabad street circuit last year for you.
[31:25.360 -> 31:26.720] Chennai is a new track this year.
[31:26.720 -> 31:28.240] How do you approach that now?
[31:28.240 -> 31:29.920] With whatever you said just now.
[31:29.920 -> 31:34.880] See, with any new track, the first thing is just trying to get the flow, right?
[31:34.880 -> 31:38.080] It's going to be fast, slow, medium, breaking point.
[31:38.080 -> 31:41.880] It's a street circuit, so it's going to be very dirty, no grip.
[31:41.880 -> 31:44.240] Also, the first is reward.
[31:44.240 -> 31:46.240] The last lap, if it doesn't rain
[31:46.240 -> 31:50.160] and if it's all right, will be the quickest. This is rubber being built in, right?
[31:50.160 -> 31:50.800] Yes, of course.
[31:51.360 -> 31:55.760] You don't want to be a hero too soon and put it in the wall or hit a barrier or anything.
[31:55.760 -> 32:01.600] So, again, it's the same thing. Get the car set up, right? And then while you're doing that,
[32:01.600 -> 32:05.240] work on your driving. And when you see there is two things when it matters.
[32:05.240 -> 32:07.240] In qualifying you got to go and push it.
[32:07.240 -> 32:13.320] So that's when you get everything in place for qualifying and then go and put your lap and see where you are.
[32:13.320 -> 32:18.360] And then by that time your car is set up, your feeling is set up and the race is just being consistent.
[32:18.360 -> 32:25.100] So the good thing about racing is also that more often than not, because I've raced now for like 13 years
[32:25.100 -> 32:31.940] you've probably driven a corner somewhere on some track. So it's some 90 degree
[32:31.940 -> 32:36.500] corner it's a hairpin, it's a chicane, 180 whatever it is you've driven that so you just
[32:36.500 -> 32:42.100] gotta like piece it so you know kind of the flow of some old track somewhere.
[32:42.100 -> 32:45.360] The only bigger variable is the street circuit, right?
[32:45.360 -> 32:49.160] How much to push initially and when to push.
[32:49.160 -> 32:55.000] And then to sort of bring it all together, having driven one season with IRL,
[32:55.000 -> 33:00.880] what have been some gotchas and where has the tracks gotten you or the tracks gotten better of you?
[33:00.880 -> 33:09.040] I think Hyderabad was interesting. It was both very technical and very fast.
[33:09.040 -> 33:14.480] And because Chennai, the MMRT track, every, every, probably most, most of the Indian guys
[33:14.480 -> 33:19.520] and all of us have raced there. So we all know it inside out. So the Chennai circuit
[33:19.520 -> 33:27.400] was nice. And the other big thing is with bumps, right? Because it's not flat, it's not even
[33:27.400 -> 33:30.300] and bumps always upset the car
[33:30.300 -> 33:34.100] and it's funny enough you got to hit the bump at the right angle to get that advantage
[33:34.100 -> 33:40.900] So it's just those nuances where you want to know which ones aid you and which ones don't
[33:40.900 -> 33:44.600] and then kind of having that mental database of
[33:44.600 -> 33:48.220] in this corner you know you got to do these three things right.
[33:48.220 -> 33:54.800] Stay away from this, touch that, hit this, you know, go close to that, avoid this, there is a white line, I mean,
[33:54.800 -> 34:05.040] it's relayed or new lines or new paint is put, your references change. So, it's, I mean, it's like if you're parking your car in the house, you know, right? Like, right. Right.
[34:05.040 -> 34:08.680] If you go too forward and come back, it's not going to cut.
[34:08.680 -> 34:11.120] It's the same thing when you're going to the same track.
[34:11.120 -> 34:15.000] There are these fixed kind of things and you just got to keep executing on that.
[34:15.320 -> 34:17.400] Right. Interesting point you bring.
[34:17.400 -> 34:19.520] So actually I have a follow up question on this.
[34:19.520 -> 34:28.000] So how much is it willful thinking and how much is it instinct when you are like racing on a track that you've practiced a lot on already?
[34:28.000 -> 34:34.000] Of course, you've gone through your practice sessions, you have done your maybe sim work, you maybe, you know, you have also driven there possibly before.
[34:34.000 -> 34:47.960] So like what factors more like does conscious thinking actually make you slower? I don't know, like I want to get your perspective. So this is actually a good question because most of the times, normally
[34:47.960 -> 34:49.760] I'm a really good driver and we drive,
[34:49.760 -> 34:52.280] you're just driving on feel.
[34:52.280 -> 34:55.680] Don't look at the lap time, you don't look at the board.
[34:55.680 -> 34:57.160] When you're approaching a corner,
[34:57.160 -> 34:59.920] roughly when you reach a certain distance,
[34:59.920 -> 35:02.240] you know where to brake, you know how much to carry,
[35:02.240 -> 35:03.760] and so on and so forth.
[35:03.760 -> 35:07.920] Like you said, after driving this car on a particular track and you know you race there
[35:07.920 -> 35:11.600] and know that, it's so much of data in your head right.
[35:11.600 -> 35:16.720] Then it's literally about putting everything together right.
[35:16.720 -> 35:27.240] The fastest guy to get put everything in place will be the most sorted out you know session. Yes conditions are never the
[35:27.240 -> 35:32.640] same, they can be wind, they can be it can be wet, damp, rain, then the track is
[35:32.640 -> 35:38.440] slippery and then that's why that's when you got to fine-tune the car. So also
[35:38.440 -> 35:43.440] like I said this year very few are everyone knows the car track tires right
[35:43.440 -> 35:48.100] so it's who's the fastest to adapt who's the fastest to dial it in.
[35:48.100 -> 35:48.600] Okay.
[35:48.600 -> 35:50.300] Interesting.
[35:50.300 -> 35:52.500] Let's talk a little bit about tracks in general.
[35:52.500 -> 35:58.200] Like I think looking at your career, I see like you have driven on how many tracks till now?
[35:58.200 -> 35:59.800] Like 20 odd tracks more than that.
[35:59.800 -> 36:00.300] I don't know.
[36:00.300 -> 36:03.500] I tried looking, I tried counting on your website.
[36:03.500 -> 36:05.760] We lost count. I was like, I won't know. I tried counting on your website. We lost count.
[36:05.760 -> 36:07.760] I was like, I won't count.
[36:07.760 -> 36:11.760] Anyways, getting to the question.
[36:11.760 -> 36:17.760] After driving through so many tracks, at some point they must be blurring altogether.
[36:17.760 -> 36:26.520] But what if you were to make a track or pick a particular section of a track that you'd really enjoy
[36:26.520 -> 36:29.320] and you know what would that be?
[36:29.320 -> 36:31.480] Everyone likes so many aspects of a track right?
[36:31.480 -> 36:33.120] Like you take Suzuka right?
[36:33.120 -> 36:40.160] The first sector of Suzuka, the long right-hander and the S's that's really cool and you take
[36:40.160 -> 36:43.040] the last sector 130R that's really cool.
[36:43.040 -> 36:48.200] Or Urug, Radeon which is like I mean can't get that, even if you plan to make a mountain
[36:48.200 -> 36:52.000] like that, I don't think you'll get it like that.
[36:52.000 -> 36:58.520] Delhi track, I like the long D, which is really fast, because in most formula cars, you're
[36:58.520 -> 37:03.400] on constant, like constant, like depending on how fast you're going.
[37:03.400 -> 37:08.680] So that's a really nice corner. I mean it's also like Silverstone, Maggots and Becketts.
[37:08.680 -> 37:09.980] It's very hard.
[37:09.980 -> 37:10.480] Yeah.
[37:10.480 -> 37:14.180] Yeah. I mean, even Hyderabad, right?
[37:14.180 -> 37:16.640] The middle section is so technical.
[37:16.640 -> 37:19.920] And when it's technical, it's like Monaco, right?
[37:19.920 -> 37:22.480] It's like, it's 0 and 1.
[37:22.480 -> 37:24.760] To be at 100% is so difficult.
[37:24.760 -> 37:25.000] But to be at 99%, you are losing out. To be at 100% is so difficult.
[37:25.200 -> 37:29.000] But to be 99% you're losing out. To go 101%
[37:29.200 -> 37:29.600] Right.
[37:29.800 -> 37:37.800] So, that fear and commitment and aspect is always the, that's what keeps us going.
[37:38.000 -> 37:38.400] Nice.
[37:39.000 -> 37:42.400] That's a nice track design. But don't you want like any straights in there?
[37:42.600 -> 37:49.160] Because I mean, you are ending up like Monaco where you're completely focused, don't have any room to change any settings or do anything.
[37:49.160 -> 37:51.160] That's what tests us right?
[37:51.160 -> 37:53.160] Yeah that's true.
[37:53.160 -> 37:58.620] If you have straights then you are able to think and breathe and recover and incorporate.
[37:58.620 -> 38:05.960] When it's intense it's like yeah let's keep going and let's see who is the fittest or who's the strongest and who can keep up mentally. Fair enough.
[38:05.960 -> 38:06.960] Fair enough.
[38:06.960 -> 38:10.160] Hey, I have to ask you this one.
[38:10.160 -> 38:16.000] Like, of course, Yoruj is going up, but the other turn coming down, the corkscrew on Laguna
[38:16.000 -> 38:20.280] Seca, every time I have driven it on a sim, like that's one of my favorite things, but
[38:20.280 -> 38:21.800] you haven't actually driven it.
[38:21.800 -> 38:23.840] Please tell me how is it?
[38:23.840 -> 38:25.320] Every time you enter that corner, you feel you're going actually driven it. Please tell me how is it? Every time you enter that corner,
[38:25.320 -> 38:27.440] you feel you're gonna miss it.
[38:27.440 -> 38:29.840] And unfortunately, it's a left and a right,
[38:29.840 -> 38:32.520] so the barrier is not very far.
[38:32.520 -> 38:36.960] So, yeah, it's like spa or something, right?
[38:36.960 -> 38:38.680] It's like one unique thing.
[38:38.680 -> 38:41.560] And people don't understand the next two corners
[38:41.560 -> 38:44.080] after the corkscrew is even harder
[38:44.080 -> 38:46.160] because the fast kind of fast right
[38:46.160 -> 38:51.280] so if you don't sequence right somebody will you know be behind you and take you to that corner
[38:51.280 -> 38:59.040] right so yeah interesting and laguna seca there's a lot of sand yeah a lot of sand exactly yeah
[39:00.320 -> 39:07.400] there's like wind one extra lap you know there's a lot of changes so there's this wind one extra lap, you know, there's the group kind of changes. So, there's many variables of that particular track in New York.
[39:07.400 -> 39:10.720] That's... that must be challenging too.
[39:10.720 -> 39:13.960] Like, the conditions changing with, yeah, wind and sun.
[39:13.960 -> 39:16.160] Chennai new circuit is, I think, near the beach.
[39:16.160 -> 39:17.760] So, I don't know if there's an effect of that.
[39:17.760 -> 39:20.040] Yeah.
[39:20.040 -> 39:23.400] Yeah, that is, I mean, that is a question we brought up
[39:23.400 -> 39:43.680] and Sarang and I were chatting on a completely independent thing, which is, how much does, you know, dew, humidity, chances of rainfall, being closer to like Hussain Sagar for Hyderabad or like sea at Chennai, you know, impact that racing conditions, driver behavior or whatever, right? Like, how much impact does that have?
[39:43.680 -> 39:48.720] behavior or whatever, right? Like how much impact does that have? It's a huge impact. It's literally a gamble because one, we don't have formula
[39:48.720 -> 39:55.520] on technology or weather. Everyone is opening five weather apps and looking at it and just
[39:55.520 -> 40:02.080] assimilating the best they can do. That's like, there was a situation last year where
[40:02.080 -> 40:05.440] there was a, we had qualifying and then it drizzled.
[40:05.440 -> 40:08.320] And then we went out thinking it's going to rain more.
[40:08.320 -> 40:11.560] And unfortunately, after the third minute, it stopped raining.
[40:11.560 -> 40:14.320] And then it dried up and the guys put slicks and went.
[40:14.320 -> 40:20.840] That was my worst qualifying because I am like, I am 10 seconds slow.
[40:20.840 -> 40:32.840] And the three of us who went in the beginning felt like idiots. So, I think, I mean it's a bit of you can call it strategic thinking but I think it's just more love.
[40:32.840 -> 40:38.320] Is it? Dude, I'm thinking it's more like playing blind poker and everyone is going all in.
[40:38.320 -> 40:40.320] Right? Yeah.
[40:40.320 -> 40:42.320] Roll of the dice.
[40:42.320 -> 40:46.000] And all these native ways, looking up, doing this.
[40:46.000 -> 40:49.000] Somebody says I have been here for 10 years, I know all the clouds come.
[40:49.000 -> 40:51.000] All those random things.
[40:51.000 -> 40:55.000] Most unscientific approaches start coming into play.
[40:55.000 -> 40:59.000] I live here only, I have seen this place for the last 10 years.
[41:02.000 -> 41:05.000] Poor ISRO and NASA figuring out.
[41:05.000 -> 41:17.200] But like you've driven these many cars and different types of cars and you know all these
[41:17.200 -> 41:18.840] natures of cars.
[41:18.840 -> 41:23.820] How do you sort of like, what's the conversation between you and your mechanic and your race
[41:23.820 -> 41:28.000] engineer in the pits where you're trying to see, again, like as the race design track, right?
[41:28.000 -> 41:33.500] Like you're trying to bring in these elements from your experience into this new car that you're sitting into.
[41:33.500 -> 41:45.000] So the Wolf car essentially is like a Formula car. It's very light. It has a bit of aero, the power to weight is quite good
[41:45.380 -> 41:48.920] because if you compare it to a Formula 4 car,
[41:48.920 -> 41:50.720] it's way faster.
[41:50.720 -> 41:53.180] Maybe aero-wise it's matching a little bit less.
[41:54.080 -> 41:55.680] We are running on MRF slicks,
[41:55.680 -> 41:57.480] which is again a different tire.
[41:57.480 -> 41:59.240] The Wolf, when they run in Europe,
[41:59.240 -> 42:00.640] they use a different tire.
[42:00.640 -> 42:04.640] So again, you can't set up the Wolf car
[42:04.640 -> 42:07.000] for that European tire, it's a different tire. And, you can't just, you can't set up the Wolf car for that European tyre. It's a different tyre.
[42:07.000 -> 42:16.000] And then it comes to track surfaces, right. You can go with an aggressive setup, but you know, mid-race, your tyres are done and then you lose out.
[42:16.000 -> 42:26.200] Or you go for a easier setup where you struggle in the first two laps, but you're in the end, you are much more competitive. So, that's exactly when you have practice, error tires.
[42:26.200 -> 42:29.200] You really want to like stretch the limits, right?
[42:29.200 -> 42:30.700] Like a rubber band.
[42:30.700 -> 42:34.000] You want to try just really absurd, stupid things.
[42:34.000 -> 42:36.000] And know the feeling of it.
[42:36.000 -> 42:39.000] End of the day, feelings is like a big database for racing.
[42:39.000 -> 42:42.000] Like, I know that works, I know that doesn't work.
[42:42.000 -> 42:44.600] And in case you have been thrown in that position, good or bad,
[42:44.600 -> 42:46.300] you know how to react and how to get over it.
[42:46.300 -> 42:52.200] So, you kind of go either ends and then you keep diverging, diverging, diverging and find like, okay, that works.
[42:52.200 -> 42:57.500] And then in this condition, we tried this and this worked, we tried that and that doesn't work.
[42:57.500 -> 43:06.800] So, you kind of have your cards and once you've tried everything, you know, it's just a plug and play thing saying that this will surely work, that won't work and then you fine tune from there.
[43:06.800 -> 43:17.760] To go a bit into your past, right? Like you've done this, you were nominated and you've been part of this FIA Young Driver Excellence Academy.
[43:17.760 -> 43:36.400] And I think it was a backing with FMSCI. For all of these young folks listening or you know, hopefully listening and trying to get into the sport, what sort of support does FMSCI bring in such cases and what sort of platform has it given you and it gives you?
[43:36.400 -> 43:49.960] So, actually I was having a conversation with someone else today and they say same question, how does someone start? I'm a bit jealous right now because this is probably the best time to start in India. There are people coming in, there are
[43:49.960 -> 43:54.880] investing, there are championships, there are more cars, there is a pathway, there is
[43:54.880 -> 44:01.400] an and not even not as a racing driver, the whole ecosystem is standing. The whole industry
[44:01.400 -> 44:06.240] is suddenly going two fold, three fold. I wish I was 15 right now.
[44:06.240 -> 44:10.720] Because if I was doing really well, I mean, it's a very good time.
[44:10.720 -> 44:13.040] And this is not only racing, it's karting, right?
[44:13.040 -> 44:18.000] So, if you are talented and focused right now,
[44:18.000 -> 44:24.880] I think you are in the best time in India to have that ladder or segue to go international and then keep getting support.
[44:24.880 -> 44:29.480] So, saying that and coming back to FMSA, you know, they're playing a huge role.
[44:29.480 -> 44:35.160] You take this year itself, we've got Formula E, one of the largest races in the world to
[44:35.160 -> 44:41.200] India, or MotoGP, which is the largest two-wheeler race in India. You know, there's always speculation
[44:41.200 -> 44:45.160] of Formula One coming back. So, they're also doing their bit of getting
[44:45.160 -> 44:46.680] international exposure.
[44:46.680 -> 44:49.480] We're getting a couple more new tracks in India,
[44:49.480 -> 44:52.400] I mean, a couple more karting tracks and racing tracks.
[44:52.400 -> 44:54.280] We want to get some Asian racing over,
[44:54.280 -> 44:57.360] some Middle East racing over.
[44:57.360 -> 45:00.760] So the whole ecosystem is suddenly energized, charged up
[45:00.760 -> 45:04.920] to invest, to grow, to push.
[45:04.920 -> 45:09.800] Yeah, I mean, and touching on the FI Institute, I was very lucky.
[45:09.800 -> 45:16.120] That was probably the most career defining moment in my life because I represented India
[45:16.120 -> 45:18.000] in the Asia Pacific shootout.
[45:18.000 -> 45:22.480] So there were drivers from New Zealand, Australia, and a whole bunch of Asian countries, I think
[45:22.480 -> 45:24.440] about 15 of us.
[45:24.440 -> 45:26.440] And it was an evaluation.
[45:26.440 -> 45:30.080] Obviously driving was the biggest element. There was a fitness test, there was a psychometric
[45:30.080 -> 45:34.940] testing, there's interview sessions. So there were three days of testing on basically can
[45:34.940 -> 45:41.280] you do, are you 100% on track and off track right? And I went there again, no expectations,
[45:41.280 -> 45:47.600] I did a bit of training, went there, nobody They were all ex-Formula 1 guys. Managers, drivers.
[45:47.600 -> 45:49.800] So, they have seen enough over their decades.
[45:49.800 -> 46:11.640] So, at the end of the 3 days, I won the competition which was a very big validation for my parents and for me because a set of external kind of stakeholders or judges and they kind of see your future
[46:11.640 -> 46:16.320] or see talent in you then you know it's not like you're raised in India and then your
[46:16.320 -> 46:26.000] uncles and aunties are like, it's professional people saying there's something new. Right? That was a big turning point in my life.
[46:26.000 -> 46:28.000] Okay, let's switch
[46:28.000 -> 46:30.000] gears a little. Let's talk
[46:30.000 -> 46:32.000] a little bit about
[46:32.000 -> 46:34.000] at least we have heard from our research
[46:34.000 -> 46:36.000] that your role model
[46:36.000 -> 46:38.000] is Lewis Hamilton. So let's talk
[46:38.000 -> 46:40.000] about him a little. Tell us about
[46:40.000 -> 46:42.000] like what particular qualities
[46:42.000 -> 46:44.000] about him you really like and why do you consider
[46:44.000 -> 46:45.120] him as a role model?
[46:45.120 -> 46:47.680] You know, nowadays everyone says it because it's cool.
[46:47.680 -> 46:52.640] The initially why I started following Hamilton was whenever you watch his interviews or anything,
[46:52.640 -> 46:55.720] you always used to say when I used to start karting, I used to brake very late.
[46:55.720 -> 47:01.280] And then my father used to come and stand where the kid who brakes the latest and then
[47:01.280 -> 47:05.200] stand like two steps away and used to go break there.
[47:05.520 -> 47:08.560] So it's a, it's a, like a driving characteristic.
[47:08.560 -> 47:08.840] Right.
[47:08.840 -> 47:11.200] So when I like, it's a, it's a style of driving.
[47:11.200 -> 47:11.920] We all have styles.
[47:13.000 -> 47:14.720] Your brothers, cousins, your mother, father.
[47:17.400 -> 47:21.040] So I think when I started racing, I didn't know that was my style.
[47:21.040 -> 47:25.000] Then when I knew that Lewis Hamilton was doing it, I kind of said, yeah, you know.
[47:25.000 -> 47:26.000] That's my style now.
[47:26.000 -> 47:29.000] Yeah, that's my style.
[47:29.000 -> 47:39.000] I started following him. So, yeah, I think that's when I started following him and then it's like when you, it's like anything there's a limit, right?
[47:39.000 -> 47:45.000] Either you go below and build up or you go above and come back to that same limit.
[47:45.000 -> 47:48.000] So the Lewis way of doing it is go beyond and come back.
[47:48.000 -> 47:50.000] So that's my style.
[47:50.000 -> 47:55.000] So maybe it works sometimes, it doesn't work, but most of the times it's worked out.
[47:55.000 -> 47:57.000] And then everything else, right?
[47:57.000 -> 48:02.000] You know, when you are one of the few Indians, a person of color racing around,
[48:02.000 -> 48:06.320] there are challenges, there are things which it's
[48:06.320 -> 48:11.280] improving today and you don't really know these things until you face it.
[48:11.280 -> 48:18.000] So when you kind of put yourself in his shoes 20-25 years ago and his race is even, it's
[48:18.000 -> 48:23.060] even tougher and you're like, man that guy has come through all that and he's not come
[48:23.060 -> 48:24.060] from a wealthy background, right.
[48:24.060 -> 48:31.000] So when you look at all these aspects of his life, so he's, you know, he's come through all that and he's not come from a wealthy background. So, you look at all these aspects of his life. So, he's as tough as a diamond. He's mentally solid.
[48:31.000 -> 48:37.000] He's seen so much. He's beaten the people with more resources. He's made it.
[48:37.000 -> 48:45.680] So, that kind of exposure, upbringing, adversity in life, I think that's something you look forward to, right?
[48:45.680 -> 48:48.320] So you, many people, even,
[48:48.320 -> 48:50.080] I mean, with so much he's gone through,
[48:50.080 -> 48:51.320] he's still doing a good job.
[48:51.320 -> 48:53.480] And today, he's come full circle.
[48:53.480 -> 48:56.080] He wants to give back to the community.
[48:56.080 -> 48:57.560] So that's very admirable.
[48:57.560 -> 48:59.840] So there's a lot of on-track and off-track things
[48:59.840 -> 49:01.120] which I kind of admire of him.
[49:01.120 -> 49:02.080] Interesting.
[49:02.080 -> 49:03.920] Since you talk about full circle,
[49:03.920 -> 49:08.120] I love the fact that when they lost the championship,
[49:08.160 -> 49:09.840] right after that,
[49:09.960 -> 49:14.960] he decided to take the fluorescent yellow T-cam car as saying that,
[49:15.760 -> 49:17.520] you know, I'm starting again, end of the thing,
[49:18.080 -> 49:21.360] being the end of the second driver, you know, I love that.
[49:22.920 -> 49:27.520] Again, we sidetracked, but like, what's your family background?
[49:27.520 -> 49:32.400] I don't think we're able to find that much, but like, what's your family background?
[49:32.400 -> 49:34.040] What kind of support do you have received?
[49:34.040 -> 49:35.040] Nobody racing.
[49:35.040 -> 49:38.040] More degrees than I can count.
[49:38.040 -> 49:41.040] So I'm the least educated.
[49:41.040 -> 49:50.200] I think right from my, both my granddad's are PhDs my parents are like masters
[49:50.200 -> 50:06.000] my dad is double masters. I don't know what to draw. But saying that my dad's mom's side of the family were very into cars.
[50:06.000 -> 50:11.200] No racing or anything. Nobody followed racing or anything.
[50:11.200 -> 50:13.600] They knew a Michael Schumacher, they knew a Narendra Karthik.
[50:13.600 -> 50:16.600] But we just liked cars, right?
[50:16.600 -> 50:20.600] So, you know, when you go for a family gathering and then somebody goes,
[50:20.600 -> 50:23.600] I will all go stand about and ask questions.
[50:23.600 -> 50:26.320] Back in the day, I think I can say this now,
[50:26.960 -> 50:31.760] my father and my uncles and all, when speed limits were probably less restricted, they were
[50:33.440 -> 50:40.960] cars ability now is different. So that kind of thrill was there and that was probably
[50:40.960 -> 50:44.720] you know shaped me where we're talking about car, we're talking about performance, we're talking about
[50:44.720 -> 50:47.600] acceleration and we used to go on drives and all that.
[50:47.600 -> 50:57.280] That was the only influence I had. So that's the only car influence. My parents, my dad is an entrepreneur. He's been running the company for 25 years.
[50:57.280 -> 51:06.500] So again, a lot of inspiration from him. He's seen lows, he's seen highs. So, he has fought his own battles. He has seen all that.
[51:06.500 -> 51:12.580] My mom is a homemaker now. So, she has taken care of both my brother and me.
[51:12.580 -> 51:18.380] So, but yeah. I think, no racing. But, and like you said, the support.
[51:18.380 -> 51:28.040] It's been difficult because it is a financially expensive sport. Whatever it is, you know, even you want to come last or first, it's finance.
[51:28.040 -> 51:29.960] So you need to, you need to put an X amount of money.
[51:30.400 -> 51:34.560] So, and when you go back five years, 10 years, 15 years, 20 years, it was just
[51:34.560 -> 51:39.040] that much harder to raise money because there's no consumption, there's no
[51:39.040 -> 51:41.040] understanding, there's no education.
[51:41.560 -> 51:46.600] It is always, why do you want Indian company for sponsoring a guy in UK
[51:46.600 -> 51:51.360] or UK? What is our benefit? There is no ROI. And I don't even blame them. It's very hard
[51:51.360 -> 51:56.720] to. Today at least it's a global world. The consumption is reached higher. People know
[51:56.720 -> 52:02.440] Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc and all these teams. And today, you know, you can,
[52:02.440 -> 52:05.480] you take Formula One today, right right before it used to be engine
[52:05.480 -> 52:13.360] oils and car parts and now it is like software, tech, banking, I mean Bitcoin all kinds of
[52:13.360 -> 52:19.640] things so the whole industry is kind of there's more money in it.
[52:19.640 -> 52:20.640] Nice.
[52:20.640 -> 52:27.000] Alright let us ask you about a little bit of your future. What's your end goal? Where
[52:27.000 -> 52:32.560] do you see yourself? What's the end goal? Winning Le Mans? I don't know.
[52:32.560 -> 52:39.880] I think that's definitely on my mind. So I'm like I said, I'm 27. I've reached a certain
[52:39.880 -> 52:47.440] age where there are things which are far easier to do and probably things I can't afford to do. So GT is something I will stick with.
[52:47.440 -> 52:50.640] I definitely want to go to GT3 which is the higher level.
[52:50.640 -> 52:56.560] Do well, make a name and then like you said the NLS 24 hours of Nurburgring, try to win
[52:56.560 -> 52:57.560] that.
[52:57.560 -> 53:05.200] 24 hours of Spa, 24 hours of Le Mans, all these marquee 24 hours races, it's like
[53:05.200 -> 53:09.040] dividends, these are these single one-off events.
[53:09.040 -> 53:13.120] And then you have the big one which is the WEC, World Endurance Championship.
[53:13.120 -> 53:16.080] So yes, that's my aim, staying GTs and
[53:16.080 -> 53:19.280] nice. Yeah and I think somewhere down the line
[53:19.280 -> 53:23.520] it's just, I wanted to become a factory driver, I still do.
[53:23.520 -> 53:27.680] But it's I think whatever car I'm in and whatever race I'm in,
[53:27.680 -> 53:33.680] I think the simple innate goal is to just win that race and that particular event then and there.
[53:33.680 -> 53:35.600] Nice, that's a great approach.
[53:35.600 -> 53:42.960] Tell us a little bit more about what is the title of Hyderabad Blackbirds athlete that you have gained.
[53:42.960 -> 53:45.360] What is it about? what does that entail
[53:45.360 -> 53:50.720] see the the the interesting thing with our team is that like you said most of us a few of us have
[53:50.720 -> 53:59.120] been there since 2019 right we in the most we in the first year we had uh uh Vitan Antonio Luizzi
[54:00.880 -> 54:09.480] so he was quite good uh and then i mean they were i I mean, I'm probably the odd one out because I'm from Karnataka and not from Hyderabad.
[54:09.480 -> 54:16.600] But saying that, all of us have known each other for more than 5 to 7 years. We just get along.
[54:16.600 -> 54:25.120] And yeah, I mean, we have our quirks and things. And I think every time we meet as a team, it's just a fun weekend.
[54:25.120 -> 54:30.320] It's competitive and it's healthy which is the most important thing.
[54:30.320 -> 54:34.320] But you know, after the day where we are just chilling and talking about everything.
[54:34.320 -> 54:39.520] The one statement I would like to make is, I think most of my team members which I have shuffled,
[54:39.520 -> 54:45.000] I think everyone is married and has a kid. I am the only one in the... I don't have blackboard.
[54:45.000 -> 54:48.000] Drivers line up who are not married and doesn't have a kid.
[54:48.000 -> 54:51.000] That's the one distinction.
[54:51.000 -> 54:54.000] Is this an open invitation for anyone?
[54:54.000 -> 54:56.000] No.
[54:56.000 -> 54:58.000] I don't know.
[54:58.000 -> 55:00.000] I don't know.
[55:00.000 -> 55:07.240] On that bombshell, this was a lovely episode with Akhil.
[55:07.240 -> 55:08.440] Akhil, thanks for being here, man.
[55:08.440 -> 55:11.240] This was such a such a riot for the past one hour.
[55:12.880 -> 55:19.240] Yeah, folks, he's as he said, right, like, go check out the previous episodes of the show.
[55:19.920 -> 55:22.080] We dive deep into what's happening.
[55:22.080 -> 55:23.800] How can you be a part of this?
[55:24.480 -> 55:25.440] How can you support?
[55:25.440 -> 55:29.280] You've heard stories from all the guests that have been here.
[55:29.280 -> 55:37.520] Come to the racetracks, support these guys. There's too much sweat and blood that's going into this and has gone already into this.
[55:37.520 -> 55:45.360] So come to the racetracks. The schedule is going to be up, just follow us on Instagram. So, Akhil is at the rate Akhil
[55:45.360 -> 55:51.720] Rabindra. You can go to the at the rate F1 Fan Fiction or at the rate Indian Racing League.
[55:51.720 -> 55:56.880] There's too many at the rate, so if you follow either of the three, you'll eventually get
[55:56.880 -> 56:02.880] the details. But yeah, hope to see you guys there. Stay tuned. There's a few more episodes
[56:02.880 -> 56:08.640] coming in to tell you a bit more stories about behind the scenes and what's happening to make this event possible.
[56:08.640 -> 56:11.680] Until the next episode, these are your hosts, signing off.
[56:11.680 -> 56:12.680] Bye-bye.