EXCLUSIVE | ‘Lived up to Their Promise’: Gaurav Gill Sees the Inaugural Indian Supercross Racing League as a Big Success

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In an exclusive interaction with News18 Sports, Gaurav Gill talks about the exposure that the ISRL has given to the Indian riders and their potential to grow further as seasons go by.

After delivering two fantastic shows in Pune and Ahmedabad, the final leg of the Indian Supercross Racing League (ISRL) is set to get underway in Bengaluru. The inaugural season of the Supercross extravaganza has showcased talents from India and abroad who have come together and delivered some high-octane action. A big figure in Indian motorsports, Gaurav Gill, sees it as a great platform to spot the next big talent.

Gill has a big reputation in Indian motorsports circuit with decades worth of experience. He has won the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championships thrice. He was also the first Indian to win the title. He is also the first from the country to have taken part in the World Rally Championship. In 2019, he became the first motorsports athlete to win the Arjuna Award as well.

In an exclusive interaction with News18 Sports, Gill believes the maiden edition of the ISRL was a big success and also a learning experience for the Indian riders as well.

Excerpts

What are your thoughts on the ISRL so far?

Well, the league organisers have lived up to their promise. That’s a great thing. And we are all collectively moving forward with more and more ideas to streamline the process and make it more easy going for the riders, team owners etc. We have only three legs this season, it’s a great way to showcase the event. Open it up for more teams and sponsors for season two.

Your views on the event being shifted from Delhi to Bengaluru?

It’s unfortunate that we couldn’t make it happen in Delhi. That would have been a big stepping stone, showcasing the event at the nation’s capital. It’s good to be a part of this. I am a team owner here (Gujarat Trailblazers), putting decades’ worth of experience to ensure that we can maximise the efforts.

How does the Indian Supercross Racing League benefit local riders in terms of international exposure and talent development?

Honestly, it’s a great opportunity for the Indian riders. They usually don’t get the chance to ride with this group of international guys. It’s also a good chance to spot Indian talent and to help them grow. They will take a little time, but by season 2 or season 3, they should be at par with the Asia/Pacific guys.

How big is the gap between the Indian and the International riders?

The gap is quite large at the moment because it’s all about exposure. If I do one or two races in a year versus 10 races a year, if they get to race against the top guys, they will get the chance to see what the top guys are doing and improvise accordingly.

Looking at the track, what do you think about it?

This track is at the world level which is good to see. This is something new for the Indian riders. This is a very hardcore supercross track. What they’re generally doing is motocross rider stuff. There are lower jumps, very high jumps and also technical jumps. The landings are very precise which they are not used to. This is what I meant by this being a good opportunity.

The final leg of the ISRL will take place on February 25 and will feature different categories of racers looking to compete and bring in the most points for their side.

Here are the list of races for the final leg in Bengaluru: