Pune: Picture this: At the buzzing Madras Motor Race Track (MMRT) in Sriperumbudur, cars are getting lined up for their races, the pit crew is busy giving last minute touches, the race officials are busy on their radios, the drivers are all geared up waiting to hit the tarmac and just before the high voltage action could unfold, a Volkswagen Vento with a siren zips on the track to check whether everything is right.
The Vento which is used as the safety car during the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Car Racing Championship forms an important part of any race held at MMRT.
Sakal Times caught up with the safety car driver Ananthraj P (popular as Andy in the racing fraternity) as he shares his experience of his role in a race.
“I have been driving a safety car from the past two and a half years. Before that, I used to take part in two wheeler racing. I started racing in 2010 and till now I have won three championships and ended as a runner-up in a couple of championships,” informed Ananthraj.
In 2017 he volunteered to help at the race track. So Madras MotorSports Club (MMSC) gave him a chance to drive the safety car.
“Before we were using the Volkswagen Polo as the safety car and Vento as the medical car. Now Volkswagen has provided us the Vento which was used in races earlier, to be used as the safety car,” Ananthraj added.
Throwing some light on this transition, Ananthraj said “Coming from a two wheeler racing background, driving the safety car was easy for me. While driving the safety car we have a big responsibility of the safety of the drivers/riders who are taking part in the race.”
When quizzed about his role in a race, Ananthraj said “My responsibility starts before the pit lane is opened. “I have to go to the start grids and line-up in front of the cars. Once the five minute board comes up, I have to go around the track for clearance. After the cars are outlapped, something may be left on the track which might be a metal piece or some slush or some foreign body comes on the track. I have to go and check whether the track is ready for the race or not.”
So once I finish, I come back into the pit lane and give a shout to the race control, after which they go ahead with other things.”
When asked whether he has had any tense moments, Ananthraj said there were quite a few.
“There have been many tense incidents. One which tops the list is: Once I was sitting coolly in the safety car when something happened on the track and my radio was not working as the place where I was positioned, there was no signal. People were calling for the safety car and here I was still sitting. The cars were almost going to cross Turn One and came till the last corner. They were shouting for the whole lap but I was not able to hear it.”
“Suddenly the pit lane exit marshals ran to me and informed me about the same. Suddenly I took off and in a hurry I went inside and joined the track like any other race car in front of the other cars. This incident was a close one which I will never ever forget.”
