Faster

Ever wondered what it would be like to fill in a race driver’s shoes? Well, volkswagen provides the opportunity for you to find out.

- Debabrata Sarkar

This is what boyhood dreams are made of. A racetrack, the smell of freshly burnt rubber, a quick car and an exhaust that pops and crackles as it spits out un-burnt fuel. There is nothing that can quite parallel this sensation. Right foot planted on the floor, yanking at the paddle shifters to egg the car on and using every inch of the racetrack possible to carry maximum speed through each corner. There is also the process of contorting through the roll cage to get into the racing seat and the immense difficulty of looking anywhere but in front with the HANS device clipped on to your helmet. Also, since I am doing this in Chennai, I can feel sweat trickle down my face as a lake collects inside the racing overalls. It may sound disgusting now, but in what is literally the ‘heat’ of the moment, it all adds to the thrill of being a racecar driver (think of the F1 drivers who lose roughly 5kg through the duration of a race), even if it is for a weekend. As you’ve possibly gathered from the images on these pages, I am talking about the Volkswagen Vento Cup run by the company’s motorsport division and ably supported by MRF for all sticky rubber needs. No, not that kind, but the racing slicks kind.