X1 Racing League’s inclusiveness is commendable: Mann

By Rohit Mundayur

New Delhi, Nov 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) Pippa Mann is one of the foreign drivers who have been roped in for the X1 Racing League. The inaugural edition of the league, founded by drivers Armaan Ebrahim and Aditya Patel, will be held over two legs at the Buddh International Circuit (November 30 to December 1) in the National Capital Region and the Madras Motor Race Track (December 7-8) on the outskirts of Chennai.

"Armaan and I used to race Formula Renault together back in the day when we were just kids starting out," Mann told IANS. "He first contacted me about the concept of this championship and how they want it to be inclusive of female drivers as well as promoting Indian talent. I felt it was a really cool idea. When he got back in touch with me and said that this was happening, I was thrilled to be one of the drivers for the first year."

Each team consists of five drivers -- one international male driver, one international female driver, one Indian international driver (Indian racers who have participated in international racing events) and two Indian domestic drivers.

Mann, who in 2011 became the first British female to win the Indy 500, commended the efforts that have been made to include female drivers on an equal footing in the race, something which she feels Europe is yet to truly come to terms with.

"Where I live and race now in the US, I am incredibly lucky that I show up and I am seen as just another race car driver," she said. "People expect me to do the job and think that I can do it until proven otherwise. Whereas throughout my time in Europe, I was not greeted with that mentality at a race track. People did not really want you there and believed you can't do the job until proven otherwise. That there was not only the need but that the W-Series happened shows that Europe really hasn't moved forward. The only way in Europe that the vast majority of women find any money to race at all is to go and race in the W-Series.

"This is part of the reason why I think it's so cool that Arman and Aditya when they were looking at this they were like okay, how can we do this in a way that is inclusive and proves that we believe that female drivers should be on an equal footing to everyone else."

Mann is part of the Mumbai Falcons and said that she has been in touch with her teammates via e-mail, although she is yet to meet any of them. "This will be the first time I will be visiting your country. My Indian teammates have been fantastic, they've shared some information that will hopefully help me get used to the race tracks quicker because I know that we will have limited time to practice. It is a brand new adventure for me, much as it is for the series," she said.

(Rohit Mundayur can be contacted at rohit.m@ians.in)

Source: IANS