Ready, steady, go-karting!

The workshop, though, will be conducted by multiple-race winner Saurav Bandyopadhyay, and he tells us that he will teach participants different aspects of racing

There is a pretty straightforward reason why go-karting is often a gateway sport for eventual Formula 1 racers. Like it is with F1 cars, you are seated as close to the ground as possible in a go-kart, too. Plus, you can't really zip around on a busy street in a normal vehicle. But while go-karting, you drive on a track that is roughly on similar lines as the one in a Grand Prix.

So if you too want to take up the sport, sign up for a go-karting workshop scheduled at Wadala's Ajmera IndiKarting race track this weekend. The place was founded by the Ajemra Group and Rayomand Banajee, an eight-time national racing champion who started teaching youngsters the basics of go-karting in 2006. The workshop, though, will be conducted by multiple-race winner Saurav Bandyopadhyay, and he tells us that he will teach participants different aspects of racing. These include understeer, which occurs when a car steers less than the driver intended it to; oversteer, which is the opposite manoeuvre; and racing lines, which involves a person figuring out the optimal path in a race course so that he or she can finish in the fastest possible time.

Bandyopadhyay will also explain different rules to the participants, such as those that pertain to overtaking and different flags. A yellow flag indicates that you have to slow down, for instance, while a red one means that you have to enter the pit.

The instructor tells us, "We have a team called Rayo Racing that is the only one from India to win international titles. In fact, Jehan Daruvala [racing protégé from Mumbai] started his career with us."

He adds that the go-karts they use are four-stroke ones with 200 cc engines, which can reach a maximum speed of 60 km/hr. All you have to do is land up wearing shoes, trousers, a shirt and preferably a jacket, with helmets being provided at the venue.

On December 28 to 29, 11 am
At Ajmera IndiKarting, Wadala East, Bhakti Park, Chembur.
Call 8879755707
Cost Rs 14,999

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