The Indian Motorcycle League(IML) was launched in Chennai by motorcycle riders Sarath Kumar, Harry Sylvester, K Rajini, K Jagan, and IML’s chairman Rasheed Khan. The Indian motorsports governing body FMSCI has approved the IML class.
The IML’s mission is to provide a platform for young riders to display their riding skills in three rounds of endurance racing; selected riders will be further nurtured to hone their skills. In its first season the preliminary round will be held at Coimbatore in February, subsequently the remaining rounds will be held at BIC and Chennai. TVS Racing will provide their Apache RTR 180 motorcycles to the teams; with a 28-year-long experience in motorsport this association will add another feather to its cap.
This inaugural year will see Indian riders and in the forthcoming season in 2015, Asian riders will be racing for the honours. In 2016, international riders will be added to make it more interesting.
Rasheed Khan, chairman IML, said, “It gives us immense pleasure to announce the arrival of the Indian Motorcycle League (IML), a trendsetter and the first of its kind in Two Wheeler Racing in Indian motorsports with a new format.”
Khan, an avid motorsports enthusiast, who has spent more than a decade in racing, also said,“We have many talented young riders in India, but unfortunately the opportunities for them to perform are very limited. Keeping this in mind, IML has drawn up a plan to provide an opportunity to all the potential riders in India. In its unique structure, IML Class is similar to the IPL format where 40 riders under franchise teams from eight cities will be selected from across the country to take part in the endurance racing format.”
He also added that IML will be providing all the necessary stuff like riding equipment, bike and technical support to every franchise team. Along with the equipment and support all teams will be entitled to have their own dedicated coach to train riders. The selected riders will have to mark their presence at the track and IML will ensure that they are provided with all they need to go racing.
