CRA Motorsports has unveiled the Atom GP1 race bike that will be used in an all-new championship for young riders later this year. It’s a move that could give a big boost to grassroots-level racing in India, giving young riders a more cost-effective way to kickstart their racing careers.
- Atom GP1 mini race bike costs Rs 2.75 lakh (without GST)
- New championship planned to start around October 2023
- Inaugural edition for riders aged 10-17
Atom GP1 mini race bike: local production brings down cost
Just like the Ohvale GP-0 160 bikes used in the MiniGP championship, the Atom GP1 has especially been designed for kids to race on. But CRA Motorsports plans to introduce training sessions for adults as well sometime in the future. The inaugural edition of the championship will be for riders aged 10-17.
Coming to the bike itself, it weighs around 85kg (with the 4-litre fuel tank filled up) and is powered by a 159.3cc, single-cylinder, two-valve, air-cooled engine putting out 15.05hp and 13.85Nm. CRA says it’s capable of a top speed of 105kph, and that it can produce 250 units a year.
The Atom GP1 costs Rs 2.75 lakh, and with 28 percent GST, takes the price up to around Rs 3.52 lakh. The key thing here, though, is that the bike has been designed and manufactured in India. So, while a lot of similar-spec mini racing bikes may cost around the same abroad, by the time import duties and GST is factored in, the price can balloon up to around Rs 9 lakh.
A more affordable race bike opens up the opportunity for a lot of young riders to make their first steps in the world of professional racing. And in a sport where starting out young is crucial, bringing down the cost of entry is key in a country like India.
Atom GP1 championship details
Plans are in place for the inaugural edition of the championship to get underway after this year’s Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship (INMRC) wraps up – around October 2023. A total of four rounds will be held at Meco Kartopia in Bengaluru, and these rounds will be clubbed with other racing events.
The grid will consist of a minimum of eight and a maximum of 15 riders. This won’t be a one-make championship run by CRA Motorsports. Instead, the grid will be filled with teams who will purchase the race bikes. These teams will run the bikes as well as select and field their riders.
While the first season will be run entirely in India, there are plans to expand to international rounds next year. The idea is to have multiple rounds across Asia in 2024; winners of each round will then progress to the Asia grand finals where one overall winner will be crowned. By 2025, which will be the third year of the championship, CRA Motorsports is hoping to race in 15 countries worldwide – including Asia, Europe and USA.
Additionally, CRA Motorsports will also have the Atom GP1 available for budding riders to train on at their various training locations across India, UAE and Malaysia.
As for the racing licence, the FMSCI currently provides those to racers aged 13 and above. However, Autocar India understands that a new licence system will be put in place for 10-13-year-olds as well.
Stay tuned to this space for more updates.
Dinshaw Magol
