The Madras International Karting Arena (MIKA) was inaugurated by two-time F1 champion Mika Hakkinen on Wednesday. Located adjacent to the start-finish straight of the Madras International Circuit (MIC) near Chennai, this is the first karting track in the country to meet global CIK (Commission Internationale de Karting) standards. Also present at the event were India’s former F1 drivers Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok.
1. 1.2km track designed with inputs from Karun Chandhok
2. Located alongside Madras International Circuit
MIKA - India’s first CIK-certified karting track
The FIA Grade 2-certified Madras International Circuit has been the hub of motorsport in India for decades, hosting multiple national championships and even the Indian Racing Festival. The venue also houses a dirt track customised to conduct national-level rally events. “The Madras International Karting Arena is a logical extension of MMSC’s (Madras Motor Sports Club) expansion plans to convert MIC into a multi-discipline motorsport facility that will cater to both competitive and leisure activities for all, including corporates. Obviously, it is a matter of pride for MMSC to have built the CIK-certified karting track as part of our continuing efforts to make significant contributions to develop and promote motorsport at the grassroots level,” said MMSC president Ajit Thomas.
The 1.2km track has been designed by Driven International – who also worked on updates made to the Buddh International Circuit and Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit - along with inputs from Karun Chandhok. And it is CIK-certified to host World Championship events in the future, something that is very much on the MMSC’s radar.
“We have ensured that the MIKA track was built in consultation with the CIK at every stage of construction, and it will be the first of its kind in India. The MIKA is a great addition to the existing facilities at the MIC, which itself has undergone upgrades over the past few years to secure a FIA Grade-2 certification,” added Thomas.
“We felt that it was important to not only have a track that the drivers enjoy and will be good for racing and overtaking, but also one that is easy to use operationally. We have created links to the existing paddock and pit lane at the main track to help the competitors with logistics, and with multiple track options, we will be able to run both leisure and competition karting.”
Mika Hakkinen on Madras International Karting Arena
The MIKA is already equipped with floodlights, a control room and a holding area with charging facilities for electric go-karts. However, the MMSC stresses that the facility is still a work-in-progress and there are plans in place to “make it attractive for family outings and corporate activities.”
As for the track itself, Hakkinen called it comparableto the top karting tracks in the world. "This is my first visit to Chennai, and it's been my pleasure to open the MIKA circuit along with India's only two F1 drivers, Narain and Karun. Karting is such an important first step for any driver today as they begin their journey towards Formula 1. The investment made by the Madras Motor Sports Club into this facility will be a big step towards preparing the future racing drivers from India,” he said.
“The layout of the circuit is really interesting for the drivers with a good mix of corners. It will be challenging and fun for the drivers, and combined with the latest CIK (the World governing body for Karting) safety standards, it really is comparable to the top Karting tracks in the World," Hakkinen added.
Suraj Viswanathan
