Unilazer Ventures, led by entrepreneur Ronnie Screwvala, is riding on a passion to place motor racing in India’s exotic destinations as a mass consumer product that will drive tourism
What was the vision that prompted UMoto?
As an emerging and developing global economy, India is a country of two wheelers. There is mass scale affiliation for two wheelers across the board. Secondly, car sports and F1 are much more expensive sports while UMoto will be a comparatively more mass sports product because the costs will be very different, as a lot more people can participate. It is a slightly aspirational sport but definitely for the mass consumer. We can take it to different states so that it can be at a national level and on a much more mass scale. Biking is something people in India can relate to.
How soon do you expect to start?
Once the permissions are in place we expect to roll out by October-November 2016. The races will be open street circuits having 2 km to 4 km loops and covering 55 to 60 km with multiple laps comparable to Moto 3 category with 250 cc bikes. There will be 10 teams with each team having two riders – one Indian and one foreign with one reserve rider who will also be Indian. The project is estimated to cost `300 crore as we are looking at a 10 year vision so we will be spending around `5 to `10 crore on each team per year. The teams will be selected through a bidding process like the Kabaddi League and there will be team owners. The teams will then undergo a three to six months training in a foreign location where bike racing is very popular, for them to get the feel of the sport. We want the bikers to connect with their machines because it is not the thrill of biking but it is the journey.
What kind of destinations will UMoto be placed in?
We are looking at Diu, Dadra Nagar Haveli, Puducherry where with the help of the CII, talks have already been initiated with the local administration and they have agreed in principle to support the sport. Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Kerala, Leh & Ladakh, Orissa and also the North East are the other destinations we are hoping to rope in. We are not seeking out niche destinations but rather undiscovered virgin territory. Initially we are looking at 10 destinations to place the idea, locations which are exotic and at the same time scenic and picturesque because the visual feel of the sport is very important especially because it is going to be broadcast. Television will take it national. For a bike race in India the excitement will not be on the track, it is going to be whats in the background – on a beach, by the sea, the mountains. Like in Diu it would be the churches, the heritage monuments, etc. The background has to be scenic and this will give a different feel of India as a destination to a global audience.
What is the support you are looking at from the local administration?
CII is helping us in our talks with the local administrations. We will be using the roads as natural tracks of course but we will need full infrastructure support from the local administration to prepare the roads for biking for the speeds looking at the safety of the racers as well as the audience, the safety nets, the pit stops, dividers, etc. We are looking at 10 to 15 year long term vision here. So the infrastructure has to match this vision. And we like to look at this product as responsible racing so safety is of paramount importance. We don’t want to associate speed with recklessness. We will be involving overseas consultants for the safety aspect.
How will Unilazer market and promote the concept?
Television will be the driving factor. It can take an event beyond boundaries and attract a global audience. Also, the digital platform which I see as a parallel stream of activity. The core audience of the future will be digital. Like Diu is positioning itself as the Isle of Calm, the tourism authority there can use UMoto to position it as the Isle of Calm racing week or something along those lines so that it can draw tourists by being an iconic stop on the tourism calendar every year in Diu and similarly the other destinations. The event would mean the entire biker community coming down to a particular location along with their tents, carriages and caravans so it is easier for tourism to play an equal part. We are not looking at ticket sales initially. In the first few years we want to get the viewers to come and see the race because they are interested enough. We want them to drive down to the destination in large numbers and be a part of the sport, and the destination then grows to accommodate these numbers. We Indians are not outdoors people by nature so the idea is to get the adrenaline into the system first.