Tollywood actor Akkineni Naga Chaitanya has acquired ownership of the Hyderabad Blackbirds racing team that will be participating in the inaugural season of the Formula 4 Indian Championship.
The Formula 4 Championship will be held alongside the Indian Racing League (IRL) in Hyderabad towards the end of this year. “Being a part of motorsport has always been something I have looked out to do. It gives me immense happiness in being able to be a part of the Hyderabad Blackbirds team. Personally, I see the Indian Racing League (IRL) going off to be a prominent name in Indian motorsport, providing great entertainment to all the enthusiasts out there, as well as being a platform for young talents to rise. I am keenly looking forward to the street races this season which I believe will be a great experience for the viewers. With the awareness of motorsport growing amongst all age groups, it’s a great time to be a part of it. I’d like to thank Akhil for making this happen,” Naga Chaitanya said.
Making its debut last year, the IRL - a street circuit-designed race garnered much public attention, with Blackbirds’ drivers Akhil Rabindra and Neel Jani achieving first and second finishes in the Drivers’ Championship, respectively. The Blackbirds also secured the second position in the overall Teams’ Championship.
The FIA-certified Formula 4 Indian Championship will see the home team compete in the event that is launched to promote young Indian drivers.
“We are excited to have Naga Chaitanya join our vision for motorsport in India. What we are getting is not only a very influential actor but also an individual whose passion for motorsport is well known, and, more fundamentally, an individual who wants to contribute to developing motorsport in India. Hyderabad is a city with a very aspirational auto-enthusiast audience, and there’s no one better than Chaitanya to be the flag-bearer. His investment is also a very important step towards showcasing how lucrative the Indian racing festival platform is and the potential it holds,” Akhil Reddy, chairman and managing director of RPPL, said.
