The motorman for all seasons

The eldest Chandhok, Indu, founded the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India, the national body, his son Vicky Chandhok not only raced saloon and racing cars in India but headed almost every motorsport organisation in Tamil Nadu and India apart from taking his appointed place on several FIA (world body) commissions and his son Karun Chandhok is one of the two Formula One drivers India has ever produced. The three Chandhok generations have kept the racing baton in hand for almost six decades.

Vicky’s career as racing driver ended long back but since then he has been in the thick of motorsport action until recently. 

There would not be any race in Irrungattukottai without Vicky on track unless, of course, he is on a motorsport assignment elsewhere. 

But his FMSCI and FIA days behind him, Vichy has opted out of national and international duty now and concentrates on his business _motor car spares and commercial development_ apart from attending to his role as vice-president of the Madras Motor Sports Club. 

“The car is an integral part of me,” says Vicky, who held a long list of positions as Asia Zone delegate & deputy delegate (India) on the FIA World Motorsport Council and FIA karting commission and FMSCI Racing Commission chairman. 

Vicky considers his role as vice-chairman for three years of the Indian F1 GP organising committee as the most challenging since “nearly every day was challenging…working with the teams, circuit, Bernie Ecclestone (F1 boss), catering, supplies of fresh food, promotion and training of volunteers which was headed by a super-efficient team led by Prabha Shankar and overseen by me.” 

Though the Delhi F1 race has been discontinued, Vicky hopes India would be able to churn out another Formula One driver after some time. “Unfortunately I don’t see anyone on the horizon for at least five years after Narain (Karthikeyan) and Karun (Chandhok). Hopefully some of the half a dozen drivers currently racing abroad will get a crack at Formula 1 in the next five years,” says Chandhok. 

Vicky has no regrets about his stints as president of the FMSCI. “I had two fantastic stints where the FMSCI’s image building was my biggest challenge. We brought in manufacturers, the Asia Road Racing for two-wheelers, Formula One and overall established a great working relationship with all the stakeholders of the sport, I want to make it clear that I have not resigned from FMSCI. The job took its toll on many of my professional and commercial ventures which needed my time. I therefore did not offer myself for re-election at the AGM. I did not resign, it was time to step away.” 

Vicky is happy that MMSC has been awarded the rights for the next three years for the maximum number of National championships. 

Among the events allotted to MMSC are National four-wheeler racing championships consisting of the MRF1600, Indian Touring Cars championship, Indian Junior Touring Cars, Super Stock cars, VW Vento Cup, National two-wheeler racing championship, National Drag racing championship, National four-wheeler drag racing championship and the Tata T1 Prima FIA Championship. 

Vicky’s racing career may be over and Karun Chandhok may not race in Formula One again but it would be difficult to keep the family away from the track.