India will host its first ever commercial vehicle racing event, T1 Prima Truck Racing championship, in March but will have no Indian driver on the grid.
Tata Motors, which supports India's first F1 driver Narain Karthikeyan, today launched the series, which is being held under the aegis of FIA and FMSCI.
12 international drivers in six teams will compete at the Buddh International circuit on March 22-23 in the one-off race in its inaugural edition.
The specially built trucks, powered by 370bhp, can touch a maximum speed of 110kph.
Karl Slym, MD Tata Motors said theirs is a unique initiative.
"Many things have been done before (in racing) but this is ground breaking. It's a first in this kind of initiative."
Asked why an Indian driver is not there, R Ramakrishnan, Senior Vice President (Commercial) of Tata Motors said," We are conducting it for the first time, so we will have experts driving this year but definitely we will have Indians in the following editions."
He added that this series will "throw trucks in a different league" and will help create a new identity for truck drivers.
"An average truck driver will see himself in a different light," he said.
