Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 14 (IANS) A Kerala startup on Saturday made its plans clear to make competitive motorsports more affordable by developing a new category of racing car that will bridge the gap between go-karts and Formula 4, offering aspiring drivers a less expensive route into professional racing.
The initiative by M&N Racing Team has secured the backing of Mathias Lauda, son of legendary Formula One champion Niki Lauda, who believes the rising cost of motorsports is shutting out talented youngsters across the world.
“It was expensive even when I entered the F1 world in the early 2000s. It has gone up much more,” Lauda said at a panel discussion at Huddle Global 2026, organised by the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) at Kovalam.
The proposed car will be designed in Kerala and manufactured in Europe using Italian technology.
The project aims to create a structured pathway for young drivers, with safety and professional development as key considerations.
The financial barrier to entering motorsports has become increasingly steep.
Jose Pottomkulam, founder of M&N Racing Team, said a season of go-karting in India could cost an aspiring driver around Rs 25 lakh, while moving from karting to Formula 4 could cost nearly four times as much.
In Europe and the US, expenses could be around 10 times higher, he said.
This has made competitive racing largely accessible only to families wealthy enough to finance years of training and competition.
Lauda, who has joined the venture as a partner, said the high cost was denying opportunities to talented youngsters.
He began racing in his twenties, though aspiring drivers ideally need to start much earlier to progress through the ranks.
Pottomkulam, popularly known as Ootta, described the venture as an attempt to take motorsports innovation from Kerala to the world.
The project has received support from the Kerala Startup Mission, along with backing from automobile manufacturers and individual financiers.
Further funding will be required to take it to the next stage.
The panel also highlighted the shortage of dedicated racetracks in India.
The absence of safe venues, speakers said, was pushing young enthusiasts towards illegal road racing, exposing themselves and others to accidents and fatalities.
Developing proper racing facilities was seen as essential to expanding the sport.
–IANS
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