Pernem: Things didn’t look good before start of the Round 4 of the Indian Racing Festival at Manohar International Airport in Mopa on Sunday. There was fire at a distance which organisers said was quickly controlled, but the smoke did raise questions.“It was a small incident, nothing major,” said chairman and managing director of Racing Promotions Pvt. Ltd Akhilesh Reddy. “The fire did not reach the lounges, it was about 700m away. Everyone is safe, there’s no mishap. It’s common here but the venue has not been affected in any manner.”The track was on fire later in the day with some high-octane racing that saw Goa Aces JA Racing – owned by Bollywood actor John Abraham – speed to victory as Raoul Hyman and Fabienne Wohlwend finished with a combined time of 42:11.779.With a strong crowd in attendance, many of them taking higher positions for a better view outside the venue, the Goa street circuit showcased the growing appeal of motorsport.“Cricket is the number one sport in our country, so motoracing needs all the support,” said Abraham, who also owns NorthEast United FC in the Indian Super League (ISL). “We have great owners in this league, their support matters a lot. It’s fantastic. This is my home race.”Seated next to the Bollywood actor was former India captain Sourav Ganguly, who owns the Kolkata Royal Tigers racing franchise and is also associated with football in the country through ISL. He probably spoke for a majority of those at Mopa when he said he didn’t know much about the sport, and had to be alert all through to catch the blink-and-you-miss action.“The moment you turn to your right form left, the car is gone,” said Ganguly. “Cricket matches happen in stadiums which are dedicated (to the sport). But to come into a city and create such an infrastructure and try and make something happen is absolutely special. “Motorsport around the world is a big sport, but it’s a very young sport in India. I am sure, with the support of the team, this will become bigger. It needs a bit of patience, a bit of support. We have to support the aspirations of young boys and girls who are aiming high,” he added.On the track, Hyman laid the foundation for Goa with a clinical opening stint, setting the fastest lap of 53.527s and steadily stretching his lead on the tight street circuit. Executing a clean run through traffic, he entered the mandatory swap window (19-22 minutes) in control and handed over the car with nearly a 20-second cushion, putting Goa Aces firmly on top.Wohlwend’s stint quickly turned into a pressure test when a safety car erased the lead and bunched up the field. The Liechtenstein driver responded with a strong restart, defended confidently and rebuilt her gap despite pressure from Ruhaan Alva. She maintained control to the chequered flag, becoming only the second female race winner in the championship’s history.The win marked Goa Aces’ tenth victory in the Indian Racing Festival. They are now a point ahead of Speed Demons Delhi, while Kichcha’s Kings Bengaluru are placed third.
