Toyota Kirloskar Motor is going to launch a six-race Etios Motor Racing series in three cities in India next year and would be shortlisting 25 drivers for the championship after the ongoing two-day camp in Chennai.
The series is to be held at Buddh International Circuit in Noida, which hosted India's first F1 Grand Prix last year, besides Chennai and Coimbatore, said the company's Managing Coordinator-Marketing Hitoshi Fukui here on Saturday.
"We are planning to hold two races each in these cities. The shortlisted 25 Indian drivers (at the end of the camp concluding in Chennai tomorrow) would pay Rs 1.5 lakh each as registration fee to take part in the championships. The top three drivers would have a chance to participate in championships overseas run by Toyota," said Fukui.
Company GM, R.K. Ramesh indicated that the championship, to be held in the latter half of 2013, could act as the stepping stone for those who want to take up car racing as their career.
"We started the process with over 3,000 applications, pruned it down to 50 (for the Chennai camp) from which the final 25 would be selected," said Ramesh.
The selected drivers would be trained by professional drivers and instructors from Toyota and local racing experts, according to the company officials.
As a forerunner to 2013 championship, supported by Toyota Racing Development who would provide FIA-qualified cars and racing parts, this year there would be a lot of motorsport activities to popularise it.