[1]Known as the three crown jewels of motorsport, Monaco Grand Prix, Indy500 and 24 hours of Le Mans are the most prestigious racing events in the world.
For the first time, all the three racing spectacles will have an Indian presence when the action unfolds in the coming weeks.
Narain Karthikeyan might be enduring a difficult time with the under-prepared Hispania Racing Formula One cars, but it will not stop the ace Indian soaking in the tiny principality's glamourous environment at the 70th edition of Monaco GP this weekend.
Armaan Ebrahim will blaze a trail on the other side of the Atlantic, as the Chennai youngster is the first Indian to be a part of America's Indy500 that attracts around 400,000 fans every year.
Elsewhere, Karun Chandhok, who is representing British team JRM Racing, can’t wait for the Le Mans 24hr-race to be held in the second week of June that marks its 80th edition of the classic endurance race.
Armaan says it’s truly a moment to cherish for the country’s racing fraternity. “Few would have thought there would be three Indians competing with the best drivers in the big ticket events such as Le Mans, Indy and Monaco.
It only goes to show the rapid progress we have made in racing,” added Armaan, who is gunning for glory in the feeder series Indy Lights after an encouraging test at the Indianapolis oval circuit.
Street circuits aren’t his favourite but Monaco, Narain says, is a special place. “It’s not that you get to race every day in such a beautiful setting and with such a special vibe surrounding the race.
It’s one of the toughest races because you are so close to the guardrails that you know you can’t make one single mistake.
Last year I had a decent outing despite facing many problems in qualifying and practice. Coming from a disappointing weekend in Barcelona, I am hoping for better luck this time and to get a proper chance to work with the updates we brought in Spain and have a trouble-free weekend,” added Narain.
Karun would better Narain’s feat when he starts the gruelling race at Le Mans. In 2009, Narain came out with strong performances in the practice and qualifying rounds of Le Mans, but only to be reduced to a spectator on race day. Minutes before the race began, Narain dislocated his shoulder when he tried to scale the pitwall to address nature’s call!
Three crown jewels of motorsport
24hr-Le Mans
* Held annually since 1923, it's is the world's oldest endurance race.
* The race begins in mid-afternoon, racing through the night and following morning before finishing at the same time the race started, the following day.
The competing teams will race in groups called classes of similar specification while at the same time competing for outright placing amongst all of the classes.
* Over the 24 hour period, competitors will complete race distances well over 5,000 km. The current record is 5,410 km, recorded in the 2010 race.
It is a distance over six times longer than the Indianapolis 500, or approximately 18 times longer than a F1 Grand Prix.
* The race traditionally began with cars lined up alongside the pit wall in the order in which they qualified.
The starting drivers would stand on the opposite side of the front stretch. When the French flag dropped, the drivers would run across the track to their cars.
For safety reasons, this starting method was changed in 1971 and was replaced with a rolling start.
Indy500
* First held in 1911, it has been billed the greatest racing event in America. The race is run on oval circuit over a distance of 500miles (800kms).
* The official attendance is not disclosed by Indianapolis Speedway management, but the permanent seating capacity is more than 257,000 people, and infield seating raises capacity to an approximate 400,000.
* Louis Meyer requested a glass of buttermilk after winning his second Indy 500 race in 1933. After winning his third title in 1936, he requested another glass but instead received a bottle.
He was captured by a photographer in the act of swigging from the bottle while holding up three fingers to signify the third win.
A local dairy company executive recognised the marketing opportunity in the image and offered a bottle of milk to the winners of future races. Milk has been presented each year since then.
Monaco GP
* Run since 1929, the circuit has been called an exceptional location of glamour and prestige.
* The race is held on a narrow course laid out in the streets of Monaco, with many elevation changes and tight corners as well as a tunnel, making it one of the most demanding tracks in Formula
* Monaco is also the only circuit which hosts F1 without paying fees and since these average at $28m annually it is a huge saving.
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