Great Loss to Motor Sport
LAST MONTH THE motoring world su ered a huge loss with the passing away of John Surtees on 10 March. He was the only man to have won the 500-cc premier class motorcycle world championship and the Formula 1 world championship. Call it a coincidence of sorts but on this very same day (10 March) in 2003 Britain lost another motor sport great, double 500-cc world champion Barry Sheene, who was the last Englishman to win the premier class of motorcycle racing championship.
The Indian motor sport fraternity lost Ashwin Sunder and his wife in a road accident in Chennai. Ashwin, like John Surtees, had started his racing career on two wheels. May their souls rest in peace.
The biggest surprise for me was the Tata Tigor and the change of mindset among the people. At one time they refused to pay heed to feedback or criticism; now there is a 180-degree transformation as they are very eager to get feedback, especially where the car needs to be improved. If they continue in this way and keep working hard, it won’t be long before you will see cars from their stable take on the competition.
At the beginning of March I was in Jerez, Spain, to drive the new Audi A5 Cabriolet and the improvements in the new car make the old model feel outdated, just like the new E-Class. When the European manufacturers launch a new model, the previous car feels dated. Unfortunately, this is not the case when Indian manufacturers launch a new car. They struggle to match what is already on sale.
EDITOR – ASPI BHATHENA
