Truong Nam Thanh, who finished in the top 10 off the MUBA Auto Gymkhana Cup in 2019, will be one of racers at the Vietnam Motorkhana Championship on January 15 in Hanoi. (Photo courtesy of organisers) Nearly 30 drivers, who qualified last May in Dai Nam Race Course in thesouthern province of Binh Duong, will attend the event which is officiallyorganised at national level for the first time.
The track the drivers will race on was original constructed to host the Formula1 event that was cancelled due to COVID-19 in 2020.
Motorkhanas are motor sport events designed to test the acceleration, brakingand handling of cars and the skill and judgment of drivers.
It involves manoeuvring a car through tight tests as quickly as possible -- onecar at a time -- on either dirt or bitumen surfaces. This usually requiressliding and spinning the car accurately while maintaining speed through thetest course. Some reversing is usually included.
Most importantly, motorkhanas provide fun and enjoyment while practising andlearning car control. Oversteer and understeer will be found in abundance, butat safe speeds under controlled conditions.
Motorkhana seems unique to Australia and New Zealand, but similar events areknown as Autotest in the UK, Autocross or Solo in the US, and may be known asAutokhana or Gymkhana elsewhere.
At the January 15 event, co-organised by the Vietnamese Motorsport AssociationLimited Liability Company (VMA LLC) and the Hanoi Department of Culture andSports, drivers will compete in two competitions.
The first category consists of 16 racers, who have been granted a sports carracing licence by VMA LLC. The second category consists of 11 athletes from VMALLC member clubs across the country.
Among athletes are Truong Nam Thanh who was in top 10 off the MUBA AutoGymkhana Cup in 2019; Bảo Bảo who is Vietnam's first professional female racerand has raced in Grand Prix – F1 events in Shanghai, Monaco and Singapore aswell as racing tracks in Mugello and Abu Dhabi; and Pham Thanh Dung, the onlyfemale driver in the Vietnam's first professional racing club, RedlineMotorsport Club.
Vehicles used in racings are sedans, hatchbacks, CUV and SUV types which arenormal means of daily transportation.
In addition to the main competition categories at the tournament, drivers andguests will also participate in the experience of Go Kart racing.
Due to the impact of COVID-19, audiences are not allow to watch at the trackbut the races but they will be broadcasted live on K channel.
This is the first time Vietnam's famous F1 racetrack has organised acompetition since its completion last year.
The championship is scheduled to be held annually following FIA standards. Thebest drivers will represent Vietnam at the FIA World Motorsport Games in Europein October.
VMA LLC has confirmed to host a stage of the Asia AutoGymkhana Championship in Hanoilater this year. Vietnam will have three representatives to compete.
VMA LLC is the FIA's Vietnam National Sporting Authority. The company isresponsible for the governance and administration of all major forms of motorsport including the F1 Grand Prix in the country.
It promotes and improves motor sport as a widely recognised, accepted andrespected sport, and by valorizing the values and spirit of competitive sportand fairness. It also advances and grows motorsports for Vietnamese participantsat all levels./.
VNA
