Shahrukh Khan Ventures Into Motorsport

By P. Vijian NEW DELHI, Nov 5 (Bernama) -- Bollywood movie star Shahrukh Khan has picked up a new sporting hobby -- venturing into the glamorous motorsport. The flamboyant actor, who turned 46 last Wednesday, is now the co-owner of Mumbai franchise of the newly launched i1 Super Series car racing series. "The i1 Super Series is a very interesting concept as it gets racing drivers from across the globe to partner with young Indian talent. "After the inaugural Indian GP, it is clear that motorsports is hugely popular in India and I strongly believe this series will be a success," Khan told the Indian media. The maiden race scheduled to commence in January next year would be held in India, Malaysia, Qatar, Thailand and United Arab Emirates. The series, launched on a franchise format, is made up of nine teams from various Indian cities and comprises 14 races that would take place in foreign cities. It was reported that franchise holders would invest nearly US$20 million (RM64 million) to secure the rights of the team. Khan, along with his Indian Premier League franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) partner, had tied up with the Mehta Group for the Mumbai franchise. Motorsport is turning popular in cricket-passionate India after the success of hosting the first Indian Grand Prix last month. -- BERNAMA