November 21: Zip, zap, zoom. Come Sunday, the smell of the speeding tyres will fill the air around Nariman Point as budding Michael Schumachers and Alain Prosts will buzz around in their power karts.

These magnificent men in their mini flying machines will be hoping to be the first to beat the chequered flag for the Elf Karting Trophy of Mumbai.

Satiating the thirst of the motor buffs are Elf Lubricants India (Ltd), who are hosting India's first power sports for which a track will be specially laid out at the the city's business and political nerve centre of Vidhan Bhavan.

The race, which will be inaugurated at 10.00 a.m. by state Chief Minister Manohar Joshi and thrown open free to the speedomanicas, will feature some of the top kart drivers from La Filiere, Europe's world-renowned formula racing development programme in Le Mans, France.

La Filiere is the training school for excellence in the sport and karting is the kindergarten for motor racing -- the first step towards a professional career in the sport.

A team of professionals, consisting of 16 top international drivers, and mechanics will be arriving in Mumbai for the event. These hi-tech karts are powered by highly fine-tuned 100 cc engines and have no clutches. Tuned for maximum power, these karts race on custom-made large pneumatic tyre with soft rubber for maximum grip and run on unleaded fuel.

The Mumbai event concludes a three-week Asian tour which has taken Formula Campus, Formula Renault, Formula 3 and Formula 3000 drivers of La Filiere to the Zhuhai International race in China and to the Macau Grand Prix to participate in the Elf Formula Campus Challenge races.

Nick Wellman, chief executive of Elf Lubricants India (Ltd), said that it his company ``aims to give Mumbaites some speedy action and a ringside view of power sport of karting. This is where new talents are discovered and champions of tomorrow are made.''

The Mumbai event is being organised by the Himalayan Rally Association (HRA).

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.