INDE Racing Shines in FIM E-Xplorer World Cup: Third Place Finish in Debut Season

By Diptayan Hazra

Crans-Montana, Switzerland, September 23: INDE Racing, India’s pioneering bike racing team, has made history by securing a third-place finish in the prestigious FIM E-Xplorer World Cup, an electric off-road racing competition. In their debut season, the team accumulated an impressive 479 points across four rounds, placing them on the podium behind Bonnell Racing (498 points) and Honda Racing (490 points).

Outstanding Performances

Sandra Gomez, INDE Racing’s standout female rider, clinched the top spot in the Women’s category with a total of 271 points. Spencer Wilton and Runar Sudamann contributed 162 and 46 points respectively, leading to the team’s overall third-place finish in the men’s division.

Reflections and Future Plans

Spencer Wilton reflected on the team’s success and the challenges they faced throughout the season. He said, “We had a long season. I had an injury partway through, so we had to find another rider. We’ve been switching bikes and racing across Europe, travelling thousands of kilometres. It isn’t easy, and it’s a lot of logistics but we worked hard together, and all the hard work paid off in the end. We are super excited to be on the podium in third place.”

Looking ahead to next year, Wilton emphasized the importance of strong early performances. “Next year, I think we need to come in at those first rounds and get good finishes at the start. Build our points up. So then, at the final round, all we have to do is maintain our finishes and hopefully land on the top step,” he said.

When asked about the strategy in the final rounds and managing performance under pressure, Wilton stressed the need to deliver strong starts noting there is “intense competition” at that stage of the game. “The final round was super tight. The points were close, and everyone shows up to race at the last round. That’s where the stiffest competition is. So next year, we need to start strong and build our points early, so we can maintain our position in the final rounds,” he said.

Inspiration and Future of INDE Racing

Abhishek Kankanala, the owner of INDE Racing, shared insights about the inspiration behind the team’s establishment and their journey to the World Cup. “One of the fundamental things we’ve been looking at for the last three or four years is that India needs to wake up to sports beyond cricket,” Kankanala said. “We have invested quite a bit into badminton, volleyball, handball, golf, boxing, and more. We are proudly representing the country and pushing the sport forward. It’s been a journey to change the narrative and give a reason to support an Indian team. INDE Racing reflects India, and we are excited about the future of motorsports in our country,” he added.

Kankanala also highlighted Spencer Wilton’s connection to India. “Spencer has a bit of Indian roots, with his mother being of Indian descent multiple generations back. This connection adds a personal touch to our team’s journey,” he noted.