Divyank Kushagra Bansal 
The famed Red Bull Soapbox Race will be hosted in India for the third time on 3rd March 2024. This time the event will be held in Hyderabad, as opposed to the previous two editions – in 2012 & 2016 – that took place in Mumbai. Inorbit Mall, Cyberabad, is the venue for the event.
For those unaware, the Red Bull Soapbox Race, born in the year 2000 in Brussels, Belgium, has been organised in more than 52 countries, including Spain, Italy, the UK, the USA, France, and Germany, with over 4.5 million spectators.
For more than two decades, the Red Bull Soapbox Race has served as the ideal challenge for the public to test their creativity, engineering and driving skills. Amateur pilots from around the world get an opportunity to build their imaginative motor-less vehicles, then dress up in colourful outfits and steer them around a course full of steep slopes, sharp bends, and jumps – all this as thousands of fans cheer them on as well as get the chance to vote for their favourite teams.
Participants are judged on their aesthetic, speed and road-holding. Over the past few years, teams have turned up at the event with soapboxes inspired by motorsport, folklore, everyday themes or pop culture such as Mr Bean’s Mini, Pokémon-based karts, nimble bathtubs and inflatable Zeppelins.
However, these soapboxes need a minimum level of functioning mechanical bits to be eligible. For example, they need fully functioning brakes and steering to take on the challenging course.
Applications to participate in the 2024 Red Bull Soapbox Race are now open. Those interested can head to the Red Bull India website to register.
