European public broadcasters RAI (Italy) and RTVE (Spain) have co-commissioned a CG-animated, action-adventure series about the fast-paced world of high-performance car racing from Gruppo Alcuni and Broadvision in India.

Currently in pre-production, The Black Diamond Race (nine x 45 minutes) is set in 1929 and stars a 17-year-old Indian girl whose dream is to compete on the world’s most legendary motorsports course. Working with a small team of underdogs including her older brother and drivers from Italy and Europe, Rani races to cross the finish line first and foil the plans of a criminal mastermind who has discovered that the Black Diamond has magical qualities that can be used to control the world. 

The first four episodes are set in Europe, and then the plot moves to India. Gruppo Alcuni president Sergio Manfio (Pet Pals, Leo da Vinci), who is directing the project, feels that this dual setting will help attract strong audiences in both regions. 

The Black Diamond Race also stands to benefit from a recent surge in popularity for motorsports in general. A growing Millennial-strong fanbase has embraced the world of racing in the last couple of years—especially Formula One. On average, more than 1.1 million viewers watched these races on ESPN’s US channels last year, and the motorsports market is expected to more than double in value by 2032. 

Last year, Formula One and ESPNU seemed to be testing the lower end of this trend’s age threshold by producing and airing kids versions of the Singapore Grand Prix (September 17) and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (November 27) featuring animation and young commentators. This initiative is expanding to seven races in the 2024 season.

Gruppo Alcuni is in the market to line up additional presales for the series, which targets a seven-plus audience and is currently in pre-production. An Italian-language version of the show will premiere on RAI in Italy next January.