iWorld
The Quest for Life in the Fast Lane – GoQuest Digital Studios Announces Association with Motul India for Indian Motorsports
MUMBAI: Continuing with its trend of associating with the biggest International Motorsport clients, GoQuest Digital Studios (GQDS), the only independent end-to-end boutique content studio in the world backed by GoQuest Media Ventures, today announced its association with Motul India. The association comes as a major boost to the growing popularity of motorsports propelled by GQDS’s impressive production of the recent show on Volkswagen Ameo Cup series.
Arguably the most familiar brand in global motorsports arena, Motul is a 160-year old world-class French engine performance lubricant brand. It is present in more than 80 countries, and is a pioneer in design and distribution of high-quality lubricants with higher technical value added. It has also been the supplier for some of the best international official racing teams and automobile manufacturers and is also a known sponsor of famous races. The brand joining hands with GQDS comes at a time when the latter is bringing motorsports to the forefront among Indian masses and popularizing it in the country like never before.
GQDS took charge of the Volkswagen (VW) Ameo Cup series in 2018, and developed a show that scores high on every aspect-production quality, exciting narrative and offering a great entry point to new fans of racing. The 9th edition of the Ameo Cup also pushed aside stereotypes with the participation of women drivers, whose journey was covered in great detail by GQDS. This progressive and unique understanding of the stance along with leadership in Motorsports was one of the prime factors which led Motul to partner with the content production and distribution platform.
Commenting on the association, Darshan Bhatt, Director, GoQuest Digital Studios said, “With its huge presence across a number of exciting international championships such as MOTO GP and World Superbike Championship, Motul’s association with GQDS will substantially add to enhance the Indian motorsport experience. We are giving our participants as well as our audiences a first-hand look into the world of racing, and Motul has been on the tracks for many decades. The supercharged turbo rally we recently held with Motul and Throttle97 at Buddh International Circuit is further testament to the racing culture we hope to cultivate amongst sports enthusiasts in India. The turbo rally saw a number of beautiful and powerful cars driven by enthusiasts, but the highlight of the day was the shared passion for the sport and the thrill of it all amongst each one of us who were involved. We are beyond excited to be associated with Motul, which will take Indian motorsports a notch above the rest.”
Speaking of the same, Mr. Preetam Goswami, Marketing Head, Motul India said, “We are happy to be associated with GoQuest Digital Studios and Throttle 97 as the performance partners for their Track Day Event. Motorsport has been Motul's focus since the 1950s. Over the years, we have forged strong technical agreements with some of the world's most quality-minded Original Equipment Manufacturers like Nissan Nismo, Toyota etc. There is a perception that Motul is exclusively for motorbikes. Through such associations we want to communicate that we are also meant for cars. With our 100% synthetic racing range for cars, we've been supporting many passionate teams in India. The idea is to create awareness and build brand equity for our passenger car oils. Our dynamic range of passenger car oils is engineered to protect and enhance the performance of your car throughout its lifetime.”
Bringing motorsport events to Indian masses has not only caught the eye of the motorsports junkies but has also proved to be popular amongst those outside the community, both in terms of following the series as well as interest in understanding the nuances of the thrilling sport. With associations such as the one with Motul, GQDS has further underlined its identity as the symbol of the rise of motorsports in India, making the racing experience a much sought after part of the Indian sports enthusiasts sporting diet.
iWorld
Meta plans 8,000 layoffs in new AI-led restructuring wave
First phase from May 20 may cut 10 per cent workforce amid AI pivot.
MUMBAI: At Meta, the future may be artificial but the cuts are very real. The social media giant is reportedly preparing a fresh round of layoffs, with an initial wave expected to impact around 8,000 employees as it doubles down on its artificial intelligence ambitions. According to a Reuters report, the first phase of job cuts is slated to begin on May 20, targeting roughly 10 per cent of Meta’s global workforce. With nearly 79,000 employees on its rolls as of December 31, the move marks one of the company’s most significant workforce reductions in recent years.
And this may only be the beginning. Sources indicate that additional layoffs are being planned for the second half of the year, although the scale and timing remain fluid, likely to be shaped by how Meta’s AI capabilities evolve in the coming months. Earlier reports had suggested that total cuts in 2026 could reach 20 per cent or more of its workforce.
The restructuring comes as chief executive Mark Zuckerberg continues to steer the company towards an AI-first operating model, committing hundreds of billions of dollars to the transition. Internally, this shift is already visible: teams within Reality Labs have been reorganised, engineers have been moved into a newly formed Applied AI unit, and a Meta Small Business division has been created to align with broader structural changes.
The trend is hardly isolated. Across the tech sector, companies are trimming headcount while investing aggressively in automation. Amazon, for instance, has reportedly cut around 30,000 corporate roles nearly 10 per cent of its white-collar workforce citing efficiency gains driven by AI. Data from Layoffs.fyi shows over 73,000 tech employees have already lost jobs this year, compared with 153,000 in all of 2024.
For Meta, the move echoes its earlier “year of efficiency” in 2022–23, when about 21,000 roles were eliminated amid slowing growth and market pressures. This time, however, the backdrop is different. The company is financially stronger, generating over $200 billion in revenue and $60 billion in profit last year, with shares up 3.68 per cent year-to-date though still below last summer’s peak.
That contrast underlines the shift underway. These layoffs are less about survival and more about reinvention. As Meta restructures itself around AI from autonomous coding agents to advanced machine learning systems, the question is no longer whether the company will change, but how many roles will be left unchanged when it does.
