INDIA in F1

Author: David Bodapati

  • INRC all set to thrill the spectators in Itanagar

    INRC all set to thrill the spectators in Itanagar

    Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh), June 13, 2023: The Rally of Arunachal, organised by the Motorsports Club of Arunachal, under the aegis of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (fmsci)*, the second round of the Blueband FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship will begin with the first leg at Hollongi and Chimpu stages on Wednesday June 14, before it moves up into the mountains of Ziro for Thursday’s final leg. The Ceremonial flag off was held on Tuesday evening.

    This prestigious event is hugely supported by the Directorate of Youth Affairs, Government of Arunachal, with a huge financial and technical support to promote tourism in the North Eastern hill State. Headed by Lhakpa Tsering, President of the Motorsports Club of Arunachal, who will also be the Chairman of the event, the Rally offers a technically daunting terrain and with rains expected, the challenge both for the drivers and the teams increases making it unpredictable. Being a Tarmac rally already offers substantial change in the preparations and car set-up and the travel distance to North East and the transportation of cars, is a huge burden on the drivers. However, the thrills and scenic beauty and the support from the organisers and Promoters should ease the situation.

    Karna Kadur and co-driver Kumar Ramaswamy being flagged off at the Ceremonial inauguration on in Itanagar on Tuesday. Karna will be missing his regular navigator, Nikhil Pai, a professional sound engineer, who is in Durban for a big show. Photo MRF

    In the pre-event press conference, Tsering said, “We are proud to hold the 5th Rally of Arunachal INRC in Arunachal Pradesh. Arunachal is already established as a driving destination of the Northeast because of events like this. This championship is bound to go a long way in boosting adventure tourism in the state.” Itanagar had hosted two back to back rounds to begin the a very successful 2020 INRC Championship that was delayed to due to COVID19. It was first time in the history of INRC that any venue hosted two rallies within a span of eight days. Later, the INRC 2020 was rounded off with a 3-round year at Coimbatore with Gaurav Gill (Musa Sherif) adding another title to his chequered career. The event also saw a Digital Steward and was held for the first time on week-days. Arunachal Pradesh made its debut as a venue into the INRC calendar for the first time in 2017, which also saw Gaurav Gill and Musa Sherif clinch the victory. Thus, Gill and Sherif have won the Overall top class, in all the rallies held in Arunachal so far. This year, both the stages held in 2020 December will be repeated on Day 1, June 14, before the caravan moves to greater heights to Ziro. Thanks to the government support, the State Police are deployed and the Highways closed for the Special Stages and the rally is run in no-man’s land.

    The stages are very fast and the rule says that the average speeds cannot exceed 110 KMPH, which means that the drivers could touch top speeds of 180kmph (while maintaining over 100kmph average speeds), like what Gaurav Gill, the King of Speed, did in the previous Itanagar round. In fact, this reporter was a witness when Gill and Musa, stopped about a 100 metres from the finish for about 11 seconds. The speed maestro skillfully exploited a brief pause, before the flying finish to stay within the rule. He was streets ahead and could afford halting on a Special Stage and he did win to keep a clean record of winning all the INRC events in Arunachal. Just after that Amittrajit Ghosh (Ashwin Naik) came speeding down and as he crossed the line with a burning hot wheel that flew away from the car into the wilderness, they made it safely to the finish. And Ghosh ran to collect the tyre and resumed to service. Fortunately, it flew into the no-man’s and and there were no casualties. That was all in 2020.

    Amittrajit Ghosh recovers a wheel within a few seconds after his front right flew away into the wilderness of the night stage Hollingi F1 SS2 on Wednesday 17Dec2020, even as Ashwin Naik (in the car) reports timesheets. Exclusive File Photo by David Bodapati

    “We have installed a few artificial chicanes to reduce the speeds at the tarmac roads are very fast. It will help the drivers ease out and makes it more safer,” said Shrikanth Gowda, the Safety Officer, who too was present in 2020 with the same role.  

    The Rally of Arunachal 2023 attracted a massive field of 51 entries, thanks to Ammyfied Rallying which fielded 14 cars with the support Vamsi Merla Sports Foundation. It is the highest seen in the North East, and will offer an adrenaline-fueled experience . The ceremonial start at the Legislative Assembly Complex in Itanagar was held at 4:30 p.m.

    The thrilling event is set to showcase the skill and determination of rally drivers across multiple categories, with seven cars in INRC, 12 in INRC2, 22 in INRC3 and five each in INRC4 and Gypsy Class, a non championship class. Eight of the drivers are also eligible for Junior INRC which is for drivers below 26 years as of Jan 1, 2023. Only 6 of the eight lady drivers and co-drivers will be eligible for Women’s Class honours, which is also a non-championship event. Deeksha Balakrishna, a talented co-driver, misses out as she is navigating for a male driver.

    Promoter Premnath K. of Blueband Sports said: “It is truly encouraging to witness the overwhelming response the INRC has received this year, with a record number of entries representing the absolute cream of rallying talent from all corners of our nation. We are committed to making the INRC bigger, better, and more captivating for competitors and the audience. With a series of six rounds scheduled across India, alongside various other initiatives, we aim to elevate the stature and allure of the INRC.”
     

    The three-day event will take place on June 14, with the Special Stages run on the highway from Hollongi to Chimpu and back, near Itanagar. The adrenaline-fueled action will kick off at 11 a.m. and continue until 8 p.m., offering spectators an unforgettable experience. As dusk falls, the excitement will intensify with a thrilling night Spectator Special Stage inside the city, starting at 8:00 p.m. and concluding at 11:30 p.m., taking participants from Zero Point to the “C” sector.

    The Rally of Arunachal 2023 boasts an impressive lineup of renowned drivers who are set to unleash their skills on the challenging terrain. Leading the pack is the Arjuna Awardee Gaurav Gill (Aniruddha Rangnekar) and reigning national champion from Bengaluru Karna Kadur, who will have a new navigator in Kumar Ramaswamy. The first Round South India Rally INRC segment winner, the formidable Arjun Rao Aroor, and Satish Rajagopal of Mandovi Racing will look to extend their lead. Former champions Amittrajit Ghosh and Ashwin Naik, 2021 champions Aditya Thakur and Virender Kashyap, multiple champions in various sub-classes and reigning champions of INRC2, Rahul Kanthraj and Vivek have moved up to the top INRC class, will join talented Dean Mascarenhas and co-driver Gagan Karumbaiah, in the top INRC category. “What a lovely stage, just flat out… The corners are tricky but we will make it,” said Nikeetaa Takkale after the Recce, with experienced Venu Ramesh Kumar, her navigator, watching in admiration, in an insta reel.

    Maninder Singh Prince, the INRC3 champion of 2022 has also moved up to INRC2 class while Pragathi Gowda and Trisha Alonkar the Junior INRC champions are in INRC3 and Pragathi will be competing in both INRC3 and Junior INRC.

    The defending Overall team champions Arka Motorsports headed by N Leelakrishnan has fielded 12 cars, including Karna Kadur while Chettinad Sporting and Snap Racing have 7 cars each. Aroor Arjun Rao continues to spearhead Mandovi challenge while two talented drivers Jason Saldanha (Thimmu Uddapanda) and Anushriya Gulati (Arjun Dheerendra) are in fray representing Dark Don Racing.

    For the benefit of followers, real-time results will be available on live.chronopulse.com. The podium ceremony will be held at Ziro on June 16 at 11:30 a.m. The third round Rally of Coimbatore, will be hosted by Coimbatore Automotive Sports Club, form July 28 to 30.

    2022 Indian National Champions in INRC

    Blueband Sports fmsci Indian National Rally Championship 4W 2022

    1. INRC Driver Overall champion: Karna Kadur, Bengaluru;

    2. INRC Co-Driver Overall Champion: Nikhil Vittal Pai; Bengaluru.

    3. INRC Overall Champion Team: Arka Motorsports, Coimbatore;

    4. INRC2 champion Driver: Rahul Kantharaj, Bengaluru;

    5. INRC2 champion Co-Driver: Vivek Y Bhatt, Bengaluru;

    6. INRC2 Champion Team: Snap Racing, Delhi;

    7. INRC3 champion Driver: Maninder Singh Prince, Delhi;

    8. INRC3 champion Co-Driver: Arjun SSB, Bengaluru;

    9. INRC3 Champion Team: Snap Racing, Delhi;

    10. Junior INRC champion driver: Pragathi Gowda, Bengaluru.

  • Blueband INRC back to Ziro; Arunachal beckons top Indians drivers to North-East

    Blueband INRC back to Ziro; Arunachal beckons top Indians drivers to North-East

    Itanagar, (Arunachal Pradesh), 12 June 2023: Arjuna Awardee Gaurav Gill (co-driver Aniruddha Rangnekar) of JK Tyre, the winner of first round APRC, is raring to re-launch his domestic campaign while defending champion Karna Kadur will have a new but experienced co-driver in Kumar Ramaswamy as record numbers, including the cream of Indian talent, pour into Arunachal Pradesh for the second round of the Blueband fmsci Indian National Rally Championship at the picturesque hill station here from June 14 to 16. With rain forecast during the rally, the mountain roads will turn challenging for the drivers, making the event all the more spectacular.

    Gaurav Gill, the 7-time National champion and the first and only Indian to have three Asia Pacific Rally Championship titles will spearhead the campaign after missing the first round INRC at the Blueband MMSC South India Rally 2023, where he took part only in APRC, and won it hands down putting his Subaru Impreza STi N14 on the pedastal after tricky and slushy two days. Reigning champion Karna Kadur, former champions Aditya Thakur, Rahul Kantharaj, Aroor Arjun Rao, Dean Mascarenhas and Amittrajit Ghosh will be the other six top guns in INRC, the premier class.

    “Good to be back here. Two years we missed out on this rally. It is a very special rally for me. The Arunachal Government gives so much support here and we get the best roads which are super fast mountain roads. Looking at the weather it is a big game-changer as heavy rain is forecast which is to my liking. Yes, it will change a lot of set-up and tyre selection is crucial. I am well prepared and the JK Tyres offer me the best,” said Gill, who is gunning for his record 8th National INRC title in a Mahindra XUV300. Arunachal is the happy hunting ground for Gill, who won all the INRC rounds held here till now, two in Itanagar in 2020, and once in Ziro 2017, with Musa Sherif as navigator.

    “I am feeling very positive after winning INRC Round 1. Arunachal being a tarmac rally, the set up of the car will be different and I am looking forward to see how my Baleno will perform in its 1st tarmac test. We have couple of night stages as well that makes it interesting. We have done testing and the feeling is good. Looking forward to a good event,” said Aroor Arjun Rao of Mandovi Racing, who broke the ice with winning the INRC section of the South India Rally, the first round this year.

    The Rally of Arunachal returns to its tarmac home Ziro, two years after visiting Itanagar for the 2020 championship double-header. Ziro, the only tarmac rally in the Blueband Sports calendar, which made its INRC debut in 2017, and offers high speeds, high-altitude rallying, and technical challenges including night stage cold tyres. The Rally of Arunachal organised by the local Motorsports Club of Arunachal is sponsored by Arunachal Pradesh Tourism under the Department of Youth Affairs (and Sports) with MRF Tyres as Associate Sponsor. Promoted by Blueband Sports, the rights winners of the INRC, the rally also has Mahindra Thar Club, another local club lending a hand.

    “We are proud to bring back the National rally to Arunachal as drivers and teams loved the Rally in Nagaland last year. North-East states offer well-maintained roads and with the support of Arunachal Pradesh Government and the police, we get closed tarmac high-way roads that offer high speeds,” said Premnath Kashi, the Chief Promoter and the man who brings the spectacular show to North East.

    The roads are closed and manned by the State’s police machinery along with the Safety officer Shrikant GM, a former champion, who did yeoman job, the last time around. All ambulances and other safety measures are in place as per the Federations regulations and experienced Clerk of the Course Girija Shankar Joshy is conducting the event with the support of trained local Marshals who know every bit of route under the guidance of Lhakpa Tsering and Arindam Ghosh, two former rally drivers of repute who will be the Chairman of the Event and Chief Administrator, respectively.

    After a day in the familiar Chimpu (16.05km, SS1 & SS3) and Hollongi (18.10km, SS2 & SS4) Special Stages (SS), that would be run twice in the forward direction on Wednesday, the 2.05-km Super Special Stage (SSS, SS5 & SS6) is run twice in the chilling night that is bound to offer a technically challenging cold tyres for the drivers to tackle.

    Then the caravan moves uphill (from 320 metres above mean sea level to about 1680m) on Thursday morning on the winding roads to still cooler Ziro for final four Special Stages (SS). The two physical stages are Yazali (10.25km) and longer Yachuli Special Stage is 14.75 km. All the cars run both the Yazali (SS7 and SS9) and Yachuli (SS8 and SS10) in the forward direction, once in the afternoon and once in the night and the event ends at about 11pm in the hills to offer a thrilling extravaganza to the speed lovers. The rally has 122.4km of competitive timed distance and offers a total distance of 283km including 160.6km of transport section, where the drivers must follow normal road rules.

    INRC2 will have 12 cars but INRC3 continues to be the popular category with 22 cars while the INRC4 saw the entry of five cars along with 5 Gypsy entries in the non-Championship Challenge event.

    There will also be 8 lady drivers who are competing on equal footing with men and 8 below-26 year drivers in the Junior INRC category.

    They include two all-woman entries of Pragathi Gowda and Trisha Alonkar and daughter-mom pair of Shivani and Dr Vani Parmar. Bengaluru’s Deeksha Balakrishna navigates for Aditya Kousgi. Nikeetaa Takkale and Anushriya Gulati have male navigators. Phoebe Dale Nongrum of Shillong will be the only lady driver from North East with a male co-driver in Shivamogga’s Dinesh S.            

    Top guns Gaurav Gill and Dean Mascarenhas of JK Tyre will be among the eight privateers (non-team entry) gunning with top outfit Arka Motorsports’ 12 cars tuned by N Leelakrishnan and Chettinad Sporting’s seven cars tuned by Thiyagarajan and Roshan. Newcomers Ammyfied Rallying, headed by Aeman Ahemad and Sagar, have fielded the highest number of 14 cars while SNAP headed by Sumit Punjabi has seven cars managed by Nitin Jacob.

    Former champion Arjun Rao Aroor fresh from his victory (INRC) in the South India Rally in Chennai will be the lone crusader for Mandovi Racing while another top Road Racing team which entered rallying this season is Dark Don, that has two cars with talented international lady driver Anushriya Gulati and Jason Saldanha, who made his international debut podium this year in Indonesia.

    The event offers prize money of over Rs.9.3 lakhs and trophies in eight different classes for drivers, co-drivers and teams. Best tuners in each class also get trophies.

  • Tanveer wins top class; Ikshan, Shlok, Sachin bag a double too: Dirt Track Nationals

    Tanveer wins top class; Ikshan, Shlok, Sachin bag a double too: Dirt Track Nationals

    Coimbatore, 11 June 2023: Two young Satar riders, Ikshan Shanbhag and Shlok Ghorpade, won a brilliant brace to equal experienced riders Abdul Wahid Tanveer and Sachin D in the opening round of the MRF fmsci National Dirt Track Championship, promoted by Godspeed Racing, at the open grounds of Codissia, near Jenneys Club, here on Sunday.

    While multiple National champion Tanveer notched up stunning victories in both the motos of the top class, SX1, it was a battle between youth and experience as Shlok Ghorpade and Ikshan Shanbagh, both from Satara, and D Sachin also posted wins in two motos each. The ladies class was bagged by former Road Racing National champion Ryhana Bee as she put paid to the hopes of Tanya Singh, but it was Ikshan’s sister, Tanika Shanbagh, a from Hero Motosports stable, took the last spot on the podium in the new format.

    Ladies winners: (from left ) Tanya, 2nd, winner Ryhana Bee and Tanika Shanbhag (3rd).

    Nevertheless, the battle between the women will continue not just in Dirt Track Nationals but also in the 2w National Rally Championship, where Tanika has taken huge strides against established names while Ryhana continues to shine in Drag and Road Racing Nationals. With Aishwarya Pissay moving to bigger bikes and to the top class competing with male champions, Tanika is aiming for a double National title, both in Dirt Track and Rally. But a tough Ryhana Bee of Chennai got the hole shot in the first round and the momentum gets interesting as the DT Nationals move to the second round. “I am very happy to secure 1st position to begin the season on a winning note. It is good to be back on the podium after a few struggles in my INRC (2w) and INMRC. Where I used to be on the top but due to some technical issues I had bad crash in INMRC and it cost me a lot including 1st place,” said Ryhana, the 2020 Ladies champion in the Indian National Motorcycle Racing Champion (INMRC). “The track is very tricky and challenging. I feel good that I took the chequered flag with a huge lead after a healthy fight with my fellow riders. Hoping to set my bike up for a better show in the coming rounds. I must thank my team for the solid support and service. I thank MRF, Godspeed, and other organisers for giving us another safe platform to race and it was a weekend I enjoyed,” Ryhana added.

    Mysuru’s Tanveer, one of the top riders from the TVS stable is a champion rider in Supercross and National 2w Rally championship but with no official entries from TVS, he took part as a privateer but his TVS 450 stood him in good stead. Though being a heavy bike is a bit of a disadvantage, the champion rider pulled out all the tricks in his repertoire to beat competition in the Dirt Track championship which is being revived after a decade.

    Ryhana Bee pumps her fist in joy as she takes the flag to win the Ladies class in the first round of the Dirt Track Nationals at Coimbatore on Sunday. INDIAinF1 image (Supplied)

    Without taking many risks, Tanveer displayed smooth and steady riding skills to win both the Motos in SX1 upto 500cc class. The TVS champion beat Shlok Ghorpade of Satara in the first Moto and went on to best teammate Rugved Barguje in the second, after getting caught in the traffic in P4 early on. But he soon made it to the front and was leading comfortably by Lap 4 and went on to clinch the 10-Lap moto with much ado. “This double win makes me very happy as it is a good beginning to the season. I did not exert much and played safe making time in the corners and pacing it when required,” said Abdul Wahid Tanveer.

    Sachin D, who races for Petronas TVS Racing in the Supercross and 2w rally Nationals was at his best. After a disappointing outing in Moto 1 of the Indian Experts Group C upto 260cc class, he came back strongly in Moto 2 to beat teammate Imran Pasha, the winner of first moto. Then he went on to make it a double winning the Indian Novice class (Group C, upto 260cc) with ease. “My first race day in the Dirt Track Nationals is really good. I enjoyed it as it is a completely different format from what I have been racing and rallying. I am riding dirt track championship for the first time and it is fun. So I am really happy with my performance and I like the 900-metre track. Hope to perform better in upcoming events and win the championship,” said Sachin.

    The revival of the Dirt Track Nationals by Godspeed Racing saw overwhelming response with 137 entries and Coimbatore is known for its two-wheeler riders and their fans.

    Provisional Results:

    Class 1: SX1 Group A (Upto 500cc): Moto 1 (10 laps):

    1. Abdul Wahid Tanveer (Mysuru), 20 points;

    2. Shlok Ghorpade (Satara) 17;

    3. Prajwal Vishwanath (Bengaluru) 15.

    SX1 Group A (Upto 500cc): Moto 2 (10 laps):

    1. Abdul Wahid Tanveer 20;

    2. Rugved Barguje (Pune) 17;

    3. Ishan Shanbhag 15.

    Class 2: SX2: Group A (Private Experts, upto 500cc): Moto 1:

    1. Shlok Ghorpade (Satara) 20;

    2. K. Manikandan (Coimbatore) 17;

    3. Sinan Francis (Ernakulam) 15.

    SX2: Group A (Private Experts, upto 500cc): Moto 2:

    1. Shlok Ghorpade 20;

    2. Abdul Latheef (Palakkad) 17;

    3. K. Manikandan 15.

    Class 3: Indian Novice (Group C, upto 260cc): Moto 1:

    1. D. Sachin (Bengaluru) 20;

    2. Mohd. Zaheer (Bengaluru) 17;

    3. Faraz Pasha (Chamrajnagar) 15.

    Class 4: Indian Experts: Group C, upto 260cc: Moto 1:

    1. Imran Pasha (Mysuru) 20;

    2. Varun Kumar (Coimbatore) 17;

    3. K. Sasikumar (Coimbatore) 15.

    Indian Experts: Group C, upto 260cc: Moto 2:

    1. D. Sachin 20;

    2. Imran Pasha 17;

    3. Faraz Pasha 15.

    Class 5: Private Experts: Group C, upto 260cc: Moto 1:

    1. J. Abhishek (Coimbatore) 20;

    2. L. Nathan (Coimbatore) 17;

    3. Mohd. Zaheer 15.

    Class 6: Indian Experts: Group C, 261-550cc: Moto 1:

    1. Rohit Shinde (Baramati) 20;

    2. Mohd. Zaheer 17;

    3. Sreekanth Komana (Kochi) 15.

    Class 7: Junior SX1: Group A, upto 250cc (Big wheels 12-16yrs): Moto 1:

    1. Ikshan Shanbhag (Satara)20;

    2. Shlok Ghorpade 17;

    3. K. Adarsh (Coimbatore) 15.

    Junior SX1: Group A, upto 250cc (Big wheels 12-16yrs): Moto 2:

    1. Ikshan Shanbhag 20;

    2. Shlok Ghorpade 17;

    3. Wilmer Valentino (Kochi) 15.

    Class 8: Junior SX2: Group A, upto 100cc (Small wheels 8-12yrs): Moto 1:

    1. J. Sujan (Coimbatore) 20;

    2. Darshit Chavan (Pune) 17;

    3. Bhairav Chowdegowda (Bengaluru) 15.

    Junior SX2: Group A, upto 100cc (Small wheels 8-12yrs): Moto 2:

    1. Darshit Chavan 20;

    2. Sahil Shelukar (Pune) 17;

    3. Bhairav Chowdegowda 15.

    Class 9: Scooters: Group C, upto 260cc: Moto 1:

    1. Pinkesh Thakkar (Pune) 20;

    2. Kishore Jadhav (Pune) 15;

    3. Prem Kumar (Coimbatore) 15.

    Class 10: Ladies: Group C, upto 260cc: Moto 1:

    1. Rhyana Bee (Chennai) 20;

    2. Tanaya Singh (Pune) 17;

    3. Tanika Shanbhag (Satara) 15.

    Demo Class:

    1. Rayan Shakkir;

    2. Thanin T;

    3. Sumiran Narayan.

  • “We need to push to the limit. I’m ready to go!”: Thursday talking points at Mugello

    “We need to push to the limit. I’m ready to go!”: Thursday talking points at Mugello

    Hear from Bagnaia, Bezzecchi, Viñales, Marc Marquez, Binder, Martin, Quartararo and Bastianini!

    Mugello, Thursday, 08 June 2023:
    And we’re BACK! The Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley kicks off a triple header for MotoGP™ this weekend, with the stunning Mugello playing host. Ahead of track action, two press conferences covered some key talking points withe some key faces:

    Francesco Bagnaia
    The first comprised Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) and Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), before the second saw Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) joined by Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) and the returning Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team).

    Do you see this a big opportunity to take control of championship?
    FRANCESCO BAGNAIA: “I’m very happy like always to start this race weekend because it’s one of my favourites at one of my favourite tracks. As an Italian it’s very important, very special, and I’m really looking forward to riding.”

    On his ankle injury:
    “Sincerely, I’m not 100% but I’m struggling more with walking, than riding because after four days without knowing that, I broke my ankle I was riding here just to train. I was feeling pain, but nothing that with a bit of focus was impossible to ignore and think just about the riding so I think that it will not affect my race weekend. Let’s see, but I’m quite sure that there will be everything OK.”

    On MotoGP™ On Stage in Milan:
    “It was great to be in a city where MotoGP has never been to. Looking at the stands and seeing many people cheering for us and being happy for us and supporting us was great. We had fun and maybe we’ll repeat it again!”

    MARCO BEZZECCHI
    MARCO BEZZECCHI:     “Here, as Pecco said, is a fantastic track and very special for the Italian riders, so it will be fantastic to start the weekend after the long break to finally get back on the bike on this amazing track and I hope with a lot of fans!”

    Tech updates for the bike this weekend?
    “I don’t know. I think so but I don’t know because I still have the meeting with my team so I will let you maybe tomorrow.”

    Must give you confidence Ducati are working to give you more support…
    “Yeah Ducati are working very well and already before giving me any update they were supporting me a lot and also in Le Mans they helped me quite a lot before the race. I feel a lot of support from them, I feel good with them so I can’t complain about anything.”

    Gigi told motogp.com Ducati will start talks about 2024, what’s plan A?
    “For the moment my plan is to continue in this way, trying to improve each race and trying to get positive results. My dream is to step on a factory bike and if it’s a Ducati then it’s better because I already know the bike and I feel very good, but for the moment I don’t know what I can do.”

    On MotoGP™ On Stage in Milan:
    “I enjoyed it a lot. In the end, it was really nice to get in touch with a lot of our fans and to see them from very closely and also to give them the possibility to meet us and to get a signature, a picture and to spend some time with us. It was fantastic. So yeah also we were in a very beautiful place in Italy so I enjoyed it a lot!”

    MAVERICK VIÑAL

    MAVERICK VIÑALES: “These three weeks have been fantastic to understand. To internally process all the information received and all the potential we have. It’s been good to understand how to improve. Three weeks training hard, understanding and put my best version here for Mugello, which is an important track for Aprilia but it is important in any case because we need to push, we need to go on the limit, to fight at the front and I think this is what we are capable of. I work with this mentality and yeah I’m ready to go…honestly I’ve only worked these three weeks, I never stopped and I feel in really good shape!”

    So what about the Aprilia at Mugello?
    The bike is good at any track. At any track I’ve been to, in at least the lap times, to be fighting at the front of races. It doesn’t matter the track, we need to take the maximum out of the bike and to put up a performance and if we do we know we will be fighting for the victories and that’s what we are working to do.”

    And how was MotoGP™ On Sttage in Milan?
    “Obviously, I’m not an Italian but the crowd were fantastic! They cheered the riders a lot. We really like it. It’s nice to get in touch with people not involved in racing. Yeah, the place was unbelievable. I had never been there and it was such a nice moment.”
  • Nithila, Shreyas, Sartak… Young brigade on new path; Sethu, Mathana excel

    Nithila, Shreyas, Sartak… Young brigade on new path; Sethu, Mathana excel

    Coimbatore, June 04, 2023: Rajiv Sethu, Mathana Kumar and Vignesh Goud notched a double apiece in their respective categories as the Rolon Round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2023 concluded at the Kari Motor Speedway here on Sunday. 

    NextGen riders, Shreyas Hareesh, the India MiniGP 2022 champ, Nithila, the school girl from cycling fame, slowly demolishing the motorcycle world, and the MotoX magnet

    Rajiv Sethu (RACR Castrol Power 1 Ultimate), determined to resurrect a sagging career, swept the honours in the premier Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open category while Mathana Kumar did much the same in the other top-end class, the Pro-Stock 165cc Open. Both had won Race-1 on Saturday quite comfortably and it was a virtual re-run in the second outing today. 

    Hyderabad’s 19-year-old Vignesh Goud (Race’ists Motorcycle Club) was equally commanding in the Novice (Stock 165cc) category as he won both the races this weekend while Puducherry’s Lani Fernandez (RACR Castrol Power 1 Ultimate) took the honours in the Girls (Stock 165cc) class after starting from P5 on the grid. 

    Sethu, 24, who moved from Honda to Yamaha this season by joining multiple champion Rajini Krishnan’s RACR Castrol Power 1 Ultimate team, immediately made his mark on debut in the 301-400cc category by winning both the races. 

    In fact, Sethu, who started from pole position, had more than enough straight-line pace as he again held off Pune’s upcoming teenager Sarthak Chavan who joined Petronas TVS Racing team this season, while Hyderabad’s Rahil Pillarisetty (KTM Gusto Racing) completed the podium for a repeat of yesterday’s Race-1. 

    “This double means a lot to me. I won just one race last season (in the Pro-Stock 165cc Open category). And now, I have started 2023 with two wins! In a way, this weekend could be a turning point in my career and I hope I will enjoy more success going forward,” said Sethu who has had an up-and-down career with forays at the Asian level fetching desired results. He went winless in the 2021 National championship season though finishing on podium in eight of the 10 races and scored just one win in 2020 that was in contrast to the six in 2019 when he ended second in the championship. 

    In the Pro-Stock 165cc Open race today, the Pacer Yamaha duo of Mathana and Prabhu Arunagiri, who had finished in that order in yesterday’s Race-1, looked poised for another 1-2 finish. However, Arunagiri packed up after nine of the 14 laps due to mechanical issue while Sarthak Chavan who was running second, also retired with clutch problem in the 11th. It left Mathana all on his own in the front as he finished a comfortable winner ahead of Bengaluru youngster Chiranth Vishwanath who did well to hold off his Petronas TVS Racing team-mate and the more experienced KY Ahamed. 

    Earlier, Vignesh Goud did as he pleased for another fine win in the Novice (Stock 165cc) category for a double. He enjoyed a good start from pole position and quickly opened up a handsome lead that kept increasing as the race progressed. He eventually spared almost four seconds to Mysuru’s Tasmai Cariappa (Pacer Yamaha) who was followed home by Savion Sabu (Axor Sparks Racing) from Bengaluru.  

    The fast-improving Puducherry rider Lani Fernandez rode a fine race to win quite handily after starting from P5 as she sliced through the top half of the field to hit the front and never looked back. Finishing second behind her was pole-sitter Ann Jennifer (Alpha Racing) and Jagathishree Kumaresan (One Racing) was third. 

    Petronas TVS One-Make Championship: Alwin Sundar (Chennai) started the day’s proceedings with a comfortable win in the 301-400cc Open (Apache RR310), starting from pole position. Finishing second behind him was Manoj Yesuadiyan (Chennai) who made five spots while Senthil Kumar C (Coimbatore) was third. Alwin went on to win Race-2 to also score a double with Senthil Kumar coming in second and Yesuadiyan third. 

    Bengaluru schoolboy Copperam Hareesh Shreyas also achieved a splendid double in the Rookie category with another comfortable victory. Fellow-Bengalurean Savion Sabu finished second ahead of Nandanan (Chennai). 

    Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup: Chennai’s Kavin Quintal, for the second time this weekend, destroyed the NSF 250 field to complete a double. Having won the first race yesterday with great ease, Kavin’s dominance was even more pronounced in the second outing today over 14 laps.  Finishing a distant second was Rakshith Dave (Chennai), while Prakash Kamath (Steel City) was third. 

    The results (Provisional): 

    National Championship – Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open (Race-2, 14 laps): 1. Rajiv Sethu (Chennai, RACR Castrol Power 1 Ultimate) (17mins, 10.905secs); 2. Sarthak Chavan (Pune, Petronas TVS Racing) (17:15.035); 3. Rahil Pillarisetty (Hyderabad, KTM Gusto Racing) (17:18.203). 

    Pro-Stock 165cc Open (Race-2, 14 laps): 1. Mathana Kumar S (Tiruchi, Pacer Yamaha) (18:16.308); 2. Chiranth Vishwanath (Bengaluru, Petronas TVS Racing) (18:18.409); 3. KY Ahamed (Chennai, Petronas TVS Racing) (18:18.812). 

    Novice (Stock 165cc) (Race-2, 10 laps): 1. Vignesh Goud (Hyderabad, Race’ists Motorcycle Club) (14:38.296); 2. Tasmai Cariappa PC (Mysuru, Pacer Yamaha) (14:42.038); 3. Savion Sabu (Bengaluru, Axor Sparks Racing) (14:45.305). 

    Girls (Stock 165cc) (8 laps): 1. Lani Fernandez (Puducherry, RACR Castrol Power 1 Ultimate) (11:49.553); 2. Ann Jennifer AS (Chennai, Alpha Racing) (11:52.201); 3. Jagathishree Kumaresan (Chennai, One Racing) (11:52.295). 

    Petronas TVS One-Make Championship – Open (Apache RR 310) (Race-1, 10 laps): 1. Alwin Sundar A (Chennai) (12:51.163); 2. Manoj Yesuadiyan (Chennai) (12:56.063); 3. Senthil Kumar C (Coimbatore) (12:58.807). Race-2 (10 laps): 1. Alwin Sundar (12:55.616); 2. Senthilkumar C (12:56.035); 3. Manoj Yesuadiyan (12:59.942). 

    Rookie (Apache RTR 200) (Race-2, 10 laps): 1. Copparam Hareesh Shreyas (Bengaluru) (13:58.187); 2. Savion Sabu (Bengaluru) (14:02.196); 3. Nandanan (Chennai) (14:02.500). 

    Media (Apache RTR 200) (8 laps): 1. Deepak Vishnu D (Kochi) (12:27.379); 2. Ananya Aswathi (Pune) (12:27.462); 3. Alshin K Thomas (Pune) (12:29.841). 

    Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup (Open, NSF 250) (Race-2, 14 laps): 1. Kavin Quintal (Chennai) (17:11.908); 2. Rakshith S Dave (Chennai) (17:50.057); 3. Prakash Kamath (Steel City, Rourkela) (17:51.107). 

  • As MotoGP comes to India, #BookMyShow booked

    As MotoGP comes to India, #BookMyShow booked

    New Delhi, June 1, 2023: FairStreet Sports led Indian Grand Prix, the ‘MotoGP Bharat’, announced a much-anticipated news on the upcoming India edition of FIM World Championship Grand Prix (MotoGPTM) in 2023. It is official now that BookMyShow, India’s leading entertainment destination, will partner with FairStreet Sports as the “official ticketing partner” for the upcoming MotoGPTM which is scheduled to make the Grand Prix’s first-ever appearance in the country. India is waiting in the wings to be one of the largest followers of this motorsport in the world.

    Indian promoters of MotoGPTM, FairStreet Sports, have been instrumental in curating the historic and first ever global motorcycling event of this scale and stature which is scheduled to take place at the Buddh International Circuit, Greater Noida, from September 22-24. This strategic partnership between MotoGP Bharat and BookMyShow will enable motorsports fans across the country and the sub-continent with exclusive access to tickets, exciting offers and valuable benefits for them to live the adrenaline-fueled racing action to the fullest. Officials close to the development confirmed that the registration for tickets for the upcoming MotoGP Bharat is live now for early access and will be followed soon by sales, exclusively on BookMyShow.

    Interestingly, it is also learnt that the promoters of FairStreet Sports are in advanced stages of discussions with various other partners and associates to organize this global event in a completely new perspective as a weekend destination, offering fans a memorable and exciting time.

    Commenting on the news of this newly forged partnership, Pushkar Nath Srivastava, COO of FairStreet Sports, the India race promoters, said, “We are delighted to announce our exclusive partnership with BookMyShow as the official ticketing partner for this much awaited MotoGP event in India. This collaboration brings together two firms with the vision of delivering an unparalleled racing experience to Indian fans. By joining forces with BookMyShow, we will offer fans a seamless and convenient 360-degree experience. Together, we are committed to create an unforgettable MotoGP journey for all our fans, ensuring lasting memories and unparalleled excitement.”

    Anil Makhija, COO – Live Entertainment, BookMyShow, the official and exclusive ticketing partners for the first ever MotoGP in India said, “We are glad to be able to begin this strategic partnership with MotoGP Bharat and start our journey together as the official and exclusive ticketing partner for the debut edition of the superbike Grand Prix in India. At BookMyShow, our aim has always been to enable access to and provide for unforgettable, entertainment experiences across the spectrum of sports, music, comedy, performances and beyond and bringing motorsport to India is a critical milestone in this journey for us. BookMyShow has always played an active role in the growth of Indian sports across formats & this strategic partnership is in line with that ambition to nurture and make accessible all forms of sport. We are excited about using our technological know-how effectively for our wide, loyal, digitally savvy consumer base to deliver an impeccable and seamless experience for Indian fans who are avid bike lovers, across the MotoGP Bharat journey with ticketing being the first step in this momentous ride for motorsport fans across the country.”

    Expressing his resounding support to the India edition of the Championship, Akbar Ebrahim, President of The Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI), said “The FMSCI would like to congratulate Fairstreet Sports Pvt Ltd (Indian Promoter), Dorna (Promoter & Rights Holder for the FIM World MotoGP Championship) & the FIM (World Governing Body for 2W Motorsport) for concluding the agreement to run a round of the FIM World MotoGP Championship in India in September 2023. The FMSCI would also like to wish Fairstreet Sports Pvt Ltd the very best for the opening of the ticket registrations for the event and wish them all success.”

    BookMyShow, renowned for its reach and partnership with some of the biggest sports events in the country, is the largest entertainment and ticketing platform in India that offers a  wide  array  of  events  across  various  entertainment  genres,  including sports, music, movies, performance,   and   more. Their   exclusive   partnership with FairStreet Sports marks a significant milestone for India’s motorsport industry as both organisations join forces to enhance the thrilling spectacle of MotoGP for fans across the country.

  • Tanveer back on top; Rajendra docked road penalty; Tanika stars again: 2w Rally Nationals

    Tanveer back on top; Rajendra docked road penalty; Tanika stars again: 2w Rally Nationals

    Chikkamagaluru, 28 May 2023: Former National champion, Mysuru’s Abdul Wahid Tanveer of Petronas TVS Racing, who became the first Indian to win a class in an international rally, was in his elements once again as he conquered the premier class in the Rally of Chikmagalur, the second round of the MRF MoGrip fmsci National Rally Championship for 2-wheelers here on Sunday.

    The TVS talent won the top Superbike Pro-Expert Group A class clocking a time of 54 minutes, 08.106 seconds as he relegated defending champion and teammate Rajendra RE of Shivamogga, who was docked a one minute, 10-second liaison penalty for the transport section, that did him in. Yuva Kumar, the celebrated Hero MotoSports is back on the podium after a long time as he took the third place. Abdul Tanveer won his class in the Merzouga Rally in 2019.

    The Petronas TVS Racing team riders dominated the proceedings once again winning the top-four Overall places with Imran Pasha, who bagged victories in the first two rounds, in third Overall place followed by a superb ride from Sachin Ignatius D in fourth. However, T Arun of Hero MotoSports prevented a top-5 sweep in the overall honours, which is a norm for TVS of late. TVS riders won three classes. It was a stunning ride from Imran Pasha who punched above his weight on a humble bike but the TVS Apache became a tiger in his hands.

    Tanika Shanbagh, another young Hero MotoSport talent, continued to fly the Women in Motorsports flag winning the Ladies class again. Tanika, who won the National Sprint Championship ladies title in 2022 is keen to add another National title this year to her kitty. Though, the daughter of former rally champion Shanbagh, was streets ahead, she lost stage win to former National champion (road racing) Ryhana Bee in Special Stage 3 and 6. But her Overall 40th place beating about 60 male riders is quite an achievement. Ryhana Bee came second followed by Fazeela U of Palakkad, who is supported by Vamcy Merla of Kalyani Group in Andhra Pradesh, a former Promoter of 4w INRC.

    Fazeela U of Palakkad takes a start even as officials look on at Chikkamagaluru on Sunday. The VM Sports Foundation rider finished third. INDIAinF1 photo

    Tanika, the young talent from Satara, is now leading the championship winning both the rounds, thus far, in the Ladies class while others, also keeping their slate clean after two rounds are, Nataraj R in the Group A Superbike Expert class, Star of Karnataka Darpan Darshan of Shivamogga, TVS’ pair of Imran Pasha and Syed Asif Ali in Supersport 260cc and Scooter class, respectively, and the new-found talent from Kulu, Nitish Bharadhwaj in the Group D 450cc Super Stock class.

    Defending Ladies champion Aishwarya Pissay moved to the top class and finished fourth among five Pro-expert bikes. Preparing for Dakar 2024, the 2019 World Baja winner beat 81 male riders. She was on a superior 450cc TVS Apache rally bike as she competed with men on equal footing.

    In the Supersport 400cc Group B, Rohit Shinde of Baramati turned the tables on first-round winner Russel Jossey, who had to be content with a second place and Syed Aquib of Chikkamagaluru took the final spot on the podium.

    In the Supersport 550cc Group B Class 6, Bengaluru’s Mohammed Zaheer won beating reigning champion Naresh “Bruce Lee” VS while Jeemon Anthony, the supercop from Kochi took a third place keeping himself in points. The first round winner Arun Joy logged a DNF in Stage 2.

    In a fight between TVS teammates in the scooter class, traditionally dominated by TVS NTorq, Syed Asif Ali once again came on top with Karthik Naidu taking second place. Despite a 20-second penalty, Goutham N of Bengaluru took third place beating Aprilia JB Racing teammate Pinkesh Thakkar, who took a podium in the first round.

    Chalass Bose of Kottayam, the defending champion in Super Sport 130 cc – Group B class shifted to 165 class as the SS 130cc event is replaced by a new class, as 2023 championship saw the introduction of a Super Stock class for upto 450cc Group D bikes, where Nitish Bharadwaj of Kulu in Himachal Pradesh took the honours in the second round repeating his success in the first round at Coorg.

    The National Rally Championship for two-wheelers powered by time-keepers Zeitmesser, is meticulously organised by Motor Sports Club of Chikmagalur (MSCC), under the dynamic leadership of Farooq Ahmed, a three-time Overall winner of INRC for 4-wheelers and former Vice-President of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (fmsci). Godspeed Racing of Pune headed by 7-time National champion Shyam Kothari are the Promoters. Dilip Jain, ably assisted by other team members pulled off another National event but the Club is famous for hosting the four-wheeler INRC for decades.

    Vamcy Merla supports 25 riders, awards cash for podium stars

    Many of the private riders were supported by Vamcy Merla, who also gave away cash prizes to those who made it to the podium in Chikkamagaluru on Sunday.

    Meanwhile, Vamcy Merla Sports Foundation has supported 25 riders and also awarded cash prizes for those who stood on the podium. Merla has also announced and supported riders for the first round held in Coorg. Vamcy Merla Sports Foundation is also in the process of supporting Aishwarya Pissay for Dakar 2024.

    Second round Podium stars from the select group of 25 riders: Nataraj 1 st Group 1A Rs. 50,000; Nitish Bharadwaj 1st Group D Rs. 50,000; Ajin Abraham 2nd 165 class Rs.25,000; Challas Bose 3rd place Rs.15,000; Naresh VS 2nd 550 class Rs.25,000; Jeemon 3rd 550 class Rs.15,000; Russel Jossy 2nd 400 class Rs.25,000; Rehana 2nd Women’s class Rs.25,000; Fazeela 3rd Women’s Class Rs.15,000; Total Prize Money given away to nine riders is Rs.2,45,000.

    Provisional Results:

    Class 1: Superbike Pro-Expert Group A: 1. Abdul Waheed Tanveer (Petronas TVS Racing) (54 minutes, 08.106 seconds); 2. Rajendra RE (TVS) (55:35.192, including 1min, 10sec liaison/road penalty); 2. Yuva Kumar (Hero MotoSports) (57:19.377);

    Class 2 Superbike Expert Group A: 1. Nataraj R (Bengaluru) (57:41.574); 2. Aman Pawde (Nagpur) (59:18.192); 3. Sinan Francis (Ernakulam) (59:20.892).

    Class 10 Star of Karnataka: 1. Darpan Darshan (Shivamogga) (1:05:50.303); 2. Kiran Kumar S (Mysore) (1:06:56.178 incl. 10-sec penalty); 3. Madhusudhan Suresh (Shivamogga) (01:07:01.954).

    Class 3 Supersport 165cc Group B: 1. Abrar Pasha (Shivamogga) (1:01:47.827); 2. Ajin Abraham (Kottayam) (1:02:46.695); 3. Chalass K Bose (Kottayam) (1:03:58.263).

    Classs 4: Supersport 260 Group B: 1. Imran Pasha (TVS) (56:48.770); 2. Sachin Ignatius D (TVS) (57:04.271); 3. T Arun (Hero Motosports)  (57:12.135);

    Class 5: Supersport 400 Group B: 1. Rohit Shinde (Baramati) (1:02:04.453); 2. Russel Jossey (Mumbai) (1:03:17.438); 3. Syed Aquib (Chikkamagaluru) (01:04:48.101).

    Class 6: Supersport 550 Group B: 1. Mohammed Zaheer (Bengaluru) (1:02:07.125); 2. Naresh VS (Bengaluru) (01:03:00.904); 3. Jeemon Anthony (Kochi) (01:03:16.858);

    Class 7: Scooters up to 210cc Group B: 1. Syed Asif Ali (TVS) (1:05:12.797); 2. N Karthik Naidu (TVS) (1:05:24.794); 3. Goutham N (Aprilia JB Racing, Bengaluru) (1:09:42.098).

    Class 8: Women’s Class Group B: 1. Tanika Shanbhag (Hero MotoSports, Satara) (1:06:10.932); 2. Rehana Bee A (Chennai) (1:07:18.812); 3. Fazeela U (Palakkad) (1:12:03.957).

    Class 9: Super Stock up to 450cc Group D: 1. Nitish Bharadwaj (Kulu) (1:03:02.882); 2. Mohammed Arshad (Thrissur) (1:03:31.897); 3. Sabarish R (Coimbatore) (1:03:41.690).

  • Indian racing star Jehan Daruvala takes 2nd place at Monaco again: F2

    Indian racing star Jehan Daruvala takes 2nd place at Monaco again: F2

    Monaco (Monte Carlo), 27 May 2023: Indian racing star Jehan Daruvala of Mumbai secured another well-deserved podium in the Sprint Race of the FIA Formula 2 World Championship here on Saturday.

    “The pace was good all race but it’s very difficult to overtake here in Monaco. I had a tyre pressure issue after the last safety car restart so happy to bring it home,” said Jehan Daruvala, the Mumbai native.

    Ayumu Iwasa got his Championship fight back on track with Sprint Race victory on the streets of Monte Carlo. The DAMS driver inherited the lead of the race early on and never let it go, managing two Safety Car restarts to take the win by over six seconds.

    Marshals congratulate Jehan Daruvala for his P2 on 27 May 2023 at Monaco.

    Jehan Daruvala shadowed the DAMS driver throughout the 30 laps but couldn’t make a move for victory, while Jak Crawford held off Richard Verschoor for the final podium position.

    AS IT HAPPENED

    Isack Hadjar got the launch he needed to retain the lead at Turn 1 ahead of Iwasa and Daruvala. It was a clean opening lap until Turn 10. Whilst battling with Amaury Cordeel, Kush Maini was pitched into a spin after contact with Clément Novalak from behind, blocking the track and several drivers behind him.

    The Virtual Safety Car was deployed as a result, but Roy Nissany and Ralph Boschung were out after getting caught up in the incident, unable to get going again. Novalak was later handed a 10-second time penalty. The full Safety Car was deployed on Lap 2 in order to remove the stricken cars.

    Back to racing conditions on Lap 6 and Hadjar kept the lead initially but into Turn 1, the Hitech Pulse-Eight driver slowed with a mechanical issue, handing the lead to Iwasa. The DAMS man quickly moved two seconds clear of Daruvala after two laps out in front, while Hadjar was forced into early retirement.

    Jehan Daruvala, left, poses with the winner after taking a 2nd place in Monaco Sprint. Twitter photo of MP Motorsport.

    At the halfway stage, the MP Motorsport driver was within touching distance of the race leader, 0.7s back but well within DRS range. The top two had dropped Crawford by seven seconds as the American kept Richard Verschoor at bay in the fight for the final podium place.

    Enzo Fittipaldi proved that overtaking was a possibility in Monte Carlo, passing Cordeel on Lap 22 into Turn 1 with DRS assistance. The Belgian’s day was quickly made worse after contact with Juan Manuel Correa left the Invicta Virtuosi Racing driver in the barriers, requiring another Safety Car.

    Iwasa got the field back underway entering Lap 24, opting to go ahead of the penultimate corner and establishing breathing room to Daruvala behind. He launched into a three second lead by the end of the lap.

    The DAMS was six seconds clear entering the final tour and brought it home for his third race win of the season. Daruvala stayed second ahead of Crawford despite Verschoor’s best efforts to find a route past from fourth.

    Zane Maloney finished fifth for Rodin Carlin ahead of Jack Doohan in sixth. The ART Grand Prix pair followed in the final points paying positions with Victor Martins heading home Théo Pourchaire in seventh and eighth places respectively.

    THE CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

    Iwasa’s win moves him to the top of the Drivers’ Championship on 68 points, two ahead of Théo Pourchaire in second. Frederik Vesti is third on 64 points heading into Sunday’s Feature Race, starting from pole position. Oliver Bearman and Kush Maini remain fourth and fifth, still on 41 points apiece. And Jehan Daruvala with this podium is just a point behind compatriot Maini in Sixth position with 40 points.

    In the Teams’ Standings, PREMA Racing still leads with 105 points, but DAMS close the gap, climbing to 102 points in second. ART Grand Prix remains third with 85 points.

    UP NEXT

    The Formula 2 Monte Carlo Feature Race gets underway on Sunday at 09:40 local time. Frederik Vesti starts from pole alongside Martins with Pourchaire going from third.

    Thoughts from Iwasa, Daruvala and Crawford

    FIA Formula 2: Many congratulations to the top three finishers of the FIA Formula 2 Sprint Race here in Monte Carlo. In third place, Jak Crawford for Hitech Pulse-Eight, in second place Jehan Daruvala for MP Motorsport and taking his third win of the 2023 season, our winner Ayumu Iwasa for DAMS. Ayu, what an impressive race by you, well done. After the tough weekend you had out in Baku how important was it to bounce back with a win here?

    Ayumu Iwasa: I think it’s quite a positive, unfortunately I missed a result again in Qualifying yesterday even though I had the speed that’s why I could take the P1 in Free Practice yesterday. I think this is the minimum recovery as a driver. Anyway I’m quite happy about this result and speed in the race. I think this will be quite positive for tomorrow’s race.

    FIA Formula 2: How good was the car today?

    Iwasa: Actually it was quite ok, it was quite similar to Qualifying and Free Practice. The driving was not so difficult I was just trying to manage the speed and pace and the tyre. The pace wasn’t perfect, but also not too bad so I should try to analyse a bit my driving today because I was missing the pace a little bit in the middle of the race. I think tha’s the only point from today’s race.

    FIA Formula 2: You say you were missing a little bit of pace in the middle of the race but do you think you could have challenged and maybe overtake Isack Hadjar had he not had to retire after that first Safety Car?

    Iwasa: Honestly, it’s really difficult to say because we didn’t run that many laps before the Safety Car so it’s difficult to know. It should have been difficult because it’s Monaco, maybe the pace was a little bit better than him, but maybe the overtake would have been a bit more difficult.

    FIA Formula 2: Very well done to you. Jehan let’s come to you now. You were second at the Sprint Race in Monaco last year, second in the Sprint Race again this year. Great consistency by you. How does this podium compare to last year?

    Jehan Daruvala: I would say it’s a bit better, in a way it was more challenging, especially in the middle of the race. Of course it’s very difficult to overtake, so my goal was just to put as much pressure as I could on Ayu but he didn’t make any mistakes. After the Safety Car I got a bit of scare because I had a puncture warning on my dash so I was taking it really easy because I didn’t want to have a slow puncture and put it in the wall so I was breaking really early everywhere which is why he opened a four or five seconds gap within a couple of laps so by then I just decided to bring it home.

    FIA Formula 2: What did you learn today that will help you in the Feature Race?

    Daruvala: I think I learnt that when I get a bit too close for too many laps the car balance has changes quite a lot and it does get difficult. Apart from that we can take a lot of positives from today’s race. I felt like we had good pace, even though I wasn’t over driving. Of course I was pushing close to the limits but it was nothing out of control and the car was always good and we had good pace.

    FIA Formula 2: Well done. Jak coming to you now, high pressure race, Richard Verschoor never very far from your gearbox. How tough was it from your point of view?

    Jak Crawford: It was really tough, I actually had the same issue as Jehan at the beginning of the race. I was also taking it easy the first two laps because I had a puncture warning. After that I pushed a lot and distroyed the tyres a bit and after that it became really difficult and Richard was quite quick, especially in Sector 2, in Turn 10 he was quite close but I was just quick enough in the right places to keep him behind.

    FIA Formula 2: After what happened to your teammate did you have any reliability concerns?

    Crawford: For me, no I didn’t have any concerns. I’m sorry for him, but I wasn’t worried.

    FIA Formula 2: Jak this is your third podium in Formula 2, it feels like you’ve got your feet firmly under the F2 table. Do you feel fully confident in these cars now?

    Crawford: I feel up to speed, obviously the Qualifying has been decent this year, that’s why we have had three podiums in the last three Sprint Races. Obviously we need to improve on the race pace on my side and fight for the Feature Race which is where the big points are.

    FIA Formula 2: Very well done to all three of you.

  • With virtually no seat time, Geoffrey Emmanuel performs admirably: JuniorGP

    With virtually no seat time, Geoffrey Emmanuel performs admirably: JuniorGP

    Valencia (Spain), May 22: Talented Indian racer and a pioneer in his own right, Geoffrey Emmanuel, amazingly adapted to the well-known circuit, despite taking part in a competitive race here for the first time and came out trumps finishing the race, which in itself is a big success as he is the first and lone torch-bearer for India, paving way for others in the FIM World Championship JuniorGP here on Sunday. He made an amazing comeback after his injury in the last round.

    The hard-working Emmanuel, son of Indian racing star of yesteryears, Emmanuel Jebaraj, put in a stunning show to improve his performance and finished a creditable P19 and P25 in the second round in the double-header, considering the experience and access to seat time of his competitors, at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo, the popular venue.

    Geoffrey, the 18-year old from Chennai, representing the famous Cuna De Campeones team, made a good beginning on his KTM in the season-opener in Portugal a fortnight back, and despite suffering injuries following a crash, made a valiant effort to be within 3.6 seconds of the leaders over the weekend.

    Having qualified 26th on the 27-bike grid, Geoffrey, who is sponsored by Fairstreet Sports, Vidiem, Vamcy Merla and Gusto Racing, put in a determined performance to take P25.

    In the second race later in the day, Geoffrey fought hard to finish 19th. Considering the amount of opportunities that he had in India and the experience and seat time enjoyed by his rivals, finishing the race is a good progress. But the Indian is soon adapting to the weather and new conditions and achieved his target of completing the race with aplomb. “It is a good learning experience. I am here to test myself and work hard. I am glad that I got a good team and am able to understand and learn from the professional set-up here,” said Emmanuel, who dreams of racing MotoGP one day.

    He felt that his learning at this level continues and after two rounds of the seven-round championship, he grew stronger but realises that he has a long road ahead of him. He is keen to make a mark in the JuniorGP which is a feeder series for the FIM Moto3 World Championship and is considered to be among the most-competitive junior championships in the World. The fact that he is the first and only Indian to get till here makes him a pioneer. “I am aware of the gigantic task ahead of me. But I am willing to work hard and I am sure the way we are working, we will be there soon,” he said confidently to INDIAinF1.com.

    Emmanuel added: “Both the races were difficult but I was able to fight with the riders. The two races helped me to figure out the areas where I need to work on and come back stronger for the next round.”

    Fairstreet Sports, the promoter who is bringing MotoGP to India, Vidiem, who sponsored and brought the MiniGP to India for the first time in 2022, have backed the young prospect. Vamcy Merla, the maverick former promoter of Indian National Rally Championship, and the founder of VM Sports Foundation, the heir torch-bearer of Andhra Pradesh’s Kalyani Group, has also pitched in to help Emmanuel blossom into an international rider.

    And it is Gusto Racing India, but for whom, the young rider would not have made it to the foreign land. His dad, the architect of many a youngster taking to the sport in India, runs Gusto. “If not for my dad, I would not have been where I am,” he told this writer once at the MMSC hospitality. This writer has also spotted Jebaraj waiting patiently for Valentino Rossi, at the Sepang a few summers back, and the technically-sound rider of his day, was so disappointed that the legendary rider soon disappeared out of the motorhome where the Indian maestro was waiting. But the delight and joy that one cannot mistake in his jubilant face once he met the legend, made “yours humbly” realise that JEBARAJ breaths MotoGP day-in and day-out.

    The third round of the championship is scheduled to be held in Jerez, Spain, from June 2 to 4, and by the time seven rounds are done, we would have an Indian pioneer. The hardworking youngster has the skills, talent and the commitment to go places, and if nurtured properly, can get the break at the right time.

  • Last-minute preparations at BIC to host MotoGP Bharat, get a boost from Dorna visit

    Last-minute preparations at BIC to host MotoGP Bharat, get a boost from Dorna visit

    New Delhi, May 26, 2023: The entry of MotoGP is all set materialise with preparations in full swing at the iconic Buddh International Circuit which hosted the Formula One Championship for three years from 2011. It is said that the visiting Dorna team was fairly satisfied with the progress being made towards fine-tuning the last minute preparations for the Motorcycle World Championships, MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3.

    The highly-anticipated Motorcylce World Championship race in India is titled as ‘MotoGP Bharat’ and is scheduled for September 22 to 24.

    On Friday, Fairstreet announced that a 12-member team from the global MotoGP commercial rights holder, Dorna Sports, led by Events Director, Norma Luna, conducted a visit to check and identify facilities that needs to be fine tuned. The team also comprised officials of MotoGP marketing and sponsorship teams and one of the important factors that Dorna supervised in detail included the Broadcasting and Media facilities that are central to any World- Class event.

    The recently-concluded visit is an reconnaissance trip to India to assess whether race preparations are meeting the given deadlines as per the MotoGP Promoter Dorna’s agreed regulations. Fairstreet Sports is the Indian Promoter but the facility, the BIC is owned by a different party, the JP group which is legal battles and one need to see, if the return of an international event, to the top-class motorsports facility designed by German Hermann Tilke, an engineer, race driver and designer, who designed many circuits across the world.

    Luna was accompanied by Daniel Trujillo (Technical Director), Enrique Aguilar (Live Coverage Director) among others. The team meticulously surveyed the circuit to evaluate various technical aspects. They inspected the broadcast setup facilities and assessed various other essential requirements for delivering a world-class event. However, the event passed off without any media presence and there is no announcement from Dorna.

    FairStreet Sports COO, Pushkar Nath Srivastava, is confident in the venue’s ability to put up country’s biggest annual sporting spectacle . He said: “With less than 124 days for the mega event, we had some important operational discussions as well as detailed marketing, branding, sponsorship and conversations related to the broadcast of the race. It is heartening to see how important MotoGP Bharat is from the global perspective as well as for us, the Indian stakeholders alongside the government.”

    A big part of hosting MotoGP is also to showcase their tourism potential and during their visit, the Dorna team also had the opportunity to explore one of the world’s most iconic landmarks and the Pride of Uttar Pradesh, the Taj Mahal. Located at just a two-hour drive from the racetrack, the team was captivated by the Taj’s grandeur and left in awe.

    MotoGP Bharat will not only encourage diverse range of fans to come and witness the onsite marvels but also explore the unique milieu of rich culture, heritage and history.

    Srivastava further added, “We anticipate a significant boost to the tourism industry, and this event is poised to unlock tremendous investment opportunities for the state of Uttar Pradesh.”

    Scheduled as 13th race on the calendar, India will see 42 teams and 84 riders in action across MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 categories. It will include names like Francesco Bagnaia of Ducati, Marc Marquez of Repsol Honda Team, Marco Bezzecchi of Mooney, Brad Binder and Jack Miller of Redbull, Jorge Martin of Prima, all set to hit the Indian soil soon.