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Author: David Bodapati
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Fredd Webb & how Bangalore Motor Sports Club (currently KMSC) started: Buildup to MRF 43rd K1000 rally
Fred Webb with the chequered flag. Photo courtesy kmsc.org website owned by Karnataka Motor Sports Association, a founder member of FMSCI Story from kmsc.org: downloaded on 16 Jan 2018
Copyright: Karnataka Motor Sports Club
My fascination for Formula One began when I was a teenager. I am not sure the number of the hours I would have spent imagining myself driving one of those cars at high speeds, braking to imaginary sharp bends and overtake every car possible on the virtual track. It is this imagination that also made me look at the streets of Bangalore as an F1 track. Be it any road, I would have compared it to some remote part of an F1 circuit with my favourite being ‘the street impression’ of Monte-Carlo near my place. It was fun!
With each year, my interest in Formula One grew and I started to focus more on the history of the sport – a practice which is on-going. Collecting information, books and stories is still a very integral part of my life. In one such story seeking moments, I bumped into a forum where I saw motor-racing pictures from the 1950’s Bangalore. It evoked my curiosity. Several weeks of communication and persuasion with Melanie (granddaughter of Fred Webb), who provided me her time, lots of key information and the rare photographs – on basis of which this article is written.
A SMALL PEEK IN THE PAST
What was Bangalore like in the 1950’s? It was a leisure city which had the blessings of mother nature precisely for its weather not exceeding 30 degrees for most of the year. Winters weren’t bad either, hovering around 10 degrees during nights and rains were a delight to experience. This remained till the 90’s. Apart from few areas, the city was relatively calm and amidst these less chaotic surroundings, I grew up.
Then came the new millennium – the IT boom in India and majorly in Bangalore resulted in many IT firms being built across Bangalore and in short span of time traffic congestion became the biggest worry among the residents. It still is – but there are other things which Bangalore provides and thus we all tend to overlook the temporary ailments of traffic.
Let’s go back few decades in time and try to imagine how was it like to race in Bangalore in the 50’s? Ever wondered who started the trend of motorsports here in the capital city of Karnataka? I have lost count in number of things we Indians embrace to this date courtesy of British empire. Whether we like it or not, to a large extent – a series of practices, words, regulations,…… and these have influenced many innovators and thinkers across India. One such individual named Fred Webb was known in Bangalore for his then Webb Sales and Services – a haven for cars and motorcycles in Bangalore.
MEET FRED WEBB
From the 1940’s till his demise, he was one of the chief architects who conceptualised the culture of motorsports in Bangalore. His presence in India was not by accident or through service; he remained in India as a result of his father Walter John Webb’s choice to stay back after serving with the British army for 10 years in 1881. Walter John Webb along with his wife chose to settle in Ootacamund (Ooty).
It was here in Ooty where Fred Webb was born on March 27 1908. Having done his schooling at a nearby church school, he left for Bangalore at a young age to work at a motor garage called Nankervis.
With an inclination towards cars, his raise in the world of automobiles was not by any means a fluke and was a combination of passion, hard work and courage. In 1927, Fred Webb worked as a service manager in a firm of distributors for Chevrolet cars. It was here he showcased his racing pursuits and took part in an endurance test, driving a new 1933 Chevrolet for nearly twenty-three hours continuously and covered about 2771 miles. What an effort! Aptly, for his super drive, the General Motors honoured him with a trophy for achieving this feat.
A few years of hard work coupled with his fervour for motorcars, his name was soon to be well recognised in the Automobile Trade and its circle; these reasons were enough for him to establish his own firm.
A visionary by nature and possessing an industrious mind, Fred Webb built his firm from the scratch. In 1939, he brought Ford cars to Bangalore through a dealership at a time when the second world war had just begun, and in a short space of time he added Chevrolet cars and trucks in his list of dealerships. With his business flourishing he was quick to diversify his interest and became the proprietor of Webb’s Farm Mechanization, dealers for the famous Ferguson tractors for Mysore State and Coorg.
With each year his name and position in India’s automobile trade grew in stature which helped him to secure a dealership with the Tata-Mercedes-Benz vehicles. He expanded his business towards two-wheelers as well. Under the flagship of Webb’s scooter mart, Lambratta scooters dealership became popular in the state keeping in mind of the growing economic households. A prominent personality in the automobile industry, the state transport department often consulted him to come up with solutions on matters related to traffic.
BIRTH OF BANGALORE MOTOR SPORTS CLUB
Fred Webb was a keen follower of the automobile and its evolution across the globe. This obsession was taken further along with few other like-minded gentlemen, the likes of Cyril Doveton, John Webb (Fred’s son) to name a few to hold a meeting which paved the way for the establishment of ‘The Bangalore Motor Sports Club’ in 1954.
Since becoming its President in 1955, Fred Webb endlessly laboured to put Bangalore Motor Sports Club on the sports map of India. Part of his efforts included to host races at the Bangalore-Yelahanka airstrip and Jakkur aerodrome. He also invited several participants from abroad to be part of these races.
A man known for his quick wit and sense of humour – he was actively involved with the Bangalore Golf Association and also donned the hat of being the President of Mysore State Amateur Boxing Association. He was ably supported by his wife Gwen Webb, a keen horticulturist who actively participated in many of the charitable organisations in Bangalore. Their son John Webb, like father was smitten quite early by motorsports.
The father-son duo actively took part in many of the races held at Madras (Chennai) Sholavaram airstrip, Coimbatore’s Sulur aerodrome and at Colombo’s Katukurunda airstrip. A versatile sportsman with having interests in various sports, it was not a surprise that he was second in command to Fred’s business.
LEGACY
Fred’s motto towards life was plain and simple. Life to him has always been a series of experiments and experiences, many of which pleasant, quite a few to the contrary. But essentially, he felt it was meant to be lived, not to be brooded upon. These words to this date is etched in the memories of his family members.
Having lived in India all his life, he choose to spend his final days in Bangalore at his residence in Brunton Road. He passed away in 1984. His son John remained in Bangalore and six years later while holidaying in Perth, Australia – he too passed away. The ‘Webb’ family continues to shuttle between Western Australia and Bangalore – and make constant efforts to preserve the legacy of their family.
During this time, the Bangalore Motor Sports Club now known as Karnataka Motor Sports Club, played a crucial role in establishing the national federation for motorsports. It is well known in the Indian motorsports fraternity for hosting the state rally (K1000) to date for close to 40 years.
It is common to associate IT with Bangalore in today’s world. However, before it became the IT capital, Bangalore was home to some of the motor racing legends of India, hosted many thrilling races and was the birth place of many automobile innovations. People who have seen Bangalore before the millennium can imagine such a possibility – but with the present traffic woes, the motor-racing tales of the yore will remain a pack of stories to share for the generations to come.
eom/Source: kmsc.org
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US Motorsport legend Dan Gurney passes away
Dan Gurney, one of racing’s most well-respected stars, has sadly passed away aged 86. The American driver was renowned not only for his numerous successes behind the wheel in a variety of disciplines but also as an innovator who had a great influence on the development of motorsport for many years.
Gurney was a winner of four Formula One Grands Prix and drove for almost all of the sport’s most iconic teams including Ferrari, McLaren, Porsche, Brabham and Lotus. Perhaps the most impressive triumph, however, came in a car of his own construction – the stunning Eagle-Weslake – at the 1967 Belgian Grand Prix.
He also drove to victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans that same year and, during the podium celebrations, spontaneously sprayed champagne – an action that would lead to one of motor sport’s most recognisable traditions and ensure an eternal legacy that plays out after every race all around the world.
As well as competing at the very highest levels in Formula One and Sports Cars, Gurney drove to many successes in both NASCAR and IndyCar, as well as many other series in the United States.
Gurney will also be long remembered for the technical innovations he brought to the sport, including most famously the ‘Gurney flap’ which increases downforce without great cost to aerodynamic drag.
FIA President Jean Todt said: “I would like to pay tribute to Dan Gurney, he was a great driver who truly inspired my love of motor sport, and I was very fortunate that he became a good friend. We owe a lot to his character and his innovations, and I know that motor sport would not be what it is today without him. My thoughts, and those of the whole FIA family, are with his loved ones at this difficult time.”
eom/FIA press release
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Santosh falls twice, but holds on after a tough marathon run at 42nd overall position
CS Santosh during Dakar 2018 Stage 8 of Leg2 on Jan 14, 2018. A Hero MotoSports Image Bolivia, 14 Jan 2018: CS Santosh, the only Indian remaining in the Dakar Rally this year, continued his exploits and made a steady progress overcoming a challenging marathon run to end the first stage of Leg 2, Stage 8 in 38th position, which places him at an overall 42nd position. The other Indian KP Aravind ended his campaign after a nasty fall.
Having spent a night at Uyuni without assistance, the competitors started the leg 2 of the Marathon stage from Uyuni to Tupiza on Sunday, the 14th morning for the longest stage of the Dakar Rally.
Santosh of Hero MotoSports Team Rally, too has been gaining good ground lately and continued his steady run today as well. His teammater, Oriol Mena has been consistently delivering under top 20 performances for the past few stages and today was no different as finished today’s special at 12th position. Today’s performance helped Mena in defending his top 20 ranking and grabbing up the 18th spot overall.
The riders had to make a total run of 498 km on Sunday’s special stage followed by an 87-km liaison section. This stage offers the challenge of a tough high altitude riding in the mountain sand dunes at 3500 m above sea level.
Stage 9 of the Dakar Rally has been cancelled due to excessive rains the region has witnessed over the last few days. Overflowing rivers are expected to pose grave dangers to the competitors and hence the organizers decided to call off the stage.
However the riders and the rally will still need to cross the borders to move into Argentina on to their next bivouac at Salta, while covering the longest liaison section of the Dakar.
C.S Santosh, who rides with a competition Number 49, said: “I think this Marathon stage was the hardest I have ever done. It was incredibly difficult as we did 80 km off-piste and the camel grass. I was physically drained with the high altitude riding and also crashed a couple of times. By the time I reached the marathon bivouac I had nothing left in me. This morning we had the longest stage of the Dakar which was tough again. Happy to be back here with the team, I missed these guys. Now we got a lucky break tomorrow and then we go racing all the way to Cordoba”
Provisional Stage 8 Classifications: 1. Antoine Meo, RedBull KTM Racing, KTM, 5h 24m 01s 2. Ricky Brabec, Honda Factory Racing, Honda, +01m 08s 3. Toby Price, RedBull KTM Racing, KTM, +02m 45s 12. Oriol Mena, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, Hero MotoSports, +16m 57s 38. C.S. Santosh, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, Hero MotoSports, +06h 31m 43s
Overall Provisional Classifications after Stage 8: 1. Adrien Van Beveren, Yamaha Factory Racing,Yamaha,27h 22m 03s 2. Kevin Benavides, Honda Factory Racing, Honda, +00m 22s 3. Mathias Walkner, Redbull KTM Racing, KTM, +06m 34s 18. Oriol Mena, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, Hero MotoSports, +01h 42m 57s 42. C.S. Santosh, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, Hero MotoSports, +07h 19m 21s.
eom/Hero MotoSports press release
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Mahindra’s Felix Rosenqvist wins again: Formula E Marrakesh e-prix
Felix Rosenqvist has won for the second time in the first three races of the 2017/18 FIA Formula E Championship with victory in a closely-fought Marrakesh E-Prix. The Mahindra driver started the race from third but eventually overcame pole-man Sebastien Buemi in the closing stages to secure the win and take the lead in the championship standings for the first time in his Formula E career.
Buemi made a strong getaway in his Renault e.dams machine, leading second-placed starter Sam Bird in the DS Virgin Racing car with Rosenqvist third. The top trio was undoubtedly the class of the field, pulling out a healthy margin to the chasing pack, although Bird was struggling with a car issue in the first half of the race and was passed by the Mahindra on lap 16.
Reigning champion Lucas di Grassi was also having technical difficulties and endured a difficult day despite showing strong pace. After getting into the super-pole shootout, he began experiencing issues with his Audi Sport Abt Schaeffler car which meant that, despite starting the race well, he would eventually be forced to retire with the issues from qualifying appearing to recur.
As the top three broke away and Di Grassi dropped out of the running, Panasonic Jaguar Racing’s Nelson Piquet Jr had another strong showing to finish fourth for the second time this year. He had dropped behind Lopez in the early laps but got past during the mid-race car swaps and stayed there for the remainder of the laps
With the front three having broken away there was intense racing further back from fifth to tenth place. The TECHEETAH of Jean-Eric Vergne would take the chequered flag in fifth to continue his consistent run of strong scores, while Lopez ended up an impressive sixth on his Dragon debut.
The battle for seventh was perhaps the most heated of all, with several drivers clashing in the latter stages in a bid to make a pass stick. Ultimately a robust defence from winner Rosenqvist’s team-mate Heidfeld netted him the position, while the two Venturi cars made contact with each other and then the Mahindra, resulting in Edoardo Mortara dropping back with damage and Maro Engel receiving a penalty for causing the collision that put him down to 12th.
This late drama meant that Tom Blomqvist was able to impress on his Formula E debut for Andretti in eighth, while Alex Lynn and Daniel Abt completed the top ten for DS Virgin Racing and Audi Sport Abt Schaeffler respectively.
This third round of the 2017/18 FIA Formula E Championship has left an intriguing championship order, with Rosenqvist leading Bird by four points ahead of Vergne, Piquet Jr and Mortara. The next round takes place for the first time in Santiago de Chile on 3 February.
Felix Rosenqvist, Mahindra Racing, said: “At one point of the day I was going to be settling somewhere in the middle of the mid-field after free practice as we were struggling a lot. We then made some analysis and in qualifying we found out how to work the tyres properly, so that was a really good comeback before the race. Before the race, Spark told me I had to change my battery thirty-minutes before jumping in the car before the grid, so I was praying that my second car would be ready. Big thanks to the Mahindra guys. I think I was a little bit lucky with Lucas dropping out of the race quite early on, and obviously Sam had a problem with his car on the main straight as well. I tried to keep calm and look at my energy, because this race wasn’t really about the temperature but more about energy, and when the moment was right I went for it – super happy!”
Sebastien Buemi, Renault e.dams, said: “I had an issue with the water pump and it wouldn’t start so we had to switch cars, so the car I started with was supposed to be the second one. Because of this we didn’t get FANBOOST sorted properly, so I think Felix had a bit more pace in the second stint, not much, but then I was overtaken at the end and I thought I would leave it to the last minute to use FANBOOST, but it didn’t work. I was annoyed, I didn’t properly move over to the inside and he managed to pass me, otherwise I would’ve closed the door a bit better, so I don’t know what happened. He had a little more pace and he deserved the win, so I don’t really think second is bad, but a big disappointment when you lead for most of the race.”
Sam Bird, DS Virgin Racing, said: “We’ve had an issue since Hong Kong which you wouldn’t have noticed from the outside. We had tried to address it but it came back, and it came back big time in the race. We actually noticed it a lot in FP2, during a 200kW lap attempt – I noticed some difficulties with the rear of the car and I came in early from my run. We thought ‘do we change it, do we not’, and anyway we said no, let’s not change the component and unfortunately it’s come to bite us a little bit in the race. But still, third place is strong points and it’s a third place with a big issue! I didn’t think I was going to finish the race in the first car, I thought I was going to be pulling over and retiring so actually we were quite relieved with the full course yellow came and saved my bacon a little bit.”
2017/18 FIA Formula E Championship Round 3 – Marrakesh
1 – Felix Rosenqvist, Mahindra Racing, 48:04.751s (25)
2 – Sebastien Buemi, Renault e.dams, +0.945s (21)
3 – Sam Bird, DS Virgin Racing, +5.762s (15)
4 – Nelson Piquet Jr, Panasonic Jaguar Racing, +6.554s (13)
5 – Jean-Eric Vergne, TECHEETAH, +12.238s (10)
6 – Jose Maria Lopez, DRAGON, +16.491s (8)
7 – Nick Heidfeld, Mahindra Racing, +28.381s (6)
8 – Tom Blomqvist, Andretti Formula E, +32.380s (4)
9 – Alex Lynn, DS Virgin Racing, +33.520s (2)
10 – Daniel Abt, ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport, +40.951s (1)
11 – Mitch Evans, Panasonic Jaguar Racing, +46.278s
12 – Maro Engel, Venturi Formula E Team, +46.915s
13 – Nico Prost, Renault e.dams, +53.099s
14 – Antonio Felix da Costa, Andretti Formula E, +1:01.116s
15 – Jerome D’Ambrosio, DRAGON, +1:13.805s
16 – Luca Filippi, NIO Formula E Team, +1 Lap
17 – Edoardo Mortara, Venturi Formula E Team, +3 LapsDNF – Oliver Turvey, NIO Formula E Team, 17 Laps
DNF – Andre Lotterer, TECHEETAH, 14 Laps
DNF – Lucas di Grassi, ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport, 7 LapsDriver standings
Felix Rosenqvist, Mahindra Racing – 54
Sam Bird, DS Virgin Racing – 50
Jean-Eric Vergne, TECHEETAH – 43
Nelson Piquet Jr, Panasonic Jaguar Racing – 25
Edoardo Mortara, Venturi Formula E – 24Team standings
Mahindra Racing – 75
DS Virgin Racing – 58
TECHEETAH – 43
Panasonic Jaguar Racing – 40
Venturi Formula E Team – 30
Renault e.dams – 28
Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler – 12
Andretti Formula E – 12
NIO Formula E Team – 9
DRAGON – 8eom/FIA press release
Felix Rosenqvist celebrates after winning the e-prix on Saturday, 13 Jan 2018. An FIA image -
Aravind KP’s ankle injury halts his Dakar 2018
By David Bodapati
Arequipa, 11 January 2018: Aravind KP’s dream of finishing The Dakar Rally ended with an ankle injury in the fifth stage of the Dakar 2018 here on Thursday.
Talking to INDIAinF1.com, Aravind said that he is overwhelmed by the love and support shown by the fans in India. He said he though he was disappointed with his premature end to the second season’s campaign, he felt good and encouraged by the huge demonstration of support from India. “After yesterday’s crash, I am feeling better now after getting medical attention. I would like to thank all my fans and well-wishers for their love and support all through Dakar. The doctors in Lima have informed me that I will require surgery once back in India…,” qupped the only rider among the two Indians who have ever competed in the Dakar Rally along with Santosh CS of Hero MotoSports. When it comes to injuries in workplace one can opt for legal experts for workers comp and occupational diseases in Florida.
“So I am focused on staying positive and recovering quickly so that I can get back on the bike quickly,” he concluded and also thanked TVS Racing in a 2-part tweet, who were there brain behind promoting
Arvind KP posts a picture of his ankle in bandage on twitter on Thursday. Image by Aravind KP an Indian champion to a World Stage for the second year running. He also thanked other TVS partners, who supported in his campaign. The auto accidents attorneys are the ones you can contact to get legal help. Unlike Gaurav Gill, the kind of Indian Motorsports, who is languishing for lack of a sponsor, Aravind feels grateful to the company, that has been a constant and consistent encouragement and backbone for his racing activities. The personal injury lawyers from Woburn area is whom you can consult in case there is need for legal aid.
The Sherco TVS Factory Rally team traversed across a challenging trail between San Juan De Marcona and the city of Arequipa in Peru with lead rider Joan Pedrero taking a solid 18th position. The 764-km stage featured a 268-km ‘special’ where the riders had to ride through a difficult terrain of sand and dust. When it comes to injuries In Riverside area based auto accident lawyers can help providing proper legal aid.
Aravind KP had an crash and injured his ankle to bring his second sojourn in the Dakar Rally to a premature end. He is undergoing medical treatment in Lima, Peru.
Pedrero said: “I am happy to have arrived and to have been able to keep my bike intact. It was a very difficult stage as the dunes are very tough and the course was very difficult to negotiate.”
Team Manager David Casteu said: “It is a very difficult Dakar. The whole team is thinking about Aravind KP and wishes him speedy recovery.”
The sixth stage of Dakar 2018, will witness extreme climatic conditions as the riders move from the confines of the deserts of Peru to the pristine landscape of Bolivia. The riders expected to go past the shorelines of salt-water lakes before taking on the Bolivian Altiplano where mountain ranges cover altitudes of over 2500 kms.
eom/TVS Sherco press release
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Sam Sunderland wins tough Stage 3: A KTM view of the Dakar Rally 2018
Sunderland wins tough Stage 3. A KTM image Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Sam Sunderland has successfully completed the long stage three of the 2018 Dakar Rally in first position. Demonstrating the speed that gave him the overall win at the 2017 event, the Brit excelled today on the 296km timed special. Antoine Meo also rode well in the dunes to place seventh for the day. The longest stage of the event so far, comprising a 296km special followed by a 208km liaison, proved difficult for many of the competitors today. Good navigation was paramount as well as overall speed, and as such many of the top riders lost valuable time after missing a waypoint. Using his experience, KTM 450 RALLY mounted Sam Sunderland moved up through the order as the day went on. Riding consistently, Sunderland posted a fastest time of just over three hours and 20 minutes.With today’s stage win, 2017 Dakar champion Sunderland also moves to the top of the overall standings, over four minutes ahead of the next placed rider. Sam Sunderland: “That was a tough day – there was a lot of off-piste riding and some of the dunes were really difficult to navigate and even climb. It made the whole day that little bit more physical, too. I’m happy to get another win, but it’s still early days yet and we have a long way to go. The bike felt really good today, even in the soft sand it was still pulling really well. I made a couple of mistakes in the middle of the stage, but thankfully they didn’t cost me too much time.”
2016 Dakar champion Toby Price was flying straight from the start of today’s timed special. The Australian placed second at the first waypoint, just nine seconds behind team-mate Sunderland. A crash three quarters of the way into the stage cost him a few minutes, but Price continued, eventually posting the third fastest time. Unfortunately, a five-minute penalty relegated Toby to 10th position at the end of the day.
Toby Price: “Everything felt really good today, I was really comfortable on the bike. I knew my pace was good and so I kept on pushing. I did come off the bike after a big drop-off from one of the dunes around the 140km mark. Luckily, I didn’t damage myself or the bike too much, the road-book got filled with sand though so for the rest of the stage I had to just ease my pace a little. One of the worst things was that I lost the end to my camelback in the crash and wasn’t able to keep hydrated towards the finish. Apart from that everything was good, you can see on days like today how important it is to stay focused and not make any mistakes. Hopefully I can keep up the same performance for the rest of the rally.”
Continuing to find his form, Antoine Meo placed seventh at the end of today’s stage. The former enduro world champion made a slight error halfway through the day but luckily didn’t lose much time.
Antoine Meo: “It’s been a mixed day for me today – half really good and half not so good. I made a big mistake at the 83km point when after riding alone for the beginning of the stage, I caught a rider in front. Instead of staying to the line I tried to get past him by taking a small detour but it ended up costing me some time. Other than that, I am really pleased with my pace, and the bike is performing perfectly. I’ll try to make up some time tomorrow.”
After placing third on day two, Matthias Walker was one of the first bikes to enter today’s stage. The Austrian had a tough day in the soft dunes and completed the day 12th overall, nine minutes down on his team-mate Sunderland. Although disappointed with today’s result, Walkner is still upbeat about the rest of the rally.
Matthias Walkner: “That was quite a rough day for me today. I started off third but obviously dropped some places as the stage went on. Luckily, I haven’t actually lost too much time on the guys in front and some of the other riders fared a lot worse by making mistakes with their navigation. There are still 11 days to go so I’ll just keep on pushing and see where we are after that.”
‘Queen of the Desert’ Laia Sanz showed today why she is by far the leading female rider at the Dakar. The Spaniard put in a sensational performance throughout the day to finish in 16th overall. Navigating perfectly through the difficult stage Laia now sits 18th in the provisional overall standings.
Laia Sanz: “That was a good stage, I felt confident and was able to push – the whole day went really well. After the halfway point there was quite a lot of dust but I was able to navigate well and didn’t make any mistakes. It was a lot nicer to ride than yesterday’s stage too as we weren’t following the cars or crossing their tracks. I’m looking forward to tomorrow now and hope for another good day.”
Luciano Benavides also had a good stage. Showing a good, solid pace throughout the day, the KTM Factory rider placed an impressive 20th, the second fastest newcomer on the day. Today’s performance moves Benavides up to 17th in the overall standings – fastest of the rookies.
Luciano Benavides: “Overall, today went really well for me. It was a long stage with some big dunes and I did lose a couple of minutes when I got stuck on one of the climbs. Apart from that, I’m enjoying myself and learning all the time about strategy, navigation and how to handle stages in terrain like this. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
Tuesday’s stage four of the Dakar Rally 2018 will see riders begin their day with a sprint along the beach at San Juan de Marcona. The riders will then head back into the dunes for one of the most difficult sand sections of the rally. The total distance covered will be 444km, 330km of which is timed special.
Revision: results, standings and text changed due to Toby Price receiving five-minute penalty.
Provisional Results Stage Three – 2018 Dakar Rally
1. Sam Sunderland (GBR), KTM, 3:20:43
2. Kevin Benavides (ARG), Honda, 3:23:46 +3:03
3. Ricky Brabec (USA), Honda, 3:24:38 +3:55
4. Pablo Quintanilla (CHI), Husqvarna, 3:25:03 +4:20
5. Gerard Farres (ESP), KTM, 3:25:51 +5:08
Other KTM
7. Antoine Meo (FRA), KTM, 3:27:06 +6:23
10. Toby Price (AUT), KTM, 3:29:11 +8:28 (5min penalty)
11. Matthias Walkner (AUT), KTM, 3:29:47 +9:04
15. Laia Sanz (ESP), KTM, 3:32:43 +12:00
19. Luciano Benavides (ARG), KTM, 3:35:48 +15:05Provisional Standings after Stage Three – 2018 Dakar Rally
1. Sam Sunderland (GBR), KTM, 6:44:23
2. Kevin Benavides (ARG), Honda, 6:49:01 +4:38
3. Pablo Quintanilla (CHI), Husqvarna, 6:49:23 +5:00
4. Ricky Brabec (USA), Honda, 6:52:23 +8:00
5. Matthias Walkner (AUT), KTM, 6:53:13 +8:50
Other KTM
7. Antoine Meo (FRA), KTM, 6:55:17 +10:54
8. Toby Price (AUT), KTM, 6:56:51 +12:28 (5min penalty)
16. Luciano Benavides (ARG), KTM, 7:12:26 +28:03
17. Laia Sanz (ESP), KTM, 7:14:51 +30:28
www.dakar.com
www.ktm.com | media.ktm.com -
Santosh survives Day 1 with a 29th place after Stage 1; J-Rod crashes out
© RallyZone – Edoardo Bauer Pisco (Peru), 8 January 2018: Hero MotoSports Team Rally regained the momentum to make a solid show on the 2nd Day of the Dakar Rally 2018, shrugging off the unfortunate events of the Day 1 where their main rider, J-Rod Rodriques, dropped out of contention after an accident where he fractured his wrist and was airlifted to a hospital.
Stage 2 was the first full-length stage of the Dakar with a short 12-km liaison section followed by a 267-km loop of Pisco. It is a challenging stage with tricky canyons in the first 40 km of the stage which make it only tougher by the series of dunes that follow.
With a tough stage on the cards, both the Hero riders decided to be cautious and steady. Oriol Mena finished the stage at 27th place and Santosh at 29th.
The third stage of the Rally will commence on January 8, when it moves to the next location of San Juan De Marcona, where the competitors can expect to encounter a Chott (dry/marshy saline lake), a number of canyons and almost 60% sand during the course of the 504 kms of riding.
C.S Santosh (Comp No: 49) said: “The Dakar really kicked off today with a difficult stage. The sand was really soft and some of the dunes were really massive. I started really slow but then gained a good rhythm. I had fun today and really happy to make it to the end of day 2.”
Oriol Mena (Comp No: 61) said: “It was a really hard day today but I covered the 1st half at really good speed and caught up with three riders in front of me. Before the re-fuelling station I had slight problem and lost a few minutes there but happy that I finished today and now have one day less to arrive at Cordoba.”
Joaquim Rodrigues (Comp No: 26) said: “Thanks to all the friends and my team for the support and wishes. I am doing ok now and will be flying back home soon to complete my recovery. Sorry, my Dakar was short this year, hard luck but I will come back stronger. All the best to CS and Mena to make it to the finish line at Cordoba safely”
Provisional Stage 2 Classifications: 1. Joan Bort Barreda, Honda Racing, Honda, 02h56m44s; 2. Adrian Van Beveren, Yamaha Official Rally Team, Yamaha, +2m 54s; 3.Matthias Walkner, redBull KTM Factory Racing, KTM, +4m 24s; 27. Oriol Mena Hero Motosports Team Rally, Hero MotoSports, +24m 55s; 29. C.S. Santosh, Hero Motosports Team Rally, Hero MotoSports, +26m 07s.
Overall Provisional Classifications after Stage 2
- Joan Bort Barreda, Honda Racing, Honda, 03h18m36s; 2. Adrian Van Beveren, Yamaha Official Team, Yamaha, +2m 30s; 3. Matthias Walkner, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, KTM +4m 50s; 27. Oriol Mena, Hero Motosports Team Rally, Hero MotoSports, +28m 12s; 28. C.S. Santosh Hero Motosports Team Rally, Hero MotoSports, +28m 26s.
You can follow Hero MotoSports Team Rally at www.heromotosports.com
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Nicholas Latifi joins Sahara Force India as reserve and test driver for 2018
Nicholas Latifi, the new test driver for 2018. Photo by Sahara Force India Sahara Force India is pleased to welcome Nicholas Latifi as the team’s reserve and test driver for the 2018 season. The 22-year-old Canadian, a race winner and nine-time F2 podium finisher in 2017, will take part in young driver test sessions and participate in a number of Friday practice sessions at Grand Prix events.
Nicholas Latifi: “I’m really excited about the opportunity. Sahara Force India is a team that has shown constant improvement for the last few years and I’m proud to become a part of one of the success stories of Formula One. I am eager to show the team what I can do and help them as they continue to close the gap to the front of the grid.”
Vijay Mallya, Team Principal & Managing Director of Sahara Force India: “Nicholas joins us off the back of a strong season in F2 and strengthens our driver development programme. He will support our simulator programme and work with the team during a number of Friday practice sessions next year. We have a long track record of bringing on young talented drivers and Nicholas will learn a huge amount as he gets embedded in the team, and looks forward to a career in Formula One.”
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Jorge Martínez “Aspar” pays tribute to Ángel Nieto by naming team after Spanish legend
Gelete Nieto returns to the place he called home for several years as he takes over the reins of the newly-named Ángel Nieto Team, an exciting project that covers every level of motorcycle racing, from the Spanish Championship and Moto3 Junior World Championship to the elite stage of the Moto3 and MotoGP World Championships.“Ángel Nieto is synonymous with motorcycle racing, a sport that gave him so much and to which he gave so much in return. Motorcycle racing is what it is in Spain thanks to the man who laid the first stone and we want to pay homage to that fact by renaming our team the Ángel Nieto Team,” explained Jorge Martínez “Aspar”, Nieto’s great rival on track and great friend off it.A four-time World Champion himself, Jorge Martínez “Aspar” will continue to pay tribute to his compatriot on track with the Ángel Nieto Team, a project that will be led by Nieto’s eldest son Gelete from youth development to MotoGP.
“You would always learn so much from being alongside him. Ángel helped so many people, me amongst others, and he was an important part of my life, as are his sons Gelete and Pablo and his nephew Fonsi. Ángel was particularly excited about this whole project. He trusted me to give Gelete his start in racing and he told me, “I know that with you he will learn.” To be able to pay tribute to his memory and continue with this project in the hands of his eldest son, who was one of the first to ride for my team, gives me enormous pride.”Gelete Nieto competed with the Aspar Team from 1993 to 1997 and picked up a European Championship victory in Barcelona and another in the Spanish Championship at Jerez, as well as making 28 Grand Prix appearances.
“I took my first steps in racing with Jorge Martínez “Aspar”, he guided me to the top step of the podium in the European and Spanish Championships. He has always been an important person to our family and alongside him I am now about to start a new chapter of my professional life in a team that will carry the name of my father. 2016 was his 50th season in the World Championship and I am sure he would have loved to be around for a few more. Motorcycles were his way of life and through this team we will make sure he remains in touch with his great passion,” said Gelete.
Gelete was the first of the Nieto family to race in the team run by Jorge Martínez “Aspar”, soon to be followed by his brother Pablo and cousin Fonsi. The trio, along with Ángel Nieto, were part of a team that enjoyed some of their best moments together, with standout moments like Pablo’s victory in the Grand Prix of Portugal in 2003 and Fonsi’s 250cc World Championship runner-up season of 2002.Jorge Martínez “Aspar” added that Ángel Nieto “was the reason why so many Spaniards, including myself, his sons and so many others, wanted to dedicate our lives to racing and became champions of our passion. Thanks to him, we have the best fans in the world. Ángel will live forever, he will never leave our hearts and with this gesture he will be even more in our minds, if that were possible, as we continue to produce champions and keep the flame of our passion for this sport alive.”
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Karter Akshay passes away in a road accident; Aaroh excels in Pro-Sr class: Pune IndiKarting
Pune: Overwhelming response saw 119 karters take part in India’s last karting race of the season, the IndiKarting Go-Kart Race as participants from across all categories revved up their engines and showcased their talent here on Tuesday.
The successful event was, however, marred by some sad news, later that night put the entire racing community into grief. A pal of gloom engulfed as news came in that Akshay Patil passed away in a road accident. Akshay finished runner-up in the Pro-Senior Category. In case of any type of accidents, it is important to first contact motorcycle accident lawyers in Green, Waters Ogle and McCarter, who can help us proceed with the legal procedures.
The Pro-Junior and Senior classes saw some refreshing new faces. Reigning National Champion Aaroh Ravindra, had technical issues and qualified well down the order in 8th. Akshay Patil from Pune drove a brilliant Race 1 to climb from fifth to win the race while Jonathan Kuriakose and Aaroh Ravindra came second and third respectively. Race 2 was the reverse grid, where Aaroh showed his class starting from seventh, steadily climbed up the order in the 16 laps to win the race ahead of Rahul Deshpande and Monish Jain. In case of accidents, click here now to get legal help. There are ways to get legal help even after bowling injury and other accident cases.
Eventually, it was Aaroh who received the overall winner’s trophy, with Akshay Patil and Rahul Deshpande runner-up & third respectively, in the Pro Senior. Jonathan Kuriakose won the Pro Junior followed by Neil Gandhi from Mumbai. The personal injury lawyers from Malloy Law Offices, LLC can assist with injury cases.
The Pro-Cadet witnessed intense competition and very exciting racing across all three races. So close were the overall results that the three racers were tied on points at the top. Pune’s Sai Shiva Sankaran with a victory in the last race was first, ahead of Pune’s Ranvir Singh, who also won a race. Mumbai’s Hoshmand Elavia came in third. The injury lawyers located in Framingham area is what one needs to deal with the legalities of any injury related case.
The Senior Amateur category meant for racers without prior success was as usual hotly contested. Sarvesh Bode from Pune, Mumbai’s Sujosh Sen, and Mohd. Raza Sheikh from Pune sealed the podium.
The Senior Open witnessed the highest number of entries with 21 participants. Karthik Muthuswamy from Bangalore won a really close race ahead of the Bhui brothers from Mumbai – Aman, and Suraj.
Aman Singh Bhui (Chandrabhan Sharma College) won the Inter-College category ahead of Akshay More (Bandodkar College) and Asad Kadegaongar (Coplen University, Singapore). Pratham Chaoudhary (Fountain Gate) won the Inter School category ahead of Rohaan Aggarwal (Cathedral and John Connon, Mumbai). Kshitij Mahajani (Bishops) was third.
Suraj Bhui of Amrit Elastomers won the Corporate Category ahead of Jatin Vora of Jet Airways and Arish Daver from Indigo Airlines. Mayank Kundu won the Senior Plus category ahead of Mohd. Raza Shaikh and Kejas Shah. Mithlesh Jain won the Women’s Category ahead of Aishwarya Dhumal and Naomi Aggarwal. The Master Category saw a close fight too with Arish Daver emerging winner ahead of Clive Joshua and Kejas Shah.
The entire racing fraternity was shocked with grief, when early next morning news came in, of the tragic passing away of Akshay Patil in a road accident. Akshay finished runner-up
IndiKarting races at Pune attracted 119 entries. A photo by Rayo Racing in the Pro Senior Category and was a much loved and popular racer who will always be fondly remembered by the racing fraternity.
eom/Rayo Racing Release
“You would always learn so much from being alongside him. Ángel helped so many people, me amongst others, and he was an important part of my life, as are his sons Gelete and Pablo and his nephew Fonsi. Ángel was particularly excited about this whole project. He trusted me to give Gelete his start in racing and he told me, “I know that with you he will learn.” To be able to pay tribute to his memory and continue with this project in the hands of his eldest son, who was one of the first to ride for my team, gives me enormous pride.”
Gelete was the first of the Nieto family to race in the team run by Jorge Martínez “Aspar”, soon to be followed by his brother Pablo and cousin Fonsi. The trio, along with Ángel Nieto, were part of a team that enjoyed some of their best moments together, with standout moments like Pablo’s victory in the Grand Prix of Portugal in 2003 and Fonsi’s 250cc World Championship runner-up season of 2002.
