Author: David Bodapati

Kush Maini to boost Campos Racing plans: F2 Testing roundup

Campos Racing are determined to be back with a vengeance this season and their hopes are boosted with the addition of Indian racing star and Formula 3 graduate Kush Maini to the squad. After their 2022 plans began with such promise and success during the opening rounds, the Spanish team’s dreams were derailed by Ralph Boschung’s unfortunate neck injury early on.

Yet now with the experienced Swiss driver remaining at the helm and along with Kush Maini, the signs of a strong 2023 campaign are beginning to emerge, an FIA Formula2 news report said.

Locking in their line-up prior to post-season testing at the Yas Marina Circuit last November has given both drivers the ideal situation – time to embed themselves within the team. While the disappointments of last year were a bitter pill to swallow, there seems to be a rejuvenated sense of confidence emanating from their garage.

Their performance during testing in Bahrain correlates this, both in terms of lap time and mileage. Alongside each driver topping a session on the final day of running, Boschung secured the sixth-fastest time overall across the three days, with Maini hot on his heels in ninth. Importantly, the pair were both within half a second of Van Amersfoort Racing’s Richard Verschoor.

Additionally, Campos notched the fifth highest number of laps as a team, while Maini’s haul of 195 laps was only bested by the ART Grand Prix duo of Théo Pourchaire and Victor Martins and PREMA Racing’s Frederik Vesti and Oliver Bearman.

For Maini, his attentions have been firmly fixed on tyre management – particularly managing two different compounds in a race for the first time and adapting to the variables in strategies. The Indian driver says that finding an understanding and a balance with his long-run pace will be vital, especially when navigating the 32-lap Feature Race around the Bahrain International Circuit.

“I’m feeling great! I’m working well with the team, and we ran our plan without any issues and gathered a lot of data to go through before Round 1. We focused on race runs a lot, with both the soft and the hard tyres, to understand them better – especially for myself, as I’ve never worked with them before.

“Our main focus will be all around. We’ll be going through all the information we collected, but I think we will dive deeper into the long runs and figure out the best way to manage the tyres.”

More importantly for Maini as he prepares for his Formula 2 debut, the laps on the board have given him a solid baseline to start off with. Whilst immediately getting up to speed during the opening round is the dream scenario, realistically, maintaining a steady level of progression and development throughout the long 14-round season is the ideal target.

Over in the #25 Campos box, Boschung’s experience and continuity is a valuable asset to a team who are looking to bounce back and a beneficial reference point for Maini to learn from. A relatively smooth sailing throughout testing with few short interruptions gave the team the opportunity to fully execute their run plan.

February 26, 2023
F1 TV PRO app launched in India ahead of 2023 F1 season

Bengaluru, 21 Feb 2023: Formula 1 launched F1 TV Pro in India ahead of the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season. The digital platform will broadcast all race weekends, including practice and qualifying sessions, F1 Sprint events and Grand Prix.

Fans can subscribe to F1 TV Pro for ₹399 ($3.99) a month or ₹2,999 ($29.99) annually. Fans who sign up to the service early in the season will also benefit from a free seven-day trial for a limited time only, a release said here on Tuesday.

With access to live telemetry, all 20 driver onboard cameras and team radio channels, as well as in-depth pre- and post-race analysis and an extensive content library containing thousands of hours of archive footage of the sport’s most iconic moments, fans can become totally immersed in the drama and excitement of F1.

F1 TV Pro offers fans the opportunity to follow FIA Formula 1 Championship closer than ever. Starting with the FORMULA 1 GULF AIR BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX on 5th March, 2023 will feature 23-race schedule across five continents, including the Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix and inaugural F1 Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix.

Fans in India will also be able to tune-in to the Porsche Supercup series and FIA Formula 2 and 3 sessions and races. Fans can follow the progress of Formula 2 drivers Jehan Daruvala and Kush Maini as they vie for the F2 crown and look to make the step up to Formula 1.

Ian Holmes, Director of Media Rights and Content Creation at Formula 1 said: “We are delighted to launch F1 TV Pro for our fans in India. With Formula 1’s growing global footprint, it is vital that our fans all around the world can watch and enjoy the drama and excitement of Formula 1. With access to live race footage, expert commentary, on-board cameras and team radios, F1 TV Pro will provide fans with a best-in-class service to follow the upcoming Formula 1 season.”

February 21, 2023
Kush Maini tops final session of the 3-day F2 pre-season Test

Sakhir 16 Feb 2023: Campos Racing’s Kush Maini, the Indian racing star, topped the final session on the third and final day of Formula 2’s pre-season testing in Sakhir here on Thursday.

Kush Maini, the younger of the Maini brothers, put in a total of 73 laps on Day 2 finishing 9th and 10th in the morning and afternoon sessions, respectively. In the morning on the final day Maini tested 36 laps and finished 19th.

The other Indian in F2, Jehan Daruvala, who is driving for MP Motorsport this year, began the 3-day test with a second-fastest time in the first session of Day 1 and followed with an 8th place in the afternoon session on the opening day. On day to with an eye on putting in more laps for the data, he did 33 laps in the morning session and finished 18th and later in the evening he came 12th.

In the final session of the three days of testing, Kush Maini kept the Spanish team at the top of the order. A late series of one-lap sprints saw the Indian driver post the best lap of the day, with a 1:42.623 putting him in front of Roy Nissany and Théo Pourchaire.

SESSION 1

Earlier in the opening session, Ralph Boschung was well clear of the pack. He laid down a time of 1:45.063 eight minutes into running, finishing two seconds ahead of Trident’s Clément Novalak.

Ralph Boschung broke the 1:45 barrier within the first eight minutes of track time and remained the only driver to do so, as first of the day’s two sessions focused on race simulations. He later lowered his personal best by 0.036s eight minutes later.

Clément Novalak and Dennis Hauger traded turns in P2 early on, slowly reducing Boschung’s advantage from 4.9s to 2s. However, it was the Frenchman who eventually won out at the chequered flag, finishing ahead of Victor Martins. Roy Nissany was the busiest man out on track in fourth, with 46 laps to his name.

Meanwhile, it was all about the mileage and team preparations for the first race weekend of the ’23 campaign in a fortnight’s time. Racking up 759 laps of the Bahrain International Circuit, all drivers completed at least 20 laps.

February 16, 2023
Jean Eric Vergne wins historic Formula E race in Hyderabad
- Jean-Éric Vergne wins the first-ever ABB FIA Formula E World Championship race in India
- Nick Cassidy finishes second for Envision Racing, António Félix da Costa promoted to third after investigation demotes Sébastien Buemi
- Calamity strikes Jaguar TCS Racing as a Sam Bird collision with Mitch Evans forces both drivers to retire
- Sell-out crowd of more than 25,000 fans attend the 2023 Greenko Hyderabad E-Prix
HYDERABAD, Sat. 11 Feb. 2023 – Jean-Éric Vergne (DS PENSKE) held on to win an extraordinary first-ever ABB FIA Formula E World Championship race in India in front of a sellout crowd and a host of dignitaries, Bollywood celebrities and sports stars.

Vergne fought hard in the final third of the race to stay ahead of Envision Racing pair Nick Cassidy and Sébastien Buemi, though António Félix da Costa (TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team) ultimately took third after the Swiss was penalised post-race.

It’s Vergne’s first trip to the top step of the Formula E podium since Rome in April 2021 (Season 7) and he achieved it in style. Vergne made his way to the front of the pack on lap 15 of 32 (plus one lap following a safety car), the double champion sweeping by Buemi at the hairpin after the Jaguar TCS Racing pair removed one another from the equation two laps prior.

That incident saw Sam Bird make a lunge on the dirty side of the track on fourth-placed Sacha Fenestraz (Nissan Formula E Team). The Brit could not slow his I-TYPE 6 in time, colliding with teammate Mitch Evans – who was in third at the time – pitching the Kiwi’s car into a spin. Both Jaguars were ultimately forced into retirement with the unlucky Fenestraz also left tumbling down the order in a race where a podium double looked a possibility for Jaguar.

Vergne led the way from that moment but had his mirrors full of Cassidy’s Envision Racing machine as the chequered flag drew closer. The New Zealander had managed to gather up an extra four percentage points of usable energy on Vergne come the closing stages of the race. However, Vergne is regarded as the consummate Formula E fighter and used every trick in the book to keep Cassidy at bay and cross the line first in what many will regard as one of his best wins and one that will live long in the memory on Formula E’s first visit to India in front of a sold-out crowd of over 25,000 people.

Buemi followed home in third but an overpower infringement saw him demoted to 15th spot via 17-second penalty, equivalent to a drive-through. That promoted TAG Heuer Porsche’s António Félix da Costa onto the podium in his 100th race, the Season 6 champion having started the race in 13th. Teammate Pascal Wehrlein crossed the line fourth after picking his way through the order from 12th on the grid.

Sérgio Sette Câmara avoided trouble and climbed through the pack from 15th on the starting grid to produce NIO 333 Racing’s best result since Berlin in Season 4.

Meanwhile, Oliver Rowland made a move for the podium on Buemi – not aware of the Swiss’ impending penalty at the time – with just a lap to go. It didn’t work out and saw him shuffled to sixth. Nevertheless, Rowland collected his first points of the season for Mahindra Racing in the team’s home race. Norman Nato steered to seventh and the TAG Heuer Fastest Lap.

Reigning champion Stoffel Vandoorne (DS PENSKE) finished in eighth for his best result of the season so far, while André Lotterer(Avalanche Andretti Formula E) and Edoardo Mortara (Maserati MSG Racing) rounded out the top 10.

Jake Dennis (Avalanche Andretti Formula E) was the victim of an over-enthusiastic René Rast move on lap 26 at the hairpin – the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team driver outbraking himself and rear-ending Dennis’ car. That proved costly for the Brit, who was running comfortably in fourth and on for a strong points haul – particularly given the strong finish for the other man out front in the standings, Pascal Wehrlein.

That left Wehrlein with an extended 18-point advantage on Dennis, with Vergne leaping to third in the Drivers’ standings. TAG Heuer Porsche has taken a 23-point lead over Avalanche Andretti in the Teams’ World Championship.

In addition to the sellout capacity crowd of more than 25,000 fans, the historic race was attended by FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem and Sri K T Rama Rao, Minister for IT, Industries & Commerce, Government of Telangana. Also enjoying the electric racing action were Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, current Indian cricketers Shikhar Dhawan, Deepak Chahar and Yuzvendra Chahal along with his actor and choreographer wife, Dhanashree Verma.

Jean-Éric Vergne, No. 25, DS PENSKE, said:

“I’m very, very happy. It was a tough race – I had to defend quite hard at the end but we somehow managed to win it. It was a clean race, no mistakes. Very happy with the win today. It’s good for everyone’s heart in our team. For the first few races it’s good to boost it with a good race like that so couldn’t be happier.

“I like new tracks – I think it’s cool. Especially this one – it’s a lot of fun. When there is a lot of little secrets to find on the track, I probably find them quickly enough.”

Nick Cassidy, No. 37, Envision Racing, said:

“I mean I had a really good car today – huge thanks to all my guys. I think at the races this year we’ve been pretty good. I really feel for Mitch and Jaguar today because they’re a great partner and they’ve started the season very strongly. I think the package we have is really strong and so I’m super sorry to see them go out the race like that.

“(On reason behind having no duels this season but getting on the podium). Apart from we’re good in races? Honestly, we’re there in quali as well. Riyadh, Mexico and here, the difference between P1 and being in the duals and being P5 has been two-tenths. There’s not a big margin between 5th and starting 10th or potentially pole. That day will come.”

António Felix da Costa, No. 13, TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team, said:

“It felt like it meant to be. The race actually started really well and then I got squeezed by Dennis and I lost a lot of positions. But we stayed calm and worked our way back to the front slowly, and managed our energy. It hasn’t been an easy start for me. It was an emotional day for me looking back at the now 100 races or the 99 races before and where I am and things not working out like I want them to be. I can’t be satisfied with the way I am qualifying at the moment. Having said that, I have an amazing team behind me, always pushing me and giving me the tools. So I know it’s only a matter of time before we do a better job in qualifying and obviously the car can race really well. And yeah I’m really happy I came all the way to India and got a podium in my 100th race.

“So much happened. I got angry, I was happy, I was calm, I was stressed. But again, I worked well with the team throughout the whole race and I guess that’s the experience of 100 races if I’m honest -starting there and coming all the way here.”

Round 5 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is the 2023 Cape Town E-Prix on Saturday, 25 February, the first time Formula E has raced in South Africa.
February 11, 2023
Mahindra provides course cars to Greenko Hyderabad E-Prix
- Mahindra & Mahindra to supply all course cars and vehicles for VIP laps this Saturday at the first ever Formula E race in India, the 2023 Greenko Hyderabad E-Prix
- The world’s fastest-accelerating production road car – the Battista from Mahindra & Mahindra’s Automobili Pininfarina brand – will be on show to guests on the Hyderabad street circuit
- The course cars showcase the technological advancements in EVs and the commitment of Mahindra & Mahindra to electric mobility
HYDERABAD, India – Fri, 10 Feb. 2023: Formula E and Mahindra & Mahindra today announced that all course cars and vehicles for VIP guest laps at the inaugural 2023 Greenko Hyderabad E-Prix taking place this Saturday will be provided by Mahindra & Mahindra.

The electric vehicle selection will consist of six course cars and eight Mahindra & Mahindra XUV4000 vehicles for VIP laps. Making its debut in India courtesy of Mahindra & Mahindra is the Battista – the pure-electric hyper GT by Italian luxury carmaker Automobili Pininfarina.

Together, they will showcase innovations inspired by the Mahindra Racing team and developed in cars designed for road use, accelerating the development of electric mobility and the future of sustainable, luxurious transport.

As one of the founding teams in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, Mahindra Racing has competed in all 103 Formula E races to date, securing 24 podium finishes and five race wins.

The 2023 Greenko Hyderabad E-Prix this weekend will be a home race for Mahindra Racing where thousands of passionate fans will cheer team drivers Lucas di Grassi and Oliver Rowland in the new GEN3 –the fastest, lightest, most powerful and efficient electric race car ever built.

Matt Scammell, Chief Commercial Officer, Formula E, said:

“We are delighted to expand our unique relationship with Mahindra & Mahindra for this historic first race in India. Their on-track vehicles will showcase the value automakers see in developing cutting edge EV technology in the championship that can be directly transferred into their consumer models. We look forward to an exciting, competitive debut race in India and are sure everyone in the Mahindra Racing team will do all they can to entertain and excite their fans at the track and tuning in on TV.”

Asha Kharga, Chairperson, Mahindra Racing, said:

“As one of the founding teams of Formula E and after racing across the world, this is a proud moment for Mahindra Racing as we come home to India for the first time, and to see Mahindra & Mahindra vehicles across the event will be the cherry on the cake. It outlines the possibilities in race to road technology that inspires our electric road cars.”

Paolo Dellachà, CEO, Automobili Pininfarina, said:

“We are proud to present the record-breaking Battista in India for the first time, in collaboration with our Mahindra & Mahindra friends at Mahindra Racing. This will be a true celebration of our respective innovations to lead the way in developing the pinnacle of electrified performance on road and track.”

Showing support for its electric race team, high profile members of Mahindra & Mahindra will also be attending the race, including its Chairperson, Anand Mahindra and Managing Director and CEO, Anish Shah, as well as other special guests.

In India, Star Sports Select 2 & Disney+ Hotstar will show all of the competitive action live from the 2023 Greenko Hyderabad E-Prix, with Disney + HotStar the destination for all the Formula E action across the weekend.
February 10, 2023
Mahindra Racing all set for home race at Greenko Hyderabad E-Prix

Mumbai / Banbury, February 6, 2023: Mahindra Racing is all set for the the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, the Greenko Hyderabad E-Prix – the team’s home race on Sunday.

With free practice today and Race tomorrow, the Hyderabad E-Prix marks the first time the Formula E Championship visits India, an occasion the team have been looking forward to since the formation of the championship in 2014 Following on from rounds two and three in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, the team are hoping to put on a good performance for their home fans, with the focus firmly on getting both the Mahindra M9Electro race cars into the points to keep the championship challenge alive.

Celebrating the team’s home race CEO, Frederic Bertrand said: “It’s finally here! The team’s homecoming is something we have been preparing a long time for. Ever since it was announced that Formula E would head to Hyderabad, the team have been excited to be able to put on a show for our amazing Indian fans. We hope we can reward them for their support with a successful weekend. As a team, we need to make sure we are pushing to remain in the championship fight and the target for Oliver will be to get into the points. There is a lot of energy and excitement around the team heading to India so I’m hopeful that will translate to the performance on track.”

Ahead of round four, Lucas Di Grassi said: “It is important for us to have a good race in India – not only for the fans, but for the championship as well. It’s a new track for us, as it is for everyone up and down the grid. It needs to be a good weekend for us. We are going to try very hard and push to the limit to get the best out of the car. We can’t wait to see all the Indian fans out in force to support us and we want to give them a good show.”

Aiming for a good weekend in India, Oliver Rowland said: “Heading into Hyderabad we know where we need to improve following a difficult weekend in Diriyah. Having the home fans behind us will add to the motivation we have racing on the team’s home ground. We know they will be fully behind us and supporting us, which will give us the extra push to perform well. I am certainly aiming to score my first points of the season.”

The team are encouraging fans to show their support for the team, bringing them positive energy and support heading into round four. The race begins at 15:00 local time on the 11^th February (09:30 GMT).

Mahindra Racing has a strong set of partners, including Official Powertrain Partner ZF and e-fluids partner Shell. Maurice Lacroix, the luxury Swiss watchmaker, continues as the Official Timekeeper.

February 10, 2023
Hemanth Muddappa scores a double at Vroom 8th edition

Bengaluru, 6 Feb 2023: Team Mantra Racing’s drag racer from Bengaluru, Hemanth Muddappa won the top-two premier classes in the 8th edition of the Vroom Drag meet, an fmsci-licensed Annual event at the Taneja Aerospace strip, near here, on Sunday.

Muddappa, who recently annexed his 10th Indian National title at the Madras International Circuit, won the top two events beating Mohammed Riyaz and Sean Rogers.

Winners of C3 class Abdul Shaik (right) and second-placed Mohammad Arfath (Left).

Meanwhile, Faheem Zahran became the fastest racer at the event clocking 9.673sec in the Group D 1651cc and above class, which had a compact field but high competition between Zahran and former winner at fmsci Drag Nationals Mohammed Riyaz. Today, Zahran was in his elements bagging a win in the top class and a third place in the D1 class.

Mohammed Riyaz also took one victory in the E3 551cc and Above Class, and managed two other podiums.

G1 Motors Waseem Akram (not in pic) tuned bikes won the first two place in C1 class. Winner Mohammad Arfath, centre, on the podium with second-placed Mohammed Fazil and Hardik Solanki. Photo courtesy winner.

The 2022 2Stroke 131 to 165cc National Drag Champion Abdul Shaikh, won the C3 226 to 360cc class on his Bajaj NS, and his teammate Mohammad Arfath astride an Yamaha R15, won C1 upto 165cc class followed by another teammate Mohammed Fazil in second. All the three bikes were tuned by Waseem Akram of G1 Motors.

Over 230 bikes took part in 22 different classes. The Vroom Drag Rev Nights were held under floodlights and cooler conditions for both bikes and cars organised by Vroom Motorsports Bengaluru and Speedway Motorsports Hyderabad.

The following results are sourced from the timers and are provisional and the official results are awaited.

Results for Quarter Mile (as per official timer, provisional):

1. D3 1651cc and Above: 1. Faheem YY Zahran 09.673 seconds; 2. Mohammed Riyaz 9.717;

2. D1 851 to 1050cc: 1. Hemanth Muddappa 09.710; 2. Sean Rogers Pachigalla 09.746; 3. Faheem YY Zehran 9.857;

3. D2 1051 to 1650cc: 1. Hemanth Muddappa 09.985; 2. Mohammed Riyaz 10.149; 3. Zubair Ali Jung 10.165;

4. F1 Wheelie Class for Indian/ Superbikes: 1. Saurabh Parab 09.715; 2. Ashpak Anwar 15.844; 3. Rajesh Swami 15.973;

5. F2 Naked Open: 1. Zubair Ali Jung 10.526; 2. Arif Khan 11.085; 3. Sabi Ualla 11.244;

6. F3 4Stroke Open upto 500cc: 1. Shahrukh Khan 12.394; 2. Aiyaz Rem 12.442; 3. Mujahid Pasha 12.678;

7. F4 2Stroke Jawa Yezdi Open: 1.Yacoob Shaik 15.679; 2. Vikranth Hegde 17.972; 3. Abdul Hafeez 17.993;

8. E1 Upto 395cc: 1. Mohammed Aymaan Baig 11.901; 2. Aiyaz Rem 12.256; 2. Nadeem Pasha 12.430;

9. E2 396 to 550cc: 1.Nasir Jamal Ansari 12.484; 2. Ataulla Baig 12.557; 3. Thulasiram 12.704;

10. E3 551cc and Above: 1. Mohammed Riyaz 09.746; 2. Saurab Parab 09.799; 3. . Sean Rogers Pachigalla 09.841;

11. C1 Upto 165cc: 1. Mohammad Arfath 14.962; 2. Mohammed Fazil 15.131; 3. Hardik Solanki 15.644;

12. C2: 166 to 225cc: 1. P Srikantha 13.933; 2. Aiyaz Rem 14.532; 3. Mubarak Pasha 15.624;

13. C3 226 to 360cc: 1. Abdul Shaikh 13.212; 2. Mohammad Arfath 13.452; 3. Mohammed Fazil 13.762.

14. C4 361 to 550cc: 1. Shahrukh Khan 12.207; 2. Aiyaz Rem 12.378; 3. Mubarak Pasha 12.809;

15. C5. 551 to 850cc: 1. Saurabh Parab 10.975; 2. Naveed Ahmed 11.401; 3. Iqbal Sheik 11.483;

16. C7 751cc: 1. Lokesh Thakur 11.507; 2. Junaid Mansoori 12.441; 3. Narinder Singh Chanana 13.433;

17. B1 Upto 130cc: 1. Aiyaz Rem 14.014; 2. Abdul Shaikh 14.078; 3. Prahanth 14.309;

18. B2 131 to 165cc: 1. Prashanth 13.213; 2. Abdul Shaikh 13.486; 3. Nasir Jamal Ansari 13.582;

19. B3 350cc and Above: 1. Delhi Salman Khan 12.471; 2. Mubarak Pasha 12.585; 3. Ataulla Baig 12.614;

20. A4 161cc and Above: 1. Prasanth 17.891; 2. Fazlu Khalikbava Khan 19.318; 3. Pushpak V Porob 19.511;

21. EV1 Electric Vehicle Open: 1. Mohammed Rafiq 18.376; 2. Shashi Kiran 18.781; 3. Mohammed Aymaan Baig 18.867;

22. A2 81 to 110cc: 1. Zayeem Ahmed 23.300; 2. Mohammed Azharuddin 23.468; 3. Daulith Khan 24.850;

February 8, 2023
Hyderabad ePrix: Safe Extrication in Electric Racing – How ‘Red Car’ exercises protect

Hyderabad, 7 Feb 2023: A feature in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship since its inception, ‘red car’ extrication exercises serve to keep drivers, medical and rescue teams safe from harm and ready to face electric hazards.

Widely renowned for its ground-breaking electric technology, the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship operates at the cutting edge in more ways than one, with driver extrication another area in which the pioneering single-seater series sets the pace both on and off-track, an FIA release received here said.

Safety is high on the agenda throughout international motor sport for the FIA, and being prepared for any eventuality is paramount to ensuring events run as safely and smoothly as possible. In Formula E, a key part of that equation are so-called ‘red car’ exercises, which concern the extrication of drivers from stricken electric cars and the recovery of the car itself.

Overseen by the championship’s FIA Medical Delegate, Bruno Franceschini, in partnership with the FIA E-Safety Delegate, Konrad Essen, a permanent medical extrication team from MDD Motorsport Medical travels to every E-Prix. To encourage peak performance, red car simulations are conducted on-site in the immediate build-up to each race weekend, and have been since the championship was launched back in 2014 – making Formula E the benchmark for all other electric or hybrid series, as it continues to pioneer procedures that are then routinely rolled out elsewhere.

Electric Extrication marshals at work. File photo by FIA

A ‘red car’ is essentially a car stopped on-track as a result of either an accident or electrical issue, rendering it potentially unsafe – or ‘red’ like the safety lights located on the chassis in front of the halo. Due to the voltage running through electric vehicles, certain steps must be followed in order to carefully and safely extract the driver from the cockpit and recover the car.

During these training exercises, FIA Formula E safety car driver, Bruno Correia, plays the role of the driver needing to be extricated. Wearing special protective gloves, the medical extrication team covers the car with non-conductive tarpaulins before beginning the operation.

These regular simulations ensure the procedure remains fresh and clear in the mind of every member of the team, while taking into account any relevant particularities or updates to each circuit.

Additional extrication exercises are carried out with two championship drivers at every event, to make sure they similarly are fully aware of what will happen and what they must do should they find themselves in such a situation.

In both instances, the local medical and rescue teams are also involved in the ‘dress rehearsal’, enabling their members to practise and develop their own competencies, which may prove beneficial at future national and regional race meetings.

“Special care is always required when extracting a driver from a stranded race car, and that is even more the case when the car in question is electric, with the additional factors that need to be considered,” explains Bruno Franceschini. “We are proud of Formula E’s status as the standard-setter in this domain, but can never rest on our laurels and must continuously train and re-train to ensure skills stay sharp.

“In the same way, these red car exercises enable us to educate and enhance the expertise of local medical and rescue personnel in the locations the championship visits, leaving behind a positive legacy for the overall benefit of our sport”.

February 7, 2023
Rajendra, Overall National Rally Champ; Sarath Mohan, claims Experts class title

Nashik, 5 Feb 2023: Multiple National champion from Petronas TVS Racing team, Rajendra RE, regained the overall crown for 2022 in the top Super Bikes Pro-Expert class winning the Rally of Nashik while Sarath Mohan clinched his maiden National title in the other premier Expert class, without even shifting a gear, as the sixth and final round of the MRF MoGrip fmsci National Rally Championship for two-wheelers – 2022 concluded here on Sunday.

Sarath Mohan, claims Experts class 1A National title

Meanwhile, Sarath Mohan from Mallapuram, Kerala, clinched the National crown in the Super Bike Expert Group A Class 1A with two rounds to spare and did not take part in the Rally of Nashik, as the dates clashed with his Rally Raid cross-country training in UAE.

Other champions who clinched the National title with a round to spare are Sasi Kumar K in the Super Sport 165 Group B Class 3, TVS rider Imran Pasha, in the Super Sport 260 Group B Class 4 and VS Naresh, in the Super Sport 550 Group B Class 6.

P2 good enough for Aishwarya to clinch 6th consecutive Ladies title

Today, Bengaluru’s TVS talent Aishwarya Pissay came second behind rookie local rider Tanya Singh, who won the Ladies class. The champion took it easy, with one hand on the title, and the second place was enough to clinch her a sixth-straight title. Second in the championship standings, Kerala rider Fazeela, did not take part in the Nashik Rally.

Entering the final round with a 12-point lead, the TVS speedster, Aishwarya, avoided any risks as she navigated the technical course with deft control on her TVS TR 200R, a lean machine that rounded off her 2022 campaign. She maintained steady pace and cleverly played it easy to clock 40min, 21.597seconds for the two special stages before the final stage was cancelled today.

Oldest still the quickest – Venu claims title beating younger boys

Veteran Venu Ramesh Kumar, a privateer from Coimbatore who is the oldest competitor in the Nationals, gained points with his consistency and clinched the title in Super Sport 400cc Group B Class 5. TVS Racing star Shamim Khan, astride a NTorq won the Scooter class crown.

Going into the final round with 73 points, a third place was enough for Venu Ramesh Kumar to clinch the National title in Class 5 as his closest rival Hansraj Saikia (also 73) from Assam did not take the start as his bike did not arrive. Russell Jossy won the Nashik Rally and Amog Nag finished second.

Third Special Stage cancelled

The Rally of Nashik was organised by AW Events. The six-round MRF MoGrip fmsci National Rally Championship for two-wheelers, promoted by GodSpeed Racing, concluded with champions decided in eight classes. With time lost due to incidents in Stage 1, the final Special Stage (SS 3) was cancelled. Two other Support classes, including one for Star of Maharashtra, were also held.

Petronas TVS Racing factory rider from Shivamogga, Rajendra, began with a blistering 15min, 58.429 seconds in the first Special Stage (SS) and pelted out another fastest time in SS2 but with his teammate and nearest rival Abdul Wahid Tanveer, pulling out in the very first stage, the 2019 National champion, won the title with ease. Rajendra began with a fourth place in the first round and did not start Round 2. Later, he won all the four rounds to clinch the National title again.

Shamim Khan (80), who was leading by just three points against Pinkesh Thakkar (77) needed a victory and he did it in style clocking fastest times in both the stages today. Syed Asif Ali came second and Thakkar finished third.

Of the 49 entries, 47 took the start only 40 riders finished the course in Nashik.

National Rally Championship classes 2W) title winners for year 2022 (Provisional):

Class 1: Super Bike Pro- Expert: Rajendra RE, (TVS, Shivamogga) Points 112;

Class 1A: Super Bike Expert Group A: Sarath Mohan (Mallapuram) 100;

Class 2: Super Sport 130cc Group B: Chalass K Bose (Kottayam) 136;

Class 3: Super Sport 165cc Group B: Sasi Kumar K (Coimbatore) 108;

Class 4: Super Sport 260cc Group B: Imran Pasha J (TVS, Mysuru) 125;

Class 5: Super Sport 400cc Group B: Venu Ramesh Kumar (Coimbatore) 88;

Class 6: Super Sport 550cc Group B: Naresh VS (Bengaluru) 125;

Class 7: Group B Ladies Class: Aishwarya Pissay (TVS, Bengaluru); 118;

Class 8: Group B Scooters upto 210cc: Shamim Khan (Nashik) 105;

Provisional Results (Rally of Nashik):

Class 1: Super Bike Pro- Expert: 1. Rajendra RE, (TVS) 32min, 19.538sec; 2. Samuel Jacob (TVS) 33:25.601; 3. Nataraj R (TVS) 33:46.862.

Class 1A: Super Bike Expert Group A: 1. Badal S Doshi 37:34.399; 2. Tabish Rizvi 40:40.487; 3. Yogesh Kagale 43:10.991.

Class 2: Super Sport 130cc Group B: 1. Chalass K Bose 37:39.479; 2. Anoop Manjappa 39:37.944; 3. Nadir Khan 44:57.644.

Class 3: Super Sport 165cc Group B: 1. Niraj Wanjale 38:14.280; 2. Muzaffar Ali 41:05.577; 3. Rahul S Mokashi 41:41.440 (including 10sec penalty);

Class 4: Super Sport 260cc Group B: 1. Imran Pasha J (TVS) 33:30.616; 2. Banteilang Jyrwa (TVS) 33:40.991; 3. Sachin D 34:03.492.

Class 5: Super Sport 400cc Group B: 1. Russel Jossy35:45.979; 2. GS Amogh Nag 36:14.097; 3. Venu Ramesh Kumar 36:58.612;

Class 6: Super Sport 550cc Group B: 1. Hitesh S Ghadge 39:49.175; 2. Nilesh Y Thakare 41:46.765; 3. Santosh Sarkale 41:59.796.

Class 7: Group B Ladies Class: 1. Tanaya S Singh40:04.057; 2. Aishwarya Pissay (TVS, Bengaluru) 40: 21.597;

Class 8: Group B Scooters upto 210cc: 1. Shamim Khan (TVS) 36:07.905; 2. Syed Asif Ali 36:25.659; 3. Pinkesh Thakkar 36:54.406.

Class 9: Super Stock Group D upto 450cc: 1. Sabarish R 36:28.257; 2. Goutham Rao R 38:43.776; 3. Tanay S Kasera 39:28.858.

Class 10: Star of Maharashtra: 1. Lokesh A Bhosale 38:17.522; 2. Amarendra Sathe 39:43.636; 3. Kaustubh Machhe 45:53.070;

February 5, 2023

Rajendra favourite for title; Tanveer takes the fight to final round

Nashik, 4 Feb 2023: Petronas TVS Factory rider Rajendra RE begins as hot favourite, as the fight goes to wire with teammate and defending champion Abdul Wahid Tanveer on Sunday for the Overall National Rally title. The Rally of Nashik, the sixth and final round of the MRF MoGrip fmsci National Rally Championship is flagged off here on Saturday and the three competitive stages will be run on Sunday.

With Champions already decided in many classes, the entries fell to 49 (including two ladies) and there are only four factory bikes in the Super Bike Pro-Expert Class here making it a family affair. However, the compact field has high competition with Rajendra, the 2019 National champion, leading by eight points and he needs to just finish ahead of Tanveer. But the reigning champion, who began with a win this year, could only garner three second place in the next three rallies (all TVS riders did not participate in Round 2). Thus to win the title, Tanveer not only needs to win the rally outright, but hope that Rajendra finishes third or behind.

In four classes, champions were decided before the final round here. They are Sarath Mohan, Sasikumar K, Imran Pasha and VS Naresh.

Sarath Mohan, Expert class National champion

Sarath Mohan from Kerala, who met with a serious accident in the 2021 Chikmagalur round, made a stunning comeback with a clean sweep of all the first four rounds. Having garnered an unbeatable lead and winning the title in the Super Bike Expert (Group A) Class 2 by fourth round itself, the aggressive rider skipped the next two rounds opting to train in the dunes of Dubai preparing for bigger Rally Raid international events.

165cc National champ is Sasikumar

Sasikumar K also became the National champion in the Super Sport 165 Group B Class with a round to spare. He took an unbeatable 47-point lead over second-placed Francis PV. Both these top riders are not present in Nashik and the class has only four entries.

Imran Pasha bags Class 4 title – 260cc Group B

Imran Pasha, another Petronas TVS Racing team rider, has pocketed the Super Sport 260 Group B Class 4 title on his RTR 200 with 100 points beating his nearest rival Adnan Ahmed who has only 70 points. He won all the four rallies he took part.

Naresh is 550cc Group B champion 2022

VS Naresh, also captured the National crown astride a Himalayan in the the Super Sport 550 Group B Class 6.

Aishwarya all set for 6th consecutive title

In other classes, Aishwarya Pissay looks set to lay her hands on the sixth consecutive National crown in the Ladies class. The Women in Motorsports campaign reduced from 8 lady riders in ‘Round 1 to only two in the final round. (Read a detailed report here).

Veteran rider and the oldest among the lot in the entire 2W rally field, is locked in a tough battle with Hansraj Saikia of Assam in the Super Sport 400cc Group B class 5. Despite missing Round 2, he garnered 73 points, the same as the Saikia. Amog Nag in third has 64 points and has an outside chance to sideline the top guns.

In the Scooter class 8, Shamim Khan on an NTorq has a slender lead of three points from Aprilia riders Pinkesh Thakkar (77) and Subramanya T (58).

The MRF Rally of Nashik will have a 17.5-Km Special Stage (SS) run thrice from Nandgaon Kolikharwal, all in forward direction, for a combined competitive distance of over 52.5Km, mostly broken tarmac. Along with a transport section of about 70Km, the total rally distance will be 122.5Km.

The six-round MRF Mogrip fmsci National Rally Championship for two-wheelers 2022 promoted by GodSpeed Racing is one of the 12 Nationals conducted in various motorsports disciplines by fmsci, the National Federation.

Start Order for the final rally:

#	BIB No	RIDER	VEHICLE	CONTEST	TEAM
1	1	RAJENDRA RE	RTR450	CLASS 1		HOSUR
2	2	ABDUL WAHID	RTR450	CLASS 1		HOSUR
3	3	SAMUEL JACOB	RTR450	CLASS 1		HOSUR
4	4	NATRAJ R	RTR450	CLASS 1		HOSUR
5	5	IMRAN PASHA	RTR 200	CLASS 4		HOSUR
6	6	SACHIN D	RTR 200	CLASS 4		HOSUR
7	7	BANTEILANG JYRWA	RTR 200	CLASS 4		HOSUR
8	8	BADAL S DOSHI	KTM 500 EXCF	CLASS 1A		NAVI MUMBAI
9	9	TABISH RIZVI	EC 350F	CLASS 1A		MUMBAI
10	10	VENU RAMESH Kr	DUKE390	CLASS 5		COIMBATORE
11	11	HANSRAJ SAIKIA	KTM DUKE 390	CLASS 5		GUWAHATI
12	12	GS AMOGH NAG	KTM 390 DUKE	CLASS 5		BENGALURU
13	13	RUSSELL JOSSY	DUKE 390	CLASS 5		NAVI MUMBAI
14	14	AISHWARYA P M	RTR200	CLASS 7		HOSUR
15	15	CHALASS K BOSE	STUNNER	CLASS 2		KOTTAYAM
16	16	ANOOP MANJAPPA	STUNNER	CLASS 2		BENGALURU
17	17	NIRAJ WANJALE	IMPULSE	CLASS 3		PUNE
18	18	JEEVARATHINAM J	APACHE RTR 180	CLASS 4		BENGALURU
19	19	MUZAFFAR ALI	IMPULSE	CLASS 3		BHOPAL
20	20	RAHUL S MOKASHI	IMPULSE	CLASS 3		PUNE
21	21	SAMPATH GOWDA C	APACHE RTR	CLASS 3		BENGALURU
22	22	YOGESH KAGALE	DUKE 200	CLASS 1A		KOLHAPUR
23	23	NADIR KHAN	YBX	CLASS 2		BHOPAL
24	24	HITESH S GHADGE	HIMALAYAN	CLASS 6		PUNE
25	25	NILESH Y THAKARE	HIMALAYAN	CLASS 6		NASHIK
26	26	SANTOSH SARKALE	HIMALAYAN	CLASS 6		NASHIK
27	27	SHAMIM KHAN	NTORQ 124	CLASS 8		HOSUR
28	28	PINKESH THAKKAR	APRILIA SR 150	CLASS 8		PUNE
29	29	SUBRAMANYA T	APRILIA SR 150	CLASS 8		PUNE
30	30	GOUTHAM N	APRILIA SR 125	CLASS 8		PUNE
31	31	KARTHIK N	NTORQ 124	CLASS 8		HOSUR
32	32	SYED ASIF ALI	NTORQ 124	CLASS 8		HOSUR
33	33	VENKATESH SHETTY	APRILLA SR 150	CLASS 8		MUMBAI
34	34	AAKASH SATPUTE	APRILIA SR 150	CLASS 8		PUNE
35	35	HITEN THAKKAR	SR150	CLASS 8		NASHIK
36	36	SABARISH R	RTR200	CLASS 9		BENGALURU
37	37	GOUTHAM RAO R	RTR 200	CLASS 9		BENGALURU
38	38	ABHIMANYU RAY	XPULSE	CLASS 9		PUNE
39	39	TANAY S KASERA	ADVENTURE	CLASS 9		NAVI MUMBAI
40	40	ROHIT TIWARI	HIMALAYAN	CLASS 6		PUNE
41	41	LOKESH A BHOSALE	XPULSE	CLASS 10		PUNE
42	42	AMARENDRA SATHE	XPULSE 200	CLASS 10		PUNE
43	43	KAUSTUBH MACHHE	XPULSE 200 4V	CLASS 10		NASHIK
44	44	SURYA K TATINENI	XPULSE 2004V	CLASS 10		NASHIK
45	45	PURSHOTTAM MATE	XPULSE	CLASS 10		PUNE
46	46	SHRIDHAR PANDEY	XPULSE RALLY	CLASS 10		PUNE
47	47	TANYA S SINGH	XPULSE 2004V	CLASS 7		PUNE
48	48	GAURAV PATHARE	GLADIATOR	CLASS 2		MUMBAI
49	49	HARSHAL KADBHANE**	XPULSE	CLASS 10		NASHIK

February 5, 2023