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Author: David Bodapati
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Pune’s Akshat Hupale crowned Junior National Champion: Supercross
Pune, 29 Nov 2022: Akshat Hupale, a 7th standard student of PICT Model school in Balewadi here was crowned National champion in the Junior section (Class 8) after the conclusion of the five-round MRF Mogrip Indian National Supercross championship recently.
A few years ago the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI), the governing body for motorsports in India, introduced Class 8 junior SX2 to provide an opportunity for young riders in the age group of 8 to 12 years to compete at the national level on the same terrain and courses, that top-class riders take part. This bold step to catch them young saw the Nationals blood many youngsters and it helped prepare riders for the international competitions at an early age, which is the norm abroad.
Akshat Hupale (Photo AH team) The 2022 season comprised six rounds—Nashik, Pune, Coimbatore, Vadodara, Goa, Bangalore. Akshat, who practices at his private facility in Wai in Satara on weekends with Russian trainers Georgy Gusev and, Vitaly Gusev and Dustin Phares from the United States and India’s Dakar Hero Ashish Raorane, aims to ride at Asian and international level in the coming years. Akshat’s total points at the end of six rounds were 225 and his championship winning lead over C. Bhairav was 42 points, which was maximum across all the eight classes.
After a victory in Class 8… The 12-year school boy, Akshat said, Goa Round was most challenging as he was battling with Viral Fever and nursing a bad throat. Having the championship lead was my mantra,” said Hupale.
“Going into last round and virtually sealing championship was great feeling. I just wanted to Win the championship and then consolidate the lead over the nearest competitor. Happy to have done it in style and sign off under-12 category with a victory. Consistency was key as I am the only rider across categories in 2022 to have won all six rounds with highest points,” is how the Champion narrated his 2022 season.
Incidentally, after the final round , which completed in bangalore on Sunday last, Thursday was an apt occasion here in Pune when Akshat was felicitated in presence of the top officials of the FMSCI, for his crowning glory. The occasion was the announcement of the first ever franchise-based Supercross league in India.
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Neel Jani wins Sprint race: Historic Indian Racing League begins
Irungattukottai (Chennai), 26 Nov 2022: Swiss racing star Neel Jani of Black Birds Hyderabad won the maiden Sprint Race in the inaugural Indian Racing League (IRL) that began here Saturday.
Despite all the teething troubles, the launch of league is a historic milestone in Indian motorsports and it took the meticulous organisation and race management of Madras Motors Sports Club to bring back the morale and image of racing in India. The IRL is expected to be a turning point in offering better prospects and an international platform for the budding Indian racers.
Neel Jani, the winner of Sprint Race 1 at MIC on Saturday. Photo SK The 38-year FIA WEC champion and 24h Le Mans winner, Jani, took a commanding lights-to-flag victory that saw a safety-car period and clocked 21minutes, 33.773 seconds for the 12-lap race at the 3.7-km Madras International Circuit here. A celebrated international racer, Jani, started on pole following his teammate and Indian star Akhil Rabindra topping the times in Q1. Alister Yoong of Malaysia, representing Godspeed Kochi, came second in 21:40.234 and managed to keep Mitchell Gilbert of Speed Demons Delhi behind him in third place. Gilbert clocked 21:40.714. Neel Jani also clocked the fastest lap of the Sprint race 1:31.438. Yoong, a late replacement for Jordan Albert, arrived in Chennai only on Saturday morning and did a creditable job with only 6-lap seat time before he got a fantastic P2. Alister is the son of Malaysia’s first Formula 1 driver, Alex Yoong, whom this reporter had the pleasure of interviewing and covering his debut at Sepang in 2002.
Neel Jani, leads the pack, at the third corner (C3) on the first lap of the Indian Racing League (IRL) Sprint Race 1 on Saturday. Photo by Srinivasa Krishnan Talented 16-year Bengalurean Ruhaan Alva was the fastest Indian driver in the Sprint race and just missed the podium but did a brilliant job taking fourth after starting from last (P12) on the grid. The multiple National karting champion, who graduated to formula racing only in September 2021, has already won the JK Tyre National Rookie championship. Today, he clocked 21:41.502. Unfortunately, he started from P12 as his fellow driver Fabienne Wohlwend from Liechtenstein, could not set a time in the Qualifying session as her car was not ready in time. The IRL has a different format where Driver A will set the Qualifying position for Driver B and vice-versa for the second Sprint Race.
Black Birds Hyderabad had a special guest to cheer their winners… The winged visitor, a Black Drongo, seems to be surveying the Black Birds’ exploits at the Madras International Circuit on Saturday. Photo by Srinivasa Krishnan.
From left: Alister Yoong of Godspeed Kochi (2nd), winner Neel Jani of Black Birds Hyderabad and Mitchell Gilbert (3rd) of Speed Demons Delhi. Photo by Karan Ravi.International racing driver Anshul Gandhi of Bangalore Speedsters came fifth followed by Chennai Turbo Riders’ Nicole Havrda (Canada), the top lady driver today.
Earlier Black Birds Hyderabad dominated the qualifying sessions with Akhil Rabindra topping Q1 while Neel Jani setting the top time in Q2. The race saw a Safety Car period after Bengaluru driver Rishon Rajeev, who was doing well, stalled on the track in the fifth lap. Both the Goa Aces cars later dropped out. Akash Gowda of Speed Demons Delhi also logged a DNF after two laps.
Another Sprint Race and a Feature Race (45-min) will be held on Sunday. The second Round will be held at the same venue (MIC) next Sunday while the third round is scheduled to be held on the Street Circuit in Hyderabad during the second week-end of December. RPPL has not yet confirmed if a fourth round would be held.
IRL, is the brainchild of former Indian racing stars Armaan Ebrahim and Aditya Patel, who formed Racing Promotions Private Limited and later roped in Akhilesh Reddy and Navjeet Gadoke. The duo have visualised a six-team city-based franchise teams for the league, a historic first for motorsports in India. They have also started X1 Racing earlier and IRL is the new avatar. They are also planning to bring Formula Regional Indian Championship and Formula 4 Indian championship in the future.
Both the drivers of the top-3 teams in Sprint Race 1. After a couple of minor incidents, the first round at the Street Circuit in Hyderabad was halted as a precaution due to safety issues after a decision was taken by the race Stewards and FMSCI, the governing body for motorsports as per the FIA safety regulations. However, a round of races in the JK Tyre National Racing championship were successfully held as a supporting race. The Street Circuit, attracted huge crowds and was hailed as a brilliant circuit by all the drivers. If the teething troubles and safety issues were sorted out, the street circuit around the Hussain Sagar lake, which acted a test run, is likely to host a Formula E race in February 2023.
Note: Updated on 27Nov22 at 11am
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Kush Maini tests F2 car for Campos Racing: Post-season test
Abu Dhabi, 22 Nov 2022: Kush Maini, the rising Indian talent completed 20 laps successfully in the pre-season F2 Test for his new team Campos Racing at the Yas Mairna Circuit here on Wednesday.
Maini clocked a best lap time of 1min 37.982sec on the first day in office in the new F2 machine and posted 20 laps in the morning session and went on to improve in the afternoon session standing 7th in the time-sheets after a productive 34 laps. Top Indian racer Jehan Daruvala, too took part in the post-season test for MP Motorsport and logged 29 laps in the morning and 30 laps in the evening.
It was a bright and early start for the field at the Yas Marina Circuit. Having already signed on for the 2023 season with Campos Racing, Ralph Boschung set the initial benchmark of a 1:37.820 during a relatively quiet opening 30 minutes of the Morning session.
Later, Kush Maini despite some initial hiccups had some valuable seat time and managed to gain good experience. There were three Red Flag appearances during the final hour and a half of the opening session. Enzo Fittipaldi for Carlin and Campos’ Kush Maini stopped on track in separate incidents but were both able to continue their run programmes later. Testing will resume at 9AM local time on Thursday.
On Tuesday, Campos Racing announced that Maini was signed to race in the F2 series for 2023. The Indian who has made excellent progress in recent seasons took part in the F3 races and enjoyed a podium despite a roller-coaster year.
Maini will drive a Campos Racing-entered Dallara F2 car alongside previously announced Ralph Boschung.
Campos Racing are delighted to announce that Kush Maini will join their driver line-up for the 2023 FIA Formula 2 Championship season at the wheel of one of their Dallara F2 2018 cars. Kush will join previously announced Ralph Boschung securing a lineup with a great mix of experience, new blood and driving skills.
Maini was born in Bangalore (India) on 22 September 2000 and made his single-seater racing debut in 2016 by competing in the Italian F4 Championship. Maini rapidly showed his talent as he managed to step onto the podium on his season debut. The Indian talent was then Vice-Champion in the 2020 BRDC British Formula 3 Championship with 3 wins and 12 podium to his name. He entered the 2022 FIA Formula 3 Championship season with promising results as he also visited the podium.
Kush becomes the second Maini taking part in the FIA Formula 2 with Campos Racing as his elder brother Arjun joined the Spanish-based racing team for selected rounds back in 2019.
Both Boschung and Maini will carry out FIA Formula 2’s post-season collective testing in Abu Dhabi on 23-25 November in preparation for the 2023 season.
Adrián Campos (Campos Racing Team Principal): “On behalf of Campos Racing, I would like to extend a warm welcome to Kush (Maini). He is a very committed, professional racing driver with a great work capacity, so we expect he will be able to complete a strong rookie season next year. He carried out some strong performances in FIA Formula 3 this season and hopefully he will make further improvements in the ultra-competitive FIA F2 Championship.”
Kush Maini (Campos Racing Driver of FIA formula 2): “Super happy to be joining campos racing team! I’ve spent some time with the team at their workshop and really enjoyed the atmosphere and the professionalism, looking forward to the 3-day test at Abu Dhabi to officially start our relationship together! I would like to thank Mumbai Falcons, Omega Seiki Mobility and JK Racing for all their support”
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Rugved Barguje sparkles in Goa Round 5: Supercross Nationals
Mapusa (Goa),13 Nov 2022: Braving a dislocated shoulder that is yet to heal, Pune’s Rugved Barguje from Petronas TVS Racing team won a golden double to win the Best Rider tag and reclaimed the championship lead in the premier class from veteran CD Jinan in the fifth and penultimate round of the MRF Mogrip National Supercross Championship promoted by Godspeed Racing at the Carnival grounds, Opposite to Bodgeshwar Temple in Mapusa here on Sunday.
Going into the Goa round trailing by a point to CD Jinan, Rugved won both the motos comfortably on Sunday to take a five-point lead ahead of the last round in Bengaluru next Sunday. Jinan finished second in both the motos of Group A SX1 class, the feature event of the day. Rugved leads the championship with 172 points to Jinan’s 167. Originally slated as the fifth round on Nov 6 but put off due to rains, Bengaluru will now be the sixth and final round on Nov 20.
In Moto 1 of the Group A SX1, the 21-year rider from Pune, Rugved, did not get the best of starts he is known for, but still got the hole-shot and quickly squeezed into the lead at the first corner pushing veteran rider and championship contender CD Jinan to second and rode a steady and consistent race on a tight and technical track to win by about seven bike lengths. Jinan, the 47-year stalwart from Thrissur, who started on the far-side behind the gates, endured the disadvantage to follow the leader and reduced the gap towards the end. But it was Rugved’s day as he took a comfortable victory despite the pain he endured at every jump and jerk. In the fourth round in Vadodara, Rugved Barguje had a nasty fall and dislocated his right shoulder. The braveheart, got up and finished fifth, for a valuable 11 points and came back to win Moto2 in severe pain with his shoulder heavily taped after shots of painkillers.
“I had an amazing day and I am very happy to get two race wins under my belt. Hoping for the best next weekend,” said Rugved.
In the 12-lap second moto, boxed by the top two riders Prajwal V took a ‘fall’ at the first corner affecting Jinan and Rugved wasted no time to zoom into the lead. Jinan trailed in third behind Ajay Srinivas, who crashed later in the opening lap itself, but Jinan played safe later, and retained his second position. Rugved, meanwhile, slowly increased the gap managing the hoops in quick time with good technique and was careful on the long jumps to protect his lead. Jinan, made a couple of mistakes and lost some time with two laps to go, and the Pune lad won with ease to reclaim the title-lead in the top class.
Triple for Sarthak Chavan; Jinendra leads Class 2
Pune’s Sarthak Chavan won both the SX2 motos in Class 2 and added one more moto winning the Junior SX1 first race. But Jinendra Sangave, who represented India in the MiniGP World finals recently, recovered to a third place in the first Moto and took a second in the next, to increase his Championship lead to a comfortable 157 points with Shlok Ghorpade and Ajay Srinivas fighting behind him, more than 20 points adrift.
Indian Experts class goes to wire – Arun sparkles
Popular privateer Arun T from Hassan won the Indian Experts Group C Class 6 but it was Petronas TVS star Sachin D who took a slender one-point championship lead from teammate Imran Pasha as the Championship battle goes to the wire. Arun also won the Private Experts Class 5 ahead of Yogesh and Shabuddin Syed, a popular local rider from Goa Racing team.
Akshat Hupale virtually seals the Junior SX2 title
Another Pune rider Akshat Hupale virtually sealed the Junior SX2 championship winning the first moto in Class 8 while Bengaluru school boy Bhaiarav C upset the applecart of the champion astride a Gasgas machine in Moto2 and in the process displayed enough skills to defend a marauding Sujan in the last two laps with a mature ride. Way behind, Akshat made sure he took the third, which was enough to seal the championship.
Podium for Ananstya Pol
Shlok Ghorpade and Sarthak Chavan shared the honours in the Junior SX1 but it was Bengaluru lass Anastya Pol, who stole the limelight with a podium in the second Moto, competing on equal terms with boys.
Provisional Results – Round 5:
(Results are NOT official and will be updated soon with official version)
Class 1: SX1 Moto1: 1. #9 Rugved Barguje (Petronas TVS Racing-RTR300); 2. #50 CD Jinan (Petronas TVS Racing-RTR300); 3. #75 Sarthak Chavan (Pune, Kawasaki KX).
Class 1: SX1 Moto2: 1. Rugved Barguje (Petronas TVS Racing-RTR300); 2. CD Jinan (Petronas TVS Racing-RTR300); 3. Shlok Ghorpade (KTM150 Satara).
Class 2: SX2 Moto1: 1. Sarthak Chavan (KX250F- Pune); 2. Ajay Srinivas (KX250F- Bengaluru); 3. Jinendra Sangave (KX250F- Ichalakaranji, Kolhapur);.
Class 2: SX2 Moto2: 1. Sarthak Chavan (KX250F- Pune); 2. Jinendra Sangave (KX250F- Ichalakaranji); 3. Shlok Ghorpade (KTM150 – Satara).
Class 4: Locals: 1. Tanweer Shaikh; 2. Sarvesh Korgonkar; 3. Mayur Kolekar; (All Goa, on Impuse).
Class 5: Indian Experts: 1. Arun T (Hassan) 2. Sachin D (Bengaluru – TVS Racing) 3. Imran Pasha (Mysore – TVS Racing).
Class 6: Private Experts: 1. Arun T (Hassan, Xpulse); 2. Yogesh PD (Bengaluru) 3. Shabuddin Syed ().
Class 7: Junior SX1 Moto1: Sarthak Chavan (Pune); 2. Shlok Ghorpade (Satara); 3. Jinendra Sangave (Kolhapur);
Class 7: Junior SX1 Moto2: 1. Shlok Ghorpade (Satara); 2. Sarthak Chavan (Pune); 3. Ananstya Pol (Bengaluru).
Class 8: Junior SX2 Moto1: 1. Akshat Hupale (KTM SX 85 -Pune); 2. Sujan J (KTM65- Coimbatore).
Class 8: Junior SX2 Moto2: 1. Bhairav C (Gasgas – Bengaluru); 2. Sujan J (KTM65- Coimbatore); 3. Akshat Hupale (KTM SX85 -Pune);
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Godspeed Kochi, new team for Indian Racing League
Bengaluru, 12 Nov 2022: Godspeed Kochi team, completes the line-up for the high-profile Indian Racing League, and the team will showcase another talented Indian teenager Ruhaan Alva from Bengaluru in the first motorsports league in India for six city-based franchise teams. Other talented Indian teenagers already announced with five other teams are Shahan Ali Mohsin (Delhi team), Sohil Shah, Amir Syed (both Goa), Anshul Gandhi and Rishon Rajeev (both Bangalore).
The Kochi team was announced as the sixth team by RPPL on Thursday through their social media handles. The Kochi team will also have 26-year Jordan Albert, a British GT4 driver, along with Singaporean with Indian roots, Nikhil Bohra, who took part in F4 races in Germany and UAE, and talented lady driver from Belgium Aurelia Nobels, who finished in the top-4 of the FIA Girls on Track – Rising Stars programme, on Friday. Ruhaan Alva, 16, the only Indian in the Kochi team, was invited to the Ferrari Driver Academy Asia Pacific selection program in September and also represented India in the F4 category of the World Motorsport Games, in October.
Twentyfour drivers, including six lady racers, as part of six teams will vie for honours in the inaugural Indian Racing League that begins with pre-testing at the Madras International Circuit in Sriperumbudur, about 30-km from Chennai, on November 14. The first round of the Formula-3-level single-seater racing series will begin on the street-circuit in Hyderabad on Nov 19, and the next four consecutive week-ends will witness four back-to-back rounds with three races in each round.
Originally planned to be five rounds to be held from Feb 2022, the series will now have four rounds and 12 races. The series is also a revised format of the X1 Racing League which was initially planned to run along with Indian F4 races, which along with Formula Regional Indian Championship were put-off and are likely to begin only in 2023.
Top Indian racers Akhil Rabindra and Anindith Reddy will star in the home team Hyderabad Blackbirds as the league features some of the best Indian racing talent and will also host India’s first-ever street circuit races on the banks of Hussain Sagar Lake in Hyderabad during the four consecutive weekends starting Nov 19. Promoted by Racing Promotions Pvt Ltd (RPPL), the League,will feature 12 prominent foreign drivers, including six lady stars.
The six city-based teams are Hyderabad Blackbirds,Speed Demons Delhi, Bangalore Speedsters, Chennai Turbo Riders, Goa Aces and Godspeed Kochi with two foreign drivers in each team including a lady driver each, will enthrall the motorsports fans and spectators. The Indian Racing League will be one-of-its-kind Racing League, where male and female drivers will compete against each other on a level playing field with the same ecosystem and machinery. Originally, Mumbai Falcons were supposed to be the leading lights but Kochi fills their gap this year and Falcons are expected to be back in the line-up from 2023.
The Hyderabad Blackbirds includes the city’s very own driver Anindith Reddy, besides renowned drivers like Neel Jani, a Swiss Indian professional Porsche factory driver who won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2016. Akhil Rabindra, selected as the Aston Martin Racing Academy Driver and female F4 racing driver Lola Lovinsfosse will be the other two.
Vishnu Prasad, a multiple National karting champion, including the 2013 senior title and a winner of the Formula BMW championship will spearhead the Chennai Turbo Riders team, along with another experienced racer, Kolhapur-based talent Parth Ghorpade, a five-time Indian National karting champion. Jon Lancaster, a British Auto Racing driver and a former World Karting vice-champion, who also won the Euro Le Mans Series LMP2, will be the foreign driver in the Chennai team along with lady driver, Nicole Havrda, a young Canadian who competes in Formula 3 in the USA.
Jodhpur-born Indian racing driver Anshul Gandhi, who is racing in the Spanish F4 for the last two years, and talented young Bengaluru racer, Rishon Rajeev, both in their teens will star in the Bangalore Speedsters team. While 17-year Gandhi, who polished his racing skills as a professional karter in UAE, has good international exposure and will have Oliver James Webb, 31, another British driver, who also won the Euro Le Mans Series to lead the team with his vast experience in Europe. The lady driver of the team will be Bianca Bustamante, 17-year old rising star from the Philippines, who recently concluded her debut W Series as the top-placed rookie after the final race in Singapore. “I am super excited to be racing in the Indian Racing League. Besides having a new kind of car and new tracks, I am looking forward to getting behind the wheel once again before 2023 kicks off,” said Bustamante, ahead of the testing in Chennai.
Akhilesh Reddy, Director MEIL and Chairman, RPPL says: “The Indian Racing league is the ultimate push to bring the Indian motorsports segment to a global stage and provide young racers a platform to compete with international motorsports drivers. Hyderabad plays a crucial role in Indian motorsports from talent to infrastructure and we hope the Hyderabad motorsports enthusiasts and citizens will enjoy the pulsating weekends in the city.”
The Wolf Racing team will be technical partner, operating all the competing cars with Aprillia 1100cc, 220HP engines. Both men and women will compete on a equal terms and the Indian Racing League aims to establish a better racing infrastructure in India and aims to cultivate top talent.
Auto enthusiasts can book their passes from BookMyShow India website to witness the exciting races at the event. The passes are available at Rs.749 onwards (Regular Pass) and Rs.1249 onwards (Weekend Pass) on BookMyShow here.
Indian Racing League (2022): Teams & Drivers
Hyderbad Blackbirds:
1. Neel Jani, 2. Akhil Rabindra, 3. Anindith Reddy and 4. Lola Lovinsfosse;
Goa Aces:
1. Raoul Hyman, 2. Sohil Shah, 3. Amir Syed and 4. Gabriela Jilkova;
Chennai Turbo Riders:
1. Jon Lancaster, 2. Parth Ghorpade, 3. Vishnu Prasad and 4. Nicole Havrda;
Bangalore Speedsters:
1. Oliver Webb, 2. Anshul Gandhi, 3. Rishon Rajeev and 4. Bianca Bustamante;
Speed Demons Delhi:
1. Mitch Gilbert, 2. Akash Gowda, 3. Shahaan Ali Mohsin and 4. Celia Martin.
Godspeed Kochi:
1. Jordan Albert, 2. Nikhil Bohra, 3. Ruhaan Alva and 4. Aurelia Nobels.
Calendar 2022:
Nov 14: Pre-season testing – Madras International Circuit – MIC (formerly MMRT), Chennai.
Nov 19 – 20: Inaugural round, Street Circuit around Hussain Sagar lake, Hyderabad.
Nov 25 – 27: Round 2, MIC, Chennai.
Dec 2 – 4: Round 3, MIC, Chennai.
Dec 10 – 11: Final round, Street Circuit around Hussain Sagar lake, Hyderabad.
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Pecco Bagnaia crowned 2022 MotoGP World Champion!
The Italian takes the premier class crown after a tense race in Valencia, becoming the first Ducati rider to win the title for 15 years.
Valencia, 6 Nov 2022: Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) is the 2022 MotoGP™ World Champion! The incredible rollercoaster comeback is complete as the Italian came home in the top ten in Valencia to secure the crown, having overcome a deficit of 91 points back before summer break. Bagnaia is the first Ducati rider to take the crown since Casey Stoner in 2007, the first Italian to achieve the feat since Valentino Rossi in 2009, and first Italian on an Italian bike since Giacomo Agostini in 1972.
Watch the exploits of Bagnaia here. MotoGP YouTube Video!
Born in Turin, Bagnaia enjoyed MiniMoto success before going international onto bigger machinery in the then-CEV in 2011 on a 125, learning his craft before moving up to the Moto3™ World Championship for 2013. Joining the VR46 Riders Academy and then moving to SKY VR46 for 2014, the pieces were in motion before a statement season. On Mahindra at Aspar for 2015, he was the lead rider for the squad and only confirmed that in 2016 as he took the bike’s first ever win – and second. The first was at Assen and the second Sepang, earning him a special treat from the team: the chance to try the MotoGP™ bike in the post-season Valencia test.
The Italian takes the premier class crown after a tense race in Valencia on Sunday. Bagnaia moved up to Moto2™ in 2017 with the new Sky Racing Team VR46 intermediate class effort and was Rookie of the Year, taking several podiums. In 2018 he then hit the ground running and was a contender for the crown from the off, with imperious form and some incredible wins seeing him take the title in Malaysia. Next stop: MotoGP™.
Despite showing impressive speed in his first outings in the premier class in testing, it was a difficult rookie year for Bagnaia at Pramac Racing. Still, a fantastic fourth place in at Phillip Island showed plenty signs of promise. 2020 proved a mixed year for the Italian, but he earned an impressive second place in the San Marino GP and a week later at the same track, he was on the verge of a maiden premier class victory until a heartbreaking crash ended his hopes. He never quite got going again in the remaining races that year, but 2021 saw him move to the factory squad and signalled the start of a whole new chapter.
Three podiums and a pole in the opening four rounds signalled the Italian as a title contender and, despite a blip in the middle of the season, he was the last remaining challenger to eventual Champion Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) – and finished the year as the rider with the momentum. From a debut MotoGP™ win at Aragon after an incredible head-to-head with Marc Marquez to an amazing victory in Misano a week after, Bagnaia had arrived and he signed off the season with a win in Valencia, too.
2022, however, began on the back foot. A crash in Qatar, a tough race in Lombok, two fifths and an eighth signalled an unexpected start to the season, but Jerez saw the number 63 back on top in a race-long chess match with Quartararo. Then came another crash, at Le Mans, and then another win at Mugello as the Italian took the spoils on home turf. But the rollercoaster went down again as bad luck saw him take home a zero in Barcelona and a mistake caused the same at the Sachsenring. Then, Bagnaia was 91 points behind points leader Quartararo, the biggest deficit overcome to date.
Francesco Bagnaia is the first Italian rider to clinch a premier class world title since Valentino Rossi in 2009, poses with Rossi after the ‘Master’ greets him. The best way to stage a comeback is to start winning, and Bagnaia did just that as he took an awesome four victories in a row in Assen, Silverstone, Austria and Misano. In Aragon it was second place one year on from his first win, but it was hundredths in it as he duelled it out against 2023 teammate Enea Bastianini. Again. But the rollercoaster was in motion once more at Motegi as Bagnaia slid out on the very last lap – and from right behind key rival Quartararo, losing some ground hard-gained since summer break.
Thailand marked a huge challenge as a rainy race day gave many flashbacks of Lombok, where Quartararo has taken a podium and Bagnaia only one single point, but fortunes were reversed at Buriram as Pecco podiumed and El Diablo failed to score. Then came Australia and a crash for Quartararo as Bagnaia once again got back on the box, before a tense, tense first match point at Sepang.
There, it was once again Bagnaia vs Bastianini. All race long the two went toe-to-toe, with all eyes on the duo who will share the factory garage next season. But this time it was the number 63 who kept the nerves under control and the upper hand on track, taking his seventh win of the season to pull out a 23-point lead as Quartararo put in an impressive stand with a podium.
And so, #TheDecider had arrived. Two riders, 23 points, and one crown. It was a nervy weekend for Bagnaia at times but once the lights went out, the track lit up with an incredible race to sign off an era of Grand Prix racing. Quartararo was pushing to get to the front and it got heated for a few tense, gloves-off laps between the Frenchman and the Ducatis – and a few more – but as the race went on the result seemed set: Quartararo had to win to retain the crown, and win he would not. Bagnaia, having lost some aero in a tangle with the Frenchman, kept it calm but slipped back in the top ten once that became clear – and crossed the line in ninth to crown himself 2022 MotoGP™ World Champion.
#PerfectCombination in Stats
Francesco Bagnaia is the first Italian rider to clinch a premier class world title since Valentino Rossi in 2009. Overall, he is the seventh different Italian rider to do so along with Giacomo Agostini (8), Valentino Rossi (7), Umberto Masetti (2), Libero Liberati (1), Marco Lucchinelli (1) and Franco Uncini (1).
Bagnaia’s title is the 21st in the premier class for Italy and the 80th overall in Grand Prix racing.
Bagnaia became the second Ducati rider to take the premier class world title along with Casey Stoner in 2007.
Aged 25 years and 296 days old, Bagnaia is the oldest rider to clinch his maiden MotoGP™ world title since the introduction of the class in 2002. Nicky Hayden in 2006 is next: 25 years and 91 days old.
Bagnaia is the first Italian rider on an Italian bike to win the premier class title since MotoGP™ Legend Giacomo Agostini in 1972 with MV Agusta.
At the 2022 San Marino GP, Bagnaia took a fourth win in four successive GP races, becoming the first ever Ducati rider to do so in any class of GP racing. Since the introduction of MotoGP™ in 2002, Bagnaia became the fourth different rider to take four (or more) wins in four (or more) successive races in the class along with Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo and Marc Marquez.
With 11 premier class wins, all with Ducati, Bagnaia sits in third place on the list of Ducati riders with most wins in the class behind Casey Stoner (23 wins) and Andrea Dovizioso (14).
With 20 premier class podiums so far, Bagnaia is the fifth Ducati rider with most podiums in the class, behind Jack Miller (21 podiums). Casey Stoner leads the way with 42 podiums.
This season Bagnaia has stood on the MotoGP™ podium more than any other rider (10 times), including seven wins. Only two Ducati riders have scored seven (or more) wins in a single season: Casey Stoner (10 in 2007) and Bagnaia (2022).
After the German GP, Bagnaia was sixth in the Championship, 91 points off the leader Fabio Quartararo, meaning this is the best point recovery to take the crown since the introduction of the point scoring system in 1993.
Since 2001, there have been only two occasions on which the rider who clinched the title at the end of the year didn’t finish within the top five in the opening race of season: Joan Mir (2020) and Francesco Bagnaia (2022); they both crashed out.
Bagnaia also became the first rider to clinch the premier class title despite five DNFs throughout the season.
Bagnaia is only the second rider to clinch the premier class world title having previously clinched the Moto2™ title, along with Marc Marquez.
PECCO BAGNAIA
How does it feel?
“I’m very, very happy because on the day of the worst race of the calendar I’ve had a special sweet taste When I crossed the finish line and saw my pit board with writing saying I was the World Champion everything was brighter and nicer. My emotion is incredible in this moment. It wasn’t easy because after the fight with Fabio I lost a winglet and from that moment everything was a nightmare. I’ve done lap by lap trying ride defensive lines, but it was very difficult, and it took so long to finish the race. I’m very proud of my team, myself and of what we did because it’s incredible.”Did you think it was going to be difficult after Germany?
“Yeah, like I said one or two races ago, I lost the faith in the championship for one hour after the Sachsenring race but then after that I knew there was still a chance to be World Champion. Sincerely, the work we did this year was incredible. We performed in an incredible way in the second part of the year. We tried to analyze everything, at home also, to see what to improve, why I was crashing and I was making so many mistakes, and from that moment we’ve just done some incredible. I’m very happy for that because we really deserve this title.”Most difficult moment + best moment?
“The most difficult was Sachsenring, because I was very competitive like in Le Mans. I was there with a possibility to win the race, but I crashed and in that moment I realised my weak point was that. I was a rider with a lot of ups and downs, with good speed but no consistency. To accept that was not easy. From that moment I recognised I had a problem and I tried to improve myself, also thanks to the people at home that worked with me everything day and helped me a lot. I think I improved myself a lot this season.”On Ducati’s long wait:
“I saw many faces crying, and it was incredible. I was crying too. It was an amazing victory because I was feeling the weight on my shoulders to give back this title to my team, to Ducati, and to Italy. When I spoke to Vale, he said to me yesterday that you have you be proud to have this possibility, not everyone can have the same feeling. It’s true that you feel the pressure, you feel anxiety, you feel fear, but you have to be proud of it, be happy to have it, and try to enjoy it. I tried to do it, and today in fact it didn’t work but sincerely I’m very happy to think who we have as a mentor and leader.Biography
First Grand Prix: Qatar 2013, Moto3™
First pole position: Silverstone 2016, Moto3™
First podium: Le Mans 2015, Moto3™
First victory: Assen 2016, Moto3™
Grands Prix: 172
Victories: 21
Podiums: 43
Pole positions: 18
Fastest laps: 14
World Championships: Moto2™ (2018), MotoGP™ (2022) -
Augusto Fernandez is the 2022 Moto2 World Champion!
The Spaniard wraps up the crown on home turf in Valencia
Valencia, 6 November 2022: Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) is the 2022 Moto2 World Champion! After a dramatic finale at the Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana that saw sole remaining rival Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) crash out, the Spaniard was already Champion before the flag – and came through to take second and secure the crown in style with a podium.
Watch Fernandez winning moments here courtesy MotoGP.
Fernandez won the European Junior Cup in 2014 and competed in Superstock 600 thereafter, where he achieved a victory in 2015. He was fifth in the Moto2™ European Championship the following year as he moved onto new machinery, and he started the next season with a podium. That year, 2017, also saw Fernandez called up to make his Grand Prix debut at the 2017 Italian GP with Speed Up.
Despite scoring points, he initially didn’t get a ride in the Grand Prix paddock for 2018 and returned to European level but not long after, everything changed. Looking for a rider mid-season, the Pons Moto2™ squad picked Fernandez to return to the World Championship and he didn’t disappoint, starting to bank top eight and top ten performances.
2019 was a huge turning point. Despite some injury struggles early in the year with a broken wrist, Fernandez was back with a bang as he returned at Jerez and took his first Grand Prix podium. Another followed at Le Mans before a first Grand Prix victory at the classic TT Circuit Assen, backed up by two more at Silverstone and Misano. His title challenge faded towards the end of the season and 2020 proved a more difficult year with no podiums, but Fernandez worked his way back towards the front in 2021, returning to the rostrum by Assen and ending the year fifth overall to sign off from Elf Marc VDS Racing Team.
Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) crowned the 2022 Moto2 World Champion! In new colours with Red Bull KTM Ajo, 2022 didn’t get off to the perfect start as Fernandez didn’t visit the podium until Le Mans, but that was a win and the eventual Champion was back in the groove. A second podium at Catalunya then prefaced three wins in a row as Fernandez began his title assault in earnest, and his form remained consistent to the end of the season barring one mistake at Phillip Island. At the time potentially pivotal, a fourth place next time out at Sepang as rival Ogura crashed out saw the number 37 regain the lead and arrive into the season finale as the rider ahead – by 9.5 points.
In a tense final showdown, both Fernandez and Ogura were fighting it out in the front positions before the Japanese rider slid out – guaranteeing Fernandez the Championship. Pressure off, the number 37 then chased teammate and Rookie of the Year Pedro Acosta home, within six tenths at the start of the final lap and taking a ninth podium of the season to celebrate the crown in style.
Congratulations, Augusto. We’ll see you on Tuesday… in MotoGP!
#FastAF IN STATS
Augusto Fernandez has nine podiums this season (more than any other rider) and 20 overall in Moto2™. He sits in 10th place on the list of riders with most podiums in the class, with one less than Franco Morbidelli and Miguel Oliveira.
With seven wins in Moto2™, Fernandez is tied in 13th place on the list of riders with the most wins in the class with Toni Elias.
He is the sixth Spanish rider to win the Moto2™ title after along with Toni Elias, Marc and Alex Marquez, Pol Espargaro and Tito Rabat, and is the ninth Spanish rider to clinch the title in the intermediate category. Fernandez’ title is also 12th in the class for Spain and the 57th in Grand Prix racing.
Fernandez is one of 12 riders who has won at least three Moto2™ races in a row.
AUGUSTO FERNANDEZ
“It’s been an amazing year. I really enjoyed the race after the first laps. Honestly today I felt the pressure out there on the first laps, and a bit of frustration because I knew I had more speed but I was being too careful. I saw the fight between Alonso and Pedro and knew they were fighting for Rookie of the Year, they were fighting hard. It was hard to pass them. I knew it was enough, but risky. But I knew I had more pace than everyone except maybe Pedro.
“I’m sorry for Ai and his crash, he was pushing hard, but after that I forgot about everything, I did my race and pace. Just tried to finished the season with a win and I went for it. Pedro was super fast in practice, like me, but with a bit extra. I’m happy with the race because I pushed to the end and I tried to push him to the last corner. It was an awesome race and I’m super happy for him also to get the Rookie, and for the team to win the teams’.
“In Australia we were so close to having a good chance for the rest of the races, the season, and for me it was also tough in Malaysia. On Sunday, during the race, it was my hardest because in Australia ok it’s my fault but I still have chances, nothing lost and only a few points with two races to fight again. But in Malaysia where he was fighting for the win and I was struggling to get into the top five, I think that was my longest and toughest race of the year.
“I’m proud of how we, as a family, got to here. My ‘strange’ career, my way to the World Championship and then to securing my place here. Every step. And the bad years, after 2019 when we’d been super competitive before two bad years. But I’m the rider I am today because of those bad years too, there’s nothing to regret. I’m just proud of my family, myself and everything.”
Biography
First Grand Prix: Italy 2017, Moto2™
First pole position: Catalunya 2019, Moto2™
First podium: Spain 2019, Moto2™
First victory: Assen 2019, Moto2™
Grands Prix: 94
Victories: 7
Podiums: 20
Pole positions: 3
Fastest laps: 11
World Championships: Moto2™ (2022)World Championship career:
2017: Moto2™ World Championship – 31st, Speed Up, 13 races, 6 points
2018: Moto2™ World Championship – 18th, Kalex, 12 races, 45 points
2019: Moto2™ World Championship – 5th, Kalex, 17 races, 207 points
2020: Moto2™ World Championship – 13th, Kalex, 14 races, 71 points
2021: Moto2™ World Championship – 5th, Kalex, 18 races, 174 points
2022: Moto2™ World Championship – 1st, Kalex, 20 races, 271.5 points -
Dion Gowda to race for Carlin in ROKit British F4 in 2023
Bengaluru, 1 Feb 2023: Dion Gowda, a Bengaluru-born karter will be racing in the ROKit British F4 Championship for 2023 with Carlin team. The grid will also have another Indian karting star, Jaden R Pariat, who made his debut in Bengaluru. (Editor’s note: added on 31 Jan 2023)
A day after Carlin wrapped up the 2022 Teams’ Championship in the highly competitive junior series in October 22, it announced the signing up of Gowda. He will compete in his first season of single seater racing with the British team and had started a thorough test programme ahead of the first round in April.
The 15-year-old Gowda has already been making a name for himself despite his young age. Racing in multiple kart championships the youngster has finished fourth in the ROK Cup Singapore and also competed in the X30 SouthEast Asia Championship.
Born in India, but racing under a Singaporean flag, Gowda made the commitment to move to the UK to continue his racing career having fallen in love with the sport. Joining forces with karting legends Ricky FlynnMotorsport since the 2020 season, Gowda has been learning his craft in multiple championships.
Gowda has already begun his preparations for the 2023 ROKiT F4 British Championship certified by FIA season having embarked on a full pre-season testing programme, including simulator work at Carlin’s Farnham factory, before the opening round of the year gets underway in April at Donington Park.
Speaking about the season ahead, Gowda said, “I’m hugely exited to join Carlin for my F4 racing debut. Carlin is one of the most successful racing teams in the world, so of course I was thrilled to confirm my place with them in British F4.
“I have built a great relationship with the team already and preparations for 2023 are well underway. There will be a lot to learn in my first season stepping up from karting but I’m confident we will be competitive, and I can’t wait to go racing.”
Racing Director Trevor Carlin added, “Dion is a very promising young driver with exactly the right attitude. He’s keen to learn as much as possible at every test and has a fantastic approach both inside and outside the car. For every rookie there is a lot to learn in the first season of single seaters but we’ve no doubt that Dion will adapt well to that challenge and be a great asset to the team.”
About Dion Gowda
Born in Bangalore, India, Dion’s racing career began at the young age of 9 with a visit to a Singaporean kart track, inspired by watching Formula 1 stars such as Lewis Hamilton on TV.
Dion quickly discovered a natural talent for driving in the Cadet (Mini 60) and Mini ROK categories of karting, and with the support of his family, moved to London to pursue his dream of becoming a Formula 1 driver himself.
In 2017, Dion joined the Kokoro Performance roster of drivers and took two podiums on his way to 4th overall in ROK Cup Singapore. Dion also competed in the X30 South East Asia Championship finishing 3rd in Round 3, before fighting in the top 10 of the X30 International Finals to round out the season.
Now 14, Dion enters his final yearof competing in World Championship Karting events for Ricky Flynn Motorsport. Success in the OK class takes Dion one step closer to achieving his dream of being the first driver from India to win a Formula 1 Grand Prix.
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Pragathi Gowda makes India proud: FIA Rally Star cup
Chennai, 12 October 2022: Australia’s 19-year old Taylor Gill, a mechanic by profession, and Bengaluru’s Pragathi Gowda from India were declared winners of the FIA Rally Star Asia-Pacific Final which concluded at the Madras International Circuit, here on Wednesday.
A four-member Jury, after considering the timesheets and then interviewing the finalists, declared Gill, who hails from New Castle, as the overall winner of the Final while 25-year old Pragathi won in the women’s category. She will represent the Asia-Pacific region in the women’s World Finals in Peru in January 2023.
The qualifiers for Stage-3 today were put through two phases of timed runs. At the end of the first phase, the list was narrowed down to six contenders based on their times. The top six were then given another run to decide the quickest. The six drivers were then interviewed by the four-member jury who then announced the winner, taking into consideration the performances, fitness and driving skills.
Pragathi, a post-graduate in finance, who juggles between profession and motorsport, said: “I am super happy. I will do my best to make my country proud. Winning the Rally Star is the biggest recognition I have received and I have worked very hard for it. I would like to tell all the women out there to not lose hope. This is the happiest moment in my life.
“On the first two days, it was more of a tarmac run, but today, it was more gravel which I am very comfortable with and so was very confident. I just stuck to my basics and did what I had to do. I was not happy with my first run today, but I completed the second with ease.”
Taylor Gill, struggling to contain his emotions, said: “I don’t have the words to describe my feelings now. Coming into the Final here, I just wanted to enjoy myself and put everything together. A couple of weeks ago, I did one day in a cross car in Australia, but the Rally Star cars here are vastly different. Right now, I am over the moon.”
The Asia-Pacific winner will join the other continental finals champions. Two winners of these events join the selection of drivers for the first FIA Rally Star Training Season in 2023. The last spot in the FIA Rally Star Training Season will go to the winner of the Women’s Final, which is due to take place in Peru.
The winner of the FIA Rally Star Asia-Pacific Final will be representing the region in the 2023 FIA Rally Star Training Season. Besides six rallies in an M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally3, the Training Season package includes physical and intellectual assessment, driver coaching and testing. The aim is to equip the successful contestants with the attributes they need as they attempt to secure a drive in the FIA World Rally Championship in the future.
At the end of 2023, the best four FIA Rally Star Team members are rewarded with a season in the FIA Junior WRC Championship in 2024. For 2025, three drivers go forward into a second Junior WRC season. And if one of the FIA Rally Star Team members wins the title, they secure a WRC2 campaign in a Rally2 car for 2026 with a Rally1 drive their next target.
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Harkrishan Wadia tops among Indian qualifiers: FIA Rally Star Cup
Chennai, 10 Oct 2022: As many as seven Indian drivers qualified for the Stage-2 of the FIA Rally Star Asia-Pacific Finals following preliminary runs at the Madras International Circuit here on Monday. In all, 25 competitors advanced to the next round.
Delhi’s 24-year old Harkrishan Wadia was the quickest among the Indian qualifiers, clocking a best lap of 49.40 seconds over a 900-metre tarmac course in his second run which was an improvement over 49.90 that he did in the first timed outing.
The seven Indians, out of 16 home aspirants, who advanced to Stage-2 are: Harkrishan Wadia (Delhi), Jasmehar Jubbal (Faridabad), Jeremy Miller (Bengaluru), Arnav Pratap Singh (Delhi), Tarushi Vikram (Chikkamagaluru), Pragati Gowda (Bengaluru) and Vedant Jouhari (Bengaluru).
An elated Harikrishnan said: “Of course, I am happy to progress to the next stage, but there is still a long way to go. I am also very pleased that seven from India made it to the next round. For us Indians, it was our first experience in the Cross Car and so a steep learning curve. Now, we all are focussed on tomorrow’s Stage-2 and I hope, most if not all of us make it to Wednesday’s last Stage.”
Harkrishan Wadia from Delhi, a regular in INRC, tops the qualifier Day 1, on tarmac. The 40 qualifiers form nine countries of the Asia-Pacific region were divided into seven groups, each given one recce run and two timed outings with the best timed lap taken into account for classification. The top three from each group, along with four other fastest drivers across all groups, progressed to Stage-2 which will be run at the same venue on Tuesday when 12 finalists for the Wednesday’s final round will be chosen based on their performance.
Due to heavy overnight rains, the course was shifted from dirt to a tarmac configuration. On Tuesday, the course will be extended to 1800 metres and 3 Kms for Wednesday, but all subject to the weather conditions.
The winners of the Asia-Pacific region will be announced on Wednesday, October 12, after all drivers have been interviewed by the four-member Jury.
The jury comprises: FIA Rally Director Andrew Wheatley (Chairman), Pernilla Solberg, Maciej Woda and Guy Botterill (Driver Advisor).
The winner of the FIA Rally Star Asia-Pacific Final will represent the region in the 2023 FIA Rally Star Training Season. Besides six rallies in an M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally3, the Training Season package includes physical and intellectual assessment, driver coaching and testing. The aim is to equip the successful contestants with the attributes they need as they attempt to secure a drive in the FIA World Rally Championship in the future.
At the end of 2023, the best four FIA Rally Star Team members are rewarded with a season in the FIA Junior WRC Championship in 2024. For 2025, three drivers go forward into a second Junior WRC season. And if one of the FIA Rally Star Team members wins the title, they secure a WRC2 campaign in a Rally2 car for 2026 with a Rally1 drive their next target.Apart from any initial registration fee to take part in a national selection event, plus travel costs to and from national selections and the Continental Final, all other costs are covered by the FIA and the FIA Rally Star Partners. The partners are M-Sport, Pirelli, the FIA World Rally Championship, Nacon, Thrustmaster, Playseat, Digital Motorsports, OMP and LifeLive.
