INDIA in F1

Author: David Bodapati

  • Sai, Justin, Diljith claim victories; Diana beats the boys for a podium

    Sai, Justin, Diljith claim victories; Diana beats the boys for a podium

    Chennai, 8 Oct 2022: Sai Sanjay, a teenager from Salem, stormed to a brilliant victory in the MRF F2000 category while Thrissur’s Diljith Shaji took the honours in the Formula LGB 1300 class as the first round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Car Racing Championship 2022 commenced at the Madras International Circuit, here on Saturday.

    In the day’s last race, 20-year old Justin Singh from Gurugram, claimed the honours in the MRF Saloons (Toyota Eitos) category with a lights-to-flag win ahead of Pune’s Diana Pundole and Angad Matharoo (Chandigarh).

    Sai, 19, started from P2 on the grid and after a good start, moved into the lead. He then defended his position with aplomb despite coming under pressure from Agra’s Shahan Ali Mohsin for much of the 10-lap race for a deserving win.

    Competing on equal footing, Diana Pundole, Pune, keeps the Women in Motorsports flag flying beating many of the boys on way to a 2nd on the podium in the Saloon class. A Shameem Fahath image

    Shahan Ali, last year’s MRF F1600 champion, had to be content with second place after starting from P4, while Yash Aradhya came in third, holding off pole-sitter and fellow-Bengalurean Rishon Rajeev.

    Earlier, 29-year old Diljith led a 1-2 finish for DTS Racing with Viswas Vijayaraj from Nellore for company while Bengaluru’s Arjun Nair (Momentum Motorsports) was third. The eight-lapper, after much jostling in the early stages, settled down with Diljith forging his way to the front followed by Viswas.

    The pair pulled away from the pack to finish in that order, well ahead of Bengaluru’s Arjun Nair (Momentum Motorsports) who did well to make four spots after starting from P7.

    Coimbatore ace Arjun Balu, 47, the defending champion from Race Concepts (Bengaluru) stable, set the pace in the premier Indian Touring Cars category, by qualifying for pole position with a hot lap of 01min, 50.000secs. He was well ahead of 2017 winner, Arjun Narendran (01:52.560), also from Coimbatore, and who is returning to full-time racing after a five-year break.

    The two Volkswagen Virtus cars, making their debut in the championship, and driven by Jeet Jhabakh (Hyderabad) and Sandeep Kumar (Chennai) were fourth and fifth, respectively, some 2.9 seconds off Balu’s pace.

    From Left: Shahan Ali Mohsin (2nd), Sai Sanjay (winner) and Yash Aradhya on MRF F2000 Race 1 podium at Madras International circuit on Saturday. A Shameem Fahath image

    Chennai veteran Gurunath Meyyappan (Race Concepts), staging a return to racing after a prolonged break, took pole position in the Indian Junior Touring Cars category as did another local racer, Ritesh Rai (Performance Racing) in the Super Stock class.

    Provisional results:

    MRF F2000 (Race-1, 10 laps): 1. Sai Sanjay T (Salem) (15min, 47.253secs); 2. Shahan Ali Mohsin (Agra) (15:47.856); 3. Yash Aradhya S (Bengaluru) (15:51.725).

    Formula LGB 1300 (Race-1, 8 laps): 1. Diljith Shaji (Thrissur, DTS Racing) (14:59.136); 2. Viswas Vijayaraj (Nellore, DTS Racing) (15:03.587); 3. Arjun S Nair (Bengaluru, Momentum Motorsports) (15:12.926).

    MRF Saloons (Toyota Etios – Race 1, 8 laps): 1. Justin Singh (Gurugram) (16:32.066); 2. Diana Pundole (Pune) (16:34.812); 3. Angad Matharoo (Chandigarh) (16:41.338).

    About Madras Motor Sports Club

    Since its humble beginnings in 1953, the Madras Motor Sports Club has grown in stature as the hub of motorsport activity in India. Having moved its racing activities from Sholavaram to its present location, the Madras International Circuit (earlier MMRT), in Sriperumbudur in 1979, MMSC has kept pace with changing times by upgrading facilities. At a cost of about Rs 20 Crore, the MMSC built a pit complex comprising 20 garages, VIP hospitality suites and a viewing gallery, on the eastern side, apart from a second Paddock on the western side with its own short circuit. Parallelly, MMSC imported timing equipment specifically for Drag racing. The Control Room too was upgraded with state-of-the-art hardware while the track itself was improved to meet the exacting FIA standards for Grade-2 certification. MMSC also constructed a 500-capacity grand stand with provision for garages / storage below. In another upgrade, the MMSC installed Digi flags from TAG Heuer Chronolec that will be positioned strategically around the track. The facilities are also extensively used by various vehicle manufacturers for testing their products, displays and corporate days.

  • Rajini Krishnan wins a record 11th Indian National title

    Rajini Krishnan wins a record 11th Indian National title

    Chennai, 2 Oct 2022: On a day of drama and suspense, veteran Rajini Krishnan, Mathana Kumar, Jagruti Penkar and Sarvesh Balappa clinched the titles in their respective categories as the fifth and final round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2022 concluded at the Madras International Circuit here on Sunday.

    Rajini (RACR Castrol Power1), needing just one more point for the title, cruised to fourth place to seal the championship, his 11th National career crown, in the premier Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open category, while Mathana Kumar (Pacer Yamaha) from Trichy topped the Pro-Stock 165cc Open class, by also finishing fourth for his third title in 11 years.

    Earlier, Jagruti (Axor Sparks Racing), the 21-year old Science graduate from Mumbai was kept guessing before confirmation came that she indeed was the winner of the Girls (Stock 165cc) championship, her maiden title, following disqualification of race winner, Lani Zena Fernandez (RACR Castrol Power1). Jagruti finished on 81 points to Ann Jennifer’s (Alpha Racing) 80.

    “Shaker’ Bojanna, 2nd from right, raises a toast for Mathana Kumar (astride an Yamaha). Shekar earned the epithet “Shaker” over a decade ago for shaking the big teams. Re-entering the racing scene after over a decade the team achieved the National Championship title with aplomb. Photo by Srinivasa Krishnan

    Until the post-race scrutiny leading to the disqualification, Jagruti was second in the championship behind Alpha Racing’s Ann Jennifer on countback after the pair had tied on points, but the latter clinching the issue having won two races to the Mumbai girl’s none. However, the situation turned on its head after Lani was disqualified. All finishers moved up a spot, pushing Ryhana Bee (Pacer Yamaha) to first, Jagruti to second and Aditi Krishnan (Winverve Apex Racing) to third, while Ann Jennifer ended up sixth.

    Sarvesh Balappa (Axor Sparks Racing), who had taken unassailable lead coming into the final round, kept it clean and avoided close battles for a fourth place. His team-mates Kayan Zubin Patel and Rohan Ramesh came in first and second ahead of Chiranth Vishwanath (Rookies Racing).

    Meanwhile, Rajini did likewise in the concluding Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open race as he was content to follow the Petronas TVS Racing’s trio of KY Ahamed, Jagan Kumar and Deepak Ravikumar. Incidentally, Ahamed completed a double.

    “I took no chances today. After all, I needed just one more point to win the championship. So, I was happy to stay in fourth position throughout the race behind the TVS boys,” said 41-year old Rajini who, incidentally, had the best lap (01:53.099) of the race.

    Jagan also had a brilliant outing in the Pro-Stock 165cc Open race that he won in style ahead of Idemitsu Honda India SK69 Racing’s Rajiv Sethu and Senthil Kumar, for a grand double.

    Two youngsters, Chiranth Vishwanath (Bengaluru), competing in the Rookie category of the Petronas TVS One-Make Championship, and Raheesh Mudassar Khatri (Mumbai) in the Novice (CBR 150) class of the Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup, created a buzz by winning all 10 races this season.

    Provisional results (all 6 laps unless mentioned):

    National Championship – Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open (Race-2, 8 laps): 1. KY Ahamed (Chennai, Petronas TVS Racing) (15mins, 17.537secs); 2. Jagan Kumar (Chennai, Petronas TVS Racing) (15:17.757); 3. Deepak Ravikumar (Chennai, Petronas TVS Racing) (15:18.787). National champion: Rajini Krishnan (Chennai, RACR Castrol Power1). Team championship: Petronas TVS Racing. Manufacturers championship: Yamaha.

    Pro-Stock 165cc Open (Race-2, 8 laps): 1. Jagan Kumar (Chennai, Petronas TVS Racing) (15:45.594); 2. Rajiv Sethu (Chennai, Idemistu Honda SK69 Racing) (15:46.086); 3. Senthil Kumar (Coimbatore, Idemistu Honda SK69 Racing) (15:47.664). National champion: Mathana Kumar (Trichy, Pacer Yamaha). Team championship: Pacer Yamaha. Manufacturers championship: Yamaha.

    Novice (Stock 165cc, Race-2): 1. Kayan Zubin Patel (Mumbai, Axor Sparks Racing) (13:01.987); 2. Rohan Ramesh (Coimbatore, Axor Sparks Racing) (13:02.099); 3. Chiranth Vishwanath (Bengaluru, Rookies Racing) (13:02.368). National champion: Sarvesh Balappa (Hubballi, Axor Sparks Racing). Team championship: Axor Sparks Racing. Manufacturers championship: Yamaha.

    Girls (Stock 165cc, 5 laps): 1. Ryhana Bee (Chennai, Pacer Yamaha) (11:00.132); 2. Jagruti Penkar (Mumbai, Axor Sparks Racing) (11:00.493); 3.  Aditi Krishnan (Bengaluru, Winverve Apex Racing) (11:05.883). National champion: Jagruti Penkar (Mumbai, Axor Sparks Racing). Team championship: Alpha Racing. Manufacturers championship: Yamaha.

    Petronas TVS One-Make Championship: Open (Apache RR 310) Race-1: 1. Rahil Pillarisetty (Hyderabad) (11:46.885); 2. Manoj Yesuadiyan (Chennai) (11:47.317); 3. Ananthraj (Chennai) (11:47.574). Race-2: 1. Rahil Pillarisetty (Hyderabad) (11:46.127); 2. Ananthraj P (Chennai) (11:46.274); 3. Manoj Yesuadian (Chennai) (11:46.437). Champion: Rahil Pillarisetty (Hyderabad)

    Rookie (Apache RTR 200, Race-2): 1. Chiranth Vishwanath (Bengaluru) (12:27.582); 2. Jinendra K Sangave (Kolhapur) (12:28.388); 3. Savion Sabu (Bengaluru) (12:43.778). Champion: Chiranth Vishwanath (Bengaluru)

    Media (Apache RTR 200): 1. Ishan Lee (11:34.557); 2. Karan Singh (11:43.047); 3. Mandar Sheela Sawant (12:00.631). Champion: Ishan Lee.

    Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup: NSF 250 Open (Race-2, 10 laps): 1. Mohsin Paramban (Malappuram) (18:40.383); 2. Shyam Sundar (Chennai) (18:41.542); 3. Rakshith Dave (Chennai) (19:04.772). Champion: Sarthak Shrikant Chavan (Pune).

    Novice (CBR 150, Race-2): 1. Raheesh Mudassar Khatri (Mumbai) (12:50.201); 2. Harshith V Bogar (Bengaluru) (13:09.078); 3. Siddesh Sawant (Kolhapur) (13:10.491). Champion: Raheesh Mudassar Khatri (Mumbai).

    Support Race – Honda Hornet 2.0 (Race-2): 1. G Balaji (Chennai) (13:38.195); 2. Romario John (Chennai) (13:38.377); 3. Prabhu V (Chennai) (13:38.574).

  • Rajini Krishnan on verge of record 11th National title

    Rajini Krishnan on verge of record 11th National title

    Chennai, October 1: KY Ahamed of Petronas TVS Racing completed a hat-trick of wins in the premier Pro-Stock 301-400cc category, but veteran Rajini Krishnan moved within one point of clinching the title after a third-place finish in the fifth and final round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championshp 2022 at the Madras International Circuit, here on Saturday.

    Later, Petronas TVS Racing’s Jagan Kumar notched his second win of the season in the Pro-Stock 165cc Open category, but not before surviving a hectic scramble in the last lap. Idemitsu Honda SK69 Racing’s Rajiv Sethu edged out championship leader Mathana Kumar (Pacer Yamaha) for second place to narrow the points deficit to 14 with one more race to be run on the morrow.

    In the Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open race, pole-sitter Ahamed led a 1-2 finish for his team with Deepak Ravikumar in tow, while Rajini Krishnan (RACR Castrol Power1), starting from P4, struggled with a clutch pedal issue, but used his vast experience to good effect and managed to scramble to third position. The result means that defending champion Rajini needs just one point from tomorrow’s concluding race to seal his 11th career National title. Ahamed trails the champion by 25 points with Ravikumar in third, a further eight behind.

    Earlier, Coimbatore’s Rohan Ramesh fashioned a 1-2 for Axor Sparks Racing in the Novice (Stock 165cc) category ahead of Kayan Zubin Patel (Mumbai) with Vignesh Goud, a privateer from Hyderabad in third. Hubballi’s Sarvesh Balappa, also of Axor Sparks Racing, came in fourth, but he has effectively clinched the title in this category as he leads by 54 points going into tomorrow’s Race-2.

    In the Rookie class of the Petronas Racing One-Make Championship organised by MMSC, Bengaluru’s Chiranth Vishwanath posted his ninth win in as many races as did Mumbai youngster Raheesh Mudassar Khatri in the Novice (CBR 150) category of the Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup.

     Provisional results (all 6 laps unless mentioned):

    National Championship – Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open (Race-1): 1. KY Ahamed (Chennai, Petronas TVS Racing) (11min, 20.954secs        ); 2. Deepak Ravikumar (Chennai, Petronas TVS Racing) (11:21.029); 3. Rajini Krishnan (Chennai, RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) (11:22.050).

    Pro-Stock 165cc Open (Race-1): 1. Jagan Kumar (Chennai, Petronas TVS Racing) (11:50.902); 2. Rajiv Sethu (Chennai, Idemitsu Honda SK69 Racing) (11:51.067); 3. Mathana Kumar (Tiruchirapalli, Pacer Yamaha) (11:51.308).

    Novice (Stock 165cc, Race-1): 1. Rohan Ramesh (Coimbatore, Axor Sparks Racing) (13:00.141); 2. Kayan Zubin Patel (Mumbai, Axor Sparks Racing) (13:02.912); 3. P Vignesh Goud (Hyderabad, Pvt.) (13:04.091).

    Support race (Stock 301-400cc, Novice): 1. Ashwin R (Race Abilities) (12:31.762); 2. Naresh Shobha Kaname (Pvt) (12:37.897); 3. Jayanth Prathipati (Pvt) (12:39.376).

    Qualifying (best lap, top 3): Girls (Stock 165cc): 1. Ann Jennifer (Chennai, Alpha Racing) (02:08.446); 2. Jagruti Penkar (Mumbai, Axor Sparks Racing) (02:08.399); 3. Ryhana Bee (Chennai, Pacer Yamaha) (02:09.858).

    Petronas TVS One-Make Championship: Girls (Apache RTR 200) 5 laps: 1. Nithila Das (Bengaluru) (10:59.765); 2. Ananya Awasthi (Chennai) (11:22.981); 3. Aditi Krishnan (Bengaluru) (11:33.456).

    Rookie (Apache RTR 200, Race-1): 1. Chiranth Vishwanath (Bengaluru) (12:46.968); 2. Jinendra K Sangave (Kolhapur) (12:56.733); 3. Abdul Basim RS (Chennai) (13:15.111).

    Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup: NSF 250 Open (Race-1): 1. Sarthak Shrikant Chavan (Pune) (11:15.886); 2. Mohsin Paramban (Malappuram) (11:16.828); 3. Shyam Sundar (Chennai) (11:17.075).

    Novice (CBR 150, Race-1): 1. Raheesh Mudassar Khatri (Mumbai) (12:58.554); 2. Harshith V Bogar (Bengaluru) (13:06.690); 3. Siddesh Sawant (Kolhapur) (13:06.845).

    Support Race – Honda Hornet 2.0: 1. G Balaji (Chennai) 13:37.031); 2. Kayan Zubin Patel (Mumbai) (13:46.308); 3. T Ramakrishnana (Valliyor) (13:46.649).

    About Madras Motor Sports Club

    Since its humble beginnings in 1953, the Madras Motor Sports Club has grown in stature as the hub of motorsport activity in India. Having moved its racing activities from Sholavaram to its present location, the Madras International Circuit (earlier MMRT), in Sriperumbudur in 1979, MMSC has kept pace with changing times by upgrading facilities. At a cost of about Rs 20 Crore, the MMSC built a pit complex comprising 20 garages, VIP hospitality suites and a viewing gallery, on the eastern side, apart from a second Paddock on the western side with its own short circuit. Parallelly, MMSC imported timing equipment specifically for Drag racing. The Control Room too was upgraded with state-of-the-art hardware while the track itself was improved to meet the exacting FIA standards for Grade-2 certification. MMSC also constructed a 500-capacity grand stand with provision for garages / storage below. In another upgrade, the MMSC installed Digi flags from TAG Heuer Chronolec that will be positioned strategically around the track. The facilities are also extensively used by various vehicle manufacturers for testing their products, displays and corporate days.

  • Jaden makes stunning debut in British F4 at Silverstone

    Jaden makes stunning debut in British F4 at Silverstone

    London, 27 Sept. 2022: Indian karting star Jaden Pariat secured a podium for Chris Dittmann Racing in the F4 British Championship at Silverstone during the weekend to get the maiden podium for his team in the season.

    Jaden’s second-place rookie cup finish represented Chris Dittmann Racing’s first podium position in the F4 British Championship this season. The championship will now have a two-week vacation before returning for the season finale at Brands Hatch on the weekend of October 8 and 9.

    Jaden, the first runner-up in the X30 National 2021, joined the squad alongside returnee Jack Sherwood to complete a two-car lineup for the last two rounds of the season. After a wet and gloomy Friday practice session, the sun shone brightly on Saturday, when Jaden competed in his first qualifying session. A red flag was raised at half distance, upsetting the two teenage racers as they sought to achieve their fastest speeds, before returning to green with less than ten minutes remaining. In the end, Jack finished 17th and Jaden finished 19th, making the races a tough struggle but a terrific learning opportunity for the two.

    Jack went up four places into 13th on the first lap of race one, before moving into the top 10 as turmoil up ahead forced a number of cars to fall down the order. Jaden had gained two positions on the start after recovering from a stall on the grid, but the race was interrupted by a Safety Car.

    When racing resumed, the duo did well to avoid further trouble amongst the front runners, which brought out a second Safety Car, and, as the cars settled back into the race, Jaden made the move on Isaac Barashi to cross the line 11th, with Jack ahead in eighth to score his second top ten finish in just his seventh race in the series. Despite another grid stall, Jaden moved up two positions to 17th on the first lap of race two.

    The teenage racer took advantage of other drivers’ errors and flew into 13th place. From then, it was a stunning sprint to the finish line for the 15-year-old, who crossed ninth overall and second among rookies, earning a Rookie Cup podium spot on his first weekend, which was later boosted to seventh overall owing to post-race penalties for other drivers. Unfortunately for Jack, early collision damaged his front wing, requiring him to pit for a replacement. Re-emerging in 19th, the teenager had a tough struggle through the pack, but he managed to keep out of trouble and cross the finish 15th. Race three got off to a dramatic start, with a stopped vehicle on the grid prompting a crash. Jaden swerved onto the grass as an evasive manoeuvre, but recovered well before the Safety Car was deployed to clean debris on the track. On lap five, with the time ticking down, it made its way into the pitlane before returning straight back to reclaim another vehicle.

    When racing began again, there were fewer than eight minutes left, and both Jack and Jaden got away strongly on the restart, moving up to 12th and 15th position, respectively. Further contact ahead brought out the third Safety Car of the race, but with barely one minute remaining, the race was called off. Jaden’s second place rookie cup finish marked the first podium appearance for Chris Dittmann Racing in the F4 British Championship this season, rewarding the team’s continued hard work and dedication. There is now a two week break before the championship returns.

  • Indian karter Jaden Pariat to debut in British F4

    Indian karter Jaden Pariat to debut in British F4

    London, 22 Sept. 2023: The 15-year-old from Shillong, in Meghalaya, graduates into Britain’s FIA Formula 4 series after a karting career that included the Meco FMSCI X30 National championship, in which he became the first Indian rookie to score a podium on debut.

    He finished as runner-up in the series the following year, whilst also separately contesting the MRF Challenge FLGB 1300 and JK Tyre Championship.

    Having tested extensively in MRF 1600 AND F2000 cars earlier in 2022, plus some initial mileage in the Tatuus T-421, Pariat has now chosen Tewkesbury-based Chris Dittmann Racing for his ROKiT British F4 debut, starting this weekend at Silverstone (23-25 September).

    “I got into motorsport two years ago, and I was mainly influenced by my dad, Atikur, who is a national champion in rallying,” explains Pariat. “We’ve been having fun with cars together since I was a kid, and my original goal was to become a rally driver because of him, but since my dad has already experienced that, I thought I should try something new.

    “I started with karting and since then have become vice champion in the Meco FMSCI X30 National Karting Championship, and then moved onto a series called FLGB 1300, which is similar to Formula Ford here, where I became vice champion too after winning on my debut.

    “This year I did some testing in MRF 1600 and F2000, before deciding to try something new overseas. To progress, you need to learn from people who are better than you, so that’s why I’m here. I’m learning a lot and I’ve been pretty happy with where we are now. The testing has helped prepared me a little better for British F4. There is still lots to learn, but physically, I’m not facing any difficulties.

    “I definitely have big goals, so hopefully we can achieve some good results. I have high expectations for myself, but ultimately this is a learning experience and something we can use to help us build a solid basis for the future.”

    CDR have an established track record of driver development, making them the perfect fit for Pariat at a crucial stage in his career. Team Principal Chris Dittmann welcomed the team’s latest protégé to the fold, and has been impressed with his testing outings to-date.

    “We’ve been speaking to Jaden for about a month, through a contact of ours in India,” says Dittmann. “He’s very keen to get some mileage in the new F4 car, and with the opportunity there for the last two rounds of the season, it was a great time for him to come and learn in the right environment.

    “We’ve been fortunate to get a few test days with Jaden already in the last few weeks and we’ve been pretty impressed. The chemistry has been there from the outset, and we’ve been working together well, so now we’re just looking forward to the last few rounds to see what we can do.

    “There’s been a lot of preparation on the simulator before each test date which has been key to fine tune things before going out on track. He’ll be coming into the championship on the back foot compared to most of the drivers, but he’s up for the challenge.”

  • Dorna begins work towards future MotoGP Grand Prix in India

    Dorna begins work towards future MotoGP Grand Prix in India

    New Delhi, 21 Sept. 2022: Dorna Sports, the Promoters of MotoGP, announced that work has begun on a possible future Indian Grand Prix, with the target of bringing the FIM MotoGP World Championship to the Indian sub-continent in the near future.

    Fairstreet Sports said that the ‘Grand Prix of Bharat,’ the first-ever Indian MotoGP will soon be held at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) in Noida, near here.

    Noida- based Fairstreet Sports Private Limited today announced that a 7-year agreement has been put in place to host the MotoGP in India. Fairstreet expressed hope that India’s first-ever Moto GP Grand Prix is likely to be held in 2023. However, since the provisional calendar for 2023 is already announced by Dorna, the first Indian GP is likely to be held only in 2024, provided the circuit homologation is completed in time.

    A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed for seven years between Fairstreet Sports and Dorna. The latter is actively working with other State Governments to promote motorcycling culture in India and collectively work to promote, nurture and groom international level MotoGP riders in India. As per Industry Experts and economic analysts a significant boost to trade, tourism and employment is expected with an estimated 50K jobs direct and indirect and up to 5K jobs for the race weekend itself. MotoGP, also has plans to introduce MotoE into the Indian racing scenario.

    L to R Honourable Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Aditya Nath, CEO Dorna Carmelo Ezpeleta, Industrial Development Export & Investment Promotion & NRI Minister Nand Gopal Gupta ( “Nandi”). Photo Fairstreet Sports

    Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta has recently visited India to meet with authorities and potential event promoter Fairstreet Sports and also attended a Press Conference and a curtain-raiser event in New Delhi region on Wednesday. The visit began at the spectacular Buddh International Circuit, right outside New Delhi, which would be the target venue to host the possible MotoGP event. 

    Thereafter, the delegation also travelled to Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, the region in which the circuit is located, to meet with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Industrial Development Minister Nand Gopal “Nandi”.

    Finally the visit ended with a presentation in New Delhi to local media and representatives of the motorcycling industry, which showcased the great expectation the country has for MotoGP.

    Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta: “India is a huge country and market, and an especially important one for the two-wheeled industry and MotoGP as a sport. The Championship has a huge fan base there and being able to hold a MotoGP event in India would be both an incredible spectacle for our fans at the same time as allowing us to continue to grow the sport in the region, which is hugely important for our all our partners and the manufacturers in particular given the hundreds of millions of two-wheeled vehicles on its roads. We would love to be able to see this project through and bring these incredible MotoGP bikes to race in front of the Indian fans.

    “At MotoGP we are committed to our fans and aim to make the sport accessible to all, regardless of where they are, who they are or their economic status. Motorcycles are an incredible tool for transportation and in many areas of the world they drive society, providing economic mobility and powering families around the world. Racing in India would be a reflection of our commitment to open the doors to the sport as widely as we can, and would be and an important achievement for the Championship.”

    Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, during the meeting with Fairstreet Sports team, added: “It’s a historical day for the sporting and automobile industry and a befitting tribute to the Azadai Ka Amrit Maha Utsav celebrations, marking India’s befitting arrival in the global platform of motorsport. India could potentially be one of MotoGP’s biggest markets in terms of viewership as well as revenue.

    “MotoGP is a critical asset thanks to the viewer loyalty that the sport enjoys and the competitive nature it embodies, already reaching nearly half a billion homes around the world. Dorna Sports, the sole commercial and television rights holder, produces the world feed television coverage of each Grand Prix throughout the season, from acquisition to distribution, as part of a 360 degree event management philosophy.”

    Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh: “It is a matter of great pride for Uttar Pradesh to host such a globally prestigious mega sports event. Not only will the event boost the hospitality and tourism sectors, but it will also put UP on the global platform. Our government will provide all the necessary support to make this event a huge success.”

    Nand Gopal “Nandi”, Cabinet Minister, Government of Uttar Pradesh for Industrial Development, Export Promotion, NRI, Investment Promotion, said, “The event will not only be a boon to motorcycle racing fans but also provide a major impetus to the economy by generating an influx of foreign investments and ushering in advancement in the personal transportation industry which would transcend into global investments and a preferred destination for OEM’s in the state of Uttar Pradesh.”

    Pushkar Nath, COO, Fairstreet Sports, said, “Motorcycling as a sport is greatly admired in India. By bringing the world’s most prestigious motorcycle racing event here, we hope to boost its fan base further and encourage more young bikers to take up the sport. As the world collectively rebounds from the coronavirus pandemic, the sporting event is also expected to re-energize India’s sports tourism.”

  • 17 points. 3 riders. Let’s go! MotoGP arrives in Japan

    17 points. 3 riders. Let’s go! MotoGP arrives in Japan

    The fight for the Championship arrives in Japan for the second round of the triple-header!

    Motegi (Japan), 20 Sept. 2022: The headlines overflowed at MotorLand Aragon, and now the paddock packs up and heads east for the Motul Grand Prix of Japan with three riders split by 17 points and everything to play for. Not since 2019 has MotoGP been able to race here, which in some ways now seems like a different era. Three years on, the immediate memory that comes back bodes well for the luckless duo from Aragon: Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) vs Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP).

    Quartararo now has only ten points in hand at the top of the table, but it was through no fault of his own and he’ll be more eager than ever to push to extend it again. He also arrives knowing that his last performance at Motegi, vs Marquez, was one of those that cemented his growing legend. So will that experience count? With action beginning on Friday afternoon, he will be hoping it helps him hit the ground running – as will Yamaha as they race on home turf for the first time in a few seasons.

    Elsewhere at the Iwata marque there remains plenty to talk about. Cal Crutchlow (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP™) was the first Yamaha home after that bad luck for Quartararo, and the Brit has therefore contributed Constructors’ points already – no mean feat as El Diablo was the scorer until Sunday. Crutchlow has plenty experience at the venue too. For Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), meanwhile, that was bad news – and he needs to find his way back into the form that’s seen him win races.

    So, Honda. After the dust settled at MotorLand, we were left with even more questions about Marquez as the number 93 failed to make it out of Q1 due to yellow flags, and then failed to make it far into the race with that bad luck. Where would he have finished? There remain some cards close to the Repsol Honda rider’s chest and home turf for the factory is an interesting place to have to play them. As a true veteran now, Marquez knows the track better than everyone on the grid – so what can we expect? And can Pol Espargaro move forward on the other side of the garage?

    Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol), meanwhile, Motegi has always been a good track and the number 73 has multiple wins in the smaller classes. But he’s also riding it for the first time in MotoGP™, as are many on the grid, so it will be an interesting one. There is also plenty on the line for Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) as he even races a race to fitness. Getting caught up in that early race crash has left him with an injured hand and he’ll need to pass a medical – but he also has some serious experience at Motegi. What can he do on home turf? There will be home representation too for Tetsuta Nagashima as he wildcards with HRC, and Takuya Tsuda will be replacing Joan Mir at Team Suzuki Ecstar as they face a bittersweet final weekend on home turf and Alex Rins looks to add another podium.

    Meanwhile, Ducati march on. After the duel at Misano, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) did it again at MotorLand for another spectacular finish, and this time with Bastianini on top. But Motegi could be a different story as the ‘Beast’ rides the track for the first time in MotoGP™, and Bagnaia has only one outing in the premier class under his belt at the venue. That’s also true of Quartararo, but the two had very different races. How will that ten-point gap look this Sunday?

    Elsewhere at the Borgo Panigale factory there are plenty of talking points as well. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) has solid experience of Motegi, and Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) too but not with Ducati. Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) will be heading in to taste the track for the first time in the premier class, as will Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team). With so much having changed since 2019, will that prove a sort of reset? Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) will hope it will as he looks to move forward again too, although the rookie continues impressing.

    That phrase applies to Aprilia Racing and Aleix Espargaro even more. After a longer stint off the podium and watching that gap grow, MotorLand saw a return to the rostrum and after a weekend of ups and downs, too. That seems a statement of intent from the number 41 as he pulled it out the bag when needed on race day, and he’s back to within 17 points of those ahead. Will the lesser experience for everyone on the grid also play into their hands? The RS-GP is a newer bike, and Motegi leaves everyone in need of data on the machinery they return with. Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) will also hope so, although the number 12 was caught up in avoiding that early race incident, he’ll most definitely want more from Japan after his recent podium pace took a dip.

    KTM will be interesting to watch, too. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) put in a stunner at Aragon to come home fourth, and he held third for much of the race. That’s their best result since teammate Miguel Oliveira won in Indonesia, and they’ll want to back it up. Oliveira has ridden Motegi in the premier class and Binder hasn’t, but there could be some opportunity on the horizon again as returning to the track for the first time since 2019 promises a shuffle. Can the Mattighofen factory fight for the podium again?

    Quartararo, Bagnaia and Aleix Espargaro are now split by just 17 points, Marquez remains a somewhat unknown quantity, and we’re heading onto home turf for Yamaha, Honda and Suzuki. There’s plenty at stake in the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, so make sure you don’t miss it as we go racing at 15:00 (GMT +9) local time on Sunday!

    MotoGP Championship – Top 5

    1 Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) – Yamaha – 211
    2 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – 201
    3 Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) – Aprilia – 194
    4 Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) – Ducati – 163
    5 Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – 134

  • Jehan Daruwala takes a superb Feature race win at Monza: F2

    Jehan Daruwala takes a superb Feature race win at Monza: F2

    MONZA (Italy), 11 Sept. 2022: India’s Jehan Daruvala raced to his fourth Formula 2 win in the championship’s main Feature race at Italy’s Monza race track here on Sunday.

    The 23-year-old started sixth on the grid but used a mix of strategy, race craft and tyre management to capitalise on a safety car and red flag-interrupted race and clinched a comfortable win around the hallowed ‘Temple of Speed’.

    The win was Jehan’s first this season. It comes after the Red Bull-backed racer went from fifth to third in Saturday’s Sprint race, making it two podiums from two races for Jehan this weekend and eight this year.

    It was also his sixth top-three finish at Monza and second win at the track after the Indian won there last year.

    “What a weekend,” said Jehan. “It’s been a long time coming. We’ve had the win taken away from us for one reason or another on more than one occasion this year. But we’ve kept our heads down, kept believing, kept pushing and we’ve finally done it.

    “And what a venue to do it at, too! Monza is up there with one of my all-time favourite tracks and standing on the top step of this incredible podium, out over the main straight with the Indian National Anthem playing out, feels so, so special.”

    Jehan made a good getaway, but starting on the dirty side of the grid got bogged down after the initial start.

    Nevertheless, he kept sixth as the field went through the first chicane but lost a place to Juri Vips as he lifted in anticipation of a safety car after an opening-lap shunt involving Ralph Boschung and Theo Pourchaire.

    The safety car wasn’t deployed until later, however, and Jehan was forced to defend from Jack Doohan on the run to the second Roggia chicane.

    The pair went wheel-to-wheel in the braking zone with Logan Sargeant making it three-wide into the chicane. Doohan, with Jehan on the inside and Sargeant on the outside had nowhere to go and ended up colliding with Jehan.

    The Red Bull-backed racer however suffered only minor damage and carried on as the safety car was finally deployed.

    Racing resumed at the end of Lap 5 with Jehan running seventh. But a crash for Calan Williams at the Ascari chicane brought the safety car back out on Lap 8.

    Jehan seized the opportunity to pit, with the perfectly timed stop eventually moving him up to third once his other rivals had pitted.

    That left him perfectly placed to battle for the win as the red flag was deployed to allow track workers to clear away Williams’ stranded Trident and carry out repairs to the barriers.

    The race resumed after a ten-minute stoppage. Jehan went on to put on a masterclass of tyre management and race craft as he bided his time at first before piling the pressure on to race leader Richard Verschoor and second-placed Marino Sato.

    He passed Sato on Lap 18 of 30 and was hot on Verschoor’s heels. But the Trident racer, struggling with tyre wear, dived into pits with just five laps to go, handing Jehan a lead he would keep until the chequered flag.

    “This weekend’s result couldn’t have come at a better time as we now head to Abu Dhabi for the season-finale,” added Jehan.

    “The Yas Marina track is another venue I like and I won there last year. So going there on the back of a weekend like this one gives us a major boost.”

    The Formula 2 championship, which acts as a support series for Formula One, will have the chance for a bit of a break as F1 embarks on its Asian and American swing.

    The championship will return for it’s last and final round of the season on the Nov. 18-20th weekend alongside the Formula One season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. 

    Picture Credits – James Gasperotti

  • Jehan Daruvala returns to F3 podium at Monza

    Jehan Daruvala returns to F3 podium at Monza

    Monza (Italy), 10 Sept. 2022: Indian racer Jehan Daruvala returned to the podium with a third-placed finish in the Formula 2 Sprint race at Italy’s historic Monza race track on Saturday.

    The 23-year-old, who started fifth on the grid, crossed the line seven seconds behind winner Juri Vips and runner-up Frederik Vesti.

    “It feels good to be back,” said Jehan, after taking his seventh top-three finish of the season.

    “It’s been a tough few weeks before this. I feel alive again and it feels nice to be back at the front.”

    Jehan’s podium, his fifth at Monza, was founded on a lightning start.

    The Red Bull-backed driver went wheel-to-wheel with Logan Sargeant right off the line, with the pair going side-by-side in a heart-stopping battle all the way through the first chicane and the long, high-speed Curva Grande.

    Jehan, on the inside, defended robustly going into the second chicane to come out ahead.

    A brief safety car followed and while Jehan held his position at the restart, Sargeant slipstreamed past him soon after.

    The Prema Racing driver, however, fought back, getting past the American racer and setting his sights on fellow Red Bull junior Ayumu Iwasa.

    He made short work of Iwasa to move up to third and comfortably held on to the final podium spot to the end of the race.

    “We had the pace once again to fight at the front and we showed what we could do,” Jehan added.

    “We’re starting in a similar position for tomorrow and we can draw a lot of encouragement from the result today to aim for another strong finish tomorrow.”

    Jehan now heads into Sunday’s main Feature race for which he will start sixth.

    The young Indian has a strong record around the hallowed ‘Temple of Speed’, as Monza is known, and took his second Formula 2 win there last year.

    With his Prema Racing team back on form for their home race Jehan has his sights set on making it two podiums from two races this weekend.

  • Sarvesh grabs pole in Novice class; Ahamed sets the pace

    Sarvesh grabs pole in Novice class; Ahamed sets the pace

    Chennai, 9 Sept 2022: Hubballi’s Sarvesh Balappa (Axor Sparks Racing), with five wins this season, warmed up for the weekend’s double-header by grabbing pole position in the Novice (Stock 165cc) as the fourth round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2022 commenced at the Madras International Circuit, here on Friday.

    Leading the championship in the Novice category, 23-year old Balappa came up with a hot lap of 02mins, 08.591secs in the qualifying session in blazing afternoon sunshine. Filling up the front row were Mumbai’s Kayan Zubin Patel (Axor Sparks Racing, 02:08.616) and Bengaluru’s 12-year old Shreyas Hareesh (Rockers Racing, 02:08.839).

    Meanwhile, Petronas TVS Racing’s KY Ahamed was the quickest in both the premier categories, the Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open and the Pro-Stock 165cc Open during the free practice sessions earlier in the day.

    Ahamed clocked a blistering best lap of 01min, 52.889secs in the Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open category, to nose ahead of veteran Rajini Krishnan (RACR Castrol Power Ultimate1, 01:52.918) who leads the points table going into the weekend and is seeking his 11th National title.

    Later, Ahamed was again in top form, clocking a flying lap of 01:57.379 in the Pro-Stock 165cc Open class, ahead of Pacer Yamaha’s Prabhu Arunagiri (01:58.344), while points table topper Mathana Kumar (Pacer Yamaha) was the seventh quickest in 01:58.740. Less than a second covered the top eight, thus holding out a promise of an intriguing qualifying session on the morrow and the race to follow.

    The results (Qualifying, top 3, Best lap):

    National Championship – Novice (Stock 165cc): 1. Sarvesh Balappa (Huballi, Axor Sparks Racing) (02mins, 08.591); 2. Kayan Zubin Patel (Mumbai, Axor Sparks Racing) (02:08.616); 3. Shreyas Hareesh (Bengaluru, 02:08.839).

    Petronas TVS One-Make Championship – Open (RR 310): 1. Alwin Sundar (Chennai) (01:54.897); 2. Rahil Pillarisetty (Hyderabad) (01:55.058); 3. Kevin Kannan (Chennai) (01:56.327).

    Girls (Apache RTR200): 1. Aditi Krishnan (Bengaluru) (02:11.772); 2. Nithila Das (Bengaluru) (02:13.958); 3. Saimah Ajaz Baig (Pune) (02:15.353).

    Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup – Novice (CBR 150): 1. Raheesh Mudassar Khatri (Mumbai) (02:07.011); 2. Siddesh Sawant (Kolhapur) (02:08.642); 3. Shyam Babu (Chennai) (02:09.200).