INDIA in F1

Author: David Bodapati

  • Abhilash PG-Anoop Kumar pair leads 41st K-1000 Rally; Gill-Sherif fall back to 2nd

    Rahul Kanthraj-Vivek Bhatt duo lead after day1 in K1000 on Saturday. Image by Vivek Phadnis
    Rahul Kanthraj-Vivek Bhatt duo lead after day1 in K1000 on Saturday. Image by Vivek Phadnis

    Bangalore, 21 Nov 2015: Abhilash PG (co-driver Anoop Kumar DS), of team Rennoil-R3A, led in the Indian Rally Championship (IRC) category after the opening day’s action in the Horizon 41st K-1000 Rally on Saturday. The Kochi-Bangalore pair, driving a Mitsubishi Evo VIII, totalled a time of 53 minutes, 32.6 seconds.

    The stages for the third round of the 2015 FMSCI Indian Rally Championship being run near the areas surrounding the Big Banyan Tree tourist spot. The K-1000 returns to tarmac stages after more than a decade of pure dirt stages.

    Mahindra Adventure’s Gaurav Gill-Musa Sherif(Mahindra XUV500) were in second place with a total time of 53:57.3 while AR Racing’s Arjun Rao Aroor and co-driver Satish Rajagopal in a Volkswagen Polo R2 were third with 55:14.2.

    The Rally is being conducted by the Karnataka Motor Sports Club. The associate sponsors are Fairfield Marriott Hotel, Vijayachandra Motors and Turlube lubricants.

    Abhilash said: “Despite having inter-cooler spray and overheating problems in the long stages, we managed to maintain a good lead which is good news as the conditions were difficult to drive because of the technicalities and changes in terrain. To have the right tyre choice was difficult and we managed to do well in Leg 1 and hope to finish with the same result tomorrow.”

    Team Yokohama’s Bangalore pair of Rahul Kanthraj-Vivek Bhatt (Mitsubishi Cedia) as the leader after the first day. Their total time was 57:14.6 with Sumit Panjabi-Nitin Jacob are second.

    Kanthraj said: “We took a gamble with gravel tyres but it worked out well. We took it easy in the first two stages but went flat out later. Tomorrow, we have to go for a decent finish and the championship should be sealed for us.”

    Druva Chandrashekar-Jeevarathinam J lead the IRC 1600cc class.

    The mix of tarmac, loose at places, and dirt made for interesting rallying. Due to this, it was a tricky decision… whether to use tarmac or gravel tyres. It was a test of skill for the drivers who had to manoeuvre through varying surfaces. However, the drivers seemed to enjoy the challenge and gave it their best.

    The opening Special Stage of the day saw a delayed start due to technical issues. Three out of the scheduled nine stages were cancelled due to various reasons.

    Results (provisional): IRC: 1. Abhilash P G/ Anoop Kumar D S (Team Rennoil-R3A, 00:53:32.6 min); 2. Gaurav Gill/ Musa Sherif (Team Mahindra Adventure, 00:53:57.3); 3.Arjun Rao Aroor/ Satish K Rajagopal (00:55:14.2); 4.Amittrajit Ghosh/ Ashwin Naik (Team Mahindra Adventure, 00:55:20.2); 5.Lohitt V Urs/ Srikanth G M (00:55:25.0).

    IRC 2000cc:1. Rahul Kantharaj/ Vivek Y Bhatt(Team Yokohama, 00:57:14.6); 2.Sumit Panjabi/ Nitin Jacob (00:58:43.2); 3.YounusIlyas M/ Paul Thomas(00:58:56.7).

    IRC 1600cc: 1. Druva Chandrasekhar/ Jeevarathinam J (00:57:25.0); 2.Bikku Babu/ Bonnie Thomas (00:57:53.0); 3. Raghu Nandan B/ Rupesh Kholay (00:57:58.0).

    FMSCI 1600cc Cup: 1. Druva Chandrasekhar/ Jeevarathinam J         (00:57:25.0); 2. Raghu Nandan B/ Rupesh Kholay     (00:57:58.0); 3.Ashwin Reddy Daram/ Suraj M (00:58:56.8).

    eom/FMSCI release by Vivek Phadnis

  • Picariello dominates MRF Challenge in Bahrain; Tarun crashes out

    Bahrain, 20

    Picariello on his way to another win in Bahrain on Friday. Image by MRF/Adrenna

    Picariello on his way to another win in Bahrain on Friday. Image by MRF/Adrenna

    Nov 2015: Debutant Alessi Picariello continued his dominance at Round 2 of the MRF Challenge 2015 with his second win of the weekend at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir on Friday.

    Picariello, who started 6th on the grid, won comfortably setting fastest lap along the way. Pietro Fittipaldi took the lead of the championship with his 2nd place after a close fight with Nikita Troitckii. He now leads the championship by 12 points over Troitckii with Tatiana Calderon in 3rd position, 18 points away from the leader.

    The MRF Challenge 2015, which is the support race for the 6 Hours of Bahrain, had its second night race in succession after having a flood lit race in Abu Dhabi in Round 1. In the reverse grid race, Sean Walkinshaw started in pole position along with Matheus Leist. Walkinshaw was slow off the line which allowed Leist to come down the inside and take the lead. It did not last for long as Race 1 winner Picariello had a storming start from 6th on the grid to be in 2nd position after the 3rd corner. He wasted no time getting past Leist in corner 5 and started to pull away from the rest of the pack. Fittipaldi also had a great start and moved up to 3rd position behind Leist.

    Tarun Reddy’s weekend went from bad to worse when he crashed out of the race after contact with Calderon on lap 1. Calderon managed to stay on track with a damaged car in 7th position. Fittipaldi passed Leist for 2nd place with Troitckii also getting past a lap later. Picariello set the fastest lap on the penultimate lap before taking the chequered flag after another flawless performance. Fittipaldi beat Troitckii to 2nd position by 0.091 seconds to take the lead in the championship. Harrison Newey, son of legendary F1 engineer Adrian Newey, had his best finish of the season in 4th place, ahead of Leist and Calderon.

    Belgian driver Alessio Picariello had the perfect weekend with pole position, fastest lap and 2 race wins. He commented, “Everything has been perfect this weekend. I have not raced for a year now but felt comfortable with the car straight away. I had a good start, moved into 3rd position in the second corner, then to 2nd two corners later and finally into the lead. After that it was just about managing the pace. I worked well with my engineer so very happy with this weekend.”

    Russian driver Nikita Troitckii was happy to be 2nd in the championship after a double podium this weekend. He commented, “My start was good and I quickly moved up to 4th place behind Fittipaldi. We both passed Leist and then it was a close battle with him till the end but could not find a way past. It has been a very good weekend for me and am now 2nd in the championship. I look forward to going to Dubai for the next round.”

    Championship leader Pietro Fittipaldi was relieved to end the weekend on a high. He commented, “The weekend has been tough but am happy to finish in 2nd place. Towards the end of the race I started having some gearbox problems but managed to just stay ahead at the finish line. This championship is really competitive and close but can’t wait to head to Dubai for the next round.”

    Race 2 Results:

    1. Alessio Picariello
    2. Pietro Fittipaldi
    3. Nikita Troitckii
    4. Harrison Newey
    5. Matheus Leist
    6. Tatiana Calderon
    7. Sam Dejonghe
    8. Sean Walkinshaw
    9. Nerses Isaakyan
    10. Max Fewtrell

    Championship Standings:

    1. Pietro Fittipaldi – 98 points
    2. Nikita Troitckii – 86 points
    3. Tatiana Calderon – 84 points
    4. Nobuharu Matsushita – 80 points
    5. Alessio Picariello – 56 points
    6. Jake Dennis – 53 points
    7. Nobuharu Matsushita – 80 points
    8. Pietro Fittipaldi – 68 points
    9. Tatiana Calderon – 61 points
    10. Nikita Troitckii – 53 points
    11. Tarun Reddy – 47 points

    About MRF Challenge

    In its fourth year, the MRF Challenge 2015 will feature 16 MRF Formula 2000 race cars, which have been made in India by JA Motorsport based in Coimbatore, in collaboration with Dallara, world’s largest racing car manufacturer and also Jayem Automotives Ltd. The Formula 3 style car has been built by JA Motorsport in technical collaboration with Dallara, and is considered to be the fastest of its kind in Asia. The MRF Formula 2000 is powered by a 2.0 litre 210 BHP Renault Sport Engine and will have a Hewland 6-Speed sequential gearbox. The race car has also been crash tested to FIA F3 safety standards and will race with MRF ZLO slick and wet tyres.

    The MRF Challenge has fielded a strong driver line-up in the last two seasons, with drivers going on to win races in GP2 and British Formula 3. The MRF Challenge Alumni include GP2 drivers like Arthur Pic, Tio Ellinas, Jon Lancaster, Conor Daly, GP3 drivers like Ryan Cullen and Carmen Jorda, Former Formula 2 Champion Luciano Baccheta and British Drivers Harry Tincknell (WEC) and Rupert Svendsen-Cook.

    MRF Challenge 2015 Calendar:

    Round 1: October 29-31, 2015, Abu Dhabi, Yas Marina Circuit

    Round 2: November 18-20, 2015, Bahrain, Bahrain International Circuit (World Endurance Championship Support Race)

    Round 3: December 17-19, 2015, Dubai, Dubai Autodrome

    Round 4: January 29-31, 2015, Chennai, Madras Motor Race Track

     

    eom/MRF release

  • Rains and tarmac special stages dampen the spirits as Horizon K-1000 is flagged off

    Bangalore, 20 Nov 2015: The cloudy horizon sent in chills amongst the rally enthusiasts and the prospects of a thrilling K-1000 are dull what with the new tarmac surface proving the dampner, not just the rains. The Horizon 41st K-1000 was flagged off here on Friday, on a sombre note, and for many a veteran, the K-1000 without the late Bharat Raj was a painful excercise.

    File photo of Lohitt Urs-Srikanth Gowda courtesy Vivek Phadnis
    Lohitt Urs-Srikanth Gowda being flagged off in Bangalore on Friday. Image courtesy Vivek Phadnis

    The Rally is the third round of the 2015 FMSCI Indian Rally Championship was flagged off by Kannada actress Ragini Dwivedi at a city hotel on Rajkumar road.

    The Rally is being conducted by the Karnataka Motor Sports Club is sponsored by Fairfield Marriott Hotel, Vijaychandra Motors and Turlube lubricants.

    The Rally will be dedicated to KMSC’s late Chairman and former FMSCI President R Bharath Raj, who passed away on August 15.

    Moving away from tradition, the K-1000, this time, will be a tarmac rally. With wet weather prevailing, it should add a touch of drama though the rally is not on dirt. The recce was held in the morning and the drivers are not very happy with the Special Stages which are being run in a private lay-out near the Big Banyan tree off the Mysore Road.

    All top rally drivers in the country have confirmed participation for the event that will run from November 20-22. A total of 37 entries have been received. They will compete in the IRC, IRC 2000cc, IRC 1600cc and FMSCI 1600cc Cup categories.

    Mysore’s speedster Lohitt V Urs with co-driver Srikanth Gowda of Bangalore are the ones to watch out for. The duo will be on a Mitsubishi Evo VIII all-wheel drive. Lohitt is leading the championship with a total of 59 points while Mahindra Adventure driver from Kolkata Amittrajit Ghosh  with newly-maried Mangalore’s Ashwin Naik as co-driver is on 47 and will be driving a Mahindra XUV500.

    Reigning National champion in the IRC class, Mahindra Adventure’s Delhi driver Gaurav Gill  and Musa Sherif, also from Mangalore are the top pair in the country and former APRC champion is on 45 and so is his teammate from Chandigarh Sunny Sidhu (PVS Murthy, Bangalore).

    The other notable entries are AR Racing’s Arjun Rao Aroor (Mangalore)-Satish Rajagopal (Bangalore) in a Volkswagen Polo R2, JCT Rallying’s Samir Thapar (New Delhi)-Gurinder Mann (Chandigarh) in a Mitsubishi Evo X and Abhilash PG (Cochin)-Anoop Kumar (Bangalore) in a Mitsubishi Evo VIII. This is the premier class in the IRC and the top drivers will be fighting it out for the Overall National title.

    In the 2000cc class, Bangalore’s Rahul Kanthraj (Vivek Bhatt, Bangalore), from Team Yokohama, is the leader with 78 points, while Mumbai’s Chettinad Sporting entrant Hrishikesh Thackersey (Ninad Mirajgaonkar, Mumbai) is on 59. Kanthraj and Bhatt are the defending champions.

    In the 1600cc class, Kerala’s Chettinad Sporting driver Bikku Babu (Bonnie Thomas, Kerala) leads the classification with 60 points, while Bangalore’s Team Yokohama driver Karna Kadur (Vivek Ponnusamy, Melbourne) is within striking distance and on 58.

    In the 1600cc Cup class, Palakkad’s Adith KC (Harish KN, Bangalore) leads the table with 64 points. They are the defending champions. Second is Bangalore’s Ashwin Reddy (Suraj Shetti, Bangalore) on 58 points.

    There will be three physical stages of 14, 8, 5.5 km. Each stage will be run thrice on day one (Saturday) and once in reverse direction on the second day (Sunday). The gravel Super Special Stage will be held at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre on Tumkur Road on Sunday. The Special Stage distance is 112.08Km, Super Special Stage distance is three Km and total rally distance is 291.55Km.

    KMSC President Shivu Shivappa said: “With support from our rally fraternity, we have been able to put together this event. Our sponsors have been generous and without them, this rally would not have been possible.”

    Clerk of the Course Praneeth Perumal said: “We are having a tarmac rally after more than a decade and it should be entertaining. There will be a mix of terrain and though the average speeds may not be very high, the stages are going to be technical and highly competitive.”

    eom/FMSCI release

  • Motor sport legends prepare for this week’s Race Of Champions

    Image courtesy Race of Champions 2015
    Image courtesy Race of Champions 2015
    News image
    • London’s former Olympic Stadium was swarming with legends of motor sport today ahead of Friday and Saturday’s Race Of Champions
    • Champions from series including F1, Le Mans, IndyCar, Touring Cars and Rallycross put in their first (wet) practice laps of ROC’s all-new pursuit track
    • Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button said: “It will be awesome to race in the Olympic Stadium with the crowds so close to the track.”
    • ‘Mr Le Mans’ Tom Kristensen summed up the tactics: “We just smack it into the first corner and hope there’s grip…”
    • They’ll be joined in Saturday’s individual race by ROC Factor winner Bradley Philpot, who defeated Des Foley in today’s shootout
    • Tickets are still available from www.raceofchampions.com for the action on Friday and Saturday in London’s former Olympic Stadium but get in quick!

    Many of the world’s greatest drivers put in their first laps of London’s former Olympic Stadium today ahead of this weekend’s Race Of Champions.

    The annual end-of-season event, which has been running for over 25 years, brings together some of the world’s best drivers from motor sport’s major disciplines and sets them free to battle head-to-head in identical machinery.

    The ROC 2015 field features no less than six current F1 drivers plus greats of other motor sport series including Le Mans, IndyCar, Rallycross and Touring Cars. They have travelled to London from all over the world including South America, the USA and Australia. Now they will be joined in Saturday’s Race Of Champions by Bradley Philpot, who won today’s ROC Factor shootout against rival Des Foley for the chance of a lifetime to take on many of the world’s greatest drivers.

    Ahead of this weekend’s events the drivers faced the media at London’s former Olympic Stadium. Here’s a selection of what they’ve said so far:

     

    Jenson BUTTON, 2009 Formula 1 World Champion (Team England 2)

    “It’s been a few years since I’ve been at the Race Of Champions so it’s great to be here. It will be really nice to have the crowds so close by while we’re driving. It’s great to have it in the UK and it’s awesome being in the Olympic Stadium. I’m sure we all watched the Olympics in 2012 and we’ve all got very special memories of it. I raced at ROC at Wembley in 2007 and 2008, which was an awesome experience too, and we’ve been to the Bird’s Nest Stadium in China. But coming here is the best.”

     

    Sebastian VETTEL, four-time Formula 1 World Champion (Team Germany)

    “This is a fun event and everyone who has been here before likes to come back if they get an invite. The best thing is just to spend time with guys who share a common passion. So it’s an honour to be on the grid – and obviously fighting for your nation is a privilege. I’m with Nico for the first time on Team Germany this year so we’ll push very hard to get the silverware back tomorrow. Then on Saturday you try to do it on your own. I haven’t achieved that yet so I’ve still got some catching up to do. It’s a tough competition no matter who you’re standing next to on the startline. Anyone can win and two laps is not much time to get used to the car so the tricky bit is to get everything right.”

     

    Daniel RICCIARDO, three-time Formula 1 grand prix winner (Team Australia)

    “This is my first Race Of Champions so it’s like losing my virginity… Of course there are a lot of familiar faces from the F1 paddock but there are also lots of champions from other kinds of motor sport. As you can see, all of us drivers do get on but F1 is our business so other than the drivers parade we keep to ourselves a lot. But we all share a love of racing cars and it’s great to get together in a light-hearted atmosphere. It’s challenging to be jumping in and out of all the different cars but the guy who takes it most seriously probably won’t do that well…”

     

    David COULTHARD, reigning ROC Champion of Champions (Team Scotland)

    “I’m slightly embarrassed to be here among all these great competitors now that I’ve retired from racing but Fredrik Johnsson and his ROC team do such a great job. The fact that we have so many F1 drivers competing here one week ahead of the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi says everything you need to know about how this event is put together. This is a great celebration of motor sport and a great chance to hang out with guys who you’ve admired from other series. We’re all brought together by a common cause, which is a love of competition.”

    Race Of Champions at London's former Olympic Stadium

     

    Tom KRISTENSEN, nine-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner (Team Nordic)

    “Le Mans is 13.628km long whereas this track is 565 metres. You don’t have any real practice, you go out in the car, go to the starting grid and drive. Each heat lasts less than two minutes so it’s very different to what we normally do. It’s very much a sprint. This is full action. You go out in whatever car they put in front of you and you just do your best. It’s always a lot of fun – until you lose. Even if you go out early you can try to lead in the locker room instead. DC and I are both retired so we just try to smack it into the first corner and hope there’s grip…”

     

    Petter SOLBERG, reigning FIA World Rallycross Champion (Team Nordic)

    “This event is always really good fun. Last year we were in Barbados and I must say David did a fantastic job. He was laughing at us at night, saying it was easy. At least Tom and I won the ROC Nations Cup so we will fight hard to try to win it again. But these other guys are certainly very good, even if they claim they’re here just for fun. This event is quite close to rallycross with very short laps so it’s all about not making any mistakes. A lot of things can happen on the track but the spectators will love it if someone hits the wall…”

     

    Nico HÜLKENBERG, 2015 Le Mans 24 Hours winner (Team Germany)

    “This is my first time at the Race Of Champions so I’ll have to see how it pans out but it’s great to be here. I’ve been watching it for a few years and been keen to do it so I’m happy to finally have my chance. So far the Euro NASCAR and the buggies look the most fun but some of the cars look a real handful. There seems to be absolutely no grip out there so you just have to survive. But I’ll figure it out and see how far I get. I went to Le Mans for the first time this year and won that so if the same story could play out here, that sounds good to me…”

    Drivers in Thursday's press conference

     

    Felipe MASSA, 11-time Formula 1 grand prix winner (Team Brazil)

    “My last time here was ten years ago so I was still very young. So thanks for having me back. It’s fantastic to be here in London in this amazing place. I don’t know how it’s going to be if we have a very wet track like today but I’m sure I’m going to enjoy it and have a lot of fun racing. We all get on well together but unfortunately in the Formula 1 paddock we can’t enjoy as much time together as we do here. So I’m sure these three days will be a lot of fun. Maybe we need something a bit more like this in F1 as well…”

     

    Mick DOOHAN, five-time 500cc MotoGP World Champion (Team Australia)

    “I’d love Team Australia to be up there but while Daniel has the talent, unfortunately he’s carrying an old motorbike racer along with him. So I feel a bit sorry for him. I’ll try my best but it’s hard to compete against guys who compete in cars day in day out. Each car has its own issue with understeer and oversteer so you have to get to grips with that. I tapped the wall today – well, more than a tap really, a good hit. It was at the quickest part of the track and I went right in. Fortunately I didn’t injure myself or the passenger who came along for the ride. Still, it’s a hell of a lot of fun to be here.”

     

    Jolyon PALMER, 2014 GP2 Champion (Team Young Stars)

    “Barbados was great fun last year and it was a good challenge as well – the first time is always a bit of an eye-opener. That was actually my last real race too, so it’s been a while. Of course we don’t overtake anyone on this track but you get the competitive feeling I’ve been missing this year. So it will be good to get out there, hopefully knock some people out and progress. It’s a great fun event with a good friendly atmosphere but everyone’s quite keen to win as well. On this new pursuit track you’re definitely aware of the other car from the moment you get out. As you go through the checkpoints, if you’re down you throw caution to the wind, if you’re up you just make sure you bring it home.”

     

    Jason PLATO, double British Touring Car Champion (Team England 1)

    “Where do you ever get the chance to race against the best drivers in the world in a fantastic place like the former Olympic Stadium? Last time I was together with Andy we got to the final in Düsseldorf when we lost to Team Germany, so we want to go one better this year. All the cars have their own different challenges, especially in the wet weather. I think we’ll get some good crowds and the atmosphere will be amazing so I’m really looking forward to it. Whoever flirts best with the walls and gets away with it will do well.”

    Race Of Champions at London's former Olympic Stadium

     

    Andy PRIAULX, triple World Touring Car Champion (Team England 1)

    “I came here to watch Usain Bolt win the 200m at the Olympics and I can’t believe we’ve got a circuit here now. It’s an honour to drive in front of your own crowd and I remember coming to Wembley when the atmosphere was fantastic. The new format with cars chasing each other will work well and the track has a nice flow to it. The last time JP came to the Race Of Champions we hit it pretty hard the night before. So hopefully we’ll enjoy a bit more focus this weekend and be a bit more concentrated.”

     

    Susie WOLFF, Williams Martini Racing Official Test Driver (Team Scotland)

    “I had such a great time in Barbados last year so it’s fantastic to be here for my last race, and to go up against such brilliant drivers in lots of different cars. It’s a completely different challenge to go as quick as you can without much warm-up or testing. With the new asphalt on the track and cold tyres and brakes, just keeping the car on track was a challenge today. But being from Scotland of course I’m not used to driving in the wet… I went to bed early last year and my team-mate David did the exact opposite – and to quite an extreme. So this year I’m changing my tactics and going out in style…”

     

    Alex BUNCOMBE, Blancpain Endurance Series Champion (Team England 2)

    “To get the chance to race with these guys out there on the track is phenomenal for me. I couldn’t believe it when I got the call. The Race Of Champions has always been something I’ve wanted to do and now it’s been made possible. So that’s great. I’ve been lucky enough to drive quite a lot of different cars for Nissan so hopping from car to car here at the Race Of Champions shouldn’t be too much of an issue. I think that’s what it’s going to come down to – being able to hop out of the buggy and get into the Mercedes and get straight on it. It’s going to be tough but I’ll certainly be doing my best.”

     

    Pascal WEHRLEIN, 2015 DTM Champion (Team Young Stars)

    “This is my second Race Of Champions and it’s definitely an honour to be here. This year I wasn’t sure if I’d get invited. I asked Fredrik if I could come back again and he said I could have an invite if I won the DTM Championship. So here I am. I’m proud to be here going up against the world’s best drivers. Last year in Barbados I came second so I’ve still got one more place to improve. But it will be really tough. Everyone is really talented and in the end anyone could win.”

     

    Ryan HUNTER-REAY, 2014 Indianapolis 500 Winner (Team Americas)

    “It’s just great to be here in this company. These are the best drivers form around the world so it’s great to be here competing with them and getting to know them. Last year I got closer but that doesn’t cut it here, so hopefully this could be the year. But I learned last year that the guy you least suspect can be fast and put themselves right in the mix so you can’t count anyone out. In IndyCar we have a lot of tight street circuits so maybe that will help, but it will be very interesting if it’s wet…”

     

    ROC 2015 begins with tomorrow evening’s ROC Nations Cup, followed by the Race Of Champions itself on Saturday afternoon.

     

    Tickets for ROC 2015 are still available at ticketmaster.co.uk/roc. For access to hi-res imagery please visitwww.raceofchampions.com. You can sign up for all the latest updates at www.raceofchampions.com, Race Of Champions on Facebook or @raceofchampions and #ROCLondon on Twitter.

     

    Race Of Champions at London's former Olympic Stadium

  • Russian driver Nikita Troitckii leads Tarun Reddy in practice

    File photo of Nikita courtesy MRF
    File photo of Nikita courtesy MRF

    Bahrain, 19 Nov 2015:  Debutant and 2013 Formel 3 ADAC Masters driver Alessi Picariello took a stunning pole position at Round 2 of the MRF Challenge 2015 at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir. Russian driver Nikita Troitckii and India’s Tarun Reddy will start 2nd and 3rd on the grid after missing out on pole position by 0.044 and 0.048 seconds respectively in one of the closest qualifying sessions ever in the MRF Challenge. Championship contenders Tatiana Calderon and Pietro Fittipaldi will start 4th and 5th on the grid.

    With an action packed motorsport weekend in Bahrain, the MRF Challenge drivers only got one practice session ahead of the 30 minute qualifying session. After a sunny morning session, qualifying was totally different with cool temperatures and the night sky greeting the drivers. Fittipaldi was quick to top the times after putting in a 2:06.587 followed by Troitckii with a 2:06.786. The times started to tumble with all drivers going faster. With 5 minutes to go is where all the action started with Picariello going fastest with a 2:03.390. Troitckii was on course to better it but just fell short. Reddy set the fastest time in the first two sectors but just missed out as well. Fittipaldi could do no better but Calderon started setting purple sectors as well, threatening Picariello’s pole position. She fell 0.080secs short, which put her in 4th place.

    The MRF Challenge 2015 started first in one of the biggest motorsport weekends in the region, with the GP2, GP3 and World Endurance Championship (WEC) also on display this weekend. In the only practice session of the weekend, Troitskiy lapped in a 2m02.766s to set the fastest time of the session. He was 0.297s ahead of Reddy, who had completed the most laps in the session. Fittipaldi slotted in at third, while Sean Walkinshaw was fourth and Picariello completed the top five. Tatiana Calderon was in 6th place, with Indycar and Formula 1 winner Juan Pablo Montoya helping out his fellow Colombian.

    Belgian driver Alessio Picariello was surprised to be in pole position in his first ever race in the series. He commented, “In the morning practice session it took me some time to get used to the car and tyres. With only one practice session I knew I had to learn things fast. I felt comfortable straight away and was able to push in the qualifying. I am thrilled to be on pole position and amazed at how competitive this series is. Tomorrow will be tough but I am confident of going for the win”

    Russian driver Nikita Troitckii felt he could have been on pole but was happy to start from the front row. He commented, “I had a good session in the morning and just worked on getting more comfortable with the car. I felt we had the pace for pole position but we just missed out. My race pace this morning was good so am looking forward for the race tomorrow.”

    India’s Tarun Reddy had his best qualifying in the series with 3rd position. He commented, “I really enjoy driving on this circuit. I have been quick from the start but not enough for pole position. To be 3rd on the grid here is great, especially with all the GP2 and WEC guys in attendance. I will push for the win tomorrow.”

    Qualifying: 1. Alessio Picariello – 2:03.390; 2 Nikita Troitckii – 2:03.434; 3. Tarun Reddy – 2:03.438; 4 Tatiana Calderon – 2:03.470; 5 Pietro Fittipaldi – 2:03.503

    Practice 1: 1. Nikita Troitckii – 2:02.766; 2 Tarun Reddy – 2:03.063; 3. Pietro Fittipaldi – 2:03.262; 4 Sean Walkinshaw – 2:03.429

    eom/MRF release

  • Alfonso Celis joins Sahara Force India as development driver

    Bangalore, 19 Nov 2015: Sahara Force India is pleased to announce the signing of Mexican racer, Alfonso Celis, as a development driver. The 19-year-old will get his first experience of Formula One power behind the wheel of the VJM08 at the season-ending Abu Dhabi test – sharing driving duties with Nico Hulkenberg, according to a press release here on Thursday.

    Alfonso, file photo by Sahara Force India
    Alfonso, file photo by Sahara Force India
    Alfonso is one of the most promising young Mexicans emerging from the junior formulas. Following karting success in Mexico, he moved to Europe in 2013 to compete in the Formula Renault NEC championship, and progressed to the GP3 Series last year. This year he raced for ART in GP3 in parallel to a World Series by Renault programme with AVF.
    In his development role with Sahara Force India, Alfonso will spend time on the simulator at the team’s Silverstone factory. He will also take part in seven official practice sessions at Grand Prix events during the 2016 season.
    Alfonso Celis: “Ever since I started racing I’ve been dreaming of Formula One, so it’s a huge honour to begin working with Sahara Force India. It’s an amazing opportunity for me to learn about Formula One and to work closely with the engineers and race drivers. Being on the track in Abu Dhabi will be an incredible feeling. It’s going to be the biggest moment in my career and I am fully focussed on doing a good job for the team.”
    Vijay Mallya, Team Principal and Managing Director: “I would like to welcome Alfonso to the team and wish him well ahead of his debut with us in Abu Dhabi. As our development driver we will work hard to prepare him for the demands of driving in Formula One and provide a good grounding in all aspects of the job. It’s a fantastic opportunity for Alfonso to learn from Sergio and Nico, and to get valuable mileage in the car.”
    eom/SFI release/David Bodapati

  • MMSC ties-up with Road to Indy USF 2000 series; 2016 championship to commence in Jan

    • Incentives for 2016 MMSC Racing Championship 

    CHENNAI: The MMSC Racing Championship received a major boost as their six-round 2016 season, commencing in January, will provide an entry to the Mazda Road to Indy USF 2000 series scholarship shootout.

    Announcing this here on Monday, the Madras Motor Sports Club, one of the oldest motorsport clubs in India, said the topper of the MRF Formula Ford 1600 series will be sent for the Mazda Road to Indy shootout, the winner of which will receive a scholarship of USD 200,000.

    Besides the MRF FF 1600 category, the other proposed classes are: Formula LGB 1300, Indian Junior Touring Cars, Indian Touring Cars and Superstock, all part of the support races.

    In another move, MMSC, promoters of the National Racing Championship for the past 27 years, converted the Formula LGB 1300 into a rookie class, open to drivers below 25 years of age. The top performers in this series will be eligible for scholarship to the 2017 MRF FF 1600 championship.

    MMSC president Ajit Thomas said: “We are pleased to announce our tie-up with the Indy Racing League for the Mazda Road to Indy scholarship shootout which is further evidence to our commitment to develop talent in the sport.

    “We will continue the trend from this year to start our championship early in the year and stretch it over the year. The feedback from our partners and competitors has been positive and encouraging in starting early again next year.

    “More importantly, the cooler temperatures in the beginning of the year make it more enjoyable for all the competitors.”

    The Mazda Road to Indy is one of the most successful driver development programs in the world, providing a unique, scholarship-funded path to reach the Verizon IndyCar Series and Indianapolis 500.

    MMSC will also conduct shootouts for scholarships in the 2016 championship at the iconic MMRT Circuit in Sriperumbudur, from December 8 to 11. Rookies and newcomers can take part in the scholarship shootout for the Formula LGB 1300 and existing drivers below 25 years of age participate in the shootout for the MRF FF1600.

    Details for the scholarship programme will be posted on the MMSC official website and their social Media page shortly. Interested competitors can also email to race@mmsc.in for details.

    Provisional calendar for 2016 Racing Championship:

    Round 1: January 29-31. Round 2: March 4-6. Round 3: June 17-19. Round 4: July 15– 17. Round 5: August 19-21. Round 6: September 6-18.

    About MMSC

    The MMSC has been the pioneer in developing motorsport in India since 1953 and we look to further improve in the years to come. It is our endeavor to provide more opportunities for our competitors and thus have chalked out a progressive program for 2016. From the days of Sholavaram , MMSC built its own racetrack which was inaugurated in 1979 and secured its FIA Grade-2 international certification in 2015, making it the only club which owns such a facility. The club has organised the Porsche Super Cup, Formula Campos, Formula Asia, Asian touring car championships, Formula 3, Tata Prima Truck racing championship, the Asian 2-wheeler racing championships besides a host of other motorsport events over the years. The club also has active participation for its events from vehicle manufacturers who also use the Madras Motor race Track (MMRT) extensively for their testing.

    For Media queries, please contact:

    Anand Philar, AP Media Communications, at +91-94835 48185.

    or

    File photo of Karthik Tharanisingh, winner of the MRF Formula Ford 1600 championship in the MMSC-Fmsci Indian National Racing Championship 2015 in Chennai. Image by Anand Philar
    File photo of Karthik Tharanisingh, winner of the MRF Formula Ford 1600 championship in the MMSC-Fmsci Indian National Racing Championship 2015 in Chennai. Image by Anand Philar

    B David  +91-98455 69496.

  • Round 2 of MRF Challenge to take place in Bahrain this weekend

    Bahrain, 17 Nov 2015:  The MRF Challenge 2015 season will head to the Bahrain International Circuit this weekend with Round 2 set to take place as the support race for the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) 6 Hours of Bahrain. The FIA sanctioned MRF Challenge, is one of four international and regional racing series that that will be backing the headlining WEC. The GP2 Series, GP3 Series and Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle are the others. The international field of up-and-coming drivers will showcase their talents this coming weekend in the MRF Challenge, in front of team bosses and manufacturers of the WEC and GP2 series.

    Challenge leader Nobuharu Matsushita will return to his GP2 duties with ART Racing team. Brazilian driver Pietro Fittipaldi and female F3 driver Tatiana Calderon will resume their battle for the championship with only seven points separating them. Russian driver Nikita Troitckii and Indian Tarun will be hoping to mount a challenge and get themselves into championship contention. This will also be the first time that the MRF Challenge cars will race under lights in Bahrain.

    Arun Mammen, Managing Director, MRF Tyres, commented, “We are extremely excited to return to Bahrain for Round 2 of the MRF Challenge 2015. This will be our third year in Bahrain as we continue our association with the World Endurance Championship. The drivers have always enjoyed the circuit and I am sure that this year will continue to provide some close wheel-to-wheel racing. We are constantly evolving so am also happy to announce that this will be our first race under lights in Bahrain which should be great for the drivers and fans. We have an 18 car grid this year with some exciting talent so looking forward to another interesting round in Sakhir.”

    Round 2 in Bahrain will have 18 cars on the grid with upcoming young drivers from across the world racing. 2-time F1 World Champion Emmerson Fittipaldi’s grandson, Pietro Fittipaldi impressed with a win and two podium finishes in Round 1 in Abu Dhabi. Harrison Newey, son of famed Formula One engineer Adrian Newey will be hoping to make amends to a tough opening weekend. The star of Round 1 was undoubtedly F3 driver Tatiana Calderon, who pulled off three brilliant overtaking moves on the last lap of 3 of the 4 races. Former MRF Challenge race winner Sam Dejonghe returns to the series and will definitely be one of the favourites and podium finishes in Bahrain. She will not be the only woman on the grid with Alice Powell and Laura Tillett also returning to the series.

    The Indian contingent will be led by Tarun Reddy. Also joining him will be 2015 MRF 1600 Champion Karthik Tharani Singh, who impressed on his first ever time in the MRF Challenge car. He will be joined by Arjun Narendran.

     J Anand, Managing Director, JA Motorsports, is looking forward to yet another exciting round. He commented, “We have a great bunch of talented youngsters this year and it will be interesting to see how they fare in Bahrain. This round offers a unique opportunity for our drivers to showcase their talent in front of some of the top teams and names in the world of motorsport. To support the WEC and GP2 races is a huge honour for us and a testament to how the MRF Challenge continues to grow.”

    In its fourth year, the MRF Challenge 2015 will feature 16 MRF Formula 2000 race cars, which have been made in India by JA Motorsport based in Coimbatore, in collaboration with Dallara, world’s largest racing car manufacturer and also Jayem Automotives Ltd. The Formula 3 style car has been built by JA Motorsport in technical collaboration with Dallara, and is considered to be the fastest of its kind in Asia. The MRF Formula 2000 is powered by a 2.0 litre 210 BHP Renault Sport Engine and will have a Hewland 6-Speed sequential gearbox. The race car has also been crash tested to FIA F3 safety standards and will race with MRF ZLO slick and wet tyres.

    The MRF Challenge has fielded a strong driver line-up in the last two seasons, with drivers going on to win races in GP2 and British Formula 3. The MRF Challenge Alumni include GP2 drivers like Arthur Pic, Tio Ellinas, Jon Lancaster, Conor Daly, GP3 drivers like Ryan Cullen and Carmen Jorda, Former Formula 2 Champion Luciano Baccheta and British Drivers Harry Tincknell (WEC) and Rupert Svendsen-Cook.

     MRF Challenge 2015 Calendar:

    Round 1: October 29-31, 2015, Abu Dhabi, Yas Marina Circuit

    Round 2: November 18-20, 2015, Bahrain, Bahrain International Circuit (World Endurance Championship Support Race)

    Round 3: December 17-19, 2015, Dubai, Dubai Autodrome

    Round 4: January 29-31, 2015, Chennai, Madras Motor Race Track

    Championship Standings:

    1. Nobuharu Matsushita – 80 points
    2. Pietro Fittipaldi – 68 points
    3. Tatiana Calderon – 61 points
    4. Nikita Troitckii – 53 points
    5. Tarun Reddy – 47 points
    File photo of MRF Challenge in Abu Dhabi, Oct 2015. Courtesy MRF
    File photo of MRF Challenge in Abu Dhabi, Oct 2015. Courtesy MRF

    eom/MRF release/david

  • Rosberg wins Brazilian GP; Hulkenberg takes 6th, seals 5th place for Force India

    Nico Rosberg took a second consecutive Brazilian Grand Prix win with a controlled drive from pole position, beating Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton to the flag by 7.7 seconds. Sebastian Vettel took a relatively lonely third place, finishing 6.4s behind Hamilton and more than 30 seconds in front of team-mate Kimi Raikkonen.

    Last year Rosberg had put in a flawless performance to keep his title hopes alive until the final race of the season and while there was only pride and second place to battle for this year in Interlagos, Rosberg was again similarly inspired as he comfortably held off Hamilton at the start and then controlled matters for the following 71 laps.

    With Rosberg making a good getaway when the lights went out to hold of Hamilton, Vettel and Raikkonen maintained their starting positions of third and fourth.

    Behind them, Williams’ Valtteri Bottas made an excellent start from seventh to slot into fifth ahead of Red Bull’s Daniil Kvyat and Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg, who had dropped back from fifth on the grid. Felipe Massa was eighth ahead of Sergio Perez in the second Force India and Toro Rosso’s Max Verstappen.

    Further back, Carlos Sainz was in trouble. The Spaniard had been set to start from 10th place but on his way to the grid he suffered a mechanical issue and had to start from the pit lane. However, within seconds of him taking to the track he was pulling over to stop between Turns Four and Five, his all-too-brief race run.

    Ricciardo was the first to shed his starting soft tyres, the Australian making a very early stop on lap four to take on medium tyres.

    Hulkenberg was the next in and he used his stop well, utilising his laps on fresh tyres to make up time and when Kvyat pitted on lap 10, the German flashed past the Russian as the Red Bull made its way to the pit lane exit.

    Leader Rosberg pitted on lap 13, with Vettel following his compatriot to the pit lane. Rosberg’s stop was slow though, 4.4s. Hamilton took his turn on the following lap. The Briton also took on medium tyres in a 3.6s stop.

    The eight tenths of a second bonus wasn’t enough to get Hamilton past his team-mate. However, as the pair crossed the line on the following lap the champion was just 0.9s behind his team-mate and within DRS range.

    Behind them, the order after the first round of stops saw Vettel in third place, 4.3s behind Hamilton, with Raikkonen fourth ahead of Bottas. Lotus’ Pastor Maldonado had climbed to sixth but the Venezuelan had started on medium tyres and had yet to make his first stop. Hulkenberg was now seventh ahead of Kvyat and Massa, while Perez was now 10th. Toro Rosso’s Max Verstappen was now in P11 ahead of Lotus’ Romain Grosjean and Ricciardo who had climbed to P13 from P19 on the grid.

    Maldonado was soon losing ground on his ageing medium tyres and by lap 23 he had been passed by Hulkenberg, Kvyat and Massa and was down in P9 and losing almost a second a lap to 10th-placed Perez. It was too much of a deficit and on lap 25 the Venezuelan duly pitted, taking on more mediums. He rejoined in P17.

    At the front, Rosberg was under pressure. Hamilton closed to 0.6s behind the German in the laps after their stops but the German kept his cool and responded, breaking DRS on lap 25 and pushing the gap out to 1.1s. It widened further, to 1.6s, as Hamilton temporarily backed out of the fight to possibly save tyres in the hope of stretching the stint longer than Rosberg to have fresher tyres for another assault in the closing stages.

    Ricciardo made his second stop, from P12, for another set of mediums, on lap 28. He was followed a lap later by Sebastian Vettel, who took on the soft tyre in a bid to put pressure on the Mercedes.

    Rosberg then made his second stop for more mediums on lap 33 and as he did so Hamilton’s race engineer was swiftly on the radio, calmly telling the champion that is was now ‘hammer time’.

    The Briton had a lap to do it but when he emerged after his stop Raikkonen, who had yet to make his second visit to the pit lane, was powering past and into his way. Hamilton took no prisoners, however, and swept past the Finn on the pit straight at the end of the lap to take second. He was now 3.1s behind Rosberg.

    Vettel was setting fastest laps on his soft tyres, up to a second quicker than the Mercedes, but as the tyres quickly degraded his pace faded and his times against his rivals began to even out, with the Mercedes on fresher mediums.

    After the second stops Rosberg led on lap 45 by 3.2s over Hamilton with Vettel a further six seconds back. Raikkonen was fourth, though the Finn had yet to make his second stop. He was almost 10 seconds adrift of Vettel and losing chunks of time but with almost 44 seconds in hand over fifth-placed Bottas, Raikkonen could afford to keep nursing his aged medium tyres in the hope of needing just two stops. Hulkenberg was now sixth but being pressured by Kvyat. Massa was now eighth ahead of Grosjean and Verstappen

    The Finn finally stopped on lap 46, taking on another set of mediums, with which he hoped to reach the end of the race. He was soon followed by Vettel on lap 48, the German shedding his soft tyres for mediums for his final stint.

    Rosberg made his third and final stop on lap 48 taking on medium tyres and Hamilton made his final stop on lap 49, the champion also bolting on the medium compound. His swift response to Rosberg’s stopped seemed to indicate that any plan to go long in the stint had been abandoned.

    Hamilton attempted to again put pressure on Rosberg but in doing so he suffered a huge lock-up on lap 56. He quickly reported that he felt he had damaged the floor. His times didn’t reflect it but the gap to Rosberg now began to stabilise by the time the leaders were 120 laps from home, the Briton was 2.7s in arrears to his team-mate.

    Vettel, meanwhile, was a lonely third, 12.3s behind Hamilton and 23.7s ahead of fourth-placed team-mate Raikkonen. The Finn too was isolated on track, with the Finn sitting 24 seconds ahead of compatriot Bottas. Hulkenberg was a steady sixth, 1.2s ahead of Kvyat, while Massa was eighth ahead of the Lotus cars of Grosjean and Maldonado.

    Two-stopping Maldonado, was under pressure from Verstappen, however, and after harrying the Venezuelan for several laps the Dutch teenager closed on the Lotus in the middle sector of lap 67 and despite the Lotus’ Mercedes power, Verstappen was able to pass under DRS down the inside into Turn One of the following tour and take P10.

    And that was how the order remained as three laps later Rosberg crossed the line to take his 13th career victory, 7.7s ahead of Hamilton, with Vettel third. Rosberg’s wins mean he takes an unassailable second position in the Drivers’ Championship, with the German now 31 points ahead of Vettel.

    2015 Brazilian Grand Prix – Race
    1 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1:31:09.090
    2 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +7.700
    3 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari +14.200
    4 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari +47.500
    5 Valtteri Bottas Williams +1 lap
    6 Nico Hulkenberg Force India +1 lap
    7 Daniil Kvyat Red Bull Racing +1 lap
    8 Felipe Massa Williams +1 lap
    9 Romain Grosjean Lotus F1 Team +1 lap
    10 Max Verstappen Toro Rosso +1 lap
    11 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Racing +1 lap
    12 Pastor Maldonado Lotus F1 Team +1 lap
    13 Sergio Perez Force India +1 lap
    14 Felipe Nasr Sauber +1 lap
    15 Jenson Button McLaren +1 lap
    16 Fernando Alonso McLaren +1 lap
    17 Marcus Ericsson Sauber +2 laps
    18 Will Stevens Manor +4 laps
    19 Alexander Rossi Manor +4 laps
    R Carlos Sainz Jr. Toro Rosso

    eom/FIA press release

    Nico Rosberg on way to victory in Brazil on Sunday. An FIA image
    Nico Rosberg on way to victory in Brazil on Sunday. An FIA image

  • Racing in my home Grand Prix was a dream come true; I am confident of doing well in Brazil: Perez

    Force India team and the Team Principal, Vijay Mallya, talk ahead of the race in Brazil as the championship nears its conclusion with just two more races left. The Last race will be in Abu Dhabi on Nov 22. Force India team drivers Sergio Perez has 68 points and teammate Nico Hulkenberg 44 after the Mexican GP. Force India is in 5th place in the Constructor’s Championship with 112 points, 41 points ahead of sixth-placed Lotus. Hamilton already won the Driver’s championship and Mercedes AMG Petronas team bagged the Contructor’s title with many races to spare.
    Sergio Perez looks forward to racing at Interlagos, Brazil after getting into points at home race in Mexico.
    Sergio: “Racing in my home Grand Prix last week was a dream come true. The support from the fans was incredible and I have so many memories that will stay with me forever. I was happy with my performance over the weekend and I think it was one of my best races of the season. You can always look back and say, ‘what if the safety car hadn’t come out’, but we made the best of it and I was happy to score points in my home race.
    “Brazil is another venue where you can feel the energy of the fans. The track is brilliant: it’s a proper racer’s circuit with some amazing corners. The first sector is fantastic: you can take different lines through turn one and you can end up in a battle for position that lasts until turn six. The lap is very technical and there are a lot of places where you can easily make a mistake, but the feeling when you get a perfect lap together is amazing.
    “In the last few races we’ve had a really good run of results. I feel I’m driving at my best and the team is doing a fantastic job. We want to finish this season on a high and I think we still have some big results in us, so I am confident ahead of the race.”
    Nico Hülkenberg looks forward to returning to the scene of one of his best races
    Nico: “I really love Brazil as a country and Sao Paulo as a city. The track is very traditional and there is always a special atmosphere around the place. There are some fun corners – the Senna Esses are really cool as turns one, two and three make up a nice combination. The lap is quite short but there are a lot of elevation changes and banked corners, which create a very challenging lap. It’s a track where I really enjoy driving.
    “Interlagos has been quite good to me: I had a pole position in 2010, led the race in 2012 and I’ve always finished in the points. I seem to have good chemistry there and I feel comfortable on and off the track. I can really identify with the Brazilian lifestyle and the people. I think we will be competitive so I hope I can add another strong result to the list.”
    Vijay Mallya “We travel to Brazil off the back of a memorable and successful weekend in Mexico. Everybody I spoke to said how much they enjoyed the event and the warm welcome we received. It was a race where we maximised our opportunities to bring both cars home well inside the points and edge closer to securing fifth place in the championship.
    “The Brazilian Grand Prix is another great event. It’s an historic venue where the fans always create a special atmosphere – much like Mexico. The Interlagos circuit always seems to deliver an exciting race because it’s an old school track with several good overtaking opportunities. The weather is also unpredictable and that often adds to the drama.
    “With just two races to go, we must keep our focus and make sure we don’t let our guard down so close to the finish line. If we score well in Brazil, we can clinch fifth place in the championship and that’s the priority. I’m confident we can do it and getting both cars home in the points would be a great way to celebrate our best season ever.”
     eom/david with inputs from SFI

    Sergio Perez (MEX) Sahara Force India F1 VJM08. Mexican Grand Prix, Saturday 31st October 2015. Mexico City, Mexico.
    Sergio Perez (MEX) Sahara Force India F1 VJM08.
    Mexican Grand Prix, Saturday 31st October 2015. Mexico City, Mexico.

    release