Your basket is currently empty!
Author: David Bodapati
-
Ogier leads a Volkswagen 1-2-3 at Monte Carlo, with 3 stages remaining
With just three stages remaining, Volkswagen Motorsport looks set to claim a clean sweep of the Rallye Monte-Carlo podiumMonte Carlo, 24 Jan 2015: Sébastien
Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F), Volkswagen Polo R WRC. A Volkswagen Motorsport GmbH photo Ogier heads an impressive one-two-three for Volkswagen Motorsport after the third day of Rallye Monte-Carlo competition. The French reigning World Champion has 42.8 seconds in hand to team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala, and Andreas Mikkelsen is a further minute adrift in the third Polo R WRC.
Today’s route was scheduled to take in four stages, however the first running of the 19.93 kilometre Prunieres – Embrun stage was cancelled for safety reasons due to the high number of spectators. As a consequence, the first stage the crews tackled was the daunting 51.70 kilometre run from Lardier-et Valenca to Faye, where conditions were mainly dry but with patches of snow and ice. As always, tyre choice was critical and Ogier played it safe, such was his overnight advantage. The Frenchman lost 40 seconds to Latvala and a staggering two minutes to stage winner Robert Kubica, but maintained his overall advantage going into the lunchtime service. This afternoon he continued to control the pace at the front of the field and arrived in Monaco this evening with a comfortable advantage with three stages remaining on Sunday. Latvala has had a trouble-free day and is keen to maintain position, being that his best Monte-Carlo result is fifth. Similarly, Andreas Mikkelsen has escaped unscathed and following Ott Tanak’s off earlier in the day, the Norwegian is under less pressure.Mads Østberg has moved into fourth in the lead DS 3 WRC but suffered engine problems late his afternoon. Dani Sordo, eighth last night, has climbed to fifth, despite going off this morning and then struggling with a steering problem this afternoon. He and team-mate Thierry Neuville are split by just 4.7 seconds, the Belgian having a clean run through today’s stage. Elfyn Evans has dropped from sixth to seventh with suspension problems in the last stage, and Martin Prokop is eighth, the Czech driver losing time in the first stage with a lack of confidence. Citroën team-mates Sébastien Ogier and Kris Meeke have moved back into the top 10 after their problems yesterday and both won a stage apiece.Rallye Monte-Carlo – Unofficial Results after Section 51. Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia Volkswagen Polo R WRC 3hr 00min 39.9sec 2. Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila Volkswagen Polo R WRC 3hr 01min 22.7sec 3. Andreas Mikkelsen/Ola Floene Volkswagen Polo R WRC 3hr 02min 29.7sec 4. Mads Østberg/Jonas Andersson DS 3 WRC 3hr 03min 22.7sec 5. Dani Sordo/Marc Marti Hyundai i20 WRC 3hr 03min 56.0sec 6. Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul Hyundai i20 WRC 3hr 04min 00.7sec 7. Elfyn Evans/Daniel Barritt Ford Fiesta RS WRC 3hr 05min 31.6sec 8. Martin Prokop/Jan Tomanek Ford Fiesta RS WRC 3hr 08min 57.4sec 9. Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena DS 3 WRC 3hr 09min 42.1sec 10. Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle DS 3 WRC 3hr 10min 45.9sec eom/FIA press release
-
MRF Challenge: Ryan Cullen ahead of Sowery and Bharath Raj to start in 6th
Irungattukottai (Chennai), 23 Jan 2015: Dark horse, Raj Bharath suffered initial hiccups as title contender Ryan Cullen boosted his chances by qualifying 2nd, ahead of championship leader Toby Sowery, who took P4 and Raj Bharath, who is third in the standings, will follow further back in 6th position. German driver Sebastian Balthasar took pole position in the final round of the MRF Challenge 2014 at the MMRT in Chennai.
2014 MRF FF1600 Champion Tarun Reddy was the fastest Indian and will start in 5th position. Young British driver Toby Sowery holds a slender 14 point lead over GP3 driver Ryan Cullen, with Indian driver Raj Bharath also in with a chance, albeit 29 points off the leader.
Qualifying was always going to be close after the tight practice sessions. British driver Oscar King, who has been quick in all practice sessions set a time of 1:35.563 to top the times after 5 minutes. Cullen was quick to respond and went almost half a second faster to set a 1:35.095. Balthasar and Sowery both broke the 1:35s barrier to do a late 1:34.9. Mid way through the session the top drivers came in to change for a new set of MRF tyres. The times started tumbling as Balthasar went even faster to set a fastest time of 1:34.543 which was enough for pole position. Behind him was Cullen, King, Sowery, Reddy and Bharath.
An ecstatic Balthasar commented, “It feels great to be on pole position in my first race this season. Qualifying was tough as the sun was setting and it was a challenge for all the drivers. Starting on pole always gives you the best chance to win and I am confident of having a great race tomorrow and will do my best to stay out of the title fight.”
GP3 driver Ryan Cullen was disappointed to miss out on pole position by just one tenth off a second but was happy to start ahead of his rivals. He said, “It was a really good qualifying session but a shame to miss out on pole position as I felt I definitely had the pace. But it is important I beat Toby (Sowery) and hopefully also have some cars between us as it will help me in the title fight. I am confident of a strong result tomorrow so really looking forward to some good racing.”
Earlier in the day Sowery topped Free Practice 1 ahead of King and Balthasar. All drivers were within one tenth off a second of each other with Cullen and Raj in 5th & 6th places respectively. Balthsar struck back to go fastest in Free Practice 2 edging surprise debutant Mathew Solomon and Toby Sowery.
Advait Deodhar and Karthik Tharani Singh look to be the favourites in the MRF FF1600 series as both drivers looked to be in a league of their own. Advait was fastest in both practice sessions with Karthik right behind in what promises to be an intesne battle between the two this weekend.
Saturday will see Race 1 & 2 of the MRF Challenge while Round 1 of the MRF FF1600 will feature the qualifying and the race.
eom/MMSC press release
Raj Bharath during Off season Jan 2014 Photo courtesy Raj Bharath -
Have fun but be safe, Raj Bharath tells fans; MRF Challenge begins in Chennai Saturday
By Niveditha Neelam
Bangalore, 23 January 2015: Excerpts from an interview as Raj Bharath prepares for the season beginning at the Madras Motor Race Track tomorrow. Currently he is third in the standing
s of MRF Challenge and will also begin his campaign in the National Championship.Q&A with Raj Bharath
The season begins in Chennai tomorrow, the last phase of the MRF Challenge. How did you prepare for it?
I have just been training more regularly, putting some extra work with my trainer Ramji Srinivasan in Chennai. My toughest competitor on-track are likely to be Toby Sowery and Ryan Cullen from UK as both are ahead of me in the championship standings.
What is your message for other Indian Formula 1 aspirants?
Follow your dreams but you need to understand from day one that it is a very tough dream to live. A lot of work is needed in the car, in terms of driving technique, as well as out of the car, in terms of the physical/mental training as well as sponsorship – which sadly is the single largest hurdle in our country.
Do you think Indian Formula One Fans have become more aware of the talent pool at home?
Despite Formula 1’s popularity in India, I still feel that most F1 and international motorsport fans in India are not aware of home-grown talent in junior ranks.
Which is the biggest challenge you face as a Formula 1 aspirant in India?
Of course Sponsorship – it has been the same all along for every aspiring racer in India. It is extremely difficult to sell corporates on motorsport.
What are your goals for 2015?
My goal is to participate in a Formula 3 level championship in 2015 and make a proper step up in my racing career.
What do you enjoy apart from Racing?
Playing cue sports, Playstation and table tennis.
Where do you draw your inspiration from?
I want to prove myself on an international stage and do my country proud, that is my source of inspiration.
How are you managing your studies along with a full-fledged career as a Racer? What is your mantra for focus?
It’s not so difficult to manage as unlike most other drivers I do not go abroad for testing very often, as funds are limited. Race weekends are maybe once every month so I am able to squeeze in decent attendance in college. Sometimes though there is a clash when examinations and race weekends are scheduled around the same time – and that is when I need to make a choice.
Share something about yourself that your fans don’t know yet.
Despite driving a lot on the track, I love driving and riding on the road. Going for long drives or just zipping around town on my motorcycle is something I continue to enjoy!
Any advice to your fans.
Of course, I strongly believe in Road Safety and I don’t drive without a seat-belt and don’t ride without a helmet! Have fun but be safe!!
You can follow Raj Bharath at
www.facebook.com/rajbracing
@RajBRacing
Coming soon www.RBRacing.com
-
With early start by 1 hour, Sepang set to offer high-octane after-race party
Sepang (Malaysia), 23 January 2015 – F1 fans and their families will have more to look forward to than just excitement on the track during the 17th edition of the FORMULA 1 PETRONAS MALAYSIA GRAND PRIX, that takes place from the 27thtill 29th March 2015.Themed ‘Experience F1 Like Never Before’, the event changes the standard activities that was offered at the circuit in the past with the fun activities for young and the young at heart, making it a wholesome family affair. Visitors will see Sepang, a world class racing circuit, be transformed into a huge entertainment ground dubbed the ‘F1 Carnival’.
For years, SIC’s CEO Dato’ Razlan Razali, has been mooting the idea to make F1 a carnival that is as exciting on the track as it is off. In a recent meeting with Formula 1 Chief Executive, Bernie Ecclestone, Dato’ Razlan got the green light to make the upcoming Malaysian leg just that.
“He (Ecclestone), was open to the ideas we put forth to make the weekend even more exciting, It will have something for everyone, and I assure you it’s going to be spectacular”,
“What’s more with tickets as low as RM80, we are maintaining our status as the most affordable F1 event on the calendar plus the event starts an hour earlier making it ideal for family fun.” said Dato’ Razlan.
SIC hosts Round 2 of this season’s 20-round 2015 FIA Formula 1 World Championship from March 27 to 29. Already buzzing with excitement with the return of Honda, movement of the top F1 drivers and the exciting prospect of the youngest rookie in Max Verstappen, the 66th edition of the F1 world championship opens at Albert Park in Melbourne with the Australian Grand Prix from March 13 to 15.
The F1 Carnival, has something for everyone, for the adrenaline fueled there is the XTrack-drifting, Go-Cart, for the kids and the kid at heart there is awater course cool zone, the carnival family zone and other fun family affair activities complete with a Ferris wheel, haunted house, carnival games and a relaxing zone where visitors can kick-back and enjoy food and drinks. The world-class after-race concert will also end the night on a high note.
“The after-race concert, which will feature multiple Grammy award winnerLenny Kravitz as the main act, will be opened to all ticket holders including the RM80 for free. It will be a healthy event free from alcohol and tobacco; with children to be welcomed as well. The early start time will also ensure that families can have fun but also leave early,” Dato’ Razlan said
Targeting an attendance of more than 120,000 for the three-day event, Dato’ Razlan added that the circuit would be going on an aggressive promotional campaign which includes international promotions, domestic road shows, on-ground promotions and including advertising at all touch points including cinemas and the social media.
“We will have on-ground shout-outs with the SIC Zoomers, which will be visiting no less than 45 key venues around the country bringing great ticket promotions and exciting prizes to be won. The team will not just provide a sneak preview of what the fans can expect at the event; but fans can also get up close and personal with the latest MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team car the F1 W06 Hybrid.
“As this year’s race is a family affair, SIC would also be targeting malls and hypermarkets too,” Dato’ Razlan said, adding that the circuit would be working with premier retailer TESCO to run promotions.
To top things off, one race ticket unleashes more than just the thrill of the race, ticketholders will get to enjoy selected activities and the F1 Carnival at no cost, get entrance to the after race concert and also be rewarded with One Ticket Unlimited which offers a list of discounts and promotions from various retail outlets and brands in Kuala Lumpur.
Fans can purchase their tickets by visiting SIC Customer Service Centre at the circuit, online at www.sepangcircuit.com or by calling TICKET HOTLINE at 603-8778 2222. Fans can also visit SIC’s promotional booth, currently located at NU Sentral.
eom/SIC release
Sepang International Circuit during F1 race in 2014 March. Photo courtesy SIC -
Irungattukottai MMRT turns 25; MRF Challenge final round at Chennai
Irungattukottai (Chennai), 21 Jan 2015: The Madras Motor Sport Club (MMSC), one of the oldest motorsport clubs in India, will celebrate 25 years of the Irungattukottai Madras Motor Race Track. Round 1 of India’s biggest domestic racing championship The MMSC FMSCI Indian National Racing Championship will provide non-stop action this weekend and feature some of the fastest racing categories in India with the India’s only international series, the MRF Challenge 2014, taking centre stage.
Fans will be thrilled with plenty more action on the cards including the fastest bikes in the country, Superbikes, fastest national single-seater series, MRF FF1600 and the fastest saloon cars in the country, the Indian Touring Car Championship (ITC). They will be also be joined by the Indian Junior Touring Car Championship (IJTC) and the Superstock category.
The MMRT has been critical for Indian motorsports and has been first step for India’s only Formula 1 drivers, Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok. It has also played a role in developing other Indian stars, including Armaan Ebrahim and Aditya Patel and more recently Tarun Reddy. The NRC has taken motorsports across the country with races held in Chennai, Coimbatore, Kolkata and Greater Noida.
Mr. Vicky Chandhok, Vice-President of the MMSC, was thrilled to see the progress made by the NRC in promoting Indian motorsport over the years. He commented, “The MMRT has played one of the most important roles in Indian motorsport as it was the first ever fully functional race track in India. Every Indian driver and rider have made their first steps here and this circuit will always hold a place in Indian motorsport history. It has helped the NRC in promoting and developing motorsport in the country. 25 years has seen progress over the years with vast improvements in the single-seater and touring car categories, infrastructure, and technology advancement. As the promoter, the entire MMSC team has constantly lived up to the challenges and ensured we provide the best possible racing environment. A special thank you to all our partners who continue to show commitment to the sport. This weekend will be a real treat for racing fans with the fastest cars and bikes taking to track and promising unlimited action.”
The FIA inscribed MRF Challenge 2014, which became the first Indian based motorsport series to go international last year, will look to end on a high with the final round taking place at the MMRT in Chennai. Young British driver Toby Sowery holds a slender 14 point lead over GP3 driver Ryan Cullen, with Indian driver Raj Bharath also in with a chance, albeit 29 points off the leader. With Cullen and Bharath having more experience at the highly technical Chennai circuit, the title battle promises to be a thriller. There will be 4 Indians on the grid with Raj being joined by Tarun Reddy, Lee Keshav and Mahavir Raghunathan. Both Sowery and Cullen have two wins each this year with Raj having one win to his name.
The three round calendar, which saw the leading Indian based single-seater racing category go international for the second year running, will also see prize money of Rs. 6,500,000 handed out to the winners of the Championship.
Mr. Arun Mammen, Managing Director, MRF Tyres, commented, “After two entertaining rounds with 8 races, we are extremely excited to head back home to Chennai for the final round. All the drivers enjoy coming to the MMRT and find the circuit technical and highly challenging which makes it the perfect venue to crown our MRF Challenge 2014 Champion. We will also have our MRF FF1600 cars back for another season as this series plays an important role in preparing these youngsters for the next step, which is the MRF Challenge. We will continue to push the boundaries to ensure India is seen as a key global motorsport player.”
This weekend will also see Round 1 of the MRF FF1600 Championship. The FF1600 serves as a perfect platform for upcoming drivers with 4 drivers from last year graduating to the MRF Challenge. This year will see former Indian Junior Touring Cars Champion Feroze Khan, 2014 Volkswagen Polo Cup Champion Karthik Tharani Singh in the FF1600, along with defending Indian Touring Car Champion Arjun Narendran. The series will also feature several young drivers including Tejas Ram, Mahatru Krishnamurthi, and Anshul Shah. However the biggest crowd puller will be leading South Indian cinema star, Actor Jai who will make his debut in single-seaters with the MRF FF1600 series.
In the ITC category, Arjun Narendran will be back to defend his title against regular rivals Ashish Ramaswamy and B Vijaykumar. Last year’s IJTC winner Dr. VJ Senthil will graduate to the ITC and will definitely look to battle to for the title. The Superstock category will continue to be the breeding ground for young rookies looking to make their mark in the sportscar circuit. The ITC, IJTC and Superstock categories represent the fastest saloon car racing in the country and provides a great opportunity for drivers with different experience levels.
There will also be a special Superbike race this weekend, featuring some of the best 600cc & 1000cc bikes. There is an overall list of 14 entries in this category. This will be a great opportunity for 2-wheeler fans to get up close and see riders touching top speeds on some of the best superbikes in the country.
Practice and qualifying will take place on Friday with races starting on Saturday morning. Please visit www.madrasmotorsports.in for more information.
About MMSC
Madras Motor Sports Club, founded in 1952, is one of the oldest motorsports club in India & have been pioneers in conducting motorsports events in India for decades. MMSC hosts more than 14 racing events both cars & bikes, and equal number of TSD rallies in the city. MMSC owns and operates the Madras Motor Race Track Irungattukottai, Sriperumbudur, Chennai, India. MMSC has been the promoter for the National Racing Championship for both 4-wheelers and 2-wheelers for decades. It has constantly maintained the highest standards in organising motor sport at local, national & international levels including the recently conducted Tata T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship. The MMSC is committed to the growth & development of the sport.
eom/MMSC press release
-
Season begins for INDIAinF1.com with launch of VJ08 in Mexico City
Mexico City, 21 Jan 2015: : Sahara Force India launched its 2015 season today offering fans and media a first impression of how the VJM08 will look when it makes its track debut next month. Aspectacular event at the Soumaya museum in Mexico City saw Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg pull back the covers to reveal the team’s fresh new look for 2015.The new car livery is guaranteed to get heads turning. The chassis features an elegant combination of silver and black with the team’s traditional colour of orange streaking from the nose cone to the rear of the car in two symmetrical curves.Key to the new livery is the introduction of several commercial partners for 2015. Prominent NEC branding appears on the engine cover to signal the beginning of a relationship with the global ICT firm based in Tokyo, Japan. Also on the engine cover are the logos of telecommunications brands Claro and Telcel as America Movil begins its second season supporting the team.Branding from world-famous tequila brand, Jose Cuervo, features on the car’s headrest, while logos from Latin America’s leading insurance broker, Inter, appear on the front wing end plates. Motor oil brand, Quaker State, also partners with the team placing its logos on the rear wing end plates.The team is also delighted to extend its partnership with Smirnoff for a second season, in addition to the continuation of long-time partners United Spirits, Kingfisher and Royal Challenge.Team Principal, Dr Vijay Mallya, was the first to praise the team’s new livery: “It’s another evolution of the contemporary look we introduced last year, which reflects the growth of the team and the global brands with which we are working. I love the addition of silver, which makes the car appear more sleek and aggressive and I’m sure it’s something that will appeal to the fans as well. Our traditional team colours remain integrated in the livery, but we’ve given it a very modern twist.”With relatively stable technical regulations, the VJM08 has been designed with evolution rather than revolution in mind. The most significant changes from the outside will appear at the front of the car with the lowering of the front of the chassis and nose. “The front of the car looks very different from what we had developed previously,” explains Technical Director Andrew Green. “It is a redesign that involved a lot of work over the winter, as the new regulations caused a loss in terms of downforce and we’ve been working to claw back all that performance.”The VJM08 will also feature several subtle changes, including modified sculpting of the sidepods and new cooling intakes. Underneath the skin there will be a completely new rear suspension layout with a new hydro-mechanical system replacing the original torsion springs. The VJM08 is expected to make its track testing debut in Barcelona next month with the VJM07 running at the first test in Jerez. -
Mahindras’ Karun Chandhok raring to go in Argentina leg: Formula E
Buenos Aires, 9 Jan 2015: India’s Karun Chandhok and his Mahindra Racing Formula E team will be back in action this weekend as the FIA Formula E Championship gears up to tackle the streets of Buenos Aires in Argentina. Karun Chandhok and his teammate Bruno Senna will be back out on track in South America just a few short weeks after their previous visit to the continent in December 2014.
The fourth round of the season in Buenos Aires is likely to be a scorching affair for the drivers and teams as they race during the height of summer, with temperatures reaching up to 40 degrees. This would mean regulating the temperature of the battery and components of the Mahindra racing car will be essential throughout the weekend.
The circuit features 12 turns around the 2.44km configuration and unlike the previous beach side round in Uruguay, the Buenos Aires ePrix will be held within the capital’s Puerto Madero district. The city of Buenos Aires makes for an exciting prospect for the entire paddock and it is anticipated that the population will be out in full force supporting the race in the Argentinean capital.
The previous round in Punta del Este, Uruguay, saw Senna walk away with his first points of the season following a sixth place finish. Chandhok was forced to change his race-plan following a damage caused by a high kerb; bringing him in earlier than hoped during the race.
However, both drivers came away from the third round of the season feeling confident in the car and the pace they had achieved in the post-race test.
Looking ahead to the fourth round Karun Chandhok said, “Punta del Este wasn’t the best weekend for us as a team and we weren’t quite as competitive as we had been in the opening two rounds. The test on the Sunday gave us a lot of answers and we’re looking forward to being back out there and on form in Buenos Aires. The aim is to try and get a podium soon because we have the potential, we just need to fulfil it.”
Chandhok is supported by JK Tyre, as well as Tag Heuer, Sidvin and the AVT group.
eom
Karun-Chandhok-right-prepares-wtih-Mahindra-teammate-Bruno-Senna-for-Formula-E-in-Argentina-on Friday. A Mahindra team photo -
MotoGP’s top-10 by Goliath
Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing, also known as the MotoGP World Championship, has produced some memorable champions since it began in 1949. The motorcycle drivers race purpose-built bikes with four-stroke engines that are not available for purchase by the general public, and they race them across 18 circuits in 13 different countries, including the United States, Italy and Australia, to name only a few. It is a grueling and difficult race system that requires single-minded focus and dedication on the part of the racers. Yet over the more than 60 years that MotoGP has existed, a few premier riders have risen to the top of the sport. Here is a list of the 10 greatest MotoGP racers of all time.
10. Kenny Roberts
Motorcycle racer Kenny Roberts was the youngest person to have won a MotoGP premier class championship in his first year participating in the event. He was also the first American to win a world title in the 500cc motorcycle championship. From 1978 to 1980, Kenny Roberts won three MotoGP titles. But it was not just the trophies and titles that he racked up that made Kenny Roberts a motorcycle racing star. His riding style was very influential and made him one of the greatest rider of all time. He was the first riders to pull off the cornering method of hanging off the bike with his knees extended, which lead to major changes in how the motorcycles were ridden in grand prix races. Source: MotoGP.com
9. Marc Márquez
He’s still young at age 22, but Spanish motorcycle racer Marc Marquez has already made an indelible impression on the sport. Turning professional in 2010 at age 17, Marc Marquez won the MotoGP title that year, followed by another title in 2012, and two back-to-back premier class MotoGP titles in his first two years as a professional racer, making him the youngest ever to accomplish that many wins. In the 2014 MotoGP season, Marc Marquez went on to win the first nine grand prix events of the season. Many observers of the sport say that Marc Marquez could end up as the most decorated and accomplished MotoGP rider of all time if he continues on at his current clip. Indeed, at age 22, he has many years of racing ahead of him, and who knows what Marc Marquez may accomplish. Source: INDIAinF1.com
To be continued. Read Original article here.
-
Karthick Maruthi and Sankar Anand pair clinch National title in a thriller: TSD Rally championship
Chennai, 21 Dec 2014: Karthick Maruthi and Sankar Anand clinched the National title in the Pro-Expert Category in the last and ninth round of the Indian National TSD (Time, Speed, Distance) Rally Championship that concluded at Sriperumbudur, near here, on Sunday.
In an exciting run to the post, both the teams had a neck and neck battle and clocked identical time penalties of 46 seconds. Team Tata Motors’ Ajgar Ali and Mohammad Musthafa, who led by four points before this round but their rivals, Maruthi and Anand, took the National honours winning the tie-breaker with eight zero penalty times compared to six of Ali-Musthafa. In TSD rallying, the time closer to zero penalty determines the winners. Ali-Mohammad lost by three points on 166 while Maruthi-Anand garnered 169 with the first place. Another Team Tata Motors entry of Srikanth GM and Chandrashekar M finished third in the Pro Expert category, losing out by just two seconds.
However, Team Tata Motors swept the Pro-Stock Category scoring a 1-2-3. Kolkata pair of Saurav Chatterjee and Ashoke Kumar Basu won the class in the MRF Chennai TSD Rally, attracting a total time penalty of two minutes, 25 seconds.
Meanwhile, Chidananda Murthy and BS Sujith Kumar (In the file picture posing with the car), with a total time penalty of 02:43 minutes lost the last round despite winning the National title with a round to spar. With the second place today, they amassed 192 points. This is their third Pro Stock National title in a row. Somashekar D/ Chandar (Team Tata Motors) finished third with a penalty of 09:42.
“We tried our best but we are happy to get another `1-2-3′ for Tata Motors. We are happy that the National title is ours for the third year in a row and the hat-trick is definitely special,” said Chidananda Murthy.
Sujith Kumar added: “It would have been nice to clinch a win in the Chennai event and finish the season with a bang. However, we are the National champions for this year too and that is what matters.”
Results: Pro Stock: 1. Saurav Chatterjee/ Ashoke Kumar Basu (Team Tata Motors, 02:25 minutes penalty); 2. Chidananda Murthy/ BS Sujith Kumar (Team Tata Motors, 02:43); 3. Somashekar D/ Chandramouli (Team Tata Motors, 09:42).
Pro Expert: 1. KP Karthick Maruthi/ Sankar Anand (00:46 seconds penalty); 2. Ajgar Ali/ Mohammad Musthafa (Team Tata Motors, 00:46); 3. Srikanth GM/ M Chandrashekar (Team Tata Motors, 00:48).
Chidu and Sujit win hat-trick kof National titles by winning the INRC (TSD) for the third year.: A Tata Motors image Eom/Tata Motors press release
-
Ali-Mustafa duo to fight it out with Maruthi-Anand pair for pro-expert class title: TSD Nationals
Chennai, 20 Dec 2014: The real fight for the title will be in the Pro-Expert category in the FMSCI Chennai TSD Rally Nationals that will be held in and around Sriperumbudur, near here, on Sunday. Team Tata Motors’ Ajgar Ali (Kolkata) and Mohammad Musthafa (Erode) are leading the championship table with a narrow 4-point lead on 148 points while Karthick Maruthi and Sankar Anand are second with 144 points and the final round is expected to throw some exciting stuff to decide the championship in the top class.
Ganesh Moorthy and T Nagarajan (Team Tata Motors) are third with 110 points. The Team Tata Motors will also field Srikanth GM-M Chandrashekar (Bangalore) and Sachin Singh (Hyderabad)-Prakash M (Erode) in this category.
Bangaloreans Chidananda Murthy and BS Sujith Kumar may have won the Pro-Stock National title in the 2014 Indian National TSD Rally Championship but it definitely does not stop them from eyeing another win. This time, the Team Tata Motors entrants are determined to end the year with a win They will be driving a Tata Sumo in the ninth and final round in the 2014 season.
Murthy and Sujith Kumar have already wrapped up the National title in the Pro Stock category and have 174 points in the bag. They have won three National titles on the trot. Another win on Sunday will only confirm their status as the undisputed TSD rally specialists in the country. They have won the Jaipur, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Goa, Kolkata and Ranchi rounds and are keen on adding the Chennai feather to their crowns.
“It will be special to win the Chennai round too and establish ourselves as the undisputed leaders in the Pro Stock category. We will give it our best,” said Chidananda Murthy.
Sujith Kumar added: “Despite having won six rounds, we are hungry for more and the Chennai round is one of our favourites. We are keen on winning here on Sunday.”
The second entry from Team Tata Motors in the Pro Stock category is the pair of Saurav Chatterjee and Ashoke Kumar Basu (Kolkata). The duo has 143 points. The third entry from the automobile giant is the D Somashekhar-Chandramouli combine from Bangalore.
Team Tata Motors will also field Sheena Sabharwal and Prathibha Anand as the entry in the all-Ladies class.
eom/Tata Motors press release
