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Author: David Bodapati
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Agra teenager Shahan Ali Mohsin dominates practice sessions
Chennai, 11 Feb. 2022: Shahan Ali Mohsin, the 17-year old from Agra, eyeing the title in the MRF F1600 category, dominated both the Free Practice sessions to set early pace as the fourth and final round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Car Racing Championship 2021 got underway at the MMRT, here on Friday.
Trailing championship leader Chirag Ghorpade (Bengaluru) by 13 points, Shahan posted a best lap of 01 minute, 39.541seconds in FP-1 and then bettered it with a 01:39.340 in the second session ahead of the triple-header to be run over the next two days.
Overall second quickest in this premier category was Bengaluru’s Rishon Rajeev in 01:39.378. The three races this weekend promise to be high on thrill and excitement as the top seven drivers were covered by less than a second in the two practice sessions.
Defending champion in the premier Indian Touring Cars category, Arjun Balu (Race Concepts) from Coimbatore, posted the fastest lap of 01:50.074 in the morning’s FP-1 and followed it up with a 01:50.762 in the second outing later in the day.
Also topping the time charts was Bengaluru’s Tijil Rao (Momentum Motorsport) who clocked a best lap of 01:51.909 over two sessions in the Formula LGB 1300 where he heads the championship.
Chennai’s RP Raja Rajan (Performance Racing) was the quickest overall in the Super Stock category (01:57.643) as was Bengaluru’s Varun Anekar (Race Concepts) in the Indian Junior Touring Cars class (01:56.868).
Pratik Sonawane from Pune, lying ninth in the championship and trailing leader Sandeep Kumar (Chennai) by 100 points, topped the combined practice sessions in the Volkswagen Polo category with a hot lap of 01:56.625. It bettered Sandeep Kumar’s best of 01:56.806 posted in FP-1.
Chennai’s Anand Prasad, returning to active racing after a break, was the quickest in the MRF Saloon Cars (Toyota Etios) category with a best lap of 02:03.423 which he clocked in FP-2 to improve on Delhi-based Justin Singh’s 02:04.932 in FP-1.
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Sensational Mads Ostberg leads Qatar rally after Day 1
LOSAIL (Qatar), 11 Feb 2022: Norwegian driver Mads Østberg delivered a stunning performance on his first appearance at the Qatar International Rally to open up a 12.2-second lead after six gravel special stages on Friday.
Competing in the southern Gulf region and the State of Qatar for the first time, the Škoda Fabia R2 evo driver belied his lack of experience and teamed up effortlessly with Austrian co-driver Ilka Minor for the first time to win four of the day’s six stages.
“I don’t know what to say,” said Østberg. “This is a brand new experience for me. I felt more and more comfortable through the day. I guess the approach we have had has been quite correct. It’s not been easy and, for me, the more difficult part starts tomorrow when we open the road. We discussed if we should play some tactics and we decided not to. We are here to learn and we might as well learn by opening the desert. I have been lucky enough not to have any issues today but I am not saying anything until I am at the end.”
Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah is bidding for a 16th win on home gravel but faces his stiffest ever test on Saturday. He and French co-driver Mathieu Baumel delivered a solid performance without problems to hold second overall.
“This will be good for us for tomorrow with Mads opening the road,” said Al-Attiyah. “We can push. It’s important that we finished today without any problems. We are quite happy. Kris (Meeke) will have a good line tomorrow. He has nothing to lose and will push. For me, it is important to win and score maximum points for the championship.”
Andorra-based Ulsterman Kris Meeke showed a formidable turn of speed to win the first two stages and lead after the opening loop. But an unfortunate roll at the start of SS4 dented his chances. Meeke and co-driver Chris Patterson recovered well to finish the leg in fifth overall.
The former WRC star said: “First hairpin right of the stage. It was a junction and I came in, hand braked it in and I just caught the rut. I thought I had it, balanced it on two wheels but, unfortunately, it went over. We had to wait for spectators to push us back and I had to get out of the car. The car is fine. We’ll hang in there. You never know. Punctures on this rally can happen. Two fastest times today. It’s been enjoyable. It’s just a pity….a silly hairpin right. It’s nice out there. We will continue.”
Qatar’s Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari and Australian co-driver Dale Moscatt benefited from Meeke’s problems and rounded off the podium places in their Škoda. The 2012 event winner said: “Good, second loop was better. We are trying our best but it is not easy and we are far away from not driving for a long time. But we are happy.”
Khaled Al-Suwaidi and Hugo Magalhães were classified in fourth place and Oman’s Abdullah Al-Rawahi delivered a measured performance to hold sixth in his Škoda.
Al-Rawahi said: “Quite happy, We are not quite used to stages which are fast. It was quite tricky in the first run. But we are getting used to it and we are getting used to the car as well. It is a new car for me. Tomorrow is another day. I think it will be even more tough than today. It is more rough, so we see how it goes.”
Kuwait’s Meshari Al-Thefiri was the class of the MERC2 field in his seventh-placed Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X. The multiple winner of the showroom category won all six stages to take a lead of 4min 53.2sec over Oman’s Zakariya Al-Aamri into the night halt.
MERC2 series leader Ihab Al-Shorafa and fellow Jordanian Issa Abu Jamous rounded off the top 10 and held third and fourth in MERC2. Qatar’s Mohammed Al-Attiyah held 11th and Edith Weiss celebrated 30 years of participating in the event in 12th.
Hamed Al-Wahaibi’s rally ended prematurely after he left the track at speed, clouted the front of the Fabia and sustained radiator and engine damage. The Omani said: “I lost the road about four times. The first time I lost it over a jump, I went straight. I couldn’t see it. I hit a bump and we damaged the radiator and we continued and lost the road again. We didn’t have a warning to the end of the stage. We were leaking, leaking, leaking. That’s what happened. I guess it’s not meant to be. Maybe I need more cautious recce and notes.”
All three entrants in the Qatar National Rally suffered their own varied issues on the first loop of stages, but Ahmed Allouh and Henry Kahy were permitted to tackle the afternoon’s action.
Friday – as it happened
Two loops of three stages were on the agenda for the opening leg, starting with the short 8.89km Eraida stage.
After all the pre-event publicity and hype it was down to the serious business of delivering competitive stage times: Al-Attiyah opened his account with a run of 4min 49.4sec and an average speed of 110.6km/h, but an inspired Meeke shaved 4.8 seconds off that run by the Qatari. Østberg also edged in front of the Qatari and finished the special 1.3 seconds adrift of the flying Ulsterman. It was a positive start for the visiting WRC duo, as Al-Kuwari settled into fourth.
Only six of the eight RC2 cars escaped without drama. Hamed Al-Wahaibi left the track and clouted the front of the car and Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya struck a metal fence pole on the track and that became entangled around the front of the car and penetrated the engine bay. He managed to finish the stage with the loss of over a minute, but stopped on the road section after the special. Al-Thefiri cruised into a 49.9-second lead in MERC2, but Lebanon’s Henry Kahy retired from the National Rally with no turbo boost on his Can-Am.
The longer Al-Thakira stage (20.15km) followed and Meeke attacked again. He extended his lead over Al-Attiyah to 11.8 seconds, although the Qatari squeezed 1.2 seconds out of Østberg and remained in third place.
Al-Attiyah completed the loop with a time of 8min 16.8sec through Al-Khor but he was third quickest, with Østberg claiming the stage win by 2.6 seconds from Meeke. The second fastest time enabled the Ulsterman to take a 9.2-second advantage over his former team-mate into the Losail regroup. Al-Attiyah was 14.6 seconds off the lead.
The Qatari said: “I think we need to check the tracking system for the first three stages. I am sure some drivers are doing a different line. I am going really very fast. We know the level is very high between the three drivers but, just to be sure you know. To open the road, flat out, is not easy. We know where we lose. To open now, the second loop, should be better for us. No punctures, so we are happy.”
Meeke said: “Okay, the first two stages I knew a little bit from last year. They were the only two stages I had done and I had an on-board video, so I was able to see. That’s the only thing I had to watch and prepare for this year. In the third stage, I didn’t really have an idea and I didn’t drive that one last year. Look, it’s the first loop of stages and there is a long way to go. Honestly, there were a few times this morning where I got a bit disorientated and a bit lost in the stage in fifth gear. It’s still a huge challenge. You are in the desert, so everything looks the same. We have done the best job we could this morning, but Mads is also doing very well. I’m enjoying it.”
Østberg added: “I had no idea what to expect during the stages. All of them felt quite similar to me. One I am missing 12 seconds and the next one I am winning. It feels a bit strange but I am enjoying it to be honest. We just try to hang on and find a way. I was only lost twice so that’s not bad. I guess the second loop will be a lot of the same but maybe the second loop mighty me more difficult with everyone taking different lines. Even the cars in the front of me are following different lines. I just have to follow what I did on the recce. That’s all I can do.”
Al-Kuwari said: “We lost the road after the start of SS2. I lost eight or 10 seconds and then I came back to the road. Otherwise, everything was good. The tyres are working good. There are a lot of cuts in front of us. I cannot see who. But there are three cars in front of me and I can see some big cuts.”
Khalid Al-Suwaidi held fifth. He said: “I have a good start. But the soft tyre is very soft and the car is more moving. I think the next loop we will used hard tyre. I think it’s better for me. I try to push but I miss two corners in the third stage and second stage is difficult at the start. You cannot see the road. But the Qatar Rally is very difficult. We wanted to see what happened on the first three stages and we can push later.”
Al-Thefiri held a comfortable 2min 34.6sec cushion over Al-Aamri in the MERC2 battle, as the leaders left Losail and headed out to repeat the morning’s three stages.
Meeke dug into a section of soft sand and rolled his Fabia a short distance into the rerun of the Eraida stage, haemorrhaged 1min 27.9sec to Al-Attiyah and slipped down to fifth. Østberg was quickest again, shaving 1.1 seconds off his morning’s run. He moved into the outright lead and increased his advantage over Al-Attiyah to 6.6 seconds, as Al-Kuwari moved up to third overall.
Al-Attiyah was 5.5 seconds faster on his second run through Al-Thakira, but the previous stage roll had not affected Meeke and he continued with minimal damage to the Fabia to beat the Qatari by 1.4 seconds. Østberg was again quickest and his lead over the defending champion grew to 9.3 seconds.
The Qatari averaged 118 km/h through the last stage of the day but he still ceded 1.2 seconds to Meeke and 2.9 to the rally leader. Østberg duly returned to Losail with an overnight lead of 12.2 seconds.
Saturday
Tomorrow, teams tackle a further two loops of three graded gravel stages in the north of Qatar. Action gets underway with the 14.50km Al-Waab stage between Al-Mashrab and Umm Al-Qahab from 08.53hrs. The longer Umm Birka (24.54km) stage follows at 09.28hrs and precedes a 21.33km at Ras Laffan from 10.20hrs.
Competitors then return to the Losail Circuit for a regroup and service before the three specials are repeated at 13.03hrs, 13.38hrs and 14.30hrs. The post-event press conference and podium ceremony will then take place from 18.20hrs onwards.
2022 Qatar International Rally – positions after SS6 (unofficial):
1. Mads Østberg (HUN)/Ilka Minor (AUT) Škoda Fabia R2 evo 46min 08.5sec
2. Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Mathieu Baumel (AND) Volkswagen Polo GTI 46min 20.7sec
3. Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari (QAT)/Dale Moscatt (AUS) Škoda Fabia R2 evo 47min 14.6sec
4. Khaled Al-Suwaidi (QAT)/Hugo Magalhães (PRT) Škoda Fabia R2 evo 47min 25.8sec
5. Kris Meeke (AND)/Chris Patterson (IRL) Škoda Fabia R2 evo 47min 31.4sec
6. Abdullah Al-Rawahi (OMN)/Ata Al-Hmoud (JOR) Škoda Fabia R2 evo 48min 19.4sec
7. Meshari Al-Thefiri (KWT)/Nasser Al-Kuwari (QAT) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 54min 05.1sec
8. Zakariya Al-Aamri (OMN)/Mohammed Al-Aamri (OMN) Subaru Impreza 58min 58.3sec
9. Ihab Al-Shorafa (JOR)/Yousef Juma (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX 1hr 03min 27sec
10. Issa Abu Jamous (JOR)/Emad Juma (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX 1hr 05min 56.1sec
11. Mohammed Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Savvas Laos (CYP) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 1hr 08min 31.8sec
12. Edith Weiss (QAT)/Serena Mattivi (ITA) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 1hr 08min 44.2sec
(note: entry nationalities determined by competition licence as per regulations)
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Formula 1 announces it will race in Bahrain until 2036
Bahrain, 11 Feb. 2022: Formula 1 confirmed that Bahrain will stay on the F1 calendar until 2036 inclusive following the agreement with the promoter, The Bahrain Internationl Circuit, to extend the contract between both parties.
The Bahrain Grand Prix has been a brilliant race on the F1 calendar since 2004 and hosted two races in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022 it will be the opening race of the season and has become a favourite with all the fans, drivers, and the teams.
The incredible facilities at the circuit for both racing and the fans have recently undergone further investment to enhance the fan experience. Alongside this the promoter has already announced significant actions to increase the environmental sustainability of the event with all energy used by the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in 2022 coming from sustainable energy sources, meeting the BIC’s needs throughout the race weekend, and beyond and supporting the Kingdom and Formula 1’s plan to have net zero carbon emissions by 2030. The plans will reduce the venue’s carbon footprint and generate significant savings on overall energy costs.
Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1, said:
“I am delighted we will be racing at the Bahrain International Circuit until 2036 where more incredible racing and excitement will be on show to thrill our fans. Since 2004 we have had some fantastic races in Sakhir and we cannot wait to be back there for the start of the 2022 championship as we begin a new era for the sport. Bahrain was the first country in the Middle East to welcome Formula 1 and it has a very special place in our sport, and I personally want to thank HRH Prince Salman and his team for their dedication and hard work throughout our partnership and look forward to the many years of racing ahead of us.”
Arif Rahimi, Chairman of Bahrain International Circuit, said:
“It has been a great honour for Bahrain to host Formula 1 since 2004 and we are delighted that this new commitment cements our place on the calendar well into the future. Our commitment to motorsport has always been a long-term initiative and I thank Stefano and his team at F1 for putting their faith in us to continue to deliver the pinnacle of global racing at The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East.”
Sheikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, Chief Executive of Bahrain International Circuit, said: “After 18 years of F1 racing, we are proud to have played a part in F1’s rich history and we now looking forward to continuing to build on that heritage well into the future. The growth and interest in Motorsport in Bahrain and the Middle East has significant momentum, with a new generation of fans embracing our great sport and we look forward to continuing that progress.”Khalid Al Rumaihi, CEO of Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company “Mumtalakat”, said: “As an integral part of our diversified portfolio, we are proud to witness the successful trajectory of Bahrain International Circuit. Building on Bahrain’s significant motorsport heritage, BIC has hosted major regional and international motorsports events such as the Formula One Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix. The extension of the Bahrain race to 2036 is a testament to the advanced infrastructure in the Kingdom and will contribute to its continued economic growth and value creation for both our shareholders and the people of Bahrain.”
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Al-Attiyah, Meeke and Ostberg head for gripping showdown
Losail (Qatar), 9 Feb. 2022: Eight RC2/Rally2 cars will compete for glory in this weekend’s Qatar International Rally – a record number for a round of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship – and Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah faces his fiercest ever test if he is to secure a 16th career success on his home rally.
Cars will be flagged off from the ceremonial start at the Losail Circuit from 19.30hrs on Thursday evening, as the international focus is drawn to what is likely to be a pulsating three-way battle between Al-Attiyah and his visiting WRC rivals, Kris Meeke and Mads Østberg, the latter competing in the southern Gulf region for the first time.
Add in the Qatari trio of Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari, Khaled Al-Suwaidi and Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya and the formidable Omani duo of Hamed Al-Wahaibi and Abdullah Al-Rawahi and the scene is set for an eight-way tussle for outright supremacy over a dozen gravel special stages on Friday and Saturday.
Škoda has strength in numbers with six Fabia R2 evos at the front of the field ready to do battle with Al-Attiyah’s Volkswagen Polo GTI and Al-Atya’s Ford Fiesta R5.
“It’s going to be a very interesting weekend and Mathieu and I are excited for it, focused and ready to go,” said Al-Attiyah. “The stages look great. They need to be respected as always. It’s easy to throw away time here by taking risks. We need to manage our pace where possible.”
Østberg added: “This is a completely new challenge for me with the desert rallies. I am ready. Two days of testing is done, the team and car is working well and Ilka (Minor) is doing a perfect job for me.”
Al-Attiyah is bidding for a record-breaking 18th MERC title and arrives at the start in Qatar with an eight-point lead in the series after his recent seventh win in Oman.
Al-Atya is his closest rival and Oman’s Abdullah Al-Rawahi is equal third in the series, 15 points adrift of Al-Attiyah after finishing seventh in Oman. Al-Wahaibi was sixth overall on his home event but is not registered for the regional series this year.
Al-Attiyah’s co-driver Mathieu Baumel will be starting from scratch in his bid for another title after missing out on the Oman Rally because of personal reasons.
Five drivers will be embroiled in their very own battle for MERC2 glory. Jordan’s Ihab Al-Shorafa holds an eight-point lead over Issa Abu Jamous, following his recent win in Oman, but the two Jordanians face the defending category champion, Meshari Al-Thefiri, on this occasion.
The Kuwaiti will compete in Qatar in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X before jetting off to next weekend’s Jordan Baja. He again teams up with Qatar’s Nasser Al-Kuwari in a bid to kick-start the defence of his title.
Qatar’s Mohammed Al-Attiyah and German female driver Edith Weiss will also compete in MERC2, the Qatari teaming up with experienced Cypriot co-driver Savvas Laos.
Former MERC3 winner Henry Kahy teams up with fellow Lebanese Carlos Hanna to head a three-car field in the Qatar National Rally. Like Kahy, Qatar’s Ahmed Allouh and Ahmad Al-Mohannadi will drive T3 lightweight prototype versions of the Can-Am Maverick X3 that are not eligible for the main FIA rally.
Tomorrow (Thursday), is a hectic and varied day for competitors, starting with scrutineering checks at the Losail Circuit from 07.00hrs to noon. After a driver’s briefing by rally officials, teams will be able to practice at rally speeds over a nearby shakedown stage between 14.30hrs and 16.30hrs.
Leading drivers will then attend the official pre-event press conference from 18.45hrs and the ceremonial start is scheduled for 19.30hrs at the Losail Circuit.
2022 Qatar International Rally – entry list:
1. Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Mathieu Baumel (FRA) Volkswagen Polo GTI
2. Kris Meeke (AND)/Chris Patterson (IRL) Škoda Fabia R2 evo
3. Mads Østberg (NOR)/Ilka Minor (AUT) Škoda Fabia R2 evo
4. Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari (QAT)/Dale Moscatt (AUS) Škoda Fabia R2 evo
5. Abdullah Al-Rawahi (OMN)/Ata Al-Hmoud (JOR) Škoda Fabia R2 evo
6. Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya (QAT)/Ziad Chehab (LEB) Ford Fiesta R5
7. Meshari Al-Thefiri (KWT)/Nasser Al-Kuwari (QAT) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X
9. Khaled Al-Suwaidi (QAT)/Hugo Magalhães (PRT) Škoda Fabia R2 evo
10. Hamed Al-Wahaibi (OMN)/Tony Sircombe (NZL) Škoda Fabia R2 evo
11. Ihab Al-Shorafa (JOR)/Yousef Juma (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX
12. Issa Abu Jamous (JOR)/Emad Juma (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX
14. Mohammed Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Savvas Laos (CYP) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X
15. Zakariya Al-Aamri (OMN)/Mohammed Al-Aamri (OMN) Subaru Impreza
16. Edith Weiss (QAT)/Serena Mattivi (ITA) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X
2022 Qatar National Rally – entry list:
51. Henry Kahy (LEB)/Carlos Hanna (LEB) Can-Am Maverick X3 (T3)
52. Ahmed Allouh (QAT)/Fares Allouh (QAT) Can-Am Maverick X3 (T3)
53. Ahmad Al-Mohannadi (QAT)/Mubarak Al-Khelaifi (QAT) Can-Am Maverick X3 (T3)
2022 FIA Middle East Rally Championship – standings after round 1:
Drivers:
1. Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QAT) 39pts
2. Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya (QAT) 31pts
3. Ihab Al-Shorafa (JOR) 24pts
3. Abdullah Al-Rawahi (OMN) 24pts
5. Issa Abu Jamous (JOR) 20pts
6. Zakariya Al-Aamri (OMN) 3pts
Co-drivers:
1. Alba Sanchéz Gonzaléz (ESP) 39pts
2. Giovanni Bernacchini (ITA) 31pts
3. Yousef Juma (JOR) 24pts
3. Ata Al-Hmoud (JOR) 24pts
5. Emad Juma (JOR) 20pts
6. Mohammed Al-Aamri (OMN) 3pts
MERC2:
1. Ihab Al-Shorafa (JOR) 39pts
2. Issa Abu Jamous (JOR) 31pts
3. Zakariya Al-Aamri (OMN) 5pts
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Arjun Balu to rely on pure talent and skill to defend title
Chennai, 9 Feb. 2022: Veteran gentleman of motorsports Arjun Balu is raring to go and is looking to defend his National title in the prestigeous Indian Touring Cars class as four-wheeler competitors in other classes too are gunning for titles in the MRF MMSC fmsci National Car Racing Championship 2021, the fourth and final round to be held, near here, at the MMRT from February 11 to 13.
Despite myraid ugly tactics on the track, Arjun Balu won the National Championship last year after narrowly losing to similar tactics a year earlier in 2019. This year too, the gentle giant, withstood such dirty tricks to let his driving and skill talk on the track.
Drivers drive to win! But in ITC class a few of the “team drivers” have been driving to prevent a leading driver from winning. The class has seen some dirty driving in the last few years. Chennai’s Deepak Ravikumar of Performance Racing has sealed the National title in the Super Stock Class with a round to spare as he took an unbeatable lead after five wins from six starts. The championship in two other saloon cars classes – the Indian Touring Cars and Indian Junior Touring Cars – is still wide open. In the MRF 1600cc Class, Chirag Ghorpade will be looking to halt the advancing Shahan Ali Mohsin.
These youngsters, have made a mark in the premier MRF Formula 1600 category and title fight narrowed to these two teenagers. Bengaluru’s Chirag has 153 points (2 wins) and Shahan Ali Mohsin from Agra has rallied brilliantly after a bad weekend to garner 140 points with 4 wins. The two are best-placed to win the championship. However, Rishon Rajeev (110), also from Bengaluru, has an outside chance alond with Coimbatore’s K Suriyavarathan (105, one win). These two cannot be discounted since a maximum of 75 points are available from three races and it all depends on the day’s form besides other conditions.
Experienced Coimbatore driver Arjun Balu of Race Concepts, a private team will be fighting with VW factory-supported drivers. Balu heads the table in the ITC class and leads Rayo Racing’s Jeet Jhabakh by 18.5 points with a maximum of 25 points to be had from the double-header. Another Coimbatore racer, Charen Chandran is ahead of Chennai’s Hatim Shabbir Jamnagarwala of Performance Racing by 13.5 points in the Indian Junior Touring Cars (IJTC) class going into the final round.
In the Formula LGB 1300 category, the race for the title is poised on a knife-edge. Two Momentum Motorsport team-mates, Tijil Rao (85) from Bengaluru, Deepak Ravikumar (72), head the championship table, ahead of Nellore’s Viswas Vijayaraj (DTS Racing, 64), Ruhaan Alva (MSport, 59) from Bengaluru, and Kolkata racer Arya Singh (DTS Racing, 58), all having a realistic shot at the title with a maximum of 50 points to be won.
Chennai’s Sandeep Kumar and Fahad Kutty from Mumbai currently head the points table in the Volkswagen Polo and MRF Saloon Cars (Toyota Etios) categories, both of which are triple-headers.
Ajit Thomas, President of promoters Madras Motor Sports Club, said: “Due to the Covid-19 situation, we could not offer five rounds to the four-wheeler competitions, but the action thus far has been quite exciting with close races. Given the pandemic, it is still heartening that the response has been fairly good with many youngsters, after graduating from karting, are already making their presence felt at this level. And surely, the concluding round this weekend will throw up its share of excitement and surprises. We also salute our sponsors, MRF Tyres, for their unstinted support to the championship.”
There will be live streaming of the races on Facebook and the MMSC website.
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Arjun Maini to take part in Asian Le Mans for HRT
Dubai, 8 Feb. 2022: This season, Haupt Racing Team will compete in the Asian Le Mans Series for the first time. The team from Meuspath is set to line up with one Mercedes-AMG GT3 in all four of the series’ races. Alternating at the wheel of the #6 car, with its striking blue and yellow livery, will be Hubert Haupt (GER), Arjun Maini (IND) and Rory Penttinen (FIN). The first race of the season gets underway at 13:30 CET on Saturday, 12th February, at Dubai Autodrome.
The calendar for the Asian Le Mans Series comprises four races. The opening weekend in Dubai (12th to 13th February) sees the teams contest two four-hour races. One week later (19th to 20th February), the series moves to Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi for another two four-hour races.
This year’s field features 37 cars, 23 of which – more than ever before – will line up in the GT class. The teams will not only be battling it out for the title in the Asian Le Mans Series, but each class winner will also be rewarded with a starting place at the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans.
In Rory Penttinen, HRT has acquired a wealth of experience in the Asian Le Mans Series: The Finn started every one of the races in 2021, winning the Team and Driver titles in the LMP3 class. He will share the cockpit with team owner Hubert Haupt, with Arjun Maini being the third driver: Like Penttinen, the 24 years-old Indian, who drove in the DTM last year, will be making his race debut for Haupt Racing Team in Dubai.
Hubert Haupt, team owner Haupt Racing Team / HRT #6:
“I am already hugely looking forward to the Asian Le Mans Series. Four races in two weekends in the Emirates – it is going to be great. The series also offers us a good opportunity to get closer to the organisers, ACO. A start at the 24 Hours of Le Mans could be interesting for us in 2024.”
Arjun Maini, driver HRT #6:
“I am really pleased to be driving a Mercedes-AMG GT3 again in the Asian Le Mans Series, and to be doing so for an established team like HRT. We have a strong line-up, so we will hopefully be able to produce some strong performances. I Have great memories of the tracks at Dubai and Abu Dhabi where I have driven in earlier Championships and am really looking forward to capitalise on my previous experiences of Endurance racing in Asia and Europe. ”
Rory Penttinen, driver HRT #6:
“I have very fond memories of the Asian Le Mans Series, as last year’s victory in the LMP3 class was one of my biggest successes as a racing driver. I would now like to repeat that in the GT class with Hubert and Arjun. With a bit of luck and a top performance, we can do it.”
Ulrich Fritz, Managing Director of Haupt Racing Team:“This is our first time competing in the Asian Le Mans Series, and we will be up against some strong opposition in the GT class. Despite this, we have high hopes, particularly as we have enjoyed great success at Dubai Autodrome in the past. We will work very hard to add to that success now.”
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Two-time winner Mohammed Al-Balooshi tops bumper motorcycle entry
Amman (Jordan), 8 Feb. 2022: Riders and Drivers from 20 nations are set to storm the 2022 Jordan Baja, organised by Jordan Motorsport from Tuesday which will culminate next weekend counting for the FIA World and Middle East Cups for Cross-Country Bajas and the FIM Bajas World Cup.
The Saudi Arabian duo of Yazeed Al-Rajhi and last year’s winner Yasir Seaidan top the FIA T1 category, where they line-up alongside Czech veteran Miroslav Zapletal and fellow Saudi Mohammed Al-Tuwaijri.
The fiercest competition is likely to come in the FIA T3 and T4 categories: 12 Can-Am Mavericks will contest the T3 lightweight prototype section and a further seven will line-up in T4.
Saudi Arabia’s Saleh Al-Saif may see himself as the pre-event favourite to win T3 but rivals from the UAE, Spain, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Portugal include Dania Akeel – the 2021 T3 World Champion in the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies – Fernando Alvarez, Filipe Nascimento, Pavel Silnov and Thomas Bell.
Kuwait’s Meshari Al-Thefiri will arrive in the Hashemite Kingdom straight from competing in this weekend’s Qatar International Rally. He will replace a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X for a less powerful Can-Am all-terrain vehicle and faces the likes of the experienced Dutchman Kees Koolen, Brazil’s Cristiano de Sousa, Lithuania’s Valeiša Egidijus and Spain’s Eduard Pons across some of the most spectacular and challenging terrain in Jordan’s world renowned Wadi Rum and Wadi Araba.
Twenty-three motorcycles, six quads and two SSVs will tackle the opening round of the FIM Bajas World Cup. At the head of the two-wheel field, two-time event winner Mohammed Al-Balooshi (2019 and 2021) lines up against the likes of local rider Abdullah Abu Aisha, Kuwait’s Abdullah Al-Shatti and additional bikers from Australia, Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.
Saudi Arabian riders dominated last year’s FIM Bajas World Cup and Haitham Al-Tuwaijri, Hani Al-Noumesi and Faisal Al-Suwayh top a six-strong field that also includes local entrant Saif Al-Abbadi on his Yamaha 450 YF.
Jordan Motorsport is also running a National status rally behind the main FIA Baja. A dozen crews have entered this category, with Al-Mashna Al-Shammeri leading the way in his Nissan Patrol from competitors representing Palestine, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Gaith Qubti, Al-Hassan Khatib and Hashem Kalbouneh represent the host nation.
The Jordan Baja will be based at the Hyatt Regency Aqaba Ayla Resort, while the start and finish will take place at the Old Port in Aqaba City on the Red Sea.
Support for the 2022 Jordan Baja comes from Mountain Dew, Budget, the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA), the Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC), Hala and Bliss FM.
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Seb Montoya wins as Mumbai Falcons take a rare 1-2-3: Asian Formula Regional
Dubai, 5 Feb. 2022: Historic day for Indian motorsport as team Mumbai Falcons locked out a 1-2-3 finish in Race 1 sweeping the podium at Round 3 of the Formula Regional Asian Championship in Dubai on Saturday.
After another splendid performance by the team, it was the young Colombian star, Sebastian Montoya who lead the way to finish ahead of his teammates and Ferrari academy drivers, Arthur Leclerc and Dino Beganovic, taking the top three spots for the opening race of Round 3 in the Asian Formula Regional event.
Montoya qualified again on pole for Race 1, making it three poles in a row, for the son of racing legend, Juan Pablo Montoya. Sebastian set a blistering pace and was well clear of his nearest rival, Isaac Hadjar, who qualified P2. Teammates, Dino Beganovic and Arthur Leclerc qualified P6 and P8 respectively.
Hadjar, from second on the grid made a fantastic get-away at the start, to find himself alongside Montoya. However the Colombian youngster did not succumb to the pressure from the RedBull Junior driver, and held on to lead the pack into Turn 1. Further behind, Dino and Arthur found themselves climbing up the order, immediately and were into P4 and P6, respectively, by the end of Lap 1.
While Montoya began to open a lead over Hadjar, Beganovic found himself fighting for a podium spot with Leonardo Fornaroli of team Hitech. The race was, however, Red-Flagged briefly to recover a stricken car.
At the re-start, Hadjar began to pile-up the pressure on Montoya but was soon given a five-second penalty along with third-placed Fornaroli for a grid infringement. This opened the door for Leclerc and Beganovic to grab the remaining podium spots after fighting hard and making their way up the order.
Moid Tungekar said: “What a fantastic day for the team and for India. We are extremely proud of the boys as well as the hard work put in by everyone over the last year. We would like to thank Rene Rosin and the entire Prema Team for working with us to make this possible. There’s a long way to go in this championship and our goal is to come out on top and to pave the way for all the youngsters watching us out there.”
Sebastian Montoya said: “It was a long-and-hard race but I’m happy to win and, of course, very happy to see ourselves lock-out the top spots on the podium. We are looking forward to many more podiums.”
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Bike racing stalwart Rajini Krishnan wins historic 10th National title
Irungattukottai (near Chennai), 5 Feb. 2022: Current Indian two-wheeler racing stalwart Rajini Krishnan scripted a piece of historic masterclass to create a milestone in the annals of Indian National Motorcylce Championship by winning a rare TENTH NATIONAL title on the concluding day of another season, of the MRF MMSC fmsci Motorcycle Racing Nationals at the 3.7-km MMRT track, here on Saturday.
The 41-year old, Chennai-born star’s first National crown in 10 years. The last came in 2012, which was his 9th title after his debut crown in 2003. Rajini started his RACR, a racing academy in 2017 and with a focus to attract attention to his new venture, he realised he had to ride again. And what a success, as he struggled and overcame all odds, to win a National Championship again at the age of 41 years, almost winning his final race starting from P12.
He took an unwarranted risk of going for a winning-end to his campaigan, and reached P2, but suffered a crash in the last lap. He was quick on his heels to pick-up his bike and rejoin the race to get on to the podium, lighting up the final few moments, but not before his fans skipped a beat or two, and the the fifth and final round of the Madras Motor Sports Club promoted Nationals came to a grand end.
Castrol Power1 Ultimate in the hands of a Powerful champion as Rajini Krishnan celebrates with a new T-shirt that proclaims his 1`0 National title in a span of two decades from 2003 (his debut) to 2022, his 10th National title. Photo by Anand Philar Another biking stalwart, Jagan Kumar of TVS Racing, had assured himself of the National title, his 10th, on Friday, after finishing third in the Pro-Stock 165cc category. In the second race today, he cruised to fourth. KY Ahamed led a 1-2 finish for TVS Racing with Deepak Ravikumar second, while Rajiv Sethu (Idemitsu Honda SK69 Racing) came in third. Thus, the final round proved to be a good outing for the motorsport connossieur providing an op to witness two biking legends create history winning their 10th title each.
2021 Bike Racing Champions: from left: Ajith Thomas, President, Madras Motor Sport Club (MMSC), Alwin Sundar (Novice Stock 165cc class), Jagan Kumar (Pro-stock 165), Ryhana Bee (Girls stock 165cc), Rajini Krishnan (Pro-Stock 301-400cc) and Vicky Chandhok, Vice-President MMSC at Madras Motorsports Race Track (MMRT) on 5 Feb. 2022. Rajini Krishnan finished third in the premier Pro-Stock 301-400cc category. Also annexing the National Championship title was 19-year old Chennai collegian Alwin Sundar of AS (Anand-Sindy) Motorsports in the Novice (Stock 165cc) category despite finishing second behind Allwin Xavier of Sparks Racing. He thus completed a triple crown.
In the Girls category, Ryhana Bee (RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate), also from Chennai, marked her comeback season after a year’s absence in 2020 due to injury, by winning her fifth consecutive race. She had sealed the championship after Round 4, but ensured that she closed the season on a winning note. She swept all the rounds and kept her slate clean, a rare achievement on the track with high competition.
Rajini Krishnan, who needed just four points to annex the championship going into the final round, had a roller-coaster weekend, marked by crashes in both the races. In the first outing yesterday, he crashed before finishing 12th, and earned no point (only the first ten riders score points).
In the second race on Saturday, (Sunday’s races were advanced to Saturday due to COVID travel restrictions) starting from P12, he moved to second but hit an oil patch on the last lap. However, he jumped back on to the bike, to finish third behind Rahil Shetty of Gusto Racing and Anish Damodara Shetty of Race Concepts, to earn 15 valuable points. However, he needed just 4 points and an eight-place finish. Anish Shetty crossed the finish line first, but he dropped to second following a five-second penalty for an infringement, elevating Rahil to the top step of the podium.
Rajini, who had made his National Championship debut in 2003, topped the leaderboard with 183 points and six wins, followed by Anish Shetty (164) and Rahil Shetty (156).
Elsewhere, youngster Sarthak Chavan from Pune, dominated the NSF 250R category in the Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup with a double which followed four consecutive wins over the previous two rounds. However, he finished second in the championship, seven points behind Chennai youngster Kavin Quintal who had won the first four races of the season.
Kozhikode’s Amarnath Menon took the title in the Open (Apache RR310) category of the TVS One-Make Championship with four wins from 10 starts.
Provisional results (all 6 laps unless mentioned):
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”14″ gal_title=”2021 Indian Bike Nationals Final day 5Feb2022″]Pro-Stock 301-400cc (Race-2, 8 laps): 1. Rahil Shetty (Gusto Racing, Hyderabad) (15mins, 12.661secs); 2. Anish Damodara Shetty (Race Concepts, Bengaluru) (15:17.595); 3. Rajini Krishnan (RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate, Chennai) (15:31.119). National champion: Rajini Krishnan. Team championship: TVS Racing. Manufacturer championship: KTM.
Pro-Stock 165cc Open (Race-2, 8 laps): 1. KY Ahamed (TVS Racing, Chennai) (15:41.370); 2. Deepak Ravikumar (TVS Racing, Chennai) (15:41.461); 3. Rajiv Sethu (Idemitsu Honda SK69 Racing) (15:42.251). National champion: Jagan Kumar (TVS Racing, Chennai). Team championship: TVS Racing. Manufacturer championship: TVS.
Novice (Stock 165cc) (Race-3): 1. Allwin Xavier (Sparks Racing, Thrissur) (12:53.797); 2. Alwin Sundar (AS Motorsports, Chennai) (12:54.438); 3. Jinendra Kiran Sangave (Sparks Racing, Kolhapur) (13:03.099). National champion: Alwin Sundar. Team Championship: Sparks Racing.
Girls (Stock 165cc) 5 laps: 1. Ryhana Bee (RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate, Chennai) (10:53.980); 2. Lani Zena Fernandez (Speed Up Racing, Puducherry) (10:55.735); 3. Ann Jennifer (Sparks Racing, Chennai) (11:04.284). National champion: Ryhana Bee. Team Championship: RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate.
TVS One-Make Championship – Open (Apache RR310) Race-1: 1. Jagadeesh N (Bengaluru) (11:46.912); 2. Navaneeth Kumar S (Puducherry) (11:48.365); 3. Amarnath Menon (Kozhikode) (11:49.054). Race-2: 1. Amarnath Menon (11:50.667); 2. Ananthraj P (Chennai) (11:50.961); 3. Manoj Yesuadiyan (Chennai) (11:51.838). Champion: Amarnath Menon.
Rookie (Apache RTR 200) (Race-2): 1. Chiranth Viswanath (Bengaluru) (12:48.129); 2. Jinendra Kiran Sangave (Kolhapur) (12:48.443); 3. Shreyas Hareesh Cooparam (Bengaluru) (12:48.457). Race-3: 1. Chiranth Viswanath (12:42.924); 2. Jinendra Kiran Sangave (12:43.614); 3. KR Tamizhinian (Chennai) (12:44.221). Champion: Jinendra Kiran Sangave.
Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup – NSF 250R (Race-2, 8 laps): 1. Sarthak Chavan (Pune) (14:45.513); 2. Kavin Quintal (Chennai) (14:54.015); 3. Mohsin Paramban (Valancherry) (14:55.452). Champion: Kavin Quintal.
CBR 150 (Race-2): 1. Theopaul Leander (Chennai) (17:13.251); 2. Siddesh Sawant (Uttur) (17:13.492); 3. Raheesh Khatri (Mumbai) (17:14.100). Race-3: 1. Theopaul Leander (13:03.492); 2. Siddesh Sawant (13:04.026); 3. Vivek Gaurav (Patna) (13:04.517). Champion: Prakash Kamat (Bokaro Steel City).
Hornet 2.0 (Support class, Race-3): 1. G Balaji (Chennai) (13:33.889); 2. Udayi Prakash (Coimbatore) (13:34.521); 3. Shankar Guru (Chennai) (13:38.138). Champion: Kevin Kannan (Chennai).
TVS Media (Apache RTR 200, 5 laps): 1. Soham Thakur (11:46.045); 2. Manaal Mahatme (12:15.099); 3. Ajinkya Lad (12:16.537). Champion: Soham Thakur.
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 MMRT circuit 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 purchased 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.
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Qatar’s Nasser Al-Attiyah wins 7th Oman title with Spanish co-driver Alba Sánchez González
Muscat (Oman), 29 Jan 2022: Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and Spanish co-driver Alba Sánchez González managed their pace to perfection to seal an emphatic victory in Oman Rally Sohar International on Saturday.
With the hard work done on Friday’s gravel stages, Al-Attiyah avoided risks over the closing half dozen speed tests to secure a seventh victory in Oman by the margin of 15min 13.8sec in his Autotek Volkswagen Polo GTI. It was the Qatari’s 79th career MERC win and gave him the perfect foundations on which to build a challenge for an 18th regional title.
Sánchez González, who was standing-in for Mathieu Baumel as Al-Attiyah’s co-driver, became the first female to win a round of the MERC since Veronika Havelková partnered Vojtĕch Štajf to a one-off victory in Qatar in 2018. Sweden’s Tina Thörner had been the first female ever to win a round of the MERC alongside Al-Attiyah in Qatar in 2009.
Left, Alba Sanchez and Nasser, celebrate after Oman Rally win on Saturday. Photo by ORS “It was important that we got off to a winning start here in Oman and I am very happy with this result,” said Al-Attiyah. “I was able to manage my pace today, avoid punctures and take no risks. Today was about preserving the car and protecting the lead.
“The stages are fantastic with amazing landscapes. Alba stood in for Mathieu and did a fantastic job. I am delighted for her that she has a first win in the Middle East.”
The man in form over the final day was a resurgent Hamed Al-Wahaibi, the Omani veteran bouncing back from turbo issues at the start of day one to win five stages on Saturday. That enabled Al-Wahaibi and Kiwi co-driver Tony Sircombe to finish in sixth place in their Motortune Škoda Fabia.
“It was a good rally and we had a great run but had a puncture in the last one,” said Al-Wahaibi. “I really attacked this afternoon. I took it a bit easier in the morning and pressed hard this afternoon. We’ve certainly got the car set up for Qatar. I think we have found something very positive for there. All is good. Looking forward to the next one. I had a very fun day today and that’s what it’s all about.”
Oman’s Zakariya and Mohammed Al-Aamri led the MERC2 category in a Subaru Impreza until mechanical issues forced them out of fourth overall on the penultimate stage. Jordan’s Issa Abu Jamous and Emad Juma duly moved up to fourth to win MERC2 and Ihab Al-Shorafa and Yousef Juma secured fifth place and second in the category.
A team of mechanics worked hard on Friday afternoon to repair Abdullah Al-Rawahi’s damaged Škoda Fabia and the Omani repaid their efforts with a string of solid stage times over the final day. Like Al-Wahaibi, he had suffered hefty time penalties, restarted under Rally2 and reached the finish in seventh overall.
“Yesterday was a disaster with the technical issue we had on SS3,” said Al-Rawahi. “We are running the new car with limited spare parts and we struggled a bit. The technical team did a great job. They managed to repair the car, not 100%, and that’s why we took it easy today.
“We wanted to save the car and finish the rally to get the championship points. The stages were technical and we learned a lot. We also used the day to test Michelin and Pirelli tyres. It was more of a test and great experience for us. I am only 24-years-old and I am proud to be racing against the likes of Nasser and Hamed. I am learning all the time.”
Al-Attiyah noticeably eased his pace to conserve the car and preserve his substantial overnight lead at the start of the final day. But both Al-Wahaibi and Abdullah Al-Rawahi were on a mission to make amends for their disappointing retirements on Friday.
The duo were fastest and second quickest through each of the three stages on the morning loop, but were too far behind after time penalties to catch sixth-placed Ihab Al-Shorafa.
Al-Attiyah duly reached the service point between the two loops of stages with a lead over Kačirek of 11min 15.5sec, although the Czech had strengthened his grip on second place to 2min 33.9sec from Al-Atya. Oman’s Jarah Al-Touqi did not start the second leg.
Al-Wahaibi pressed on to win two of the afternoon’s three stages to secure sixth place, as Al-Attiyah coasted to the finish line with a fastest time on the last stage to confirm a seventh victory in the Sultanate and a first for his stand-in co-driver.
Haitham Al-Soomar (Mitsubishi) won the Oman Rally Championship category from second-placed Lebanese driver Alain Nawfal (T3 Yamaha). Musab Al-Soomar came home in third place in a Kia, despite an accident that cost him over 20 minutes on the final stage. Oman’s Haitham Al-Hadidi retired his Mitsubishi at the start of the day.
The 2022 FIA Middle East Rally Championship now heads to Qatar on February 10th-12th.
2022 Oman Rally Sohar International – positions after SS13:
1. Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Alba Sánchez González (ESP) Volkswagen Polo GTI; 2hr 25min 17.2sec;
2. Petr Kačirek (CZE)/Václav Kopáček (CZE) Škoda Fabia; 2hr 40min 31.0sec;
3. Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya (QAT)/Giovanni Bernacchini (ITA) Ford Fiesta; 2hr 43min 29.3sec;
4. Issa Abu Jamous (JOR)/Emad Juma (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX; 3hr 05min 39.1sec;
5. Ihab Al-Shorafa (JOR)/Yousef Juma (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX; 3hr 09min 21.8sec;
6. Hamed Al-Wahaibi (OMN)/Tony Sircombe (NZL) Škoda Fabia; 3hr 13min 49.6sec;
7. Abdullah Al-Rawahi (OMN)/Ata Al-Hmoud (JOR) Škoda Fabia; 3hr 14min 50.3sec;
2022 Oman National Sohar Rally – positions after SS13:
1. Haitham Al-Soomar (OMN)/Wael Al-Shabani (OMN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII; 2hr 58min 30.7sec;
2. Alain Nawfal (LEB)/Bashar Qassimi (OMN) Yamaha YXZ 1000R; 3hr 27min 36.4sec;
3. Musab Al-Soomar (OMN)/Bassam Al-Qasmi (OMN) Kia Rio; 4hr 33min 36.2sec;
