INDIA in F1

Author: David Bodapati

  • Max Verstappen takes pole at COTA ahead of Hamilton

    Max Verstappen takes pole at COTA ahead of Hamilton

    Austin, 23 October 2021: Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen took his ninth pole position of the year at the Circuit of the Americas beating title rival Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes by two tenths of a second as Sergio Pérez claimed third place on the grid for the United States Grand Prix for Red Bull.

    In Q1, Verstappen led the way early on with an opening flying lap of 1:34.521 with Pérez slotting into second place just five hundredths of a second behind. They were edged out of the top two places by McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo but on their second runs the Red Bull drivers re-established supremacy, with Verstappen taking P1 with a lap of 1:34.352 and Pérez making his way to second just 0.017s behind.

    However, in the final moments of the session Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc put in a good lap of 1:34.153 to shuffle the Red Bull pair back, while Ricciardo progressed in P4 ahead of team-mate Lando Norris and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz. Hamilton and Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas went through in sixth and seventh places respectively.

    Eliminated at the end of the first session were Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll in 16th place ahead of Williams’ Nicholas Latifi, Alfa Romeo’s Kimi Räikkönen and the Haas cars of Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin.

    In Q2, on medium tyres, Verstappen powered to the top of the order with his first flying lap – 0.333s ahead of Hamilton and McLaren’s Lando Norris – but Pérez’s opening push lap was deleted, as he fell foul of track limits at Turn 19.

    After the first runs Pérez sat in 11th place and in the drop zone at the head of a squad of drivers who had either had times deleted or who had chosen to sit out the first runs due to tyre strategy. But after bolting on another set of mediums, Pérez used his second run to make his way to seventh place and safety with a lap of 1:34.178.

    The man in danger then was McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo who had also exceeded track limits on his first run. The Australian made no mistake on his set attempt and he jumped from P12 to P9 with a lap of 1:34.643.

    That pushed AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda into the drop zone in P11 but the Japanese rookie put in a good lap of 1:35.137 to clamber back to 10th place and edge out Alpine’s Esteban Ocon by two tenths of a second.

    In the final top-10 shoot-out it was Pérez who made the biggest statement of intent with a superb lap of 1:33.180 that put him on provisional pole, almost two hundredths of a second ahead of Verstappen, with Bottas third ahead of Hamilton.

    The Mercedes pair were at the head of the queue for the final runs and when Hamilton crossed the line at the end of his final flyer he jumped to P1 with a lap of 1:33.119.

    Behind him Bottas failed to improve but the Bulls were just starting their final flyers. Verstappen went purple through the first sector and then powered a sequence of personal bests in the mini-sectors of the middle part of the track. And when he crossed the line it was a convincing 0.209s clear of Hamilton and his ninth pole of the year was sealed.

    Pérez almost joined his team-mate on the front row but the Mexican missed out to Hamilton by the tiny  margin of 0.013s. The Mexican did beat Valtteri Bottas, however, to put the Team in a strong position for the race as the Finnish Mercedes driver is set to take a five-place engine-related grid penalty for tomorrow’s race.

    Behind the top four, Charles Leclerc qualified fifth for Ferrari ahead of team-mate Carlos Sainz, while McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris finished seventh and eighth. The top 10 was completed by the AlphaTauri pairing of Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda.

    2021 FIA Formula 1 United States Grand Prix – Qualifying
    1 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda 1:32.910  7 213.613
    2 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:33.119 0.209 0.225 7 213.133
    3 Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda 1:33.134 0.224 0.241 7 213.099
    4 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 1:33.475 0.565 0.608 6 212.322
    5 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:33.606 0.696 0.749 6 212.024
    6 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:33.792 0.882 0.949 6 211.604
    7 Daniel Ricciardo McLaren/Mercedes 1:33.808 0.898 0.967 6 211.568
    8 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1:33.887 0.977 1.052 6 211.390
    9 Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri/Honda 1:34.118 1.208 1.300 6 210.871
    10 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri/Honda 1:34.918 2.008 2.161 6 209.094
    11 Esteban Ocon Alpine/Renault 1:35.377 1.913 2.047 6 208.087
    12 Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:35.500 2.036 2.178 3 207.819
    13 Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1:35.794 2.330 2.493 3 207.182
    14 Fernando Alonso Alpine/Renault 1:44.549 11.085 11.860 6 189.832
    15 George Russell Williams/Mercedes  5
    16 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:35.983 1.830 1.944 7 206.774
    17 Nicholas Latifi Williams/Mercedes 1:35.995 1.842 1.956 6 206.748
    18 Kimi Räikkönen Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1:36.311 2.158 2.292 7 206.069
    19 Mick Schumacher Haas/Ferrari 1:36.499 2.346 2.492 9 205.668
    20 Nikita Mazepin Haas/Ferrari 1:36.796 2.643 2.807 8 205.037

  • Francesco Bagnaia gets 4th straight pole for Ducati

    Francesco Bagnaia gets 4th straight pole for Ducati

    23 October 2021: For the first time since Casey Stoner in 2008, a Ducati rider has taken four consecutive MotoGP pole positions and that rider is Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team). The Italian stormed through from Q1 to grab a crucial Saturday afternoon pole at the Gran Premio Nolan del Made in Italy e dell’Emilia-Romagna, and on a day that saw Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) falter as he failed to make it through to Q2. El Diablo is therefore set to line up in 15th ahead of his first match point in the title fight.

    Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) made it a factory Ducati a 1-2, missing out by mere hundredths, with Luca Marini (Sky VR46 Avintia) earning a maiden MotoGP™ front row to make it three Ducatis on the front row for the first time ever. After Saturday, despite the standings, it’s very much Advantage Bagnaia.

    Q1
    Q1 was a serious clash of the titans. Featuring both the title contenders and a whole host of fast faces after difficult conditions so far this weekend, it could have proved pivotal – and it did. All eyes were, understandably, locked on Bagnaia and Quartararo, and the two were putting on quite a show. Pecco, the lap record holder at the track but back from fully dry, peak conditions at the San Marino GP, was putting the pedal to the metal around a slightly damp Misano, and by mid-session the Italian was shearing chunks off his laptimes – beating his own best four times.

    That was as Quartararo struggled a little but remained in contention to move through, the Frenchman seemingly finding enough time when he needed it, just not enough to threaten Bagnaia. But then Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) split the two. Then it was Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar). Finally, Iker Lecuona (TEch3 KTM Factory Racing) took over in second behind Pecco and it was all coming down to the final push.

    The Italian’s gap at the top was seven tenths, so with Quartararo hovering half a second down it seemed possible. But crossing the line, possible it proved not – and it was Lecuona heading through to Q2 in second, with the Championship leader in Q1 for the first time and failing to make the cut. To add insult to injury, his best lap was then also cancelled so it’s actually 15th for the Frenchman.

    Reigning Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) crashed in Q1, rider ok, as did and were Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Ducati wildcard Michele Pirro and Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama) – leaving all looking for a comeback when the conditions look like they could change for the much better on Sunday.

    Q2
    From the outset, the spotlight remained on Bagnaia and the show continued to roll in from the Ducati rider. Setting a 1’33.045 early in the session, he was on rails and just kept putting in the laps. The drama came from elsewhere.

    An out-the-seat moment for Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) left him pulling off a hero save but then looking a little uncomfortable, Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) crashed twice, Danilo Petrucci (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) took a tumble and then so did teammate Lecuona. Then, Marc Marquez’ struggles went from wobble to crash, the number 93 tumbling late on but rider ok.

    That created a few Yellow Flags for riders to navigate in their quest for a lap, and Bagnaia did just that – even on his final push, just far back enough from the Marquez crash to put in another effort. But he wasn’t going faster than the 1’33.045, although all was not lost as only two riders were putting together a serious challenge.

    The first of those was Miller. A mixture of red and orange sectors showed the Australian was very much on terms with his teammate’s provisional pole lap, and as he crossed the line it really was incredibly close. But it remained in Pecco’s favour, the Italian staying top by just 0.025 but a Ducati 1-2 set to take on Misano.

    That was despite the next challenge for the front row, because the only rider who made any threatening gains elsewhere in the session was Marini. The rookie put in a stunning effort to move himself onto a provisional front row for his home Grand Prix, and even more impressively within a tenth of pole. Ultimately unchallenged, that’s therefore the first Ducati 1-2-3.

    The final dash of drama came courtesy of Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) as the Frenchman slid out and kept sliding, still hanging on but rider ok.

    The Grid 
    Bagnaia’s dream grid was probably him on pole and Quartararo outside Q2, so whatever incantations the Ducati rider has been doing, there’s an argument in there somewhere for the existence of magic, religion, luck, or a combination of all three. He’ll head the grid from Miller, the Australian already stating he’s riding with common sense and Ducati in mind, with Marini aiming more for the top ten from third. 

    Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) heads Row 2 as top Honda, and the top Honda at Misano since 2017, and he’s joined by Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) – the latter the only Yamaha rider in the top 14.

    Marc Marquez had to settle for seventh after a troubled Q2, but Lecuona lines up alongside his compatriot in P8 for his best-ever MotoGP™ qualifying result. Petrucci makes it a day to remember for Tech3 KTM Factory Racing on the Italian’s final race on home soil in ninth, with Zarco’s late crash in his pursuit of a better starting place leaving him in tenth. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) and the double crash for Martin see the Spaniards launch from P11 and P12.

    FULL RESULTS

    The perfect adjective for Saturday at Misano must exist, but with such a rollercoaster of a day for the weather and the contenders, it may take a while to find. Bagnaia’s mission for qualifying is most definitely complete, however, and now all that remains is race day. The skies are expected to be dry and El Diablo has some serious speed in those conditions, so the MotoGP™ race is absolutely not to be missed. Make sure to tune in at 14:00 (GMT +2) for the first Match Point in the premier class!

    MotoGP™ Warm Up has been re-scheduled for 10am.

    MotoGP front row:

    1 Francesco Bagnaia – Ducati Lenovo Team – Ducati – 1’33.045
    2 Jack Miller – Ducati Lenovo Team – Ducati – +0.025
    3 Luca Marini* – SkyVR46 Avtintia – Ducati – +0.085

    *Independent Team rider

  • Ruhaan Alva dominates with a double; Arya Singh crowned

    Ruhaan Alva dominates with a double; Arya Singh crowned

    Coimbatore, 23 October 2021: Talented Bengaluru adolescent Ruhaan Alva, dominated the proceedings for the second consecutive day with a double in the JK Tyre Novice Cup but it was Sohil Shah who stole the fastest lap of the day before his he forefeited his LGB Formula 4 ‘win’ in the 24th JK Tyre FMSCI National Racing Championship held at Kari Motor Speedway here on Saturday.

    Sohil, who started on P5, moved to 4th in the very first lap overtaking Diljit and clocked the fastest lap of the race at 1min: 17.326sec (Lap 3). By the end of fourth lap he was leading the race. Dilijit who followed him into P2 lost position to Arya Singh after Lap 11. But the honour of the fastest lap is no consolation as Sohil lost the hard-earned race due to a technical infringement and the 10-sec penalty.

    Thus, young Arya Singh who crossed the flag second, actually won the gold thanks to his clean race. Starting on P2, he overtook the experienced Raghul Rangasamy in the very first lap. But he slid to 8th position (P8) at the end of Lap 4 and used the two-lap Safety Car period to his advantage and jumped to P2 in Lap 11, and thereon, drove a steady race to keep P2 and eventually win the race as he was alert not to make any fouls. A great result for the talented Kolkata youngster, who is growing with experience as he managed two Safety Car periods to his advantage.

    “I am happy to start the season with a win, though it was not easy. I was in the lead but once the safety cars came out, there was a lot of bunching. The net effect is the lead which you had in time and distance gets shrunk. I waited for the right moment in the final lap and won,” said Sohil, after the race before he was penalised.  

    LGB F4 podium before results were audited: Bengaluru’s Sohil Shah, centre, 1st, followed by Arya Singh of Kolkata, right, 2nd and Diljit TS, 3rd (2nd from left) and Sohil’s tuner at Kari Motor Speedway on Saturday. Arya Singh won the race after Sohil was relegated to 10th following his penalty by the race stewards.

    Bullets weigh 180kg and are quite demanding, especially at small tracks like KMS. But they did not deter Anish Damodara Shetty one bit, and the rider from Hubli eventually emerged winner in the 10-lap race, timing 1:18.325, ahead of Allwin Xavier from Thrissur by just 0.117 seconds. Telugu rider Jayanth Prathipati took the final spot on the podium.

    ‘”It was a great challenge to win the maiden race and the last lap was electrifying,” said Anish. Speaking about the close second spot, Allwin took it philosophically. “It’s a new race in a new bike. There is speed and also your legs feel tired handling the weight. I am happy to come second,” said Allwin.  

    Teen sensation Ruhaan Alva from Bengaluru, well known for his exploits since the age of seven, began the proceedings with dominance.  Competing for MSport, Ruhaan showed poise and purpose after the first race was red flagged. 

    Novie Race 2 Podium: Ruhaan Alva, centre, wins a double, while Jaden R Pariat, right, notches his maiden podium in Race 2 while Adithya Parusuram, 2nd from left, gets a second and third respectively in Race 1 and Race 2 in the Novice Class on Saturday.

    It had to be restarted. Ruhaan was fully focussed, not letting the brief stoppage affect him. On a pleasant and sunny afternoon, the 15-year youngster raced without any glitch, virtually, as he timed 14 minutes 22.061 seconds in the 10-lap race. His best lap time was 1:18.001, was actually not his best, but the he gained more time by being consistent as he was within half a second margin in all lthe laps except during the yellow flags. He best on Saturday came in Race 2 at 1:17.685, the second fastest time on the day as Sohil clocked 1:17.326 in a better car, the LGB F4 car. 

    “I am happy to have begun with a win. Once a race is red-flagged, it’s very important to remain focussed. I was happy with my start to the championship,” said Ruhaan, who took to karting at the age of seven. He idolises legend Ayrton Senna, which speaks a lot about how much he has followed the sport of Formula 1 racing. 

    Later in the evening, Ruhaan once again was in his elements in the fight between the ‘master and the student’. Fourteen-year school boy Jaden R Pariat from Guwahati, who was trailing by two laps in the first race eventually, staged a superb comeback in the second race, to take second on the podium. Race 2 also saw a crash and Ruhaan used a different technique to restart, once the safety car was in, as he slowed down before zooming off once again to create enough gap and thwart any chance that Jaden got with skilled driving. Ruhaan has been the mentor for Jaden in his first karting season and it showed good results. Jaden not only impressed with his driving skills but notched up many victories with good emotional control.  

    Provisional audited Results: (Editor’s note: corrected on 24 Oct 2021 at 6.30am)

    Formula LGB 4: Race 1: 

    LGB Formula 4: Race 1 (Overall Race 3 of the day):

    1. Arya Singh (Kolkata, Dark Don Racing) 23:27.088 (best lapt: 1:17.512)
    2. Raghul Rangasamy (Chennai, MSport) 23:29.179 (Best 1:18.057);
    3. Mohamed Ryan (Chennai, MSport) 1:17.905;

    Novice Cup:

    Race 1: 

    1. Ruhaan Alva (Bengaluru) – 14:22.061;

    2. Aadithya Parasuram (Chennai)- 14:25.202;

    3. Gaurav Kochar (Coonoor)- 14:34.275.

    Race 2: 

    1. Ruhaan Alva –15:06.124;

    2. Jaden R Pariat (Guwahati)-15:07.429;

    3. Aadithya Parasuram -15:09.109.

    RE Continental GT Cup: Race 1: 

    1. Anish Damodara Shetty (Hubli) – 14:07.754;

    2. Allwin Xavier (Thrissur)- 14.07.859;

    3. Jayanth Prathipati (Hyderabad)- 14:08.859.

  • Sergio Perez tops timesheets in FP2: US GP

    Sergio Perez tops timesheets in FP2: US GP

    Austin, 23 October 2021: Sergio Pérez set the fastest lap of second practice for the 2021 FIA Formula 1 United States Grand Prix, beating McLaren’s Lando Norris by more than two tenths of a second. Lewis Hamilton was third, with title leader Max Verstappen eight after encountering traffic on his qualifying simulation. 

    Once again run in hot conditions, the session got underway with most drivers using the hard compound tyres. Valtteri Bottas moved to medium tyres, however, and he jumped to the top of the order with a lap of 1:38.887s. Pérez then took over thanks to a time of 1:35.883 and which he eventually lowered to 1:35.716 as the session reached the 15-minute mark.

    The field then began to switch to soft tyres for their qualifying simulations, with Bottas being the first main mover. The Finn posted a time of 1:35.360s to reclaim top spot.

    Pérez moved ahead again though with his time of 1:35.310 and Norris took second place with a lap of 1:35.203.

    Hamilton might have moved well clear with a lap of 1:34.842 but he went over the track limits in the penultimate corner and had the time deleted. The Mercedes driver continued, however, and he posted a best effort of 1:35.310 to take third place. 

    Verstappen meanwhile failed to put in a quick lap on soft tyres after he was released into traffic. He abandoned the lap, vented his frustration on the radio and pitted. He ended the session in P8.

    Earlier in the session, there was a moment of tension between title rivals Verstappen and Hamilton who had raced side by side from the final corner to Turn 1 with neither willing to back off. Verstappen was told by Red Bull to “ignore” Hamilton’s actions but consoled himself with a gesture towards the Mercedes man as he accelerated away. 

    At the flag, Bottas took fourth ahead of McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo, with Stroll sixth ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Verstappen. The top 10 was rounded out by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi rounded out the top 10.

    2021 FIA Formula 1 United States Grand Prix – Free Practice 2
    1 Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda 1:34.946 24 209.032
    2 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1:35.203 0.257 20 208.468
    3 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:35.310 0.364 22 208.234
    4 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 1:35.360 0.414 24 208.125
    5 Daniel Ricciardo McLaren/Mercedes 1:35.457 0.511 21 207.913
    6 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:35.561 0.615 25 207.687
    7 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:35.572 0.626 23 207.663
    8 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda 1:35.824 0.878 23 207.117
    9 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:35.919 0.973 24 206.912
    10 Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1:36.138 1.192 26 206.440
    11 Esteban Ocon Alpine/Renault 1:36.158 1.212 23 206.397
    12 Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri/Honda 1:36.242 1.296 25 206.217
    13 Fernando Alonso Alpine/Renault 1:36.376 1.430 18 205.930
    14 Kimi Räikkönen Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1:36.558 1.612 25 205.542
    15 Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:36.718 1.772 30 205.202
    16 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri/Honda 1:36.983 2.037 24 204.642
    17 Mick Schumacher Haas/Ferrari 1:37.041 2.095 24 204.519
    18 Nicholas Latifi Williams/Mercedes 1:37.254 2.308 26 204.071
    19 George Russell Williams/Mercedes 1:37.490 2.544 21 203.577
    20 Nikita Mazepin Haas/Ferrari 1:38.026 3.080 23 202.464

  • Ruhaan Alva leads karters domination on Formula cars

    Ruhaan Alva leads karters domination on Formula cars

    Coimbatore, 22 October 2021: MSport’s Ruhan Alva of Bengaluru clocked the overall best time in the second qualifying session to not only top the combined time-sheets but also became the fastest driver of the day with a stunning 1minute, 17.278seconds in the Novice Class of the 25th JK Tyre National Racing Championship 2021 which began at the 2.3km Kari Motor Speedway here on Friday.

    Jaden Pariat, 14, who got into motorsports only in November 2020, making his debut at the Meco Kartopia in Bengaluru, missed the National Junior X30 Karting Champinship title by a whisker. But within a short period, he has shown that the genes of speed are blossoming. Qualifying second today behind Ruhaan, a much more experienced driver, is no mean task. His father, Atiqur Rehman, is a rally rider, and his photograph of jumping over 7-time National champion and current promoter Shyam Kothari in late nineties will be ever etched in the mind of yesteryear motorsports lovers, thanks to a late George Francis photograph. Jaden clocked 1:17.977 to take P2 in the combined quali timesheet. Chennai’s Aditya Parusuram of Hasten Performance took P3 clocking 1:18.003. Ruhaan’s father Umakanth Alva too, is a rally driver of yore.

    In the LGB Formula 4, Raghul Rangasamy of Chennai took the pole position with a 1:17.453 followed talented Kolkata younster Arya Singh, who timed 1:17.473 for P2 and Dilijit TS (1:17.665) and experienced Sandeep Kumar (1:17.590) completed the second row, in that order.

    The 15-year old professional driver, Ruhaan, who just graduated to Formula cars this season, caught the eye with good performance at the Madras Motor Race Track recently, and now got his Pole Position in the Novice class. Even Ruhaan, imbibed the professional motorsports culture of Europe, thank to his Rally-loving father, Umakanth Alva, and his inherent self-discipline.

    Many other drivers including former National Racing multiple champion Raghul Rangasamy and experienced drivers like Vishnu Prasad, Sohil Shah, Sandeep Kumar (Karting Nationals CoC) and young Tijil Rao (Bengaluru Sim specialist), all pelted fast laps below 1min, 18 seconds, ie below 78 seconds for the Kari Motor Speedway, an F3 homologated re-laid Race track with a 2.3-km tarmac (earlier 2.1) built in the name of legend Karivardhan. Some, like Jaden Pariat, (Guwahati, MSport), who graduated from karting to Formula cars, also impressed in the sessions today displaying good pace for his age and experience.

    Ruhaan Alva, is a picture of concentration, on Friday at the Kari Motor Speedway. INDIAinF1 commissioned Photo by JR Dhinesh Kannan

    Mira Erda, kept the flag flying for Women in Motorsports, with some quick laps beating many men to take P10. Another Faridabad girl, Muskaan Jubbal, daughter of popular rallyist Amandeep (Jubbal) Kaur, and Anushriya Gulati of Dehradun are among the lady drivers in the fray. Muskaan and Jasmehar Singh Jubbal from Faridabad are the only siblings on the grid in the same race.

    The Unofficial Practice Session 4, was ideal for fast times on Friday, with Rahul Rangasamy setting his personal best at 1:17.382; Sohil Shah 17.450; Arya Singh 17.473; Vishnu Prasad 17.561, Sandeep Kumar 17.590; Diljit Singh 17.665; Tijil Rao 17.886 for other 1:18sec dippers on the day.

    The popular JK Tyre championship has three classes, JK Tyre Novice Cup, LGB Formula4 and Support non-championship Royal Enfield single-make Continental GT Cup over Saturday and Sunday. Novices have two races of 10-lap each and one race of 12 laps on Sunday while the LGB F4 drivers take part in three, 15-lap races, one on Saturday and two on Sunday. The Bullet bikers also have two 10-lap races, one on Saturday and one on Sunday. Sunny Kumar is the Clerk-of-the-Course.

    Disclaimer: This reporter is not at the venue. The report is based on the timer app which are unofficial unaudited timings and subject to final audit. Any driver or rider can get back if a clarificatin is needed. Please do not call. WhatsApp first 98455 69496 with your profile and signed timesheet/s.

  • Aishwarya raring to go: MRF Mogrip Bike rally Nationals

    Aishwarya raring to go: MRF Mogrip Bike rally Nationals

    Bengaluru, 21 October 2021: World Cup winner Aishwarya Pissay along with TVS Racing teammates R Nataraj, Rajendra RE and Abdul Waheed, all in the feature event, will lead an array of riders in Rally de Bengaluru, the second round of the MRF Mogrip FMSCI National Rally Championship 2w – 2021 here on Sunday.

    The National Rally Championship for bikes organised by Ace Events, Puttur returns to Bengaluru amidst much excitement as it attracted about 80 riders from all over the country. The 2019 Overall champion Rajendra RE, who began the season with a bang in the first round at Hampi will have to ward off challenge from defending champion Nataraj and Waheed. Former champions Imran Pasha, Sachin D, Samuel Jacob will be fighting out in Super Sport 260cc Class. Local star Yuvakumar and Satyaraj Arumugam of Combatore, both from Hero Motosports, along while Sarath Mohan from Mallapuram and experienced Venu Ramesh Kumar from Coimbatore, Jatin Jain and Badal Doshi from Vashi, all privateers, will start favourites in their respective classes.

    Aishwarya Pisssay, the 2019 FIM World Cup Baja winner, leads the championship table ahead of youngster Tanika Shanbagh of Satara and Ryhana Bee of Chennai. “I have important upgrades to my bike and with such a well-tuned RTR Apache, I feel confident going into the rally,’’ said Aishwarya, who came back after an injury layoff, winning her class and a creditable 5th in the Rally of Himalayas and continued to dominate the Rally Nationals in Round 1 at Hampi. Tanika, showed glimpses of her talent finishing ahead of Sprint champion Ryhana, who will be looking to bounce back here.

    Of the total distance of around 100km, the Special Stage rally distance would be around 51km with two physical stages of Jupiter (11.53km) and Mars (8.1km) run thrice each at MotoFarm, near Kanakapura, in the same direction, alternately on dirt roads closed to traffic. The Ceremonial Start will be held on Saturday at 4.30pm at MotoFarm, Kanakapura. The competitive stages kick-off at 8am on Sunday. Riders garner points in each round and there will 11 classes which will count for National titles apart from the Overall rider and Team champions after all six rounds. There will also be a Star of Karnataka, the support race and close to Rs.2 lakh prize money and Trophies are awarded.

    “All safety precautions were taken care of and we are strictly following the Government’s COVID19 protocol. The route will be closed for general public and trained Marshals and HAM operators will be at key points to oversee the rally. We have also made RTPCR test mandatory for all outstation riders,” said Aakash Aithal, Clerk of the Course.

  • “I have to go all in”: Quartararo and Bagnaia ready for #MatchPoint at Misano

    “I have to go all in”: Quartararo and Bagnaia ready for #MatchPoint at Misano

    Misano, 21 October 2021: Do not adjust your sets! We are, indeed, back at the technicolour dreamboat that is Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli and this time for the Gran Premio Nolan del Made in Italy e dell’Emilia-Romagna, with Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) facing down his first #MatchPoint no less. He headlined the Pre-Event Press Conference, joined by challenger – and winner last time at Misano – Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), as well as COTA victor Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), San Marino GP rookie podium finisher Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama), compatriot and fellow rookie Luca Marini (Sky Avintia VR46), and, of course, the legendary Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) as he prepares to race on home turf for the final time. In addition, Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing) joined the line-up, the South African freshly-announced as racing in the premier class next season with the new RNF Racing structure.

    Here are some key quotes!

    Fabio Quartararo: “I’m feeling really good but to be honest my head is not really on that part. I think we need to take it like a normal race but we know on Sunday something special can happen. But first of all on Friday and Saturday ,we need to plan it like the rest of the year, and then on Sunday we will see the amount of risk we will take. But Friday and Saturday will be a normal situation for the moment and then we will see what will happen.”

    Will he take as much risk as the San Marino GP?
    “We will see. It’s how I like to race but I have never been in that situation. Last year I learned a lot, not how to fight for a championship but to be leader of the championship for many races was an important step for my experience, and this year I think it’s much ‘easy’ let’s say to have it. At the moment it is a normal race and we will see how much risk we will take on Sunday.”

    Francesco Bagnaia: “For me the only thing I can do is win, to try and stay in the Championship fight. We know 52 points are a lot, but we will try. We still have the possibility so we will try. It will be different this weekend because the conditions are different and looks like it could rain on Friday and Saturday. For sure this weekend I have to go all in and try to make something.

    “For sure our ambition is always to improve. Looking at my last two seasons in MotoGP, it was not the year to try and win the Championship, this one, because I struggled a lot in the past years, I crashed a lot, I broke my tibia last year so I had problems. This year the objective was to continue growing. After the summer break we made a step forwards, and in the last races another one. I am happy with the work we have done in the last races but for sure the work we have done this year can be better for next year.”

    Marc Marquez: “I arrive here at Misano with the feeling of the test more than Austin’s race, we know Austin is a special circuit and still I feel a big difference between left and right corners. But anyway let’s see. In Misano 1 was better than what we expected before the race and it was a result I didn’t expect. This weekend we will try to do a small step, top five will be a good result, but it’s true that here and in Portimao I would like to be a bit faster on the right corner circuits.

    “I keep improving but too slow for my… I mean it’s really slow. The comeback is difficult, even like this I’m able to ride in an acceptable way and I’m able to finish on the podium three times this year but still it’s not the way and the performance I would like. So we need to keep pushing, keep going, three races to go. But what I predicted for the second half of the season is what’s going on, I’m constantly in the top five and closer to the top guys, so this was the target and at the moment I can achieve it every weekend..”

    Enea Bastianini: “I’m very happy about my last races, and here three weeks ago I was on the podium and it was incredible for me. Also, in Austin we did a really good race. It was difficult with the conditions; it was really hot and to finish the race wasn’t easy. I’m happy with the guys and the work inside the box, we made a good step and now it’s important we continue like this because it’s important. I’m confident ahead of Misano 2, it’s a nice track which I like a lot. It’s colder than last time, but we still have to be faster this time.

    “I have to work a lot on this part of the weekend, always the qualifying is a disaster for me. Here in Misano it was one of my best, and I have to try and repeat that to be more competitive in this race.”

    Luca Marini: “For sure I would like to be a bit more forward especially about the results in the races, but anyway I’m quite happy about the overall season. Like you said I finished all the races but it’s something I’m not proud of, I would prefer to stay more in front and sometimes do mistakes. But with this I’m able to understand how the tyres drop during the race, how the bike works and how the track changes in 40 minutes, and it’s great to understand what areas of my body I need to work more because on the Ducati I’m struggling a bit in the physical area. We worked a lot on the ergonomics and tried to use less strength – create a less physical bike. I’m quite happy now with the level I am compared to the start of the season, I have much more confidence and I’m feeling better, but we need to make some improvements in the last three races because I would like to stay in the top 10 positions.”

    A very methodical rider in adapting, is that his approach to MotoGP™?
    “Sincerely, yeah maybe it looks like it but in five years I can achieve and arrive to MotoGP, so I’m not so slow to adapt to the situation. I think when I arrived to the World Championship in Moto2 it was a completely different world compared to the European championship, and also with the Forward team we missed something on the technical side, so it was difficult to arrive to the top guys. But when everything was at 100% I was there and I was really fast and strong, and when I am comfortable on the bike I feel that I can do everything on the bike, I can be very strong. I want to have this feeling in the races to improve my position in the race.”

    Valentino Rossi: “It’s a bit of a strange situation because it is already the second time here in Misano and the second race is particular, because usually we race just once, but with the Covid situation we’ve learned to stay at one track for more than one race. It’s a great chance to say Ciao! to all the Italian fans so it is great to race here in Misano at my home circuit. I hope the weather will be good for the weekend, because this period in Italy is a bit more difficult so I hope for a dry weekend, especially on Sunday. Try the maximum during the weekend to be competitive during the race.

    “It’s a long story, more than 400 races in my career. I just have to say thank you to everybody. I have had incredible support all over the world, especially in Italy. I always give the maximium, we enjoy a lot together as it’s a long career with a lot of great races. We will see on Sunday, anyways after Misano we will have 2 more races, it’s always a sad moment when you arrive at the end but anyways it was good. We’ll enjoy it!”

    Darryn Binder: “First off I would just like to say a big thanks to WithU RNF Yamaha Racing for giving me this opportunity. It feels unreal, it feels like I am in a different world right now. It’s a childhood dream to ride in MotoGP and not everybody gets this opportunity, and I definitely never expected it to come from Moto3. I’m super excited and it’s a huge step forward so it’s going to be a big learning curve for me, but yeah I’m super excited, I’m ready to work as hard as I can and it all starts at the end of the year when I get the first ride on the M1.

    “You know it’s definitely an opportunity you can’t turn down, it’s a no brainer for me. It’s definitely a big step and I think I’ll be asking my brother a lot of questions and I’m going to be trying to follow his footsteps very closely over the holiday to train and try and get ready for the bigger bike. From my side I definitely feel like I’ve been in Moto3 for way too long, I’m quite big so I think my size should suit the big bike a bit better. It’s going to be a huge learning curve but I’m up for the hard work and I will do my best to get stronger and stronger.”

    Now it’s time to get back out on track and let the racing do the talking. Tune in as Free Practice begins on Friday morning, before Sunday sees the lights go out for MotoGP™ at 14:00 (GMT +2)! Will we have a new Champion? We’re about to find out!

  • 2021 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship season called off

    2021 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship season called off

    The 2021 season of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship has had to be called off. With the many administrative conditions being imposed due to the pandemic in each respective countries, many of the racing teams are facing difficulties with their travel applications.

    Differing quarantine procedures, lack of flights, and many other roadblocks have made it impossible for the Asian grid to re-assemble for 2021. Therefore, with much regret, we have decided to confirm that the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship will not be held in 2021.

    Ron Hogg, Director, Two Wheels Motor Racing

    “I would like to start off by expressing our gratitude to the Thai government and especially to the Chang International Circuit. Working together, we have left no stones unturned in our bid to bring the grid together in 2021. We especially want to thank the Chang International Circuit , the Sports Authority of Thailand and the Federation Motor Sports Club of Thailand. With the help of these agencies, we can confirm that we were trying as hard as possible up to the last moment. We worked hard to make it happen. However, not everything is within our control.

    Restrictions among the Asian countries are more stringent as compared to the other regions like Europe. Bringing the grid together will be a very costly affair, especially with the required quarantine procedures when teams return home to their respective countries. Therefore, we believe that it would be better to consolidate all our resources to kick start the 2022 season. Rest assured, plans for 2022 will be announced in due time.  In the meantime we would also like to say thank you to all our partners, teams, riders and our fans. Stay strong, stay safe, let’s get ready to roar next year!”

    Stephan Carapiet, President, FIM Asia

    “The FIM Asia supports the decision of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship to call off the 2021 season. Asia is a more populous region as compared to the other parts of the world. Therefore, it is not surprising that the Asian governments are imposing stricter restrictions with regards to international sporting events. Matters were made worse with regulations that seem to be constantly in flux.

    I am just as disappointed as everyone else about this inevitable decision. However, let’s look forward to a great year in 2022.” 

  • New Hyundai i20 N Rally2 for Team MRF Tyres in Rally Hungary

    New Hyundai i20 N Rally2 for Team MRF Tyres in Rally Hungary

    Close collaboration between Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing and MRF Tyres continues

    Nyíregyháza (Hungary), 20 October 2021: Rally Hungary ran as the Nyíregyháza Rally in 2018 when András Hadik took victory on what served as the country’s FIA European Rally Championship candidate event.

    Now firmly established as a round of the ERC, the rally doubles as the deciding round of the Hungarian championship with Hadik holding a nine-point advantage over Miklós Csomós in his bid to defend his crown alongside co-driver Krisztián Kertész.

    MRF Tyres & Spanish aces, Nil Solans/Marc Marti

    MRF Tyres and Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing have reaffirmed their close relationship as Team MRF Tyres will rally the new Hyundai i20 N Rally2 car in Rally Hungary next weekend.

    The Hyundai i20 N Rally2 has enjoyed success in its initial rallies, taking victories in the World Rally Championship WRC2 category and Team MRF Tyres is looking forward to rallying it in the FIA European Rally Championship.

    By taking delivery of the new car, Team MRF Tyres continues its aggressive tyre development strategy that has seen the Indian tyre company take two podiums this year in the FIA ERC with Hyundai.

    It represents another firm step in the close relationship between MRF Tyres and Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing. It is a relationship that has seen MRF Tyres utilise the top-line driving expertise from Hyundai.

    To date, Craig Breen, Dani Sordo and Jari Huttunen have driven in the Team MRF Tyres Hyundai in an effort to develop the next generation of MRF Tyres.

    Spanish aces, Nil Solans/Marc Marti will join the team for Rally Hungary.

    Solans’ ambitions are clear and Team MRF Tyres represents a great opportunity the up-and-coming driver.

    In addition, MRF Tyres has taken the Driver’s Championship Finnish Rally Championship, proving the value of the development campaign in what is MRF Tyres’ second year in top-line European competition.

    Rally Hungary is the seventh round of the 2021 FIA European Rally Championship and takes place on the gravel roads in the east of the country near Nyíregyháza.

    You can follow Team MRF Tyres throughout the rally on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

    Five facts:
    1:    Several Hungarian drivers contest the FIA European Rally Championship each season with Tibor Érdi Jr winning the ERC2 title for a second year running in 2018 and four-time national champion Norbert Herczig going on to established himself as a frontrunner. Dávid Botka has been a stage winner in the past, while Kristóf Klausz scored points in ERC3 Junior.
    2: Best known as a rallycross venue, the Rabócsiring circuit south of Nyíregyháza traditionally hosts the opening stage of Rally Hungary with drivers going head-to-head on a short course.
    3: As well as hosting a round of the FIA European Rally Championship, Nyíregyháza is famous for its zoo, which is home to 500 species and 5000 animals on a 30-hectare site.
    4: ERC promoter Eurosport Events has a long association with Hungary through the FIA World Touring Car Championship and now the WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup.
    5:When Rally Hungary joined the European championship schedule for the first time in 2019 it became the first sealed-surface event to host the ERC finale since Rallye International du Valais in 2015.

  • Yacht Rara Avis to sponsor Advait Deodhar’s final round

    Yacht Rara Avis to sponsor Advait Deodhar’s final round

    Vallelunga (Italy), 20 Oct 2021: The exploits of Ace Indian racer Advait Deodhar finally attracts a new associate sponsor for the final round of the Championship to be held here on October 30 and 31. The Mumbai-born London-based Yacthsman won a round and is currently in 5th position with an outside chance to win due to the double points in the final round.

    “I’m delighted to confirm Yacht Rara Avis as associate sponsor for the final round of my 2021 EuroNascar championship. Through my work as a Yacht broker at TJB Superyachts, I have done a lot of charters with luxury-gulet RARA AVIS in Croatia,” Deodhar said.

    The owner is an American muscle-car and Motorsport enthusiast and wanted to use Deodhar’s race car and the series as a platform to promote RARA AVIS further. “RARA AVIS is a 33-metre custom made luxury-gulet that’s based in Croatia and available for charter,” Deodhar added.

     
    The yacht can accommodate 12 people in 6 cabins and has a very professional team onboard, to deliver a high standard of service. All charters onboard have been hugely successful and clients have nothing but praise for the yacht and crew.