INDIA in F1

Author: INDIAinF1 Desk

  • Deepak Ravikumar dominates; Arjun Balu extracts a win from ‘old’ Car

    Deepak Ravikumar dominates; Arjun Balu extracts a win from ‘old’ Car

    Chennai, July 23, 2023: Chennai’s Deepak Ravikumar dominated the first round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Car Racing Championship 2023 at the Madras International Circuit here this weekend with three wins and two podium finishes in six races as he led a Team Performance Racing sweep in both Indian Junior Touring Cars and Formula LGB 1300 categories. 

    Ravikumar, who celebrated his 36th birthday on July 20, shuttled between the two categories barely without a pause to underline his supreme fitness and adaptability to conditions that turned wet on Sunday which saw persistent light drizzle. He reserved his best for the three Touring Cars races that had a combined 17-car grid comprising three categories, the Indian Touring Cars, IJTC and Super Stock, winning two races and notching a second-place finish behind team-mate Akkineni Anand Prasad. 

    In the Formula LGB 1300 race today, Ravikumar won quite comfortably after front-runners, Viswas Vijayaraj, the 2022 champion in this category, and yesterday’s Race-2 winner Tijil Rao knocked each other out half-way through the eight-lapper when battling for the lead. 

    Deepak Ravikumar in action #25… All photos by Rahul Reghu

    Meanwhile, last year’s champion Arjun Balu (Race Concepts) from Coimbatore, who won yesterday’s Race-1, completed a double in the Indian Touring Cars category with team-mate Gurunath Meiyappan winning the other race. With his regular Honda City in full ITC-trim still under preparation, he drove virtually a stock car that was anything but competitive as compared to the IJTC cars, while Thrissur’s Diljith TS (DTS Racing) won all three races in the Super Stock class without much ado.   

    Deepak with his five trophies including three for victories…

    Also achieving a triple for the weekend was experienced racer Angad Matharoo from Chennai in the MRF Saloon Car category (Toyota Ethios) without raising a sweat. 

    The results (Provisional, 10 laps except mentioned): 

    Indian Touring Cars (Race-2): 1. Gurunath Meiyappan (Chennai) (19mins, 53.610secs); 2. Arjun Balu (Coimbatore) (19:54.013); 3. Rithvik Thomas (Bengaluru) (19:58.313) (All Race Concepts Motorsports). Race-3 (8 laps): 1. Arjun Balu (18:25.875); 2. Rithvik Thomas (19:16.427); 3. Gurunath Meiyappan (19:40.365). 

    Indian Junior Touring Cars (Race-2): 1. Deepak Ravikumar (Chennai) (19:31.198); 2. Akkineni Anand Prasad (Chennai) (19:37.062); 3. Hatim Shabbir Jamnagarwala (Chennai) (19:43.329) (All Team Performance Racing). Race-3 (8 laps): 1. Akkineni Anand Prasad (17:59.606); 2. Deepak Ravikumar (18:00.195); 3. Srinivas Teja (Chennai, Performance Racing) (18:16.233). 

    Super Stock (Race-2): 1. Diljith TS (Thrissur, DTS Racing) (21:09.014); 2. Yokeswaran (Coimbatore, Momentum Motorsports) (21:24.193); 3. Jarshan Anand (Chennai, DB Motorsports) (21:24.775). Race-3 (8 laps): 1. Diljith TS (18:56.803); 2. Justin Singh (Delhi, Redline Racing) (19:17.529); 3. Yokeswaran (19:26.035). 

    Formula LGB 1300 (Race-3, 8 laps): 1. Deepak Ravikumar (Chennai, Ahura Racing) (15:26.665); 2. Raghul Rangasamy (Chennai, MSport) (15:27.719); 3. Aman Nagdev (Noida, MSport) (15:29.919). 

    MRF Saloons (Toyota Etios) (Race-2): 1. Angad Matharoo (Chennai) (23:07.072); 2. Anirudha Arvind (Chennai) (23:44.035); 3. Jaiprashant Venkat (Coimbatore) (23:45.017) (All Redline Racing). Race-3 (8 laps): 1. Angad Matharoo (19:36.048); 2. Zahan Commissariat (Mumbai) (19:43.684); 3. Jaiprashant Venkat (19:45.769). 

  • Rovanpera claims third Rally Estonia win: WRC

    Rovanpera claims third Rally Estonia win: WRC

    Estonia, 23 July 2023: Kalle Rovanperä secured his third consecutive Rally Estonia triumph this afternoon (Sunday) with a dominant drive on round eight of the 2023 FIA World Rally Championship season.

    In 2021 Rovanperä became the WRC’s youngest winner on Estonia’s ultra-fast special stages. He leaves the country two years on 55 points clear at the top of the provisional title standings and a step closer to claiming back-to-back world crowns aboard his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid.

    The 22-year-old Finn, with compatriot Jonne Halttunen co-driving, finished the four-day gravel-based fixture 52.7s ahead of Thierry Neuville, who led after Friday’s opening loop in his Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Hybrid.

    But Rovanperä seized top spot later that day before reeling off nine consecutive fastest times on Saturday to exert his supremacy.

    With the forecasted rain not materialising during Sunday’s closing leg, Rovanperä again remained untouchable, winning all four stages in and gaining maximum Wolf Power Stage bonus points in the process. Such was the level of his outstanding performance that Rovanperä won 15 of the rally’s 21 special stages.

    “An important event, this one,” he said. “For the championship it’s a really important place to get good points and the plan was this exactly. It’s my favourite event of the calendar so I knew we had to push here, and it went well.”

    Neuville virtually conceded defeat by Saturday night but was in high spirits after enjoying one of the strongest fast gravel rally performances of his career. He could not afford to cruise through Sunday, though, with team-mate Esapekka Lappi completing the podium just 6.8s behind after more than 300 kilometres of fast-paced competition.

    Lappi’s result marked his fourth top-three finish for the Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team, which now trails Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT by 57 points in the Manufacturers’ title race. Lappi and Toyota-driving Welshman Elfyn Evans were closely matched with only 7.3s separating them at the final control.

    Teemu Suninen made it three Hyundais in the top five, finishing over one-minute back from Evans after a faultless drive on his i20 N Rally1 debut. Behind him was Pierre-Louis Loubet, who re-passed Takamoto Katsuta on the Wolf Power Stage to claim sixth overall.

    Loubet’s M-Sport Ford Puma team-mate Ott Tänak was the pre-event favourite but his hopes of a home victory were squashed before the rally had even started. Issues on Thursday’s shakedown stage forced a last-minute engine change and incurred a five-minute penalty before the opening stage.

    Andreas Mikkelsen maintained his lead in the FIA WRC2 category and finished ninth in the overall standings. Sami Pajari, campaigning an identical Toksport-run Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 similar to that of Mikkelsen’s, completed the top 10 and won the FIA WRC2 Challenger category in the process.

    Roope Korhonen topped the FIA WRC3 order with Grégoire Munster beating Laurent Pellier to FIA Junior WRC honours. Alexander Villanueva won the WRC Masters’ Cup category.

    Romet Jürgenson, who is taking part in the FIA Rally Star Training Season, used his home round of the FIA World Rally Championship, to build his experience of international-level competition and promptly won the RC4 category after several local sponsors stepped forward to support his participation.

    Secto Rally Finland is up next on the FIA World Rally Championship schedule, the Jyväskylä-based event providing another high-speed gravel spectacle for the WRC stars and their cars.

  • Tijil Rao stuns field to win Formula LGB 1300 Race 2; Arjun Balu begins with a win

    Tijil Rao stuns field to win Formula LGB 1300 Race 2; Arjun Balu begins with a win

    Chennai, July 22, 2023: Bengaluru’s Tijil Rao (Momentum Motorsports) came up with a stunning drive to win Race-2 in the Formula LGB 1300 category after starting from P14 on the opening day of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Car Racing Championship 2023 Round 1 at the Madras International Circuit, here on Saturday. 

    Rao, 20, a Business Management student, made up for a retirement in Race-1 that Raghul Rangasamy (Chennai, MSport) won earlier in the day after coming into contact with another competitor. Starting form P14 on the reverse grid, Tijil scythed through the field for a tremendous victory. 

    “Unfortunately, I was involved in an incident in the first race and so, had to make up for that in the next race. It was fun as I managed to overtake all the 13 cars in front of me and win. I should have more such performances,” said Tijil after finishing ahead of Deepak Ravikumar (Chennai, Ahura Racing) and last year’s champion Viswas Vijayaraj (Nellore, DTS Racing) who started from P11 on the reverse grid.  

    The day’s other winners were Deepak Ravikumar (Chennai, Performance Racing) in the Indian Junior Touring Cars category, Coimbatore veteran Arjun Balu (Race Concepts) in the Indian Touring Cars class, Thrissur’s Diljith TS (DTS Racing) in the Super Stock segment, and Angad Matharoo (Chennai, Redline Racing) who authored a lights-to-flag win in the MRF Saloons (Toyota Ethios) race. 

    While Tijil and Raghul scored good wins, much of the attention was in the Touring Cars race. Driving an under-powered stock car since his regular Honda City in ITC-trim was not ready for the race weekend, Balu quickly dropped to fourth overall after starting from pole position in the combined grid. Showing good pace, Ravikumar did not take long to get a jump on Balu early in the eight-lap race. So did two others, Akkineni Anand Prasad and Srinivas Teja. The three front-runners, taking part in the Indian Junior Touring Cars category, went on to deliver a podium sweep for Team Performance Racing with Ravikumar finishing well ahead of Prasad and Teja. 

    Behind the foursome, there were close battles up and down the grid. Balu’s team-mates Gurunath Meiyappan and Diana Pundole were locked in a tight tussle before the former finished second ahead of the Pune driver in the ITC category. 

    Further back, Dilijth claimed the honours in the Super Stock category ahead of local challenger Jarshan Anand (DB Motorsports) and Delhi’s Justin Singh (Redline Racing). 

    In the first Formula LGB 1300 race, pole-sitter Viswas Vijayaraj and Deepak Ravikumar forged ahead after the initial jostle through first of the eight laps. Viswas was harried by Ravikumar through much of the six laps, including a brief Safety Car period until the two made contact in the closing stages. Ravikumar dropped to ninth where he finished while Raghul passed Viswas who was nursing a damaged camber strut following the incident, to take the lead and eventually win the race. Finishing third behind Viswas was Bengaluru’s Chetan Surineni (MSport) who had started from P6. 

    The results (Provisional – all 8 laps unless mentioned): 

    Indian Touring Cars (Race-1): 1. Arjun Balu (Coimbatore) (15mins, 45.687sec); 2. Gurunath Meiyappan (Chennai) (16:03.174); 3. Diana Pundole (Pune) (16:04.053). All three from Race Concepts. 

    Qualifying (best lap – top 3): 1. Arjun Balu (01:56.126); 2. Rithvik Thomas (01:56.154); 3. Gurunath Meiyappan (01:57.086). 

    Indian Junior Touring Cars (Race-1): 1. Deepak Ravikumar (Chennai) (15:37.461); 2. Akkineni Anand Prasad (Chennai) (15:37.923); 3. Srinivas Teja (Chennai) (15:38.747). All three from Performance Racing. 

    Qualifying (best lap – top 3): 1. Deepak Ravikumar (01:55.197); 2. Srinivas Teja (01:55.341); 3. Akkineni Anand Prasad (01:56.670). 

    Super Stock (Race-1): 1. Dilijith TS (Thrissur, DTS Racing) (16:51.283); 2. Jarshan Anand (Chennai, DB Motorsports) (17:03.385); 3. Justin Singh (Delhi, Redline Racing) (17:08.050). 

    Qualifying (best lap – top 3): 1. Diljith TS (02:04.728); 2. Jarshan Anand (02:05.110); 3. Justin Singh (02:06.132). 

    Formula LGB 1300 (Race-1): 1. Raghul Rangasamy (Chennai, MSport) (16:36.969); 2. Viswas Vijayaraj (Nellore, DTS Racing) (16:39.114); 3.  Chetan Surineni (Bengaluru, MSport) (16:40.603). Race-2 (10 laps): 1. Tijil Rao (Bengaluru, Momentum Motorsports) (19:18.886); 2. Deepak Ravikumar (Chennai, Ahura Racing) (19:31.153); 3. Viswas Vijayaraj (19:31.557). 

    Qualifying (best lap – top 3): 1. Viswas Vijayaraj (01:52.719); 2. Deepak Ravikumar (Chennai, Ahura Racing) (01:52.809); 3. Raghul Rangasamy (01:53.060). 

    MRF Saloons (Toyota Etios) (Race-1): 1. Angad Matharoo (Chennai) (16:38.754); 2. Zahan Commissariat (Mumbai) (16:39.058); 3. Jaiprashant Venkat (Coimbatore) (16:47.584). All three from Redline Racing. 

    Qualifying (best lap – top 3): 1. Angad Matharoo (02:03.052); 2. Diana Pundole (Pune, Redline Racing) (02:03.076); 3. Zahan Commissariat (02:03.458). 

  • MRF MMSC Indian National Car Racing Championship 2023 to begin on Saturday

    MRF MMSC Indian National Car Racing Championship 2023 to begin on Saturday

    Chennai, 20 July 2023: The 2023 season of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Car Racing Championship will commence at the Madras International Circuit here over the weekend. The two-day event (July 21-22) with a nine-race card has attracted over 50 entries. 

    The touring and saloon cars will be headlining the season-opener. The ever-popular touring cars will be contested across three classes – the premium Indian Touring Cars, Indian Junior Touring Cars and Super Stock. Races in these three categories will be run concurrently from a combined grid. 

    Two other categories are the MRF Saloons (Toyota Etios) and the Formula LGB 1300 which saw some of the closest races last season. 

    There will be three races for all the classes, offering a maximum of 75 championship points. 

    Organising committee chairman and MMSC vice-president Vicky Chandhok said: “We welcome the participants to the new season that we expect to be as competitive and well-fought as in the previous years.  

    “Having said that, it is heartening to note that the entries include a few women drivers who, going by last season’s performance, are capable of holding their own competing against their male counterparts. 

    “As promoter of the championship, the MMSC is thankful to the main sponsor, MRF Tyres, who have been associated with us for many years.” 

    New timing equipment: Meanwhile, the MMSC will be deploying MYLAPS timing equipment as part of upgrading process. “We plan to give a transponder for each competitor for the weekend against a deposit which they can return after the event. The move is a reflection of MMSC’s endeavours to constantly upgrade facilities and equipment,” said Chandhok.

    There will be live streaming of the races on various social media platforms. 

  • Abdul Tanveer wins Rally of Coimbatore; Third victory for Tanika in Ladies class

    Abdul Tanveer wins Rally of Coimbatore; Third victory for Tanika in Ladies class

    Coimbatore, 16 July 2023: Former National Champion Abdul Waheed Tanveerof Petronas TVS Racing took an important victory at the Rally of Coimbatore, the third round of the MRF Mogrip fmsci National Rally Championship for two-wheelers 2023 at the Windmill farms of Kethanur, the favourite destination of rally riders near Palladam here on Sunday.

    Once again Imran Pasha of TVS did a splendid job finishing an Overall fifth beating many bigger bikes and also duly won his class, the Super Sport 260cc Group B class with ease.

    After Rajendra won the first round in Coorg, Tanveer came back with a win at the Coffee stages in Chikkamagalur to halt the winning run of his teammate and now gained crucial points winning his second straight race to fight for the championship.

    Abdul Tanveer on a victory run. Video by Rahul Reghu

    One of the fastest rallies in the calendar, the high-speed stages of Black Thunder (18.20km) and Thunder World (14.99) were run twice each. The rally promoted by Godspeed Racing, Pune, was professionally managed and hosted by the Coimbatore Auto Sports Club (CASC) lead by Shyam Kothari and Clerk of the Course Prithiviraj respectively.

    From the very start, teammates Abdul Tanveer and the reigning champion Rajendra RE began well with the later winning the first stage by just a second but Tanveer returned the favour, with a fastest run in the second stage, but just by a fraction of a second. Then, Rajendra switched up gears and took a 7-second lead in the third, but the fight fizzled out in the last stage, as he suffered an unfortunate brake issue and lost by just a little over four seconds. “My rear brakes failed in the last stage,” said a disappointed Rajendra, but promised, “We had a good fight and definitely I will come back stronger.”

    While Petronas TVS Racing continued its domination sweeping all the top-three overall places, Nataraj R, also a product of TVS, but now running as a privateer, put his brand new 2023 KTM 450 rally spec on top coming out triumphant in the in the Premier Super Bike Expert class beating Suhail Ahmed by a mile.

    Tanika Shanbag, left, and Tanaya Singh of Hero Motosport who finished one-two in the Ladies Class. Defending champion Aishwarya Pissay has moved up to the top class. Photo by Rahul Reghu, for INDIAinF1.com

    Meanwhile, Tanika Shanbagh kept the Hero Motosport flag flying with a strong victory in the Ladies Class. Fighting on equal footing with the male riders, she took a creditable 36th place among the 88 riders who finished the rally. Another new recruit of Hero Motosport, Tanaya Singh of Pune stood second with Palakkad’s Fazeela completing the podium.

    Uttarkhand’s Akhand Pratap Singh astride a Duke 390 won the Super Sport 400cc Group B class while Yogesh P put his Impulse on the top in the SS 165cc class.

    In the Super Sport 550cc Bullet class, Bengaluru’s Naresh VS notched up an easy victory while TVS rider Syed Asif, astride a NTorq, won the Scooter Class. Super Stock up to 450cc Group D class saw two riders from Kulu Manali take the top two spots. Nithish Bhardwaj won the race ahead of Shivam Thakur. Both the privateers were on an XPulse. A Tharun, a privateer from Avinashi won the Star of Tamil Nadu, the local class.

    Satara’s Tanika Shanbag (Ladies Class), Nataraj (Expert), Imran Pasha (SS 260cc), Syed Asif (Scooter) and Nithish Bhardwaj (SS up to 450cc) have won all the three rounds thus far and are leading the championship in their respective classes.

    Provisional Results:

    Abdul Waheed Tanveer with his trusted Apache RTR machine

    OVERALL:

    1. #2 Abdul Waheed Tanveer (Apache RTR, Petronas TVS, Mysore) 56min, 49.928seconds;
    2. #1 Rajendra RE (Apache RTR, Petronas TVS Racing, Shivamogga), 56:54.443;
    3. #3 Samuel Jacob (Apache RTR, Petronas TVS Racing, Udupi) 57:14.986.
    4. #5 Nataraj R (KTM, privateer, Bengaluru) 58: 35.799;
    5. #15 Imran Pasha (Apache RTR, Petronas TVS Racing, Mysore) 01:00:36.501;
    6. #17 Sachin D (Apache RTR, Petronas TVS Racing, Bengaluru) 01:01:23.866;

    CLASS 1: SUPER BIKE – (PRO EXPERT) GROUP A:

    • #2 Abdul Waheed Tanveer (Apache RTR, Petronas TVS, Mysore) 56min, 49.928seconds;
    • #1 Rajendra RE (Apache RTR, Petronas TVS Racing, Shivamogga), 56:54.443;
    • #3 Samuel Jacob (Apache RTR, Petronas TVS Racing, Udupi) 57:14.986.

    CLASS 2: SUPER BIKE – (EXPERT) GROUP A:

    1. #5 Nataraj R (KTM, privateer, Bengaluru) 58: 35.799;
    2. #13 Suhail Ahmed  (KTM, Pvt, Bengaluru) 01: 01:51.959;
    3. #8 Aman Prabhakar Pawade (KTM, Pvt, Nagpur) 01:01:58.615.

    CLASS 4: SUPER SPORT 260 GROUP B:

    1. #15 Imran Pasha (Apache RTR, Petronas TVS Racing, Mysore) 01:00:36.501;
    2. #17 Sachin D (Apache RTR, Petronas TVS Racing, Bengaluru) 01:01:23.866;
    3. #16 T Arun (Xpulse, Hero MotoSports, Hassan)  01:01:50.697.

    CLASS 3: SUPER SPORT 165 GROUP B:

    1. #43 Yogesh P (Impulse, Pvt, Bengaluru) 01.07.08.212;
    2. #96 Abrar Pasha (Impulse, Pvt, Shivamogga) 01.08.09.257;
    3. #42 Francis PV (Impulse, Pvt, Chikkamagaluru) 01.08.12.510.

    CLASS 5: SUPER SPORT 400 GROUP B:

    1. #48 Akhand Pratap Singh (Duke 390, Pvt, Uttarakhand) 01:05:02.310;
    2. #47 Russel Jossy (KTM, Pvt, Mumbai) 01:05:58.002;
    3. #51 Aakash Aithal (KTM, Pvt, Puttur) 01:08:41.646.

    CLASS 6: SUPER SPORT 550 GROUP B:

    1. #54 Naresh VS (Royal Enfield, Pvt, Bengaluru) 01:06:36.009;
    2. #57 Mohammed Zaheer (Royal Enfield, Pvt, Bengaluru) 01:06:39.556;
    3. #53 Jeemon Anthony (Royal Enfield, Pvt, Ernakulam) 01: 08:50.603.

    CLASS 7: SCOOTERS UP TO 210cc GROUP B:

    1. #60 Syed Asif (NTorq, Petronas TVS Racing) 01:10:40.975;
    2. #65 Shamim Khan (NTorq, Petronas TVS Racing) 01:11:46.404;
    3. #64 Goutham N (Aprilia 150, JB Racing, Bengaluru) 01:15:29.063.

    CLASS 9: SUPER STOCK UPTO 450cc GROUP D:

    1. #67 Nithish Bhardwaj (Xpulse, Pvt, Kulu Manali) 01:07:37.880;
    2. #72 Shivam Thakur (Xpulse, Pvt, Kulu Manali) 01:08:09.736;
    3. #71 Eldhose P Benny (Xpulse, Pvt, Thrissur) 01:08:58.158;

    CLASS 8: WOMEN’s CLASS GROUP B:

    1. #87 Tanika Shanbhag (XPulse, Hero MotoSports, Satara) 01:09:48.803;
    2. #91 Tanaya Singh (XPulse, Hero MotoSports, Pune) 01:13:01.502;
    3. #88 Fazeela U (Impulse, Pvt. Palakkad) 01:13:54.462.

    CLASS 10: STAR OF TAMIL NADU:

    1. #108 A Tharun (Pvt. Coimbatore) 01:09:47.943;
    2. #104 G Jagadeesh (XPulse, Pvt, Coimbatore) 01:10:27.483;
    3. #101 Ricarius Venchaslaus (Pvt, Coimbatore) 01:10:49.163.

    (22 Bikes did not finish, including two who were excluded and six ‘did not start’)

    Ends/

  • Young guns to challenge established stars: MMSC 2w Nationals Round 2

    Young guns to challenge established stars: MMSC 2w Nationals Round 2

    Chennai, July 6, 2023: The possibility of a new generation of riders continuing to push the seniors, like they did in the season-opener at Coimbatore last month, heightens the expectations of stirring duels in the second round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2023 which gets underway at the Madras International Circuit here on Friday with over 150 entries in the fray. 

    The three-day event with 15 races besides practice and qualifying sessions, brings together country’s top riders and bike manufacturers – Honda, TVS, Yamaha and KTM – to contest in four National championship categories – Pro-Stock 301-400cc, Pro-Stock 165cc, Novice (Stock 165cc) and Girls (Stock 165cc), apart from a support race in the 301-400cc (Novice) class. 

    The card also includes the Petronas TVS One-Make Championship comprising three categories, the Open (Apache RR 310), Rookie (RTR 200) and Girls (RTR 200), while Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup will have a double-header in the NSF 250 class. 

    At the tight and twisty Kari Motor Speedway in Coimbatore last month, established stars had to constantly look over their shoulders as a new generation of racers announced its arrival with podium and top-10 finishes. However, the very technical MIC would be a different challenge for the young guns when they go up against their experienced peers. In this context, there is much to look forward to in the races this weekend. 

    Rajiv Sethu (RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) and Mathana Kumar (Pacer Yamaha) started the season with a double apiece in the two premium Pro-Stock categories, 310-400cc and 165cc, respectively, in Coimbatore, but both were tested by a pair of Petronas TVS Racing’s new recruits, Sarthak Chavan from Pune and Bengaluru’s Chiranth Vishwanath. Another teenager, Shreyas Hareesh (Rockers Racing) from Bengaluru impressed with two top-10 finishes in the Pro-Stock 165cc category. 

    In contrast, Hyderabad teenager Vignesh Goud (Race’ists Motorcycle Club) also notched a double in the Novice class quite comfortably while the ever-improving Lani Fernandez (RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) from Puducherry won the highly competitive Girls’ race. 

    Both the One-Make Championships also witnessed young riders excel. Chennai’s Kavin Quintal (NSF 250), Alwin Sundar (Petronas TVS Open) and Shreyas Hareesh (Petronas TVS Rookie) dominated their respective categories with a double each while Bengaluru’s Nithila Das impressed while winning the Petronas TVS Girls’ race. It will be no surprise if the quartet extend their winning run at the MIC this weekend. 

    MMSC president Ajit Thomas said: “The Coimbatore round presented a happy scenario with many young riders making a mark in various categories, and it certainly augurs well for the future. We look forward to the trend continuing in the remaining rounds at the MIC. Once again, we are grateful to our sponsors MRF Tyres, the manufacturers, the growing number of competitors and the Media who all have contributed to the success of the championship.”

    There will be live streaming of the races on various social media platforms. 

  • Panchshil Racing becomes first team franchise: Ceat Indian Supercross League

    Panchshil Racing becomes first team franchise: Ceat Indian Supercross League

    Pune, July 5, 2023: Panchshil Racing became the first team franchise of CEAT Indian Supercross League which is expected to begins its inaugural season later this year. Instead of city-based teams, the League will have brand-based teams.

    Former Indian Motocross champion and Chairman of Panchshil Realty, Atul Chordia, has reestablished his commitment to the sport by the acquisition of this team. Pune will be the team’s home base and the mecca of Supercross in India is expected to fire the aspirations of Panchshil Racing.

    The inaugural league is expected to have eight brand-based teams with each team fielding two riders per category. There will be four categories. Teams will also have one reserve rider for the Indian category. The top class, the 450cc Category, will have only international riders for the first year. The second category, the 250cc class will be for international riders and the third (also 250cc) for Indian and Asian riders. The final 85cc class will be for the riders between the age of 11 and 14 years.

    Chordia achieved remarkable success in various national races and won the National Championship in 1986. Panchshil Realty, has established a formidable reputation in the real estate industry with a remarkable portfolio of pioneering projects. Panchshil also brought world-class hospitality to Pune through venerated properties such as The Ritz Carlton Pune, J.W. Marriott, Marriott Suites, Doubletree by Hilton, Oakwood Residences and has now forayed overseas to build Amari Raaya in the Maldives.

    Through its portfolio spanning residential to office parks, and retail to hospitality, Panchshil has been instrumental in reshaping Pune city’s landscape and has now ventured across the country.

    Atul Chordia, Chairman of Panchshil Realty, said: “At Panchshil Racing, we are thrilled to be the pioneering team joining the CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League. With my experience as an athlete and the deep-rooted passion for sports, we recognize the immense potential of Supercross in India. The CEAT ISRL provides us with an exceptional platform to display our commitment to the sport’s development in the country. Based in Pune, our full-fledged Supercross Race team will be managed with utmost professionalism, adhering to the highest standards of the sport. We are determined to deliver thrilling and high-quality racing that will captivate Supercross enthusiasts nationwide. I extend my best wishes to ISRL as it sets a new benchmark in global Supercross events.”

    Eeshan Lokhande, Co-founder and Director of Supercross India said: “We are thrilled to welcome Mr. Chordia and Panchshil Realty as the first franchisee owner to the CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League. A well-known and respected name in India, we are confident that they will be a great addition to the league. Furthermore, the association with Panchshil Racing and the league perfectly aligns with the shared vision and mission. Atul’s rich experience and acumen in the sport will surely help the team and the league reach new heights. We take great pride in having Mr. Atul Chordia as the inaugural team owner, given his unwavering passion and patronage for Supercross over the years.”

    Sujith Kumar, Chairman of the Supercross Racing Commission of the FMSCI said: “I am confident that Panchshil Racing will be a force to be reckoned with in the years to come. Led by the remarkable Mr. Atul Chordia, their team is set to etch their names in the annals of Supercross history as true trailblazers in India. With Mr. Chordia’s extensive involvement in the sport, he has not only left an indelible mark but has also paved the way for other teams and riders to follow. It fills me with immense pride to witness their unwavering support for the sport, and I eagerly await the exhilarating feats they will accomplish in the days to come.”

    The CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League, in collaboration with the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI), is a groundbreaking, World’s first-ever franchise-based Supercross Racing League, bringing together riders from all over the world to compete in various formats and categories. The league is all set to revolutionize the world of motorsports in the country, bringing together adrenaline-pumping action, entertainment, glamour, and fierce competition.

    The inaugural season will commence at the iconic Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in the national capital, New Delhi, in October 2023, followed by thrilling events in prominent metro cities. From October to December 2023, fans across these cities will witness the breathtaking displays of skills, daring maneuvers, and high-speed action that will redefine Supercross racing.

    Tentative dates for the Supercross League:

    Round 1: October 28 to 29 – Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi,

    Round 2: November 25 to 26 – Trans Stadia, The Arena, Ahmedabad,

    Round 3 : December – 16 to 17 – To be announced. (Likely to be in PUNE).

  • Alvaro Bautista holds off Razgatlioglu for victory: WorldSBK Ro6

    Alvaro Bautista holds off Razgatlioglu for victory: WorldSBK Ro6

    Donington (UK), 2 July 2023: An action-packed event, WorldSBK Race 2 at Donington Park started with a red flag due to a crash involving Tom Sykes, Michael Ruben Rinaldi, and Loris Baz*. The Round 6, Race 2 was won by Alvaro Bautista on Sunday.

    After the restart, Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team) battled fiercely with Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) for the lead. Bautista eventually emerged victorious, securing a second feature race win at Donington Park. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) claimed his maiden WorldSBK podium with a strong third-place finish. Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) achieved his best result of the season, finishing in fourth place after a late fight with Rea and Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), who finished fifth and sixth respectively.

    Bautista celebrates after winning Race 2 on Sunday. A WorldSBK image

    *Sykes was diagnosed with a thoracic injury, rib fractures on his right-hand side and a left ankle injury; he was transported to Queen’s Medical Centre for further assessment. Rinaldi was diagnosed with a mild concussion and a right ankle injury.

  • Max Verstappen wins Austrian GP ahead of Leclerc and Perez

    Max Verstappen wins Austrian GP ahead of Leclerc and Perez

    Spielberg, 2 July 2023: Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took an emphatic Austrian Grand Prix victory, carving out a large enough gap to Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to pit for new tyres, take the point for fastest lap, and still take the flag five seconds clear of the Monegasque driver. Sergio Pérez delivered a superb recovery in the second Red Bull to claim the final podium position after starting in 15th place. 

    At the start, Verstappen got away well from pole position and took the lead ahead of Leclerc as the grid streamed towards Turn 1. Behind them, Sainz held third but fourth-place starter Lando Norris was beaten off the line by Lewis Hamilton. 

    Further back, AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda, starting 16th, tangled with one of the Alpines and damaged his front wing and with debris on the track the Safety Car was released and the race was neutralised.

    The hazard was soon cleared and when running resumed Verstappen controlled the restart perfectly ahead of Lelcerc and Sainz, with Hamilton still fourth ahead of Norris and the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso. 

    In 13th place Pérez went on the attack and he was soon able to get past Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, Mercedes’ George Russell and then Williams’ Alex Albon. 

    Haas’ Nico Hülkenberg then pulled over with technical issues and that led to the Virtual Safety Car being deployed. A host of drivers pitted for new tyres. However, Verstappen and Pérez stayed out and when the track went green again Verstappen led Leclerc by 17.7s, with Pérez ion P3. Sainz held fourth ahead of Hamilton, with Norris in sixth ahead of Alonso, Gasly, Tsunoda and Russell. The Red Bulls were now the only cars in the top 10 still on their starting tyres and they began to lose ground to those who had pitted and on lap 21 Sainz passed Pérez to take back third place. 

    Verstappen made his first regulation pit stop of the race on lap 25 and he moved to Hard compound tyres in a 2.3 second halt. That allowed Leclerc to sweep through into the lead and as Verstappen trundled out of the pit lane he was also passed by Sainz to put Ferrari 1-2 in the order. Verstappen soon closed up to the Ferrari and on lap 26, the Dutchman got a better exit out of Turn 3 and used DRS to outdrag the Spaniard on the run to Turn 4. 

    Pérez made his first tyre change on lap 26 and after taking on another set of Medium tyres he rejoined in tenth place. He was soon on the move, however, and he quickly made his way past Albon and Russell to rise to eighth place behind Pierre Gasly. 

    At the front, Verstappen was steadily reeling in Leclerc and on lap 35 he dived down the inside of the Ferrari in Turn 3 to reclaim the lead. He then began to carve out a gap and on lap 41 he was seven seconds clear. 

    Pérez, too, was advancing, and after overtaking Gasly in Turn 3, he chased down Alonso and breezed past the Aston Martin driver in the same corner to rise to fourth place as other drivers pitted. 

    On lap 46 Sainz made his second stop for new tyres and to serve a five-second penalty for exceeding track limits, and that allowed Pérez to sweep past into third place. Leclerc stopped two laps later and Pérez was boosted to P2, though the Mexican would need a final pit stop. 

    Verstappen made his second stop on lap 50 and after fitting a set of medium tyres and he emerged in the lead, six seconds ahead of his team-mate. Pérez then pitted on the following lap and after taking a set of Hard tyres he rejoined in fifth place, four seconds behind Norris and on fresher tyres. The gap was erased in just five laps and on lap 56 he powered past the McLaren on the run to Turn 4. 

    Sainz was now just a second ahead and Pérez went on the attack. And after an epic battle Pérez at last got DRS out of Turn 3 and roared past through Turn 4 to take P3. 

    At the front, Verstappen was in imperious form and in the closing stages he extended his lead over Leclerc to a mammoth 24 seconds. On lap 70, he pitted for Soft tyres and set a blistering final lap of 1:07.012 to take the win and the bonus point. 

    Leclerc crossed the line five seconds adrift and 12 seconds later Pérez took the flag to complete a stellar recovery and to seal a double podium for the team. Fourth place went to Sainz with Norris fifth ahead of Alonso. Hamilton and Russell took seventh and eighth places respectively for Mercedes, while Gasly was ninth for Alpine and the final point went to Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll. 

    2023 FIA Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix – Race 
    1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 71 – 
    2 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 71  5.155
    3 Sergio Pérez Red Bull Racing 71  17.188
    4 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 71  21.377
    5 Lando Norris McLaren 71  26.327
    6 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 71  30.317
    7 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 71  39.196
    8 George Russell Mercedes 71  48.403
    9 Pierre Gasly Alpine 71  57.667
    10 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 71  59.043
    11 Alexander Albon Williams 71  1’09.767
    12 Esteban Ocon Alpine 70 – 1 lap
    13 Logan Sargeant Williams 70 – 1 lap
    14 Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo 70 – 1 lap
    15 Nyck de Vries AlphaTauri 70 – 1 lap
    16 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo 70 – 1 lap
    17 Oscar Piastri McLaren 70 – 1 lap
    18 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 70 – 1 lap
    19 Kevin Magnussen Haas 70 – 1 lap
         Nico Hülkenberg Haas 12 – Retirement

  • Max Verstappen wins Sprint; Perez takes 2nd to lock out front row for Red Bull

    Max Verstappen wins Sprint; Perez takes 2nd to lock out front row for Red Bull

    Spielberg, 1 July 2023: Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez handed Red Bull Racing a front-row lockout for the Sprint at the 2023 FIA Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix, with championship leader Verstappen beating his team-mate by almost half a second as Lando Norris took third place in the Shootout for McLaren. 

    After heavy rain in the morning, the conditions improved in the run-up to the Sprint Shootout, and with the track drying rapidly, Verstappen emerged on a set of Medium tyres. His first attempt was deleted for a track limits infringement and a second banker of 1:08.645 put him comfortably in the top 10.

    He then claimed P1 on 1:07.214 before he was ousted by team-mate Pérez who posted a time of 1:07.085. Haas’ Nico Hülkenberg then split the Red Bull pair before Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton took P1 with a lap of 1:06.624. 

    Verstappen switched to soft tyres in the final minutes and jumped back to P1 with a lap of 1:06.223. He was pipped for top spot, however, by Carlos Sainz. The Ferrari driver recovered from early brake issues to take P1 with a lap of 1:06.187. 

    There was no place in the second segment, however, for Alfa Romeo’s p16 driver Zhou Guanyu, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in P17 or for 18th-placed Hamilton, who had a lap deleted for exceeding track limits at Turn 10 and then caught traffic on his final run. Behind him, Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas and Williams’ Logan Sargeant also exited the session. 

    Verstappen was first on track in SQ2 and he took P1 with a lap of 1:05.624. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso slotted into P2 with McLaren’s Lando Norris in third. After a cautious opening lap, Peerez then jumped to P2 on 1:05.836, a little under five hundredths of a second ahead of Sainz who had moved past Alonso. 

    With two minutes left, Alpine’s Esteban Ocon claimed top spot, two hundredths clear of Verstappen, but the Dutchman had pace in hand and he reclaimed P1 with a best lap of 1:05.371. Sainz moved up to second ahead of Ocon, while Charles Leclerc, in the other Ferrari, claimed fourth place with his final flying lap. 

    Eliminated at the end of SQ2 were Williams’ Alex Albon in P11 followed by Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, the AlphaTauri cars of Yuki Tsunoda and Nyck de Vries and Mercedes’ George Russell who was sidelined by a hydraulic issue. 

    Verzstappen set the early SQ3 target at 1:04.613. Pérez gthen took P2, just under four tenths off that pace, but the Mexican was soon bumped to P3 by Norris who went just seven hundredths of a second faster. 

    But in the final runs there was no denying the Red Bull pair. Verstappen shaved almost two tenths of a second off his opener to claim top spot on the grid for the Sprint with a lap of 1:04.440, while Pérez leapfrogged Norris to seal a front row lockout for the Bulls with a final flyer of 1:04.933. With Norris third, Hülkenberg claimed a surprise fourth place ahead of Sainz and Leclerc, while Alonso took seventh ahead of Stroll, Ocon and Magnussen.

    2023 FIA Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix – Sprint Shootout
    1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1:04.440 
    2 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 1:04.933 0.493
    3 Lando Norris McLaren 1:05.010 0.570
    4 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 1:05.084 0.644
    5 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:05.136 0.696
    6 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:05.245 0.805
    7 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 1:05.258 0.818
    8 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 1:05.347 0.907
    9 Esteban Ocon Alpine 1:05.366 0.926
    10 Kevin Magnussen Haas 1:05.912 1.472
    11 Alex Albon Williams 1:06.152 1.712
    12 Pierre Gasly Alpine 1:06.360 1.920
    13 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 1:06.369 1.929
    14 Nyck de Vries AlphaTauri 1:06.593 2.153
    15 George Russell Mercedes 
    16 Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo 1:07.062 2.622
    17 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:07.106 2.666
    18 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:07.282 2.842
    19 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo 1:07.291 2.851
    20 Logan Sargeant Williams 1:07.426 2.986