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Author: INDIAinF1 Desk
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Carlos Sainz powers to sixth career pole: Mexico City GP
Mexico City, 26 October 2024: Carlos Sainz powered to his sixth career pole position beating Max Verstappen and Lando Norris by more than two tenths of a second to claim top spot on the grid for the 2024 FIA Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix. At the other end of the timesheet, though, there were shock Q1 exits for McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and for home hero Sergio Pérez.
“A great couple of laps,” said Sainz of his final runs at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. “A lot of times around Mexico you always have the feeling like you cannot put a lap together and it’s extremely difficult with how much sliding there is. But today, honestly, my two laps of Q3 were pretty much identical, almost perfect. And yeah, I just put two really solid laps in Q3, enough for pole.”
Earlier at the start of Q1, there was drama in the closing moments when Piastri and Pérez were both dumped out of the session. For Pérez the issue was a lack of confidence under braking and ahead of the final runs the Mexican found himself rooted to the bottom of the timesheet. In normal circumstances, a final run would have provided the platform for a vault to safety, but this time Pérez failed to make the jump and he exited in P18.
Piastri, meanwhile, had a late lap time deleted and then, during a last-ditch final flyer, the Australian made a mistake on his final run, taking too much kerb in Turn 12, It was an error the McLaren driver said cost him “a second” of time and he was ruled out in P17.
At the top of the timesheet, Norris looked to have pace in hand as he beat Sainz and Verstappen by almost three tenths of a second. And the McLaren driver carried that good form into Q2. He again went quickest, this time eclipsing Verstappen and Sainz by two tenths, with Charles Leclerc fourth ahead of the Mercedes cars of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton.
Behind them, in the final seconds of the session, Yuki Tsunoda lost control of his RB and the Japanese driver spun into the barriers. The crash brought out the red flags and the clutch of drivers behind Tsunoda were all denied a final run.
It meant that Tsunoda exited in P11, but his crash also denied 12th placed team-mate Liam Lawson another attempt and the New Zealander dropped out ahead of fellow hopefuls Fernando Alonso, Lance Stroll and Valtteri Bottas.
At the start of Q3 Verstappen went out on track early and the Dutchman posted a good time of 1:16.368. However, within moments the Red Bull driver’s lap was deleted for going beyond track limits in Turn 2 and he dropped to P10. Norris, meanwhile, had a poor opening and ahead of the final runs he sat in fifth. Sainz though was on fire and the Spaniard took provisional pole with a lap of 1:16.055, a sizeable 0.360s ahead of Leclerc, Russell and Hamilton
Verstappen went late at the end of Q3 but though the Dutchman found an improvement and crossed the line in 1:16.171 it wasn’t enough to deny Sainz who took a superb pole as the only man to dip below 1m16s with his P1 time of 1:15.946. Norris also improved, but with the McLaren driver later saying he had found the limit of his car in Q1 and Q2, he had to settle for third.
Leclerc, who suffered a snap of oversteer on his final lap, was left with fourth ahead of Russell and Hamilton, while Kevin Magnussen is set to start seventh for Haas ahead of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, Williams’ Alex Albon and the second Haas of Nico Hülkenberg.
2024 FIA Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix – Qualifying
1 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:15.946 – –
2 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:16.171 0.225
3 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1:16.260 0.314
4 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:16.265 0.319
5 George Russell Mercedes 1:16.356 0.410
6 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:16.651 0.705
7 Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 1:16.886 0.940
8 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1:16.892 0.946
9 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1:17.065 1.119
10 Nico Hülkenberg Haas/Ferrari 1:17.365 1.419
11 Yuki Tsunoda RB/Honda RBPT 1:17.129 1.183
12 Liam Lawson RB/Honda RBPT 1:17.162 1.216
13 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:17.168 1.222
14 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:17.294 1.348
15 Valtteri Bottas Sauber/Ferrari 1:17.817 1.871
16 Franco Colapinto Williams/Mercedes 1:17.558 1.612
17 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1:17.597 1.651
18 Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:17.611 1.665
19 Esteban Ocon Alpine/Renault 1:17.617 1.671
20 Zhou Guanyu Sauber/Ferrari 1:18.072 2.126 -
Bastianini unstoppable as Martin fends off Bagnaia in a tense Buriram Sprint
Buriram, 26 October 2024: Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) charged to victory in the Tissot Sprint at the PT Grand Prix of Thailand, taking glory by 1.357s after a sublime performance escaping at the front to lay down the gauntlet. Behind, the top two in the title fight went toe-to-toe, with Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) just able to hold off Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) on the final two laps to increase his Championship lead to 22 points.
The Beast stormed to glory in the Tissot Sprint as Martin triumphs over Bagnaia to increase the title gap to 22 pointsOnce the lights went out, Bagnaia made a phenomenal launch from pole, taking a slight advantage on the run to Turn 1. However, Martin was on the attack, launching a move down the inside and sending both himself as his main title rival wide enough to allow Bastianini and Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) through. The #89 was now left with work to do, dropping even further to fifth as Pedro Acosta (Re Bull GASGAS Tech3) also picked his way past and defended when Martin tried to move straight back through.
On Lap 2 Martin was back in fourth though, past the rookie before Acosta had overcooked it and slid out. The next target for the Championship leader was Marc Marquez. Martin made a textbook move at the final corner to overtake the #93, and it got close on the exit but the #89 kept it, digging in to now chase down the next target: Bagnaia in second.
Martin began to edge closer to the reigning World Champion as Bagnaia, Martin and Marc Marquez were all glued close together on track. Once Martin was right on the tailpipes of the #1 though, he pounced at Turn 7. And there came some controversy as he ran slightly wide on the exit, that proving the next strike to award the Spaniard to a track limits warning. But he kept the position…
It was building to be a tense finale, with Bastianini checked out at the front but the title rivals separated by a mere 0.350s on the chase. Bagnaia continued to pile on the pressure at every corner in an enthralling end to Saturday’s action, looking like he was going to be able to set up a move.
By the final lap though, Martin had reeled in Bastianini more than Bagnaia had managed to make ground on the #89, and in a tense final few kms the three sliced round Buriram. Ultimately, the ‘Beast’ kept it tidy to take a second Sprint win of the year in style, Martin held on under intense pressure to take second, and Bagnaia was forced to cede two more points in that Championship battle as he came home third.
Marc Marquez crossed the line in fourth, grabbing some strong points after the #93 was unable to match the pace of the top three in the latter stages. The eight-time World Champion finished ahead of teammate Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), who rounded out the top five positions after a sensational ride. The Spaniard had to work hard in the closing laps, with Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) finishing a further 0.947s behind in sixth.
Further back, Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team’s Marco Bezzecchi and Fabio Di Giannantonio had a battle of their own. The Italians fought it out throughout the Sprint as Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) began to drop down the order after climbing to P6 in the opening stages. Bezzecchi took P7 in the end, a tenth ahead of his teammate as Binder was forced to watch on and settle for the final point in ninth.
Another ding dong just behind saw Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) able to escape Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), with the Australian then forced to fend off Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) by the flag as the Frenchman also stayed ahead of Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team).
After another twist in the tale, make sure you join us as the world’s most exciting sport returns at 15:00 local time (UTC +7) on Sunday, where Bagnaia will launch from pole and attempt to close Martin’s advantage. It’s 22 points – and 25 are on the table tomorrow… -
Charles Leclerc leads Ferrari 1-2 at US GP: Formula 1
Austin, 20 October 2024: Charles Leclerc took a dominant US Grand Prix win as Carlos Sainz followed the Monegasque driver to the flag to hand Ferrari a 1-2 finish at the Circuit of the Americas. Behind them Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took third place after a thrilling battle with title rival Lando Norris that ended with the McLaren driver getting a five-second penalty for passing Verstappen off the track.
At the start, polesitter Norris got away well but on the approach to Turn 1 Verstappen attacked on the inside and when both he and Norris went wide on exit, Leclerc slipped through to claim the lead ahead of Verstappen Sainz and Norris.
On lap 3 Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton spun off and with his car beached in a gravel trap, the Safety Car was released. Hamilton’s Mercedes was quickly recovered and the action resumed at the start of lap six. And though Verstappen stuck with the Ferrari driver on the restart, Leclerc was comfortably able to keep the Dutchman behind and once the initial threat was nullified, he was able to pull away across the remainder of an impressive first stint on Medium tyres.
Leclerc made his sole pit stop of the race on lap 26. He emerged behind the McLarens of Norris and team-mate Oscar Piastri, but after passing Piastri and then waiting for Norris to make his stop for Hard tyres, the Monegasque driver stretched his legs in the second stint to take a comfortable win.
Sainz, meanwhile, used his sole pit stop to undercut Verstappen and though stayed in touch with Leclerc, the Spanish driver settled for second and his 24th career podium finish.
While the Ferrari drivers’ drive to the podium was smooth, behind them a more turbulent contest was developing.
Verstappen was unhappy with his Hard tyres in his second stint, telling the Red Bull pit wall that he couldn’t “brake” or “attacke the corners”. And with Norris more comfortable on six-lap younger Hard tyres behind him it was only a matter of time before the McLaren driver reeled in the Dutchman.
After the pit stops, Norris rapidly chewed through a six-second deficit to Verstappen and hauled himself within DRS range of Verstappen by lap 45. He then began a relentless series of attacks, always pressing in Turns 1 and 12 to see if he could provoke a mistake.
Verstappen defended expertly, however, to keep Norris at bay with the result that on lap 52 Norris went for broke.
The McLaren driver tried to attack on the outside of Turn 12 but both drivers went wide and Norris overtook his rival off track to steal P3. Expecting a sanction he tried to press ahead and gain a five-second advantage over the Red Bull driver, but Verstappen was resolute and when they crossed the line he was just four seconds in arrears. The race Stewards had already delivered their verdict of a five-second for passing off-track and Verstappen made it onto the podium by just 0.9s.
Oscar Piastri took fifth place in the second McLaren, 34 seconds clear of George Russell. The Mercedes driver put in a strong performance, starting from the pit lane and recovering from a five-second penalty in the race to power through to P6, passing Red Bull’s Sergio Pérez in the closing stages.
Nico Hulkenberg took eighth for Haas, while Liam Lawson delivered an equally strong race rising from 19that the start to claim P9 and two points on his return to F1. Franco Colapinto collected the final point for Williams.
2024 FIA Formula 1 United States Grand Prix – Race
1 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 56 1:35’09.639
2 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 56 1:35’18.201 8.562
3 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 56 1:35’29.051 19.412
4 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 56 1:35’29.993 20.354
5 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 56 1:35’31.560 21.921
6 George Russell Mercedes 56 1:36’05.934 56.295
7 Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda RBPT 56 1:36’08.711 59.072
8 Nico Hülkenberg Haas/Ferrari 56 1:36’12.596 1’02.957
9 Liam Lawson RB/Honda RBPT 56 1:36’20.202 1’10.563
10 Franco Colapinto Williams/Mercedes 56 1:36’21.618 1’11.979
11 Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 56 1:36’29.421 1’19.782
12 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 56 1:36’40.197 1’30.558
13 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 55 1:35’11.365 1 lap /1.726
14 Yuki Tsunoda RB/Honda RBPT 55 1:35’17.851 1 lap /8.212
15 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 55 1:35’26.622 1 lap /16.983
16 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 55 1:35’27.731 1 lap /18.092
17 Valtteri Bottas Sauber/Ferrari 55 1:35’43.972 1 lap /34.333
18 Esteban Ocon Alpine/Renault 55 1:35’51.751 1 lap /42.112
19 Zhou Guanyu Sauber/Ferrari 55 1:35’58.879 1 lap /49.240 -
Lando Norris takes pole at Austin GP: Formula 1
Austin, 19 October 2024: McLaren’s Lando Norris took his sixth pole of 2024 in a US Grand Prix qualifying session that was disrupted by a late crash for Mercedes’ George Russell that prevented many drivers, including second-placed Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, from finding an improvement on their final runs of Q3. Carlos Sainz took third place for Ferrari.
In the first runs of the final top-10 shootout Norris set the pace with a standout lap of 1:32.330 that he later branded “the best of my career”. Verstappen, meanwhile, had overcooked his entry to Turn 19 and as the final runs approached lay in second place 0.031s behind the McLaren driver.
Verstappen responded by going clear of Norris in the first part of his final flyer but the Dutchman’s hopes of a first pole since the Austrian Grand Prix were dashed when Russell lost control of his Mercedes in Turn 19 and crashed, bringing out yellow flags. Verstappen and a number of others were forced to back out of their final laps leaving Norris with pole thanks to this first run.
“It was probably the best lap of my career,” said Norris afterwards. “It was just a very nice lap. I kind of set the bar too high because on my second lap, I was like, ‘guys, I don’t think I’m going to improve much here’. I got everything out of the car.”
Verstappen, who gelt that he had “had a really good shot” was left with P2 ahead of Sainz, with Charles Leclerc in fourth in the other Ferrari. Norris’ team-mate Oscar Piastri will line up in fifth place, while the unfortunate Russell will start sixth. Pierre Gasly put in a strong performance in the upgraded Alpine A524 to take seventh place ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Haas’ Kevin Magnussen, while Red Bull’s Sergio Pérez, who had his opening run of Q3 deleted for a track limits infringement.
In Q2, Yuki Tsunoda was the first driver eliminated in P11, with the Japanese driver being joined at the exit by Haas’ Nico Hülkenberg, the second Alpine of Esteban Ocon, Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and in 15th place, RB’s Liam Lawson.
The major faller in the opening segment of qualifying was Lewis Hamilton. The Mercedes driver lost a significant amount of time in the middle sector of his final flyer and as better times from rivals flowed in the seven-time champion dropped to P19 just ahead of Kick Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu. The Williams pairing of Alex Albon and Franco Colapinto were eliminated in P16 and P17 respectively ahead of Valtteri Bottas in the other Kick Sauber.
2024 FIA Formula 1 United States Grand Prix – Qualifying
1 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1’32.330 – –
2 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1’32.361 0.031 0.034
3 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1’32.652 0.322 0.349
4 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1’32.740 0.410 0.444
5 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1’32.950 0.620 0.672
6 George Russell Mercedes 1’32.974 0.644 0.697
7 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1’33.018 0.688 0.745
8 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1’33.309 0.979 1.060
9 Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 1’33.481 1.151 1.247
10 Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda RBPT – – –
11 Yuki Tsunoda RB/Honda RBPT 1’33.506 1.176 1.274
12 Nico Hülkenberg Haas/Ferrari 1’33.544 1.214 1.315
13 Esteban Ocon Alpine/Renault 1’33.597 1.267 1.372
14 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1’33.759 1.429 1.548
15 Liam Lawson RB/Honda RBPT –
16 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1’34.051 1.721 1.864
17 Franco Colapinto Williams/Mercedes 1’34.062 1.732 1.876
18 Valtteri Bottas Sauber/Ferrari 1’34.152 1.822 1.973
19 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1’34.154 1.824 1.976
20 Zhou Guanyu Sauber/Ferrari 1’34.228 1.898 2.056 -
Toprak Razgatlioglu wins his second World Superbike championship, joins legends
Jerez, 19 October 2024: Toprak Razgatlioglu has claimed the 2024 World Superbike Championship in his debut season with BMW, marking a historic milestone for both the rider and the manufacturer. The 2024 Champion secured the title at Jerez, where he once again proved to be the dominant force on the track.
Throughout the season, Razgatlioglu consistently outpaced his competitors, amassing 17 victories and 25 podium finishes. This performance not only earned him the Championship but also solidified his place among the WorldSBK’s legends while establishing a formidable new partnership with BMW.
Toprak Razgatlioglu began in the IDM Yamaha R6 Cup and Turkish Road Race 600cc Championship in 2011-2012. Moving to the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, he secured a win at Sachsenring in 2014. Later that year, he debuted in the European Superstock 600 Championship with a win at Magny-Cours. Razgatlioglu joined WorldSBK full-time in 2015, claiming the Superstock 600 title in his first season. He competed in Superstock 1000 in 2016-2017, finishing second in his second year. In 2018, he debuted in WorldSBK with Kawasaki. Razgatlioglu won his first WorldSBK title with Yamaha in 2021, making history as the first Turkish rider to win the WorldSBK Championship. Joining BMW in 2024, Razgatlioglu further solidified his legacy by capturing his second WorldSBK title.
By winning his second title, Toprak joins an elite club of multiple-title holders, including Alvaro Bautista, Jonathan Rea, Max Biaggi, Troy Bayliss, James Toseland, Troy Corser, Colin Edwards, Carl Fogarty, Doug Polen, and Fred Merkel. His historic victory also sees him become the first BMW rider to capture the WorldSBK title, further establishing his legacy in the Championship.
Razgatlioglu’s dominance this season was particularly evident during the Pirelli Portuguese Round, where he set a new record with 15 consecutive victories. After a crash in Free Practice at the Motul French Round left him injured, Razgatlioglu was forced to miss two rounds. However, he returned stronger from the Aragon Round onward, securing six podium finishes and extending his lead to 46 points over his Italian rival, Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), ahead of the ultimate round of the season.
Looking ahead, fans can anticipate an exciting conclusion to the 2024 season, with the last two races of 2024 still to be contested. There’s no doubt that the newly crowned WorldSBK Champion will aim to continue his dominance and finish the season on a high note. Razgatlioglu will formally receive his trophy during the prestigious Prize Giving Ceremony, scheduled for Sunday evening at the Prometeon Spanish Round.
Toprak Razgatlioglu, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team:
“What does it like to be the World Champion? Right now, I have no stress and I’m not excited. For me, the season is finished. We have two more races tomorrow, but I’m just going to enjoy them and race without any stress. It’s been a long season. Nobody believed in me or BMW at the start but now everyone understands that we are the World Champions. This is a team effort because everyone worked hard and tried to improve in every race. Finally, we are World Champions and it’s incredible. BMW has never won the title before. I’ve got my second title and BMW has their first World Championship title. I’ll be using the number one next season because BMW deserves it after their first title.”
Rider info
Place of birth: Alanya, Turkey
Age: 28 (born 16 October 1996)
Team: ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team
Bike: BMW M 1000 RRFirst Race: Australia 2018
Wins: 56
Podium places: 140
Pole positions: 18
World Titles: 2 (2021 Yamaha YZF-R1) (2024 BMW M1000RR). -
Gaurav Gill cruises into comfortable lead: INRC- Rally of Hyderabad
Hyderabad, 19 October 2024: Arjuna Awardee Gaurav Gill began with a bang and cruised into his wonted form to take the lead navigating the tricky and rough stages in the Blueband Rally of Hyderabad, the fourth round of the Blueband FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship 2024, which began at the Special Stages around the Liberty Statue in Shamshabad on Saturday.
Gill, along with co-driver Anirudha Rangnekar, took the overall lead while the pair of Daraius Shroff and Arjun Dheerendra are leading the INRC3 class and Chetan Shivram and Shivprakash, INRC2 class.
The final stage, SS4 was red flagged after only four cars crossed the finish flag as a few cars toppled out. Three top guns, 2021 champion Aditya Thakur, defending champ Arjun Rao Aroor and INRC2 leader Harkishan Wadia, suffered causalities. Daraius Shroff is leading INRC3 after three stages and Chethan Shivram tops the INRC2 class, also after three stages.
Earlier, Delhi’s speed maestro and 7-time National champion, Gill, clocked the fastest time in the first Special Stage and took a commanding lead of 17 seconds on former champion Chetan Shivram (co-driver Shivaprakash) of Bengaluru with Arnav Pratap Singh and Gulbarga’s Rithesh Guttedar following the top guns in the first stage. Gill kept his momentum with a combination of caution and aggression in the next three stages to cruise into a comfortable lead after Day 1. Chethan was fastest in JVR2, the second Special Stage, by 6.2seconds, by Gill bounced back with another 15 seconds margin on Chethan in the third stage and retained his overall lead.
Of the 55 cars that took the start, 15 cars failed to finish Day 1. However, 13 of them will take a restart on Sunday.
Provisional Results: (Day 1) (All times after SS3 only)
INRC Overall: 1. Gaurav Gill (privateer, Delhi)/ Anirudha Rangnekar (Pune) (00hour, 52 minutes, 11.9 seconds); 2. Chetan Shivram/ E Shivaprakash (A&A Motorsports, Both Bengaluru) (00:52:36.0); 3. Jason Saldhanha (Arka Motorsports, Hassan)/ Thimmu Uddapanda (Kodagu) (00:53:29.5);
INRC2: 1. Chetan Shivram/ E Shivaprakash (A&A Motorsports, Both Bengaluru) (00:52:36.0); 2. Jason Saldhanha (Arka Motorsports, Hassan)/ Thimmu Uddapanda (Kodagu) (00:53:29.5); 3. Ritesh Guttedhar (Pvt. Gulbarga)/ Suraj M (Bengaluru) (00:53:47.9).
INRC3: 1. Daraius Shroff (Chettinad Sporting, Mumbai)/ Arjun Dheerendra (Bengaluru) (00:54.13.0); 2. Shashank Jamwal (Arka Motorsports, Himachal)/ Aseem Sharma (Chandigarh) (00:54.03.8); 3. Arnav Pratap Singh (Snap Racing, Gurugram)/ Rohit (Bengaluru) (00:54:07.6)
Ladies Class: 1. Anushriya Gulati (Arka MS, Dehradun)/ Karan Aukta (00:56:43.2); 2. Nikeetaa Takkale (Pvt, Pune)/ Arvind Dheerendra (Bengaluru) (00:58:14.7); 3. Phoebe Nongrum (Snap Racing, Shillong)/ KP Aravind (Bengaluru) (01:06:35.6);
Junior INRC: 1. Abhin Rai (Ideal Racing)/ Moideen Jasheer (both Chikmagalur) (00:54:55.6); 2. Arjun Rajiv (Chettinadu Sporting)/ Vinay (Both Bengaluru) (00:54:26.1); 3. Ajay Sankar (Pvt. Coimbatore)/ Vybhav Mukund (Bengaluru) (00:56:06.5);
Note: Only five cars finished the SS4, the final stage of the day before the stage was red flagged. So all the rest of the cars were given scratch times based on SS2 times.
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Team MRF’s Andrea-Virginia win final round, Rally Silesia: Euro Rally
Andrea Mabellini and Virginia Lenzi take their first European victory after a solid and mature performance against two-time FIA ERC champion Hayden Paddon.
Katowice (Poland), 14 October 2024: Team MRF Tyres’ Andrea Mabellini and Virginia Lenzi (ITA) notched up a creditable victory in the 8th Rally Silesia- Rajd Śląska, the final round of European Rally Championship 2024 here on Sunday. The MRF duo in a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 became the eighth different winner of the eight round 2024 FIA European Rally Championship.
The Italian crew, who finished second in the previous championship round at the JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion, delivered an outstanding performance, allowing Mabellini to claim his first European career victory. This is a significant result, marking the first time in 13 years that an Italian has won a European rally outside of Italy. With this result, Mabellini finished the season in fourth place, missing out third by just a few points, while contributing significantly to Team MRF Tyres’ second-place finish in the teams’ standings.
Mabellini’s success was built over time, with strategic teamwork ensuring the right tyre choices at critical moments. The Italian driver was in contention from the start, securing second place in the opening show stage and becoming the only driver to challenge former WRC driver Hayden Paddon, the two-time European champion. The turning point came on Day 2, with Mabellini’s victory on SS11, propelling him into the lead after an intense battle fought down to the tenths of a second.
The key moment came three stages from the end: after a mostly dry rally, changing weather conditions and the rain made tire choice crucial. Team MRF Tyres made no mistakes, with Mabellini driving with both speed and precision, showing maturity, and extending his lead from a narrow 1.9-second margin to an 18.3-second gap by the finish.
“I’m extremely happy. I want to thank Team MRF Tyres for believing in me from the start. We’ve worked hard together, and achieving this result is a huge satisfaction for all of us. A big thanks also to Virginia, who understands me perfectly, guides me, and without whom I wouldn’t be able to give my best, and to everyone who supported us from Italy. It’s been an incredible weekend, a season finale to remember. We’re enjoying this moment,” said Mabellini.
Also crossing the finish line in Katowice were Team MRF Tyres’ Amaury Molle (B) and Alex Dubois (FRA) in the Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo. The Belgian driver returned after his accident at the Barum Czech Rally Zlín two months ago, delivering a consistent performance. Molle worked on regaining confidence and consistency, posting impressive times, including seventh on SS11, run in very uncertain conditions.
“It’s been a weekend full of positives. I know it will take time to fully regain my rhythm and the confidence to push at 100%, but I felt a great connection with the car, and Alex and I did a good job, improving stage by stage. We made a small mistake on the final stage but that doesn’t change our outlook on the weekend’s result. Thanks to Team MRF Tyres for this opportunity; now we have the winter to prepare and focus on our 2025 season,” said Molle.
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‘Born Racers’ reveals the sacrifices behind MotoGP dream: A Warner Bros. docu
Born Racers’ Takes Center Stage as Warner Bros. Discovery and Red Bull Reveal MotoGP Next Gen Docu-Series
Six-Part Documentary Follows the Journey of Young Hopefuls in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup
Mumbai, 15 October 2024: Eurosport India, in partnership with Red Bull, is excited to announce the premiere of Born Racers, a six-part docu-series that chronicles the journeys of young motorcycling talents in the highly competitive Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup. The series will debut on October 20, 2024, exclusively on Eurosport.
Now in its 17th year, the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup is renowned as the premier proving ground for future MotoGP champions, open to riders as young as 15.Born Racers offers an in-depth look at the high-pressure environment these young racers navigate as they pursue their dreams of success in Grand Prix racing.
Through compelling storytelling, the series captures not only the thrilling on-track action but also the personal challenges and sacrifices these athletes face in their quest for glory. Viewers can expect an engaging exploration of talent, determination, and the relentless pursuit of excellence in the world of motorsports.
Video Link- https://sendgb.com/7JHdj3vp1Ne
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Diana Pundole breaks gender barrier, creates history in Indian Motorsports
Bengaluru: Diana Pundole, a 28-year-old from Pune, has made history as the first Indian woman to win a national racing championship in the MRF Saloon category. Her remarkable victory at the 2024 Indian National Car Racing Championship, held at the Madras International Circuit, marks a significant achievement in a male-dominated sport. Pundole’s journey has been anything but conventional—balancing her roles as a mother of two and a teacher while pursuing her passion for motorsport.
Diana’s entry into racing started early when she took up karting as a hobby. Despite having no formal training, she built her skills through sheer determination. However, it wasn’t until she participated in a nationwide talent hunt organized by JK Tyre Motorsport that her career truly took off. Winning the event gave her a fully sponsored racing season, where she debuted in a Formula car. From there, her racing career blossomed, with milestones like setting lap records and eventually progressing to the saloon category.
Her 2024 victory is particularly notable for breaking longstanding stereotypes in motorsports. As she noted in interviews, racing is a physically and mentally demanding sport, and she has faced her share of criticism and taunts. Yet, her perseverance paid off, and today, she is celebrated for her groundbreaking achievements.
This victory is not just a personal triumph but a significant step for women in Indian motorsports, inspiring young girls to follow their dreams despite societal challenges.
Note: This article is part of Indian ‘Women in Motorpsots’ series which profiles the best performances of women riders and drivers of the 2024 season.
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A triumph against the odds: Sarah Khan is 2024 vice champion in TVS ladies class
Bengaluru, 10 October 2024: In a brutal display of resilience and determination, Sarah Khan has secured the title of vice-champion in the prestigious TVS One-Make Championship braving odds head on. She clinched victory in the final round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship, a feat made remarkable as she competed with a fractured wrist.
Sarah Khan with her 2024 Trophy The 2024 season began on a high note for Sarah, with a decisive win in the first round. However, the journey to the championship podium was far from smooth. In Round 2, some technical issues hindered her performance where she finished in third position. Round 3 presented another setback, with Sarah starting from the last on the grid due to a penalty but finished a fighting fourth. Yet, it was in Round 4 that the greatest challenge arose. During the race, Sarah suffered a crash, resulting in a fractured wrist. Despite the injury, she refused to quit.
After the race was red-flagged, Sarah rejoined the competition, starting from the pitlane and defying the odds, he finished in P7. It was a gritty performance, one that showcased her unrelenting spirit. Even with the fractured wrist, she was determined to continue racing.
In the final round, Round 5, Sarah made a remarkable comeback. Despite struggling with her pace due to wrist pain, she qualified in P5. However, Sarah fought through the adversity and delivered a spectacular performance. In a hard-fought battle, she claimed victory in the race, securing enough points to finish the season as the vice-champion.
Sarah Khan with the machines that she raced in 2024 Reflecting on the season, Sarah acknowledges that none of it would have been possible without the unwavering support of her mom and brother. “I wasn’t even sure if I’d be able to race this season.” Sarah said. “But their support gave me the strength to keep going. It’s funny to think that there was a time when they were against me to become a motorcycle racer but now I’m happy they’re very proud.”
The season has been a journey of highs and lows, but through it all, Sarah demonstrated a remarkable ability to persevere in the face of adversity. With a vice-champion tag to her name and an inspiring story to match, Sarah Khan has scripted a remarkable journey in the 2024 TVS One-Make Championship.
Note: This article is part of Indian ‘Women in Motorpsots’ series which profiles the best performances of women riders and drivers of the 2024 season.
