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Author: INDIAinF1 Desk
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CEAT ISRL rider auction for Season 2 begins in October
Pune, 2 Sept. 2024: The CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League (ISRL) Season 2 has attracted an impressive 145 riders with an array of glittering stars including a couple of world champions for the Indian biking extravaganza.
The riders from the USA, Spain, France, Germany, Sweden, South Africa, Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, besides the champions from India will be thrilling the spectators and fans alike for second season. The registration of Indian-origin riders has increased compared to Season 1 that combines seasoned champions and promising new talent.
Eeshan Lokhande, Co-founder & Director of the CEAT ISRL, said: “The response to Season two has been phenomenal. We are witnessing a new era in Indian motorsports, where the CEAT ISRL is not just a platform for international talent but also a catalyst for the growth of Supercross in India. Our goal is to elevate the sport further and deliver a season that is bigger, bolder, and faster, captivating fans around the world.”
Season 2 will see the return of fan favorites like 9x Australian Champion Matt Moss, Reid Taylor, MxON World Champion Jordi Tixier, and Asia Motocross Champion Thanarat Penjan. New faces include AMA Pro Motocross Champion Mike Alessi, French Supercross Champion Greg Aranda, French Motocross Champion Maxime Desprey and Australian Motocross Champion Luke Clout. Indian talent is equally well-represented, with riders like 3x Indian Supercross Champion Rugved Barguje, Indian Supercross Champions Shlok Ghorpade, and Ikshan Shanbhag ready to make their mark once again.
Matt Moss, 9x Australian Champion said: “Season 1 was a fantastic experience for me, both on and off the track. Traveling to India was definitely a cultural shock, but in the best possible way, the people were amazing, and the hospitality was second to none. The racing itself was really competitive and enjoyable. As we head into Season 2, I’m confident that any small issues from the first season will be ironed out, making it even better. I’m especially excited to see the increased competition with more riders from the USA, France, and Australia joining in. I can’t wait to get back out there and see what Season 2 has in store!”
Mike Alessi, AMA Pro Motocross Champion said: “I’m thrilled to be heading to India for the CEAT ISRL. I watched Season 1, and I was really impressed with what I saw. I’m eager to come over this year, put on a great show for the fans, and just have an all-around amazing time. Looking forward to seeing everyone there!”
Rugved Barguje, 3x Indian Supercross Champion, said: “Reflecting on Season 1 of the CEAT ISRL, it was beyond anything I expected—riding on a proper Supercross track in India was a dream come true. Despite battling a thumb injury, the adrenaline and excitement kept me pushing through the races. For Season 2, I’m fully recovered and in better shape, with my eyes set on securing a podium finish. It’s going to be an exciting season, and I can’t wait to get started.”
Jordi Tixier, MxON World Champion, said: “Season 1 was absolutely amazing; it really exceeded all my expectations. The races, the championship, the track, and especially the people made it a memorable experience. Meeting the Indian fans was a true highlight. I’m super excited for Season 2—more races, more battles on the track, and the chance to meet even more fans. The upcoming auction should be really exciting, especially with new riders joining in. I’m looking forward to another great season and can’t wait to be back in India soon!”
The rider auction is scheduled for October and the teams will have the opportunity to bid on the world’s best Supercross talent. The CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League continues to provide a world-class platform for both emerging and seasoned riders. With multiple rounds scheduled across various cities in India, the upcoming season is poised to deliver thrilling action.
About Indian Supercross Racing League (ISRL):
The Indian Supercross Racing League (ISRL) is the world’s first franchise-based Supercross league. This groundbreaking initiative is set to revolutionize the way sports are perceived in India, creating a global spectacle that will captivate spectators like never before. ISRL brings together athletes from around the world to compete in various formats and categories.
About the Founders:
Team Supercross India (SXI), the parent company of the Indian Supercross Racing League, is at the helm of this groundbreaking initiative. Led by former international racers Veer Patel (a two-time national SX Champion), Eeshan Lokhande, and Aashwin Lokhande, SXI has meticulously conceptualized and delivered a league that is set to redefine Supercross racing on a global scale.
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Pragathi excels in Rally5 class at French Nationals
France, 2nd September 2024: Pragathi Gowda continued her hot form in her maiden international gravel rally experience on Sunday. The Rallye Terre de Lozere, a round of the French national championship, which hosted 126 participants from across the world saw Pragathi finish 15th in Rally 5 class and 53rd overall with a timing of 1:42:03.7.
Pragathi reflected on the fantastic drive saying, “This is a rally where the world champions like Sebastien Loeb and Sebastien Ogier have learnt and come up in. To make my gravel rally debut here is a special feeling on its own but to be the only Indian to have achieved this feat in a European/ French national championship round is the icing on the cake. I cannot thank Sidvin Engineering enough for this tremendous opportunity.”In a rally with challenging terrain in the volcanic mountains, which was a first for Pragathi, with ruts as deep as 3-4 feet dug up by the 4 wheel drive cars and all top French drivers participating in cars including the WRC -1, 2 and 3 spec and Rally -4 cars, Rally-5 cars and historic cars, Pragathi faced a steep learning curve ahead of her.
She was slower off the blocks, coming in 31st in her class in the first special stage. But she wasted no time in adapting to this unique rally which features a reconnaissance in the rally car in the morning, followed by the rally stage after 1 hour, instead of the regular reconnaissance which is done the previous day, in a normal car and has 2 passes on the road; a tight program the French drivers have been used to for the past 10-15 years.
Pragathi was helped by Arnaud Dunand, a championship winning WRC co-driver in improving her pace notes and her trainer, Alex Bengue who is a former French National champion and has driven alongside the likes of Sebastien Loeb. With a total of 6 stages on Saturday and 4 stages on Sunday, she took huge steps after the first special stage, improving her pace by almost 2.5 seconds per KM during the 2 days, a fact highlighted by all top drivers.
“The stages were very rough and I haven’t ever seen such rough stages in my career. The ruts created due to the very powerful WRC and WRC2 cars , was something I had never seen . I made a goal yo kept it clean and had only one puncture in stage 2 of the rally. After crossing that hurdle, I knew how to drive clean and not damage the car, a top 15 finish was very satisfying and kudos to PH sport that gave me a very reliable car ” Pragathi explained the challenges she braved.
She registered the 13th fastest time in the last stage and finished 15th in class with 27 cars following her past the finish line. Pragathi also achieved average speeds of 82 km per hour – a very high figure for a gravel rally.Pragathi is supported by Sidvin Engineering, who were the first to take an Indian to the WRC in the year 2009.
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Parante, Hyman claim top honours in Indian Racing League
Chennai, 1 Sept. 2024: Portuguese veteran Alvaro Parante (Speed Demons Delhi) and UK’s Raoul Hyman (Goa Aces JK Racing) held their nerves in a thrilling finish to top the two Indian Racing League races as the historic first-ever night street races concluded at the Chennai Formula Racing Circuit, near Island grounds, here on Sunday.
On a day of high drama and wheel-to-wheel action, with plenty of Safety Car periods, the 39-year-old Parante was pushed to the limit by a couple of young Bengalureans, Sohil Shah (Goa Aces JA Racing) and Rishon Rajeev (Bangalore Speedsters), before the Portuguese driver used his vast experience to pick up pace at the crucial moment towards the fag end of the race for a fine win. Shah briefly led the race before Parante, who had slipped to fourth after an error, caught up and passed him.
Earlier, Raoul Hyman and Gabriela Jilkova delivered a 1-2 finish for Goa Aces JA Racing in Race-1 that its share of drama. The duo survived it all to take the top two podium spots ahead of Malaysian Alister Yoong (Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers) who did extremely well to climb from P5 to pick up vital points for his team.
Thus, after two rounds, Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers lead the championship table with 93 points, followed by Chennai Turbo Riders (83), Speed Demons Delhi (74), Goa Aces JA Racing (73), Bangalore Speedsters (39) and Blackbirds Hyderabad (36). The Round-3 is scheduled for September 14-15 in Coimbatore.
The Indian Racing Festival, promoted by Racing Promotions Pvt Ltd, is sponsored by Kingfisher Soda, JK Tyres, Mobil 1 and Megha Engineering & Infrastructure Limited.
The results:
Indian Racing League (25 minutes + 1 lap)
Driver A (timings not available due to technical issue)
1. Raoul Hyman (UK, Goa Aces JA Racing);
2. Gabriela Jilkova (Czech Republic, Goa Aces JA Racing);
3. Alister Yoong (Malaysia, Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers).
Driver B
1. Alvaro Parante (Portugal, Speed Demons Delhi) (28:02.822);
2. Sohil Shah (India, Goa Aces JA Racing) (28:03.769);
3. Rishon Rajeev (India, Bangalore Speedsters) (28:09.307).
ends
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Ruhaan Alva, Divy Nandan bag second place each: Indian F4
Chennai, 1 Sept. 2024: Two Indian drivers Bengaluru’s Ruhaan Alva driving for Bengal Tigers and Delhi’s Divy Nandan racing for Ahmedabad Apex Racers, notched up creditable second places in Race 1 and Race 2 respectively, even as Australian Hugh Barter of Godspeed Kochi and South African Aqil Alibhai of Hyderabad Blackbirds wrote their own script to share the day’s honours in the FIA-Formula 4 Indian Championship at the Chennai Formula Racing Circuit under floodlights here on Sunday.
Starting from pole position, Barter topped Race 1 in typical style, outpacing the field, in another flawless exhibition that underlined his undoubted talent. In contrast, Alibhai, who missed Race-1 due to issues with his car, made ample amends by winning Race 2 after starting fourth on the grid, and, in the process, displaying considerable skill in defensive driving.
Barter, who last weekend had won a race starting last on the grid, was unstoppable while winning the first race that was marred by two Safety Car periods and then a red flag with little over three minutes and a lap left. Meanwhile, Abhay Mohan (Bangalore Speedsters) quietly moved to P4 from P8 and then jumped to third place behind Barter and Ruhaan Alva Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers) as Jaden Pariat (Bangalore Speedsters) retired, bringing out the Safety Car for the third time with about six minutes and a lap left of the race. The proceedings were yet again interrupted by a red flag with about 3:30 plus one lap remaining following an incident.
Ruhaan Alva, who finished a creditable P2 in F4 Race 1 receiving the trophy. An IRL image Unable to complete second qualifying session, Barter started Race 2 from the end of the grid, but in no time, climbed to fifth before tangling with Ruhaan Alva and dropped to eighth. Ahead of them, Alibhai made three spots to take the lead which he defended with aplomb to win from two Indians, Divy Nandan and Jaden Pariat as the race ended behind the Safety Car. Alva finished fourth while Barter came in fifth.
The results (Provisional):
FIA Formula 4 Indian Championship (25mins + 1 lap)
Race 1
1. Hugh Barter (Australia, Godspeed Kochi) (19:42.952);
2. Ruhaan Alva (India, Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers) (19:50.251);
3. Abhay Mohan (India, Bangalore Speedsters) (20:09.021).
Race 2
1. Aqil Alibhai (South Africa, Blackbirds Hyderabad) (30:03.445);
2. Divy Nandan (India, Ahmedabad Apex Racers) (30:03.704);
3. Jaden Pariat (India, Bangalore Speedsters) (30:04.413).
Diljit, Tijil Rao share honours
JK Tyre-FMSCI National Racing Championship 2024
Dark Don team enjoyed a profitable weekend as Diljith TS from Thrissur and Bengaluru’s Tijil Rao won a race apiece in the Formula LGB 4 category, but both had to work hard for their P1 slots on the podium.
Race-1 was a close fight between pole-sitter Pune’s Neython McPherson (Momentum Motorsports) and Diljith as the two exchanged leads early on. However, the more experienced Diljith managed to secure a slender lead that he nursed to the finish despite a Safety Car period, to finish ahead of McPherson. Behind them, Tijil Rao, having started from P8, moved up to P3, showing impressive pace, but could not make further progress as the eight-lap race was reduced to six after a red flag stoppage.
Later in the day, under lights, Tijil Rao came up with another fine drive to upstage Diljith after the two traded lead through the 10-lap race that saw two Safety Car periods. Eventually, Tijil made a decisive move on front-running Diljith to take his second win in the championship. Diljith had to be content with P2, ahead of McPherson.
The results (Provisional):
JK Tyre-FMSCI National Racing Championship (Formula LGB 4) – Race-1 (5 laps): 1. Diljith TS (Thrissur, Dark Don Racing) (11:48.827); 2. Neythan McPherson (Pune, Momentum Motorsports) (11:48.973); 3. Tijil Rao (Bengaluru, Dark Don Racing) (11:50.800). Rookie: 1. McPherson (11:48.973); 2. Abhay Mohan (Bengaluru, MSPORT) (11:53.785); 3. Ashok Lal (Bengaluru, Avalanche Racing) (12:01.039).
Race-2 (10 laps): 1. Tiljil Rao (27:03.653); 2. Diljith TS (27:03.964); 3. Neythan McPherson (27:04.402). Rookie: 1. McPherson (27:04.402); 2. Abhay Mohan (27:07.408); 3. Dhruvh Goswami (Bengaluru, MSPORT) (27:09.599).
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1043 days later: Marc Marquez roars back to glory, drama hits for Bagnaia
The #93 completes a history-making weekend at MotorLand as Martin’s lead increases following a clash between Alex Marquez and Bagnaia.
Aragon, 1 Sept. 2024: 1043 days, multiple surgeries, a change of team and factory later, and Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) is back on the top step of the Grand Prix podium. The #93 dominated the majority of the Gran Premio GoPro de Aragon including a stunning first Tissot Sprint win, but being the fastest isn’t a guarantee of glory. Come Sunday, however, Marquez shot off the line for the holeshot and never looked back, underlining one of the greatest comebacks in MotoGP history.
There was plenty to talk about in his wake too, with Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) taking second and extending his title lead – gained back from Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) on Saturday – after Bagnaia’s podium charge came to a halt in a clash with Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP). The verdict from the FIM MotoGP Stewards: racing incident and no further action. The verdict from each rider wildly opposes both that and each other.
Meanwhile, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) took the final spot on the podium, back on the GP box for the first time since the Americas GP in April and adding to an impressive point tally for the rookie, who currently sits fifth in the World Championship standings.
As the lights went out, Marc Marquez took the holeshot once again, and there was drama for Bagnaia once again as the #1 struggled off the line and got close to Alex Marquez in a near-repeat of the Sprint start. Acosta moved up into second and Martin took over in third, with Bagnaia left with work to do down in P7.
The #89 attempted a move at Turn 8 on Lap 2, running wide and allowing Acosta back through before making an overtake stick at Turn 13. Acosta then began to drop back, with Alex Marquez now entering the podium positions.
Bagnaia began to recover positions, overtaking Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) for sixth position. The Italian set his sights on Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing), aiming to re-enter the top five, and not long after Morbidelli then ran wide, dropping to eighth and allowing the #1 through.
After an early crash for Miguel Oliveira (Trackhouse Racing), Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team) then joined him as a DNF, unable to secure a double top 10 finish in Aragon after a crash at Turn 5. Further back, Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) was battling for the final places inside the top 10 with Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing).
Back at the front, Marc Marquez extended his lead to over three seconds, with the #89 remaining as his closest rival. Martin, however, still held that crucial ground on Bagnaia as the #1 was up into P4 after a spectacular overtake on Acosta at the end of Lap 11. Next target: Alex Marquez.
By Lap 19, Bagnaia was tagged right onto the back of the #73, and as the Gresini ran wide on the entry to Turn 12, the door seemed open. Bagnaia went for it, meanwhile Alex Marquez tried to keep it. The result was contact between the two as they slid off in a tangle to forfeit the podium, riders ok and Martin’s points advantage suddenly bolstered to 23 points by the flag.
Up ahead though, Marc Marquez suffered no such dramas. Extending his margin to five seconds, the #93 kept it calm at the head of the field to take that coveted first victory since 2021, his first with Ducati and Gresini, 1043 days – and so much more – later.
Behind Martin and Acosta, who swept past the Bagnaia-Alex Marquez drama to complete the podium, was a strong P4 for Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). Bastianini, after a somewhat disastrous grid position as he lost out on Q2, put in a classic comeback to round out the top five. Morbidelli claimed sixth after a solid weekend, ahead of Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team’s Di Giannantonio and Marco Bezzecchi, who crossed the line in that order but then got switched after a Tyre Pressure Penalty for Diggia. Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) took P9, ahead of the final place in the top ten for Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) after a tyre pressure penalty for Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) dropped the Aussie out the top ten.
Make sure you join us next week when the world’s most exciting sport returns for the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini. Enemy territory for the Championship leader and the most recent winner. Home turf for the reigning Champion. See you in Misano?
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Lando Norris takes pole ahead of Oscar Piastri as McLaren lock out front row
Monza, 31 August 2024: Lando Norris took this fourth pole position of the season and his second in a row as P2 for Oscar Piastri locked out the front row of the grid for McLaren for the 2024 FIA Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix. Geroge Russell qualified third for Mercedes as championship leader Max Verstappen ended up in seventh place.
At the start of Q1, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc set the early pace with a lap of 1:20.074. Verstappen then crossed the line in 1:20.226 to take P2. He was soon demoted to third, however, when Norris jumped to the top of the order with a lap of 1:19.911.
Further back Sergio Pérez, in the second Red Bull, looked in trouble ahead of the final flyers. In 19th place and 1.2 seconds off Norris, the Mexican required a strong final flyer and he delivered with a time of 1:20.598 that was good enough to hand P9 at the end of the opening session.
At the top of the order Norris claimed P1 ahead of Leclerc and Piastri, with Ferraris Carlos Sainz fourth place ahead of Russell and Verstappen.
Ruled out at the end of the session were RB’s Yuki Tsunoda in P16, Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, Williams’ rookie Franco Colapinto and the Saubers of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu.
At the start of Q2, Leclerc again set the early pace, with the Ferrari driver lapping in 1:20.296 to take top spot 0.032s ahead of team-mate Sainz as both went out on used Softs. Verstappen, meanwhile, had new Softs onboard and he jumped ahead of both Ferraris to take P1 with a time of 1:19.874. The championship leader couldn’t hold on to P1, however, and Norris soon jumped to top spot with a lap of 1:19.727, 0.081 ahead of Piastri who was just under seven hundredths of a second ahead of Verstappen. Hamilton then moved ahead of all three thanks to a lap of 1:19.641.
In the final runs of Q2, Versatappen improved to 1:19.662 to climb to second place behind pacesetter Hamilton, who backed out of what appeared to be an exploratory final run. Norris and Sainz, who elected not to run in the final moments, took third and fourth respectively ahead of the second McLaren of Piastri.
There was, however, no place in the top-10 shootout for Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso who exited in P11 ahead of RB’s Daniel Ricciardo, Haas’ Kevin Magnussen and the Alpine cars of Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon.
In the opening runs of Q3, Norris led Piastri, with the Briton claiming provisional pole with a time of 1:19.401, just 0.035s ahead of the Australian. They were followed by Russell and Hamilton, with the Ferraris of Sainz and Leclerc in fifth and sixth ahead of Pérez and Verstappen who complained of a lack of grip from his new set of Soft tyres.
In the second and final runs, the Red Bulls again struggled. Pérez, leading the way on track, ran wide at the second Lesmo and kicked up a plume of dust, which then upset Verstappen who had already gone slightly wide at Lesmo 1. It meant that although he improved his personal best, Verstappen only rose above his team-mate and the title leader will start seventh.
Behind, Norris only went quicker in sector two compared to his previous personal best, but he still improved the first place benchmark to set pole at 1m19.327, a tenth ahead of Piastri with just 0.004s behind the Australian. Leclerc qualified in fourth place ahead of team-mate Sainz, while Lewis Hamilton took fifth at the flag ahead of Verstappen and Pérez. Alex Albon was ninth for Williams and the top 10 order was rounded out by Haas’ Hülkenberg.
2024 FIA Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix – Qualifying
1 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1’19.327 – –
2 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1’19.436 0.109 0.137
3 George Russell Mercedes 1’19.440 0.113 0.142
4 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1’19.461 0.134 0.169
5 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1’19.467 0.140 0.176
6 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1’19.513 0.186 0.234
7 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1’20.022 0.695 0.876
8 Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1’20.062 0.735 0.927
9 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1’20.299 0.972 1.225
10 Nico Hülkenberg Haas/Ferrari 1’20.339 1.012 1.276
11 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1’20.421 1.094 1.379
12 Daniel Ricciardo RB/Honda RBPT 1’20.479 1.152 1.452
13 Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 1’20.698 1.371 1.728
14 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1’20.738 1.411 1.779
15 Esteban Ocon Alpine/Renault 1’20.766 1.439 1.814
16 Yuki Tsunoda RB/Honda RBPT 1’20.945 1.618 2.040
17 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1’21.013 1.686 2.125
18 Franco Colapinto Williams/Mercedes 1’21.061 1.734 2.186
19 Valtteri Bottas Sauber/Ferrari 1’21.101 1.774 2.236
20 Zhou Guanyu Sauber/Ferrari 1’21.445 2.118 2.670 -
Marc Marquez serves up Saturday masterclass as Martin reclaims title lead
The #93 takes his first Tissot Sprint win ahead of Martin and Acosta as Bagnaia duels Quartararo for eighth on Saturday.
Aragon, 31 August 2024: Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) is a Tissot Sprint winner! The #93 started from a pole position secured with the biggest gap in the dry since 2011, took the holeshot and never looked back on Saturday afternoon at the Gran Premio GoPro de Aragon. It’s the first Sprint win for the eight-time World Champion as he escaped Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) by nearly three seconds.
For Martin, however, a second-place finish puts him back in the Championship lead by four points as reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) had a tougher Sprint and came home ninth for a single point. Completing the podium behind Martin, rookie Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) converted second on the grid to third in the Sprint.
As the lights went out there was an immediate front row fracas for Bagnaia, with the reigning Champion snapping sideways off the line, getting bogged down and then getting close to Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP). Ahead, there were no such dramas for Marc Marquez as he took the holeshot and then got the hammer down, shadowed by Martin up from Row 2 and Acosta in third.
Bagnaia was holding station in fourth initially, able to stay ahead of Alex Marquez, but the reigning Champion was making no inroads on the top three. Then he was wide at Turn 5 to drop back to sixth ahead of Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), before another few scrappy moments saw the South African get past him – and then the fight for sixth lit up.
Binder, Bagnaia and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) had their own throwdown, and Miguel Oliveira (Trackhouse Racing) sliced past all of them to start making some space in fifth. Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) was next on the scene and it settled into Oliveira in fifth, Binder trying to hold off Bastianini and a flashback battle between Quartararo and Bagnaia.
Up ahead, Marc Marquez laid down the gauntlet ahead of the Grand Prix as his first Sprint win ups the hype even more. The Gresini Racing MotoGP rider has led every session of his weekend so far and if he wins on Sunday it will be his first victory since 2021, over 1000 days ago.
Martin pulled out a gap on Acosta by the flag, and the rookie also managed to keep some fresh air ahead of Alex Marquez in fourth. Oliveira kept fifth, with Binder staying in P6 by just over a tenth over Bastianini.
Behind, it went to the wire in the Bagnaia vs Quartararo battle, with the Frenchman sending it a couple of times before managing to complete the pickpocket and sit the #1 up. Bagnaia then came under attack on the last lap from Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), but the #1 was able to answer on the cut back and cross the line for that final Sprint point in P9.
Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) crashed out early on at Turn 1 and nearly took Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) with him, but the returning Italian stayed upright. Further drama included a crash for Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) – rider ok – and one for Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR), rider also ok but that adding a blip to the Frenchman’s otherwise stunning weekend at Aragon so far.
Join us again on Sunday for the Grand Prix race as Marc Marquez looks for a date with destiny – and everyone else looks to stop him 1043 days later.
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Moodubidire Adventure Drive 2024, a huge success
Moodabidri, 27 August 2024: The 4th edition of the Time-Speed-Distance (TSD) rally, Moodubidire Adventure Drive 2024, which attracted 35 participants from across South India, concluded successfully here on Sunday.
Moodubidire, traditionally known for its educational institutions, is now emerging as a new hub for motorsports, and in the forefront of this new interest are the efforts of the Tribhuvan Automotive Sports Club (TASC) and the Bedra Adventure Club (BAC), whose initiatives have attracted the cream of talent and propelled interest in the sport in this region.
The event, rooted in a motorsports history that dates back to 1988, was further strengthened in 2013 when BAC joined forces with TASC. This year’s rally marked a significant milestone, continuing to build on the legacy of motorsports in the region. Abhayachandra Jain, Former Minister for Fisheries, Youth Services, and Sports in the Government of Karnataka, inaugurated the event in the presence of Kuldeep M, President of TASC, and Akshay Jain, President of BAC.
The Indian Motor Sports Club (IMSC) played a crucial role in organising and providing technical support for the TSD event, ensuring it adhered to the high standards set by the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (fmsci). It’s involvement has not only added prestige to the event but enhanced the standards of organising and it also highlights the growing recognition for Moodabidri, as the new hub of motorsports activities.
Moodubidire Adventure Drive 2024 participants and winners The closing ceremony was a grand affair, which saw notable motorsport athletes being felicitated. The ceremony was graced by Vivek Alva, Managing Trustee of Alvas Education Foundation, Abhijeet M, Secretary of TASC, Pratap Jain, Treasurer of TASC, along with Kuldeep and Akshay, Presidents of TASC and BAC, respectively. The event garnered praise from the Tourism Department of Karnataka and the Coastal Tourism Department of Mangalore, who commended the organisers for their efforts in promoting motorsports.
In the various competitive categories, the winners were celebrated for their outstanding performances. In the Novice class, Sampath Gowda and Vinay took the top spot, followed by Umar Farooq and Praveen Perera in second place, and Koushik and Sachin in third.
The Doctor category saw Vinoy Prasad and Swopna Rai clinching first place, with Smrithi Shetty and Shibin Girish taking second, and Mahaveera Jain and Rakshit Kumar finishing third.
The Start Arch and the people who made the start possible at the Moodubidire Adventure Drive 2024. Photos arranged by organisers The Couple category was led by Shrutha Jayant and Jayanth M Jain, followed by Joshil Kumar and Priyanka in second place, and Shaewari and Abhinanta in third.
In the Bedra category, Raksha Balal and Vikram Jain emerged victorious, with Pradeep K and Sanjeet Jain in second place, and Rizhwan and Imran in third.
The Club category saw Akhil Nayak and Chiranth Jain taking the top honors, followed by Zahir Manipady and Vinoth Kumar in second place, and Dilip Kumar Jain and Samruda Pai in third.
The Corporate category was won by AbulalaPuthige and Saravana Kumar, followed by Darshan and Pradeep in second place, and Vishwak Kasturi and Vivek Tripathi in third.
In the Expert category was won by David Sharon and Meghana Sarkar who defeated Kartik Maruthi and Shankar Anand and AbulalaPuthige and Saravana Kumar finished third.
Certificates were presented to several individuals who made significant contributions to motorsports. Among those honoured were Musa Sherif, recognised for his outstanding role as a co-driver and his extensive contributions to Indian motorsports, and Ashwin Naik, celebrated for his achievements on both national and international rally circuits.
Dr Sajeesh Reghunathan, MPT, was acknowledged for his dual expertise in motorsports and physiotherapy, while Aroor Vikram Rao was honoured for his remarkable rallying career.
Prathijna Shetty, Vikram Rao, Dean Mascarenas, Sudeep Kotari, and Adan Ahmed were also recognised for their dedication and accomplishments in the sport.
The Indian Motor Sports Club (IMSC) received special recognition for its pivotal role in organising and conducting the TSD event, highlighting the collective efforts that have made this event a success.
The Moodubidire Adventure Drive 2024 concluded with the promise of future events, continuing to nurture the passion for motorsports in the region. The organisers expressed their gratitude to all participants, sponsors, and supporters who contributed to the event’s success.
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Sidvin supported Pragathi Gowda gets a podium in her class at Rallye des Vallees
Remiremont (France), 26 August 2024: Bengaluru’s ace rally driver, Pragathi Gowda, finished a creditable third in her class and overall 37th in the Rallye des Vallees 2024 here on Sunday.
India’s top lady driver supported by Sidvin and MRF Tyres, Pragathi, made a stunning debut in the Rally 5 spec car and clocked a time of 23 minutes and 51.8 seconds. She won a podium in her class on debut and as she raced on equal footing with male drivers, which also included France’s National Champion Yoan Corberand, who finished first in her class.
After three months of rigorous training in Europe, the 26-year-old Pragathi, along with Brazilian co-driver Gabriel Morales, not only blazed to the podium in her category while finishing 37th overall.
Pragathi Gowda is supported by Sidvin and MRF Tyres. “My first international rally in France was an incredible experience. We had a very productive test day and a perfect recce in the build-up to this beautiful rally. It was a challenging rally for me but with each kilometre I drove I gained confidence in the car and with my co-driver. I was able to match the speed of other top drivers, I was doing about 165kmph in some places and averaged about 102 kmh speed through the race on these narrow roads,” Pragathi said.
Pragathi and co-driver Morales in action. Photos from Pragathi Gowda “Thanks to the support provided by everyone on my team, I improved my time stage-after-stage. I am really happy with my first rally experience in France and I will continue to work hard to improve my performance in the upcoming rallies. Also being acknowledged by some of the top rallyists here has been overwhelming and I am encouraged to do better in the upcoming race this weekend,” she added.
Driving a Renault Clio Rally 5 car fitted with Indian-made MRF tyres, Pragathi showed immense pace in the first special stage to come 5th in her class and 80th overall. With a better grip on the track, she went on to improve her timing by a whopping 32 seconds across the second and third special stages to finish on the podium.
The Rallye des Vallees 2024 is a high-speed rally on narrow asphalt roads which begs impeccable precision and one misstep could mean the end of the rally. Pragathi braved this challenge, achieving a top speed of almost 165kmph in some areas of the circuit and clocked an average speed of 102.5 Kmph at the end of the rally, an impressive drive that was applauded by many of the local champions.
After an exhilarating drive that saw her match the speed of some of the top experienced drivers, Pragathi will put the pedal to the metal again in a gravel race this weekend at the Rallye Terre de Lozere.
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Norris takes pole ahead of Verstappen for Dutch GP
Zandvoort (the Netherlands), 24 August 2024: Lando Norris delivered a blistering final flying lap in qualifying at Zandvoort to deny home hero Max Verstappen a fourth straight Dutch Grand pole position. Oscar Piastri finished third in the closely contested session and will start ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell on the second row of the grid.
At the start of Q1 it was Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll who was quickly into the groove, with the Canadian taking top spot ahead of Williams’ Alex Albon and Red Bull’s Sergio Pérez. Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton then eclipsed all three as Norris appeared for the first time in P2 ahead of Verstappen.
In the closing stages Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz jumped to P1 and was then displaced by Mercedes’ George Russell. Further back, Pérez was on track and seeking a significant improvement in order jump up from P16 and out of the drop zone. The Mexican made the most of the improving track and in the final moments he vaulted to top spot with a lap of 1:11.006, 0.043s ahead of Russell and more than three tenths clear of Sainz.
Ruled out at the end of Q1 were RB’s Daniel Ricciardo in P16, Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, the Kick Sauber cars of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, and Sargeant who failed to make it out on track in Q1 following a heavy crash in FP3.
Sainz and Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc were first out on track at the start of Q2 and it was Leclerc who set the early pace on 1:11.665, just under two tenths of his team-mate. Piastri moved to the top of the order with his first flyer of 1:10.505 a second clear of Leclerc but the Australian was edged out of top spot by Norris who posted a time of 1:10.496. And when Russell slotted into third place, Verstappen’s first flyer of 1:10.811 left him in fourth place.
Comfortable with their opening runs, the top four drivers chose to sit out the final flyers and it was only Verstappen’s confidence that was dented, with the Dutchman demoted to P8 as Stroll claimed P4 ahead of Pérez, Leclerc and Williams’ Alex Albon.
The big fallers at this stage were Sainz and Hamilton who exited in the session in 11th and 12h respectively, ahead of fellow fallers Yuki Tsunoda of RB and the Haas pairing of Hülkenberg and Magnussen.
At the start of Q3, it was Norris who seized provisional pole, with the McLaren driver setting a benchmark of 1:10.074, 0.119s clear of Piastri. Verstappen, who hit the kerbs hard enough in Turns 11 and 12 to ask for his floor to be checked on his return to the garage, took third place 0.148s off Norris’ P1 time.
Verstappen then sent the Dutch fans wild with a final flyer that sent him to top of the order, but Norris had pace in hand and after a session-best sector 1 time the McLaren driver delivered improvements in the final sectors to claim pole a significant three tenths ahead of Verstappen.
2024 FIA Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix – Qualifying
1 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1:09.673 – –
2 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:10.029 0.356 0.511
3 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1:10.172 0.499 0.716
4 George Russell Mercedes 1:10.244 0.571 0.820
5 Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:10.416 0.743 1.066
6 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:10.582 0.909 1.305
7 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:10.633 0.960 1.378
8 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1:10.653 0.980 1.407
9 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:10.857 1.184 1.699
10 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1:10.977 1.304 1.872
11 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:10.914 1.241 1.781
12 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:10.948 1.275 1.830
13 Yuki Tsunoda RB/Honda RBPT 1:10.955 1.282 1.840
14 Nico Hülkenberg Haas/Ferrari 1:11.215 1.542 2.213
15 Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 1:11.295 1.622 2.328
16 Daniel Ricciardo RB/Honda RBPT 1:11.943 2.270 3.258
17 Esteban Ocon Alpine/Renault 1:11.995 2.322 3.333
18 Valtteri Bottas Sauber/Ferrari 1:12.168 2.495 3.581
19 Zhou Guanyu Sauber/Ferrari 1:13.261 3.588 5.150
20 Logan Sargeant Williams/Mercedes – – –
