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Category: India In F1
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New MotoGP season triple header to begin at Losail
After a long winter break and five days of official testing, the time has finally come to suit and boot up for racing. Are you ready?
Doha, 23 March 2021: First we saw the liveries, then we saw the class of 2021 head out for testing. Now, at the floodlit oasis of Losail International Circuit, it’s time to get suited and booted for another season of stunning competition. Rarely is anything predictable in this era of MotoGP™, but there is at least one certainty everyone can agree on: we’re most definitely ready to go racing. Are you?
This season, the headlines are overflowing before a lap has even been ticked off in anger. A new reigning Champion begins the year on the throne, Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar), and the world waits with bated breath to find out when we will get to see the return of eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), although we know it won’t be to race in Qatar. Rider and team musical chairs leaves us with a different grid and new colours for many, as well as a few new faces as we welcome four rookies. But it’s the same incredible level of competition: thousandths are the new hundredths in MotoGP™. The work injury attorneys serving in Raleigh area can help with other injury and accident cases as well.
And so we arrive into Round 1. Doha hosts the first and second Grands Prix of the season and Losail also opened its doors for all the official winter test days this year, so we’re not heading in blind but we are heading in primed. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) arrives with the biggest target on his back, flanked by a flotilla of Yamahas as the testing timesheets saw the Aussie and his teammate Francesco Bagnaia bookend a top five reigned by Ducati and Yamaha. But there’s more to racing than one-lap speed…
Miller will definitely be one to watch as the lights go out, however, as will Bagnaia. Both are full factory this season and the pressure is certainly greater, but so too are the performances we’ve seen so far. Losail has also seen the Borgo Panigale factory enjoy some serious success of late, and the stage is set for the Bologna bullets to start the season where they’ll wish to go on: the front. That’s not forgetting the likes of Johann Zarco either as the Frenchman moves to Pramac Racing and enjoys ever more experience with the Italian machine, also proving his mettle in testing. The holeshot heroes have some serious top speed and three experienced riders who look ready, on paper, to get straight in the mix.
The timesheets in testing were far from a one-trick pony though. Three Yamahas ended the test within less than a tenth and a half of Miller at the top: Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and last year’s Championship runner up Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT). Viñales starts the year settled in, Morbidelli likewise. Quartararo switches to the factory Yamaha squad, but seems to have immediately found his footing. So too has nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi at Petronas Yamaha SRT as the legendary Italian – never one to push for a stunner in testing but still near the top ten – was full of enthusiasm after the five days on track that prefaced the season. After a 2020 of highs and lows for the Iwata marque, and Ducati to an extent, are the two factories who took testing by the horns the two who arrive into the first Grand Prix ready to do the same in race trim?
Just behind them, sixth in testing saw Aprilia come to the fore. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) put the Noale factory’s nearly all-new bike right up there every time he went out on track, and increasing expectation has so far been backed up by ever-increasing pace. What can the number 41 do once the lights go out? With teammate Lorenzo Savadori coming back from injury and also a rookie, Espargaro is the man in the spotlight for the new bike as racing gets underway in earnest. We’ve seen flashes of brilliance, but the 2021 aim for Aprilia will be to sustain that.
And then there’s Suzuki. Seventh and eighth was where reigning Champion Joan Mir and Suzuki Ecstar teammate Alex Rins ended the Qatar Test, and the feedback was positive. Consistently fast and consistently threatening in 2020, nothing in testing said Suzuki won’t be out the blocks to defend both the riders title and the teams’ Championship. The Hamamatsu factory’s Achilles heel – if such a thing exists in a season of such success – was qualifying last season, so that may be the first thing to keep a keen eye on as Saturday arrives. It seems though that nothing big to report may translate into “yes, we very much require the Jaws music once the lights go out for racing”… with test rider Sylvain Guintoli already having been working on their 2022 engine during the Qatar Test. If that’s not a mark of feeling everything is under control…
As race weekend arrives, meanwhile, we will be left waiting for the answer to one of the biggest questions: when will Marc Marquez return? Sidelined by injury after Jerez last year, it’s been a long, long road of surgery and recovery for the eight-time World Champion but the signs are looking good. Recently on track on a Honda RC213V-S in Catalunya and Portimão and looking ever more ready to race, there was certainly more than enough to make a good few rumours. His return won’t be in Qatar, however, so the foreboding music for his rivals remains on low for now.
On the other side of the Repsol Honda Team garage there’s plenty to talk about too though. Pol Espargaro joins the fold and, after an impressive trajectory over the past couple of seasons, began 2021 with an equally impressively quick adaptation to the Honda. Fast and fast often, the Spaniard was tenth overall in testing and could be a dark horse for much further forward as the race weekend begins, with each session of track time only giving him more experience of his new bike and team. Premier class podium finisher? Check. Race winner is the next goal.
LCR Honda Idemitsu’s Takaaki Nakagami will be hoping to move forward too after a slightly more muted test, as both he and new teammate Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) suffered a few crashes – the latter also injuring his foot but ready to head back out for Round 1. Both fought for podiums last year and Alex Marquez successfully, as a rookie no less, so they’ll want to move back up the field to where they’d left off last season.
That’s also true of KTM. The Austrian factory ripped up the history books and wrote a few replacements in 2020, with Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) winning them their first MotoGP™ race – and his, as a rookie and the first premier class winner from South Africa – and new teammate Miguel Oliveira then adding two more MotoGP™ victories for KTM as well as becoming the first Portuguese premier class winner. Oliveira, now alongside Binder in the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team, was the fastest Austrian machine in testing, but the two were side by side in P16 and P17. They’ll want more once the lights go out as KTM look to continue their roll of incredible success, but we’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: testing is testing. Friday practice, qualifying and then finally the first race of the year are often a wiser litmus test.
Iker Lecuona (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) will be looking for more this year too as he starts his second season, needing to move up from where he ended testing, and new arrival Danilo Petrucci (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) will be interesting to watch too as he adapts to his new bike.
Speaking of adaptation, there’s also plenty to keep an eye out for as the Moto2™ graduates begin their first seasons, eager to get in the mix. Savadori is a rookie but with a few events under his belt by now, whereas the trio of rookies moving up from the intermediate class tasted MotoGP™ for the very first time in the Qatar Test. The fastest of the three was Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) in 14th, but it was incredibly close as reigning Moto2™ World Champion Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama) was just 0.022 further back. Luca Marini (Sky VR46 Avintia) was a little more in arrears but also impressed, and just like those adapting from one factory to another… every session is just another chance to improve.
The stage is set, the floodlights are primed and the grid is ready to start another rollercoaster season of incredible racing with the Barwa Grand Prix of Qatar. Don’t miss it, with lights out for the first MotoGP™ race of 2021 at 20:00 (GMT +3). Let’s GO!MotoGP™ Qatar Test top five: 1 Jack Miller – Ducati Lenovo Team – Ducati – 1:53.183
2 Maverick Viñales – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – +0.061
3 Fabio Quartararo – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – +0.080
4 Franco Morbidelli* – Petronas Yamaha SRT – Yamaha – +0.140
5 Francesco Bagnaia – Ducati Lenovo Team – Ducati – +0.261
*Independent Team rider -
Sebastian Vettel, Lance Stroll launch Aston Martin Cognizant F1 car, #AMR21
Virtual/Silverstone, 2 March 2021: The Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team has revealed to the world on Wednesday, its 2021 Formula One World Championship competitor, the new AMR21, in a virtual live event.
One of the most anticipated Formula One car launches in recent years took place in The Vault, an immersive virtual experience that played host to the historic moment when Aston Martin unveiled its first Grand Prix car since the DBR5 which was raced by Roy Salvadori and Maurice Trintignant in the 1960 British Grand Prix.
The AMR21 was revealed in a striking green livery in recognition of the brand’s traditional racing colours, carrying prominent branding from title partner, Cognizant, the IT giant helping lead the team’s digital transformation journey towards future success.
The recent influx of new partners ensured that the AMR21 was presented with logos from a host of global brands alongside Cognizant, including Peroni Libera 0.0%, Crypto.com, SentinelOne, EPOS, NetApp, Girard-Perregaux and Replay. The long-standing support of BWT continues with the addition of a delicate magenta stripe down each side of the chassis. Ravenol, JCB, Bombardier and Pirelli all continue their partnerships into the new era.
Aston Martin Lagonda’s Executive Chairman, Lawrence Stroll, opened today’s event and welcomed fans, media, colleagues and partners who were enjoying the show virtually from all around the world. He was joined by Tobias Moers, CEO of Aston Martin Lagonda; Otmar Szafnauer, CEO and Team Principal of Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team; and, by video link, Brian Humphries, CEO of Cognizant, who all spoke of the great significance of seeing the Aston Martin name back on the Formula One grid.
The new driver pairing of Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll were also prominent in the presentation, as well as Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team Technical Director, Andrew Green.
Now that the new Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team car has been revealed to the world, the team is turning its attention to preparing for a day of promotional running, taking place on March 4th at Silverstone. Tomorrow will therefore mark the exciting and much anticipated track debut of the AMR21, before it makes its journey to Bahrain for testing next week (March 12th-14th) ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 28th.
Alongside its new car, the team has launched a new media site featuring improved functionality and ease of access. Please remember to sign up to gain access to the new site, which will also include the latest press pack, imagery and assets from today’s launch.
Below are soundbites from the day’s event…Aston Martin re-enters F1 after 61 years. Lawrence Stroll, Executive Chairman, Aston Martin: “I have dreamed about this day for a very long time. I have always been a car guy, since I was a child. I have always loved racing, too. My first dream was to own a Formula One team. My second dream was to acquire a significant shareholding in Aston Martin Lagonda. Today is about the merging of those two dreams. So, as I say, today is all about dreams, and it shows that dreams really can come true, in the shape of our new AMR21.
“Aston Martin returning to Formula One after an absence of 61 years will have a powerful effect on the sport, the media and the fans, commanding global attention.
“The team who designed and built our new Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One car – the 500 men and women who conceive, manufacture, build and prepare our cars so that we can go racing at the pinnacle of global motorsport – has always punched above its weight. Now, as the Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team, it has the power with which to punch even harder.
“This is just the beginning. The team is pushing forward, and our ambitions are limitless. We now have the pieces in place, the people and the partners, to make real progress.
“The launch of the new AMR21 is also the celebration of a new beginning for Aston Martin. Today’s transformational event has given us the opportunity to communicate the evolution of the iconic Aston Martin Wings logo for only the 12th time in the company’s 108-year history. The Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One car is our group’s highest expression of performance, innovation, engineering quality, attention to detail, and teamwork. For that reason it is natural that our new logo should make its debut on our new Formula One car.
“As for the year ahead, the core nucleus of what we need to succeed is already present and correct. I have great confidence in Otmar [Szafnauer], Andrew [Green] and all who work for them. I firmly believe we have the perfect blend of experience and youth in Sebastian [Vettel] and Lance [Stroll]. An ethos of fierce ambition and unshakeable dedication is shared by every single team member. It is exhilarating to see – and to feel.”Otmar Szafnauer, Team Principal & CEO, Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team: “Launching the Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team gives everybody associated with this company a real sense of purpose and pride. It is a truly iconic car brand and it is a huge privilege to bring Aston Martin back to the pinnacle of motorsport – where it belongs.
“There is a change on the driving front, Sebastian [Vettel] joining us to race alongside Lance [Stroll]. Sebastian is someone we can all learn from, and his integration into the team has been very smooth – as you would expect from someone with so much experience. It is clear in my mind that Sebastian has lost none of his speed. It is down to us to create an environment in which he feels comfortable so he can deliver at his brilliant best. Lance is a very talented young driver, as his two podiums and wet-weather pole position last year demonstrated. We expect more of the same this year.
“Our goal for 2021 is to build on what we achieved last year and take a further step forward. There is no reason why we cannot achieve that with our talented workforce combined with the new financial investment. Success does not come overnight, but I am convinced that we are putting the key elements in place to continue moving up the grid this year and in the years ahead.”Andrew Green, Technical Director, Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team: “It is a great privilege to have the Aston Martin name above the door. It is a real ‘dream come true’ moment and it shows how far this team has come. It is definitely the most exciting chapter in the team’s history, without a doubt.
“I am confident that the 500 fantastic men and women who design, manufacture, build, prepare and maintain our car will have done everything in their power to create a good one. We all know how competitive Formula One is right now, and we certainly do not underestimate our opposition. We expect to be in the mix in the ‘best of the rest’ category from the start. We are ambitious yet realistic. But we intend to improve steadily, and our ultimate ambitions are limitless.
“In Formula One you never stop learning, and over the years we have learnt a lot. The AMR21 is an expression of that never-ending learning curve. It is closely related to our 2020 car, but it as an all-new chassis. Regulation changes intended to reduce every team’s aerodynamic performance have also played a part, of course.”Brian Humphries, CEO of Cognizant: “From the factory floor to the chequered flag, this partnership is a marriage made in heaven — it is technically intensive and engineering-dependent, which makes it an ideal showcase for both of our brands. We are absolutely thrilled to be the title partner of the Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team.
“With the Aston Martin partnership, Cognizant is shifting its brand into high gear. Fundamentally, we are transforming the Cognizant brand and creating opportunities to engage with clients in different forums. Formula One is an important part of that equation.
“We are pleased to be part of the new Aston Martin factory design, bringing Cognizant’s artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, cloud computing and digital engineering expertise to bear – I expect the end result will be a Formula One facility that is the envy of the racing world.
“Cognizant’s expertise in technology, coupled with Aston Martin’s expertise in automotive engineering, was an ideal combination, and we expect our technology to have a tangible impact on Aston Martin’s ability to succeed.
“Cognizant continues to increase its global reach and Formula One’s global fan base was a key consideration in seeking entry to the sport. The Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team ticks all the right boxes for us – we are both innovative, forward-looking firms that like to move fast, stay focused and lead from the front.”Sebastian Vettel, Driver, Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team: “Even though I have raced for four Formula One teams and for many years, starting a new season with a new team still gives me a sense of excitement.
“As a driver, I have always kept my eye on the competition and this team has consistently impressed me with what they have been able to do without the biggest of budgets. So, when Lawrence [Stroll] and Otmar [Szafnauer] approached me last year, and explained what their ambitions were, I was immediately very motivated to join the team.
“I love the history of motor racing and Aston Martin is one of the great names of the past, so it is fun to be part of their return to Formula One after an absence of 61 years.
“Having visited the factory and met the senior people as well as my engineers and mechanics, I can see they are a really good group. I feel confident that, by the support Lawrence brings together with the Aston Martin name, we will make real progress together.
“I have not driven the car yet – obviously – but I think it looks great. I am really looking forward to getting it out on the track. I am also looking forward to working with and getting to know better everyone in the team, including my team-mate Lance [Stroll]. We will certainly make a big effort to deliver some good results together and have fun doing it.”Lance Stroll, Driver, Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team: “This is such an exciting time of the year. The car launch is when everything starts to feel real again, especially this year with our new identity as Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team. The new name is exciting for everyone and there is a massive buzz around the factory.
“I have come back refreshed from the winter break. It is going to be my third season here working with this great bunch of people, and that stability is what you need as a driver. I am at home here and I have built those strong relationships with the team now. All that stuff makes a difference when we are competing for those last fractions of a second. It is a case of knowing exactly what you need and how to work with the team to really optimise performance.
“It is all quite full-on this year, with fewer testing days available, but we have made good use of our simulation tools at the factory to help us prepare. There will be higher expectations this year for several reasons – including the team name – and I see 2021 as a huge opportunity for us to score some great results. We had real momentum at the end of 2020 and I believe we can hit the ground running this year, too.” -
Gaurav Gill joins exclusive club in INRC Hall of Fame! Musa Sherif, first navigator to do 293 rallies
Bengaluru, 1 Feb 2021: Following are the Statistics of the Indian National Rally Championship after the end of the third round of the four-round INRC 2020 calendar which is pushed to 2021 due to the COVID pandemic.
Gaurav Gill and Musa Sherif have been together for 63 Rallies out of which they finished 39 Rallies, notching up 38 podiums and 36 victories. Gill was behind the wheel of a Mitsubishi Cedia for his first three titles while the last four came through the bulky Mahindra XUV.
Musa Sherif becomes the leading co-driver with the highest number of rallies, finishing his 293rd rally in the third round at Coimbatore, consecutively calling the notes for 29 years. He has navigated for 47 drivers in that period. These 293 rallies include over 150 rallies in INRC.
INRC Titles from 1988 – 2020
Driver’s Championship winners – After INRC got the National Championship status in 1988
Driver’s Name Number of titles Years won Remarks 1 Gaurav Singh Gill Seven (7) 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2020 2 V Naren Kumar Seven (7) 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2010 3 N Leelakrishnan Six (6) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1998, 2001 4 Hari Singh Four (4) 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 5 Farad Bhatheena Two (2) 1988, 1989 6 Vikram Mathias Two (2) 2004, 2008, 7 Amittrajit Ghosh Two (2) 2012, 2013, 8 Lohit Urs One (1) 2015, 9 Karna Kadur One (1) 2016, 10 Chethan Shivram One (1) 2019, Co-Drivers’ Championship winners
Driver’s Name Number of titles Years won Remarks 1 Musa Sherif Seven (7) 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2020 2 D Ram Kumar Six (6) 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2010 3 Gurinder Singh Mann Four (4) 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 4 N Mahendran Three (3) 1991, 1992, 1993, 5 Farooq Ahmed Three (3) 1998, 1999, 2001, 6 Raj Bagri Two (2) 1988, 1989, 7 Ashwin Naik Two (2) 2012, 2013, 8 CV Jayakumar One (1) 1990, 9 Sujith Kumar BS One (1) 2004, 10 PVS Murhty One (1) 2008, 11 Shrikanth GM One (1) 2015, 12 Nikhil Pai One (1) 2016, 13 Dilip Sharan One (1) 2019
Drivers, Co-Drivers and Teams that won the National Championship from 1988Year Driver & Co-Driver Team Car Tuner 1 1988 Farad Bathena/ Raj Bagri Team MRF Maruti Gypsy Group II (A) Mohinder Lalwni 2 1989 Farad Bathena/ Raj Bagri Team MRF Maruti Gypsy Group II (A) J Anand 3 1990 N Leelakrishnan/ CV Jaykumar Team MRF Maruti Gypsy Group II (A) N Leelakrishnan 4 1991 N Leelakrishnan/ N Mahendran Team MRF Maruti Gypsy Group II (A) N Leelakrishnan 5 1992 N Leelakrishnan/ N Mahendran Team MRF Maruti Gypsy Group II (A) N Leelakrishnan 6 1993 N Leelakrishnan/ N Mahendran Team MRF Maruti Gypsy Group II (A) N Leelakrishnan 7 1994 Hari Singh/ Gurinder Singh Mann JK Tyre Rally Team Maruti Gypsy Group A-1-A S Karivardhan 8 1995 Hari Singh/ Gurinder Singh Mann JK Tyre Rally Team Maruti Gypsy Group A-1-A S Karivardhan 9 1996 Hari Singh/ Gurinder Singh Mann JK Tyre Rally Team Maruti Esteem Group A-1-A PNR Satish 10 1997 Hari Singh/ Gurinder Singh Mann JK Tyre Rally Team Maruti Esteem Group A-1-A WSRF 11 1998 N Leelakrishnan/ Farooq Ahmed Team MRF Maruti Esteem Group A-1-A N Leelakrishnan 12 1999 VR Naren Kumar/ Farooq Ahmed Team MRF Maruti Esteem Group A N Leelakrishnan 13 2000 VR Naren Kumar/ D Ram Kumar Team MRF Maruti Baleno Group A N Leelakrishnan 14 2001 N Leelakrishnan/ Farooq Ahmed Team MRF Honda City Group A N Leelakrishnan 15 2002 VR Naren Kumar/ D Ram Kumar Team MRF Honda City Group A N Leelakrishnan 16 2003 VR Naren Kumar/ D Ram KUmar Team MRF Honda City Group A N Leelakrishnan 17 2004 Vikram Mathias/ Sujith Kumar BS Team MRF Honda City Group A N Leelakrishnan 18 2005 VR Naren Kumar/ D Ram Kumar JK Rally Team Maruti Baleno Group N N Leelakrishnan 19 2006 VR Naren Kumar/ D Ram Kumar JK Rally Team Maruti Baleno Group N N Leelakrishnan 20 2007 Gaurav Gill/ Musa Sherif Team MRF Mitsubishi Cedia Group N J Anand 21 2008 Vikram Mathias/ PVS Murthy Red Rooster Racing Mitsubishi Cedia Group N+ N Leelakrishnan 22 2009 Gaurav Gill/ Musa Sherif Team MRF Mitsubishi Cedia Group N+ J Anand 23 2010 VR Naren Kumar/ D Ram Kumar Red Rooster Racing Mitsubishi Cedia Group N+ N Leelakrishnan 24 2011 Gaurav Gill/ Musa Sherif MRF Mitsubishi Cedia Group N+ J Anand 25 2012 Amittrajit Ghosh/ Ashwin Naik RRPM Mitsubishi Cedia Group N B Rajan 26 2013 Amittrajit Ghosh/ Ashwin Naik RRPM Mitsubishi Cedia Group N B Rajan 27 2014 Gaurav Gill/ Musa Sherif Mahindra Adventure Mahindra XUV 500 N Leelakrishnan 28 2015 Lohitt V Urs/ Shrikanth Gowda MRU Motorsport Mitsubishi Cedia Evo8 Mohamed Rafiq Udaya 29 2016 Karna Kadur/ Nikhil V Pai Team Yokohama India Volkswagen Polo Group N N Leelakrishnan 30 2017 Gaurav Gill/ Musa Sherif Mahindra Adventure Mahindra XUV 500 N Leelakrishnan 31 2018 Gaurav Gill/ Musa Sherif Mahindra Adventure Mahindra XUV 500 N Leelakrishnan 32 2019 Chetan Shivram/ Dilip Sharan Team Akshara Racing Volkswagen Polo Fazil Khan, FRK 33 2020 Gaurav Gill/ Musa Sherif JK Tyre Racing team Mahindra XUV 300 N Leelakrishnan 34 2021 -
Mumbai Falcons podium on debut; Jehan third, Kush bumped out
Mumbai Falcons earn F3 Asia podium, on debut with Jehan Daruvala finishhing 3rd while Kush Maini had a forgettable race as he was bumped into in the very first lap in the Asia F3 championship in Dubai.
Jehan started 4th and had to take evasive action at the start after being cut off by a driver ahead. He then had to defend during the 1st lap, but recovered and soon overtook another driver.
With a car right on his tail, Jehan could not make up further places. He eventually finished 3rd to earn Mumbai Falcons their first maiden F3 podium on debut.
Kush Maini had a forgettable race. He was hit by another car on lap 1. He had to pit to change a tyre, which put him right at the back of the field. He clocked the 2nd fastest lap of the race and will therefore start 2nd in Race 2, tomorrow.
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Rally of Coimbatore begins with Ceremonial flag-off
Coimbatore, 29 Jan 2021: The Rally of Coimbatore, the third round of the Indian National Rally Championship (INRC) 2020 began with the ceremonial ceremony here on Friday with the City Police Commissioner flagging of the first two cars and a select few.
The 2020 season began with two back-to-back rounds in Itanagal, Rally of Arunachal Pradesh, which drew praise for their superb handling as far as the safety and running of the event is concerned. The COVID19 pandemic forced the promoters Champions Yacht Club and different organising clubs with no choice but to push the calendar to December and the last two rounds to January and February. Rumours were floating a couple of days back that the Rally of Coimbatore would be put-off or cancelled. As such the flag-off came as a big relief both to the participants and to the other motorsports fraternity and stakeholders.
The participants had to undergo the formalities of documentation on Thursday which went on late into the evening and some say it was close to 8pm. INDIAinF1 always tries to remind the officials and other organising leaders and FMSCI stewards that sportspersons are supreme for any sport to survive. Officials who do not respect the participating drivers or co-drivers are make their job difficult by asking mundane things is a `BIG no!’ Coimbatore Auto Sports Club has good reputation over the years as the best organising club as far as rallies of INRC are concerned. However, an official who is not from the club is said to have delayed things. We request the Promoters to look into it and make sure that the drivers do not suffer.
Ther Promoters have earned a tag as `Driver Frieindly’, though there were some hiccups, the drivers and co-drivers are having a ball. At least some who could not dream of sponsors. The ladies teams have increases and sponsors were roped in, ladies participation has increased to seven and we also see an official from FMSCI who is from “Women in Motorsport”, an FIA concept which augurs well for the sport and for women power.
Promoters have also subsidised the transport for cars, and Vamsi Merla, of CYC, has personally called many drivers from North and drivers like Bani Yadav, a doctorate in Motorsports and Khyati Modi, a Gymkhana driver were given a chance and promoted to take part in Itanagar rounds.
As such anything negative to the drivers hurt the sentiment and negates the good work done till now as Drivers and Co-drivers are the heart of the sport and should be treated as such.
It should me noted that the Federation and organisers crib that there is no media coverage. But there was no Media room and the Press Conference as per Supplementary Regulations was not held. If we do not follow simple things, and expect media coverage, it is not likely to happen.
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MRF Mogrip 2w rally to kick off Utsav de Hampi
Hampi (Near Hospet, Karnataka), 28 Jan 2021: Leading riders from TVS Racing, Samuel Jacob, Nataraj and Aishwarya Pissay are all set to provide the thrills and challenge the rivals as Utsav de Hampi, a grand festival of multiple motorsports event kick starts with Rally de Hampi, the fourth round of the MRF Mogrip fmsci Indian National Rally Championship for 2-wheelers here on Friday. Three more events, a 4×4 off road, the four-wheeler INRC contender round and Autocross de Hampi, will also be held during the festival.
To announce the event, the organisers Motorsports Academy of Vijaynagar, the new district which is carved out of Bellary, and Promoter God Speed held a Press Conference at Hospet on Thursday. Seven-time National Motocross champion Shyam Kothari, the brain behind God Speed Racing, FIM World Cup Baja winner and leading star in the Ladies class Aishwarya Pissay, Clerk of the Course Girija Shankar .Joshy, and rally legend of yesteryears both on bikes and cars, CK Chinnappa along with hosts Darshan, Santosh and Rohit Gowda were present.
The championship is in its final stages after three rounds of exciting stuff beginning with Puttur, Bengaluru and the third round recently in Coimbatore. The rally offers two physical stages, Jambu and Sagar, run thrice and twice respectively on Sunday. Jambu is 11.4km while Sagar is 13.8km for a total Stage distance of 61.8km and along with a transport section of 84.35km, the total rally distance for all the five stages and transport together is 146.15km.
Samuel Jacob who won the overall honours ahead of Nataraj in the third round in Coimbatore is leading Cclass 4, the Super Sport 260cc Group B while Nataraj, also from TVS Racing, is in the top Super Bike Pro Expert Group A. J Imran Pash, also from TVS Racing, came overall second in Coimbatore and is in the same class as Jacob. Aishwarya Pissay, also from the stables of TVS, is leading the championship in the Ladies class.
On Friday, Parth Jindal of JSW group, Dy CM Laxman Savadi, Ministers Sriramulu, Anand Singh, MP Tejesvi Surya, CT Ravi, Suresh Babu along with Vijayendra and Siddharth Singh are expected to grace the inauguration on Friday evening.
The following classes will be held in nine classes:
Class 1: Super Bike-Pro Expert (Group “A” Single class irrespective of engine capacity);
Class 1-A: Super Bike (Expert) Group “A”
Class 2: Super Sport 130 Group “B”;
Class 3: Super Sport 165 Group “B”;
Class 4: Super Sport 260 Group“B”;
Class 5: Super Sport 400 Group“B”;
Class 6: Super Sport 550 Group“B”;
Class 7: Group “B” (S0 to S3 Scooters up to 210CC);
Class 8: Group “B” Ladies Class.
Non Championship class: Star of Karnataka
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Hemanth Mudappa looking to clinch sixth National title
Chennai, 23 January 2021: Multiple National Drag champion Hemanth Mudappa, who completed a hat-trick of tiles in 2019, will be gunning for his sixth title as the Indian National Motorcycle Drag Championship concludes with the second and final round at Madras Motor Sport Track near here at Irungattukottai on Sunday.
The 31-year, Bangalore-based rider passionate about fitness, representing Mantra Racing and tuned by Sharan Pratap, won the first Drag National in 2017 winning the Unrestricted Foreign Open class, the feature race, and went on to win the same class in 2018 and 2019 for a hat-trick of titles. In 2018, he also became National champion in the 851 to 1050cc class and the 1051cc & above class for a total of five National titles till last year. However, in the absence of the Feature Race this year, he is raring to go, to win gold in both the top two classes he entered, and is gunning to beat his own Drag National record for 302 metres. He needs to beat 7.922 to win the 851 class, even if he wins the gold to break the tie with Riyaz and clinch the championship in 851cc class. Hemanth who set the National record of 7.976 in 2019 Round 2, broke it in the first round of 2020 on Oct 11 clocking 7.783. And a National record on Sunday will be a big bonus. He is also in line for the Gold in 1051cc and above class.
Meanwhile, Ann Jennifer won the National Championship in the 4stroke Girls Class on Saturday with Nivetha Jessice second, and Czimkhy third. Mohammed Rafiq won the 2 stroke upto 130cc class National title with Mohammed Touheed and Mujahid Pash coming second and third, respectively. Aiyaz clinched the National crown in 131cc to 165cc category with Mohammed Touheed taking runners-up in this category too, and Manoj Kumar S finishing second runner up in the National championship in this class.
On Sunday, five more classes will be held in the final round as the 2020 Championship is completed successfully under bio-bubble due to Covid19 by promoter Madras Motor Sports Club under the aegis of Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI). The 2w and 4w National Racing Championships already concluded on time in 2020.
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China dropped; Australian GP in Nov, Bahrain to start F1 season on Mar 26: FIA F1 Calendar
Paris, 12 Jan 2021: Formula 1 can on Tuesdy confirmed that the 2021 FIA Formula One World Championship will open its season in Bahrain between from March 26 to 28. The ongoing situation regarding COVID-19 has meant it is not feasible to begin the season in Melbourne, but the good news is that the Australian Grand Prix will now take place from the November 18 t o 21, following an agreement between Formula 1 and the Australian authorities that shows the importance of the race in Australia to Formula 1 and our partners in Melbourne.
Due to the ongoing travel restrictions in place, the 2021 Chinese Grand Prix will not take place on its planned date. Discussions with the promoter and authorities in China are ongoing with the potential to reschedule the race later in the season if possible. With the scheduled date not being feasible for China, Imola will return to the Formula 1 calendar on the revised date of April 18. The TBC (to be confirmed) race in the calendar will be announced in due course and will take place on the new date of May 2. All revisions are subject to World Motor Sport Council approval.
As a result of these changes the number of races for 2021 will remain at 23 which is the largest ever Formula 1 calendar and we look forward to delivering this season through close collaboration with all our promoters. The season will start a week later than planned and end a week later with our season finale in Abu Dhabi. As stated previously, we expect fans to return to the grandstands and our exclusive Paddock Club for the 2021 season. We will continue to work closely with our promoters and partners to monitor the ongoing COVID-19 situation and look forward to the start of the season in March.
The revised 2021
Date Grand Prix Venue 28 March Bahrain Sakhir 18 April Italy Imola* 2 May TBC TBC 9 May Spain Barcelona 23 May Monaco Monaco 6 June Azerbaijan Baku 13 June Canada Montreal 27 June France Le Castellet 4 July Austria Spielberg 18 July United Kingdom Silverstone 1 August Hungary Budapest 29 August Belgium Spa 5 September Netherlands Zandvoort 12 September Italy Monza 26 September Russia Sochi 3 October Singapore Singapore 10 October Japan Suzuka 24 October USA Austin 31 October Mexico Mexico City 7 November Brazil Sao Paulo 21 November Australia Melbourne* 5 December Saudi Arabia Jeddah** 12 December Abu Dhabi Yas Island *Revisions to calendar are subject to World Motor Sport Council approval
**Subject to circuit homologation
Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1, said
“It has been a busy start to the year at Formula 1 and we are pleased to confirm that the number of races planned for the season remains unchanged. The global pandemic has not yet allowed life to return to normal, but we showed in 2020 that we can race safely as the first international sport to return and we have the experience and plans in place to deliver on our season. It is great news that we have already been able to agree a rescheduled date for the Australian Grand Prix in November and are continuing to work with our Chinese colleagues to find a solution to race there in 2021 if something changes. We are very excited to announce that Imola will return for the 2021 season and know our fans will be looking forward to the return of Formula 1 after the winter break and our revised season opener in Bahrain. Obviously, the virus situation remains fluid, but we have the experience from last season with all our partners and promoters to adapt accordingly and safely in 2021.”
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McLaren Racing signs agreement granting option to join Formula E for Gen3
McLaren Racing has formalised its interest in joining Formula E’s team and manufacturer line-up from the new Gen3 era. Gen3 will take to the track from the 2022/23 season, bringing performance and efficiency advances including more powerful, lighter cars and faster charging as well as a set of technical and financial controls aimed at reinforcing the business case for Formula E’s ecosystem of teams and manufacturers.
McLaren Racing’s interest in Formula E is a validation of the series as the pinnacle of electric racing, both as a proving ground for the top racing teams in the world and as a test bed for the next generation of electric vehicles. McLaren Racing is one of the most successful operations in motorsport, enjoying a rich history of success in Formula 1 as well as IndyCar and Le Mans. McLaren Applied is Formula E’s exclusive Gen2 battery supplier under a four-season contract which concludes at the end of the 2021/22 season, after which McLaren Racing will evaluate the potential to deepen its involvement as a competitor in the electric championship.
The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will make its Season Seven debut in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia with two night races, at 17:00 GMT (20:00 local time) on February 26 & 27.
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Rishon, Ishaan book ticket to Portimao for Super Finals; Arjun Maini mingles with youngsters
Bangalore, January 11: Bangalore’s young racers dominated the MECO-FMSCI National Karting Championship 2020 (Rotax Max), sweeping all three titles on offer with Arjun Maini, Rishon Rajeev and Ishaan Madesh clinching the honours over an action-packed weekend that concluded at Meco Kartopia in Bagalur, near here on Sunday.
Organised by Spitfire Motorsports, the Rotax Max Nationals saw the three winners emerge in the Senior, Junior and Micro Max categories respectively and they were automatically qualified to take part in Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals in Portimao from January 23 to 30 later this month, at the Kartodromo Internacional do Algarve. Portimao circuit will stage another impressive karting trophy, with 300 drivers coming from more than 50 countries. Unlike the X30 with different point system and the reverse grid for a race, the rules for the Rotax Max are same for all the 50 countries and the points for Pre-finals and Finals are different. It gives a chance for a karter to come back and win a championship even if he had missed a round, if he has the talent and skill, and chance to bounce back.
The Rotax Max Indian Championship drew to a close with three rounds held back-to-back at the same venue to ensure safety and convenience of all drivers and teams in the middle of a `subsiding’ pandemic, as Indians too await the Vaccination. The weekend also saw India’s first Formula 1 driver, Narain Karthikeyan driving in a few races as a guest driver.
Micro Max National Champion Ishaan Madesh, tries to imitate the Red Bull and checks if “Red Bull gives you Wings” slogan will provide him wings into the New Junior Class next year. He successfully completed his years in the lowest age group, Micro Max, dominating with multiple titles, and already tested the competition in the Junior Class on Sunday, preparing for next season. Hope 2021, will be as good for the happy-go-lucky racer! Aditya, Arafath, Nikhilesh…, get ready to fight for the honours in Micro Max in 2021! Formula 2 racer Arjun Maini (NK Racing Academy) was head and shoulders above the Rotax Max field, garnering the maximum points in each of the three rounds to comfortably take the crown. Kush Maini said: “I am so excited to see so much talent and, so much interest. Even though the girds are small here, the competition is good and the talent is there. We have to nurture them and provide the right opportunities.”
“Youngsters should focus on racing and not worry about a bad kart or other obstacles. Despite all these problems and obstacles of not having a good kart, not having sponsor, one should focus, work hard and try to overcome all of them without cribbing and try to race clean and win. Only such dedication and sincere hard work can take you to the top,” said Arjun Maini, who came from the grassroot level by dint of hard work, and commitment. He was so positive and mingled with all the juniors and smilingly obliged all the fans and junior karters and teammates. So much so, the few friends and teammates celebrated by drenching Kush, Arjun, David, Nandan with bottles of cold water, and later by even throwing eggs on each other. Good banther!
from left: Kush, of British F3 fame and younger of the Maini brothers, Arjun Maini, Haas F1 Test driever for two years and an F2 star, who raced on F1 weekends, and Narain Karthikeyan the master of them all, the first Indian to lay the path for Indians to try their dream of F1, a pioneer and INDIAinF1 sends early Birthday wishes for him ahead of Jan 14 as we thank him for bringing the stars and enlivening the Karting Nationals.
Photo by Anand Philar“After all the high pressure of the season, coming down to my hometown getting into a kart and having fun is nice. I always love to get into a kart and drive,” said Arjun when asked how he feels to come back from racing at an F1 weekend to this humble Kartopia and getting into a kart. `Having fun and enjoying what you do, is the key,” chipped in Kush, who himself raced with authority at the British F3, till the half-way mark before losing points in rain due to issues with wet set-up (for rain) and finished the championship in 2nd place fighting till the fag end in the fickle English weather.
Arjun, Gautham, the man behind the stars, and Kush Maini at Meco Kartopia on Sunday. Photo by Anand Philar. Team NK Racing, who won the Team Trophy in the Senior Class and their lead driver one of the top-3 current Indian International racing champions (Arjun Maini, right) who became the National champion again in Karting (Seniors) for fun. Photo by David Bodapati Divy Nandan gets a cold surprise as NK Racing team celebrates their maiden triumph winning both the team trophy and the individual trophy (Arjun Maini) in their debut in Rotax Max National Karting Championship at Meco Kartopoia on Sunday. Divy, from Gurugram, made his debut in the National Championship, thanks to NK Racing. David ‘s photo Coming back to Rotax Max, Kush (NK Racing Academy), incidentally clinched the top position in each of the three rounds he had competed in. He didn’t take part in Round 2 due the death of his grandfather, and then in Round 5 due to some technical issues, which saw Arjun Maini restore the order, claiming the title.
Agra’s Shahan Ali Moshin (MSPORT) took the second position with an aggregate of 400 points in the category while Bangalore’s Mihir Suman (Birel Art coached by Preetham Muniappa) finished just 4 points behind to take the third place in the championship table.
Micro Max driver ditya, gets a Special Award Another Bangalore lad, Rishon Rajeev (Birel Art, also Preetham’s ward), kept his grilling run going, winning the Junior Max title with 436 points. Rishon began slowly, though, finishing third in Round 3’s two races and Round 4’s first. But thereafter he was in a league of his own, taking the top spot in the remaining three races. He won Best Driver of the Year Award for his consistent performances.
Ruhaan Alva (MSPORT), who totally dominated the X30 Nationals to become a Junior National Champion earlier, could only get with 410 points as he had issues with the kart from the very first round and could not sort it out nor recover from the loss of initial points, and settled for second best. That in no way, takes the fight out put out Ruhaan and Rohaan, the senior of Madesh brothers. Rishon, did put in consistent performance and deserved his wins. And Rohaan, driving for Peregrine Racing International bagged 399 points from the five rounds to take third position in the Championship.
Rohaan’s younger brother Ishaan Madesh (Peregrine Racing International), however, brought home a championship trophy by clinching the Micro Max title fairly comfortably. He was an epitome of talent and when he is on track blazing for all those wins, it’s like “Poetry in Motion”. He collected 445 points which was way better than Aditya Suresh Kamat (Birelart Racing; 413) and Arafath Sheikh (MSPORT; 413).
Aditya was declared the Best Newcomer of the Championship. Ishaan Madesh won two special awards, for the most number of poles and the most number of wins through the season. No surprises there!
The participation of Narain Karthikeyan ( F1 ), Arjun Maini ( F2 ) and Kush Maini ( British F3 ) added a lot of value to the championship and reinstated the value of the commitment of Meco Motorsports to provide a fantastic platform for young Indian drivers to progress from, thanks to Narain Karthikeyan for bringing his team NK Racing to Meco Kartopia.
Women in Motorsports: Our girl in Karting, this season is Shriya Lohia. Read her experience in her own words:
Shriya Lohia, spends some time, may be posting on Social Media, after the races and before the PD on Sunday. And that's an end to the Rotax Max National Championship 2020!“A completely new experience for me. I started off Round 1 in the Micro Max Class just to find out that I’ve outgrown it. Becoming 8 kg overweight! I decided to drop out of the Round 2, as I was stuck between Micro and Junior classes. I tested out the Junior kart for two days and just for some exposure; I took an entry into Round 3 in the Junior kart. The kart felt so much faster and nicer. Due to a few problems in the set-up (kart) and me being completely new to the category, I couldn’t perform well. I made my way upto 7th in the Finals which is acceptable due the fact that I was the only one with such less experience. I really need to work on my strength if I want to be successful in this category. In Heat 1 of Round 3, I was able to get a good start all the way up to 5th, only to lose it to an incident. Besides that, it was really fun and I can’t stop fan-girling over the fact that Kush Maini came up to me and told me it was a decent first race in junior! Means, more than the world to me. Overall, it was a really fun weekend with the guys and also got have some fun in the wet! I promise to work hard and perform better next time. Congratulations, to all the winners! A huge thanks to all the mechanics, coaches and team members. And Thank You for a good weekend.” Cho chweet, Shriya. At INDIAinF1, we promise we will follow you, too! Source: From Shirya’s INSTAGRAM!Championship winners:
Senior Max: 1. Arjun Maini (NK Racing Academy; 431); 2. Shahan Ali Moshin (MSPORT; 400); 3. Mihir Suman Avalakki (Birel Art; 396)
Junior Max: Rishon Rajeev (Birelart; 436); 2. Ruhaan Alva (MSPORT; 410) 3. Rohaan Madesh (Peregrine Racing; 399)
Micro Max: 1. Ishaan Madesh (Peregrine Racing; 445); 2. Aditya Suresh Kamat (Birelart Racing; 413); 3. Arafath Sheikh (MSPORT; 413).
Provisional unaudited Results:
FINAL
Seniors (18 laps): 1. #63 Arjun Maini (NK Racing) (17 min, 02.222 seconds – 55.475); 2. . #61 Mihir Suman Avalakki (Birel Art) (17:08.977 -55.815); 3. #62 Yash Aradhya (MSport) (17:11.272 – 55.714); 4. #68. Raaj Bakhru (Rayo Racing) (17:15.611 – 56.043); 5. #76 Nigel Abraham Thomas (Peregrine Racing International) (17:15.947- 55.945); 6. #72 Shahan Ali Mohsin (MSport) (17:16.713; 55.963);. 7. #96 Sohil Shah (NK Racing) (16:20.598); 8. #69 David Ryan (17:22.197 -56.282); 9.#99 G Rahul Redyy (MSport) (17:24.834 -56.296); 10. #55 Divy Nandan (NK Racing) (17:39.564-57.282); Grid: 12 drivers; Result subject to Post-Event Scrutiny! DNF: #77 Suriya Varathan (MSport) 7:51.757 – 55.902; #64 Narain Karthikeyan (NK Racing – Guest Driver) Best lap: Arjun Maini; Avg Speed: 76.070; Best Speed: 77.873; Margin of victory: 6.775;
Junior (15 laps): 1. #26 Rishon Rajeev (Birel Art) (14:39.205 – 56.239 Lap 10); 2. #36 Ruhaan Alva (MSport) (14:39.664 – 56.015); 3. #45 Abhay M (Birel Art) (14:41.751 – 55.986); 4. #48 Shaurya Kapani (Rayo Racing) (14: 44.521 – 56.209); 5. #40 Jaden Rahman Pariat (MSport) (14:45.773 – 56.016); 6. #41 Ishaan Madesh (Peregrine Racing International) (14:51.732 -55.805); 7. #Rohaan Madesh (14:53.121 – 56.545); 8. #49 Akshat Misra (14;54.051 – 56.356); 9. Anshul Sai Shiva Kumar (Birel Art) 14:55.333 -56.573); 10. #44 Tarun Muthaiah (14:55.585 -56.378); Grid: 10 drivers.
Micro Max (12 Laps): 1. #11 Ishaan Madesh (Peregrine Racing International) (13.11.258 -1:01.000); 2. #5 Arafath Sheikh (MSport) (13:19.734 – 1:01.740); 3. #10 Aditya Suresh Kamat (Birel Art) (13:23.353 -1:01.575); 4. #2 D Nikhilesh Raju (Birel Art) (13:24.195 – 1:01.495); 5. #9 Vedha Vishnu (MSport) (13:41.934 -.01:02.711). 6. #25 Anuj Arun Velraj (MSport) (13:59.170 – 1:02.252); Result subject to Post-Event Scrutiny! Grid 6 drivers; Best Lap: Ishaan Madesh; Avg Speed: 65.516; Best Speed: 70.820; Margin of Victory: 8.476.
PRE-FINAL
Seniors (15 laps): 1. #63 Arjun Maini (NK Racing) (14:10.767 – Best lap 55.577); 2. #61 Mihir Suman Avalakki (Birel Art) (14:16.639 – 55.922); 3. #62 Yash Aradhya (MSport) (14:19.894 – 55.919) 4. #72 Shahan Ali Mohsin (MSport) (14:22.328; 56.325); 5. #77 K Suriya Varathan (MSport) (14:22.681 – 56.267); 4. 5. #68 Raaj Bakhru (Rayo Racing) (14:23.041- 56.221); 7. #96 Sohil Shah (MSport) (14:25.808 -56.426); 8. #76 Nigel Abraham Thoma (Peregrine Racing International) (14:26.574 – 56.253); 9. #69 David Ryan (NK Racing) (14:27.295 -56.381); 10. #99 G Rahul Reddy (MSport) (14:30.113 – 56.596); 11. #55 Divy Nandan (NK Racing) (14:41.411 -57.414) Grid: 12 drivers; DNF: #64 Narain Karthikeyan (NK Racing – Guest Driver). Result subject to Post-Event Scrutiny! Best Lap: Arjun Maini Average Speed 76.167; Best speed: 77.730. Margin of victory: 5.872.
Junior (12 laps): 1. #26 Rishon Rajeev (Birel Art) (11:37.327 – 56.138); 2. #36 Ruhaan Alva (MSport) (11: 40.383 – 56.193); 3. #48 Shaurya Kapani (Rayo Racing) (11:42.694 – 56.318); 4. #45 Abhay M (Birel Art) (11: 42.822 – 56.212); 5 #44 Tarun Muthaiah (Peregrine Racing International) (11:43.412 -56.468); 6. #40 Jaden Rahman Pariat (MSport) (14:48.081 – 56.312); 7.#49 Akshat Mishra (MSport) (11: 42.694 – 56.098); 8. Anshul Sai Shiva Kumar (Birel Art) 11:54.030 – 57.166); 9. #41 Ishaan Madesh (Peregrine Racing International) (11:36.844 -57/217); 10. #27 Rohaan Madesh (Peregrine Racing International) (11:37.828 – 56.589); Result subject to Post-Event Scrutiny! Best Lap: Rishon Rajeev Ag speed 74.341; Best speed 76.953. Margin of victory: 3.056
Micro Max (10 Laps): 1. #11 Ishaan Madesh (Peregrine Racing) (10.26.285 -1:01.159); 2. #10 Aditya Suresh Kamat (Birel Art) (10:33.060 – 1:01.660); 3. Arafath Sheikh (MSport) (10:42.491 – 1: 01.905); 4. #25 Anuj Arun Velraj (MSport) (10:43.166 – 1:02.518); 5. #9 Vedha Vishnu (MSport) (10:51.088 -01:02.822). 5. #2 D Nikhileash Raju (Birel Art) (10:53.235 – 1:01.676 Lap 10); 4. Grid 6 drivers. Result subject to Post-Event Scrutiny! Best lap: Ishaan; Avg Speed: 68.978; Best Speed: 70.636; Margin of victory: 6.775;
eom/David/Result added 11Jan2021 at 0750pm – with inputs from fmsci release
