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Category: Indians Abroad
News about Indians racing in different motorsports events abroad
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Jehan Daruvala post second fastest time in the afternoon
Sakhir, 9 March 2021: Red Bull Junior driver and ace Indian star Jehan Daruvala of Carlin team finished in the top-two in the afternoon session clocking the second fastest time on the second day of the F2 test here on Tuesday. He put in a very useful 71 laps in both the sessions together to get mileage in the 2021 car.
ART Grand Prix’s Christian Lundgaard continued his strong start to pre-season testing, following up second place on Day 1 with the fastest time on Day 2. The Alpine junior set the quickest lap of the tests so far in the morning session, his time of 1:41.697 more than three tenths faster than Trident rookie Bent Viscaal in second.
MORNING
Lundgaard’s name was a familiar presence at the top of the timesheets in the morning as the ART ace kicked into gear and swiftly set the fastest of the opening laps. The Dane’s time of 1:43.514 was just the start as he later cemented his position in P1 with the only sub-1m 42s lap of the morning.
There was a brief stoppage between those two laps as Alessio Deledda was forced to pull over at the final corner with mechanical issues. When things got back underway, Théo Pourchaire managed to climb as high as third, before falling to seventh as he begun a programme of long runs.
Fellow rookie Viscaal managed one better than his former Formula 3 rival, sneaking into second behind Lundgaard towards the midway point of the session. The Dutchman is desperate to impress those at Trident, in the hope of extending his current one-round deal at the Italian side, and did his chances no harm with a solid stint, lapping at 1:42.697.
Marcus Armstrong was looking more at home with DAMS on the second morning, bettering his P9 finish on Monday morning by breaking into the top three, just one hundredth off the marker for P2. The Kiwi’s Ferrari junior rival Robert Shwarztman was in and amongst it himself, breaking into the top five for the first time this pre-season.
Two of Red Bull’s hopes for the 2021 season, Liam Lawson and Jüri Vips, both made the top 10 with Hitech Grand Prix, sandwiching Shwarztman in fourth and sixth. Roy Nissany, Oscar Piastri and Marino Sato completed the top 10 as the drivers headed in for lunch.
AFTERNOON
With a number of teams getting in a qualifying simulation during the morning session, attention was focused on longer-runs and data gathering in the afternoon. Just 13 cars headed out when the lights went green, with Guilherme Samaia running the fastest of these.
A red flag disrupted the running after Gianluca Petecof stopped at Turn 13, before action resumed and the remainder of the field headed out for a taste of the track. Times were still well below the morning, as Richard Verschoor set the standard at 1:45.018. The Dutchman did manage to improve with a lap of 1:44.051, before dropping down to seventh.
There were two further red flags during the afternoon, with Lawson and Guanyu Zhou both stopping on track. Both managed to get back out there, with Zhou recovering to finish third.
A flurry of final laps when saw Dan Ticktum take control of the timesheet, breaking the 1m 44s barrier to go first. His Carlin teammate Jehan Daruvala followed suit, but couldn’t quite match the Briton’s effort, missing out on by just 0.003s.
Samaia found the time for a late lap to take him as high as fourth, ahead of Felipe Drugovich and Ralph Boschung. Petecof recovered from his earlier struggles to break into the top 10 and finish the afternoon in eighth, despite lapping just 10 times. Day 1’s top driver, David Beckmann finished ninth, as Bent Viscaal completed the top 10.
We’ll be back for Day 3 on Wednesday at 9am (local time).
2021 FIA FORMULA 2 CHAMPIONSHIP – PRE-SEASON TESTS, DAY 2, MORNING SESSION
DRIVER TEAM LAPTIME LAPS 1 Christian Lundgaard ART Grand Prix 1:41.697 39 2 Bent Viscaal Trident 1:42.028 28 3 Marcus Armstrong DAMS 1:42.038 26 4 Liam Lawson Hitech Grand Prix 1:42.256 28 5 Robert Shwartzman PREMA Racing 1:42.257 27 6 Jüri Vips Hitech Grand Prix 1:42.299 22 7 Théo Pourchaire ART Grand Prix 1:42.347 42 8 Roy Nissany DAMS 1:42.419 31 9 Oscar Piastri PREMA Racing 1:42.462 32 10 Marino Sato Trident 1:42.997 27 11 Dan Ticktum Carlin 1:43.158 35 12 Ralph Boschung Campos Racing 1:43.206 40 13 Jehan Daruvala Carlin 1:43.616 35 14 David Beckmann Charouz Racing System 1:43.954 48 15 Guanyu Zhou UNI-Virtuosi 1:43.997 38 16 Lirim Zendeli MP Motorsport 1:44.346 31 17 Richard Verschoor MP Motorsport 1:44.485 31 18 Guilherme Samaia Charouz Racing System 1:44.575 50 19 Gianluca Petecof Campos Racing 1:45.419 33 20 Felipe Drugovich UNI-Virtuosi 1:45.865 46 21 Matteo Nannini HWA RACELAB 1:45.865 20 22 Alessio Deledda HWA RACELAB 1:46.413 13 2021 FIA FORMULA 2 CHAMPIONSHIP – PRE-SEASON TESTS, DAY 2, AFTERNOON SESSION
DRIVER TEAM LAPTIME LAPS 1 Dan Ticktum Carlin 1:42.185 36 2 Jehan Daruvala Carlin 1:42.619 36 3 Guanyu Zhou UNI-Virtuosi 1:43.114 30 4 Guilherme Samaia Charouz Racing System 1:43.129 40 5 Felipe Drugovich UNI-Virtuosi 1:43.194 34 6 Ralph Boschung Campos Racing 1:44.320 25 7 Richard Verschoor MP Motorsport 1:44.335 20 8 Gianluca Petecof Campos Racing 1:44.569 10 9 David Beckmann Charouz Racing System 1:44.640 19 10 Bent Viscaal Trident 1:44.879 42 11 Lirim Zendeli MP Motorsport 1:45.052 21 12 Christian Lundgaard ART Grand Prix 1:46.913 45 13 Théo Pourchaire ART Grand Prix 1:47.429 47 14 Jüri Vips Hitech Grand Prix 1:47.497 47 15 Robert Shwartzman PREMA Racing 1:47.614 33 16 Marcus Armstrong DAMS 1:47.900 44 17 Alessio Deledda HWA RACELAB 1:47.904 30 18 Liam Lawson Hitech Grand Prix 1:48.814 39 19 Roy Nissany DAMS 1:48.974 42 20 Marino Sato Trident 1:49.501 30 21 Oscar Piastri PREMA Racing 1:49.824 32 22 Matteo Nannini HWA RACELAB 1:50.445 18 -
Jehan Daruvala begins with F2 pre-season test in third
Sakhir, 8 March 2021: Charouz Racing System rookie David Beckmann was a surprise name at the top of the standings on the opening day of the Formula 2 pre-season tests in Sakhir, beating out the more experience Christian Lundgaard in the afternoon session to top the table with a time of 1:42.844.
The two-time 2020 Formula 3 race winner looked right at home in the more powerful F2 machinery, also going faster than the morning’s top driver, Dan Ticktum.
MORNING
The grid were quick to set off onto the track for their first miles of 2021, but for the majority, it was only an installation lap as they headed back into the garage for further work on their cars. 10 did brave the windy and dusty conditions of the Bahrain International Circuit, led out by Ticktum.
There was an early red flag as Richard Verschoor came to a halt down the back straight in the leadup to Turn 14. The Dutchman’s stricken MP Motorsport machine was hauled back into the garage for a check-up, while his teammate, Lirim Zendeli, got to work setting the fastest time.
The 2020 F3 race winner got off to a sterling start, flashing round in 1:44.451 to top the opening laps of the season. The German’s time in P1 was short-lived, but he did manage to cap off a solid morning with a place in the top five, finishing fourth.
Zendeli’s 2020 rival, Liam Lawson, was another of the rookies to impress in the early stages, setting the first sub 1m 44s time of the day, which would end up being good enough for P2.
Experience did eventually come to the fore as Ticktum switched on the style towards the back end of the morning, beating Lawson’s time by sixth tenths to finish top, lapping at 1:43.021.
Ticktum’s Carlin teammate Jehan Daruvala picked up where he left off last season, running towards the front of the field, though his time wasn’t quite good enough for first, as he settled for P3, seven tenths off the pace.
Three more rookies caught the eye in the morning, as Oscar Piastri, Bent Viscaal and Beckmann all earned themselves places in the top 10, finishing seventh, eighth and 10th. The familiar names of Guilherme Samaia and Marcus Armstrong also appeared towards the front, taking sixth and ninth.
AFTERNOON
MP were straight back on it when action resumed in the afternoon, Zendeli taking back his place at the top of the timesheets with a time of 1:45.010. Backed up by his teammate for the tests, Verschoor, the duo got their fast laps out of the way early doors before focusing on longer runs and dropping out of the top ten.
Reigning F3 champion Piastri made his first appearance at the top of the charts towards the halfway point of the afternoon. Like Zendeli, his attention then switched to race simulations and this saw him drop to P6.
Last season’s surprise package Felipe Drugovich had swapped MP Motorsport for 2020 title challengers UNI-Virtuosi and looked to be quickly getting used to his new machinery, briefly setting the quickest time, before falling to fourth.
Fresh from a two-round stint with HWA RACELAB at the end of last season, Théo Pourchaire was back with his F3 team, ART Grand Prix, and managed third in the afternoon. The Frenchman was beaten by his teammate Lundgaard, who showed his experience and went 0.063s quicker.
None of them could match Beckmann’s Charouz, with the German rookie roaring to first in the closing stages of the afternoon as the only driver to break the 1m 43s barrier on Day 1.
Hitech duo Jüri Vips and Liam Lawson both managed to break into the top ten in the afternoon, going fifth and eighth. Marino Sato snuck into seventh with Trident, while Viscaal and Guanyu Zhou completed the top ten, in ninth and tenth.
We’ll be back for Day 2 on Tuesday at 11.30 am IST (9am -local time).
2020 FIA FORMULA 2 CHAMPIONSHIP – PRE-SEASON TESTS, DAY 1, MORNING SESSION
DRIVER TEAM LAPTIME LAPS 1 Dan Ticktum Carlin 1:43.021 14 2 Liam Lawson Hitech Grand Prix 1:43.621 17 3 Jehan Daruvala Carlin 1:43.761 15 4 Lirim Zendeli MP Motorsport 1:44.095 35 5 Jüri Vips Hitech Grand Prix 1:44.143 16 6 Guilherme Samaia Charouz Racing System 1:44.332 31 7 Oscar Piastri PREMA Racing 1:44.346 8 8 Bent Viscaal Trident 1:44.408 19 9 Marcus Armstrong DAMS 1:44.480 13 10 David Beckmann Charouz Racing System 1:44.529 31 11 Marino Sato Trident 1:44.620 15 12 Felipe Drugovich UNI-Virtuosi 1:44.706 25 13 Richard Verschoor MP Motorsport 1:44.859 38 14 Christian Lundgaard ART Grand Prix 1:44.880 21 15 Théo Pourchaire ART Grand Prix 1:45.038 19 16 Guanyu Zhou UNI-Virtuosi 1:45.060 18 17 Roy Nissany DAMS 1:45.471 18 18 Matteo Nannini HWA RACELAB 1:45.486 26 19 Ralph Boschung Campos Racing 1:45.496 24 20 Gianluca Petecof Campos Racing 1:46.362 27 21 Alessio Deledda HWA RACELAB 1:48.816 28 22 Robert Shwartzman PREMA Racing 1:58.546 7 2020 FIA FORMULA 2 CHAMPIONSHIP – PRE-SEASON TESTS, DAY 1, AFTERNOON SESSION
DRIVER TEAM LAPTIME LAPS 1 David Beckmann Charouz Racing System 1:42.844 19 2 Christian Lundgaard ART Grand Prix 1:43.534 32 3 Théo Pourchaire ART Grand Prix 1:43.570 36 4 Felipe Drugovich UNI-Virtuosi 1:43.871 28 5 Jüri Vips Hitech 1:44.079 18 6 Oscar Piastri PREMA Racing . 21 7 Marino Sato Trident 1:44.279 38 8 Liam Lawson Hitech 1:44.280 24 9 Bent Viscaal Trident 1:44.314 40 10 Guanyu Zhou UNI-Virtuosi 1:44.322 28 11 Marcus Armstrong DAMS 1:44.331 34 12 Roy Nissany DAMS 1:44.581 23 13 Robert Swhartzman PREMA Racing 1:44.678 18 14 Lirim Zendeli MP Motorsport 1:45.010 36 15 Richard Verschoor MP Motorsport 1:45.134 39 16 Guilherme Samaia Charouz Racing System 1:45.189 16 17 Matteo Nannini HWA RACELAB 1:45.316 27 18 Ralph Boschung Campos Racing 1:45.561 17 19 Gianluca Petecof Campos Racing 1:46.238 33 20 Dan Ticktum Carlin 1:48.885 24 21 Alessio Deledda HWA RACELAB 1:48.990 19 22 Jehan Daruvala Carlin 1:49.637 26 -
Team MRF Tyres in fourth place
Kouvola (Finland), 6 March 2021: Team MRF Tyres shone on the ice and snow in the Finnish Rally Championship and the SM OK Auto Ralli held near Kouvola today.
The crews were greeted with snow and icy conditions in the six-stage, 111km event but the weather conditions would play a major role in the outcome of the rally.
Team MRF Tyres drivers, Emil Lindholm and Mikael Korhonen would be battling for a podium all rally, always within reach of the podium in their Skoda Fabia Rally2 evo.
The day got underway with the longest stage of the rally with the 29.8km Hermunen test, followed by the 11.7km Rämälä stage. The weather was perfect for ice rally, with ice and icy gravel, providing a good surface for the MRF studded tyre.
The first leg was 42km and Lindholm/Korhonen were in third at the end of the leg.
They would be involved in a great four-way fight for the lead with Juha Salo/Mikko Markkula, Mikko Heikkilä/Topi Luthinen and Teemu Asumaa/Marko Salminen.
It would continue through the 29km second loop of Teuroinen and Väärtti. Team MRF Tyres would lie in fourth at the end of the loop but just a handful of seconds off a podium.
However, the final two stages, repeat tests of Hermunen and Rämälä would prove decisive. The weather had turned, dumping up to 10cm of fresh snow on the stages.
The top runners would be disadvantaged by the road conditions and as Lindholm/Korhonen were running third on the road, the conditions poor.
The Team MRF Tyres duo, however, did well to keep their fourth place and were just 3.9 seconds off Riku Tahko/Markus Soininen.
It was a successful start to the season for Team MRF Tyres. Before 2021, the studded tyre had only competed once before. Now, it has three rallies, with another podium and a top-four finish.
The team were able to gain valuable data in one of the toughest national championships in the world and were able to show that MRF Tyres can run at the front in any competition.
Quotes
Emil Lindholm, Driver, Skoda Fabia Rally2 evo“This winter we have tripled the number of winter rallies driven by MRF Tyres. We can be proud of our results and the progress that the entire team have made at MRF Tyres. We have been able to move forward again on tyre development. I had a lot of confidence before the start of the season that MRF will be able to prepare a competitive tyre for winter conditions. That has been proven correct!”
“This was a tough rally with horrible conditions. I was happy with our pace and we were fighting for a podium position for the entire rally. The last two stages we had sensor issue that cost us time a lot of fresh snow and despite this, we were able to keep our fourth place.”
“The MRF Tyres worked very well and we can be proud of our winter season. I look forward to the rest of 2021.”
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The 24 hours of Le Mans postponed to Aug 21, 22
Le Mans, 4 March 2021: The Automobile Club de l’Ouest, organiser of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in liaison with the World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) and the Fédération Internationale Automobile (FIA), has postponed the 89th 24 Hours of Le Mans, originally planned for 12–13 June 2021. Now it is planned to be held from August 21 and 22.
After finishing 4th and fifth in the Asian Le Mans, Indian team of Narain Karthikeyan, Arjun Maini and Naveen Rao are planning to take part in the 24 hours Le Mans this year. However, the list of participants will be announced on March 9.
The ACO has made this decision early in the season to give competitors, partners and spectators as much visibility as possible and to maintain the current FIA WEC calendar. The dates of the other races and events to be held at the Le Mans Circuit remain unchanged at the present time. The ACO is working closely with the organisers of the various events that could be impacted by this change.
This year’s race will see the new Hypercars make their on-track debut and the ACO thus remains extremely keen to have fans attend.
Information on tickets and full details on the race format will be released at the end of April.Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest: “Although it was a tough decision to make, it is the right one. Holding the 24 Hours of Le Mans behind closed doors for the second year running would be unthinkable. We are therefore doing all we can to avoid that happening and to give competitors a clear view of the whole season. We are working very hard to put on a safe event, with all the necessary health precautions in place. This year’s race promises to be another thriller as the new Hypercar class makes its debut.”
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Jehan Daruvala earns valuable Super Licence points with 3rd in Drivers title: Asia F3
Abu Dhabi, 20 Feb 2021: Talented Indian driver and the next F1 hopeful from the country, Jehan Daruvala, racing for Mumbai Falcons, clinched two podiums, winning third places in Race 14 and Race 15 each, ended the Asia F3 Championship here on Saturday.
Pierre Louis Chovet won the Drivers’ Championship with 221 points with Guanyu Zhou (189) taking second with Daruvala garnering 156 for third. Teammate Kush Maini finished 12th with 24 points. This week-end Kush Maini put in a strong performance taking P4 behind Daruvala in one race. Maini who had initial hiccups early in the season, could not perform upto his potential due to technical issues.
The Mumba-born youngster, with two third places in Round 5, clinched the third place in the Drivers’ Championship which fetched him important points that add to his FIA Super Driver Licence. He is likely to get 12 points for his efforts.
“It is great to finish the weekend with a double podium. It’s P3 for me in the championship in the end. A Big thanks to Mumbai Falcons, for all the hard work over the last few weeks and congratulations on securing P3 in the teams’ championship,” said Jehan Daruvala tagging Falcons’ handle on twitter
Mumbai Falcons India Racing Limited’s Jehan Daruvala has endured a season of mixed fortunes so far, and had an outside chance for the title ahead of the final round. The 22-year-old won three of the six races in Rounds 2 and 3 at the Yas Marina track, all from pole, but had mixed fortunes later on.
The championship winner takes home 18 coveted FIA Super Licence points, with the runner-up taking 14, and the final point awarded to the ninth-place finisher in the Driver Classification.
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Aishwarya takes podium in Class 1 of Dubai Baja, with crucial points for WC
Dubai, 19 Feb 2021: Ace Indian cross-country rallyist of team TVS Racing, Aishwarya Pissay, the FIM Bajas World Cup 2019 winner made it to the chequered flag to take a well-deserved podium in the Dubai International Baja, the first round of the FIM Women’s Baja World Cup at the Deserts of Al Qudra here on Saturday.
Astride a Husqvarna SX-F450, Aishwarya clocked 9hours, 21minutes 27.0seconds (including a penalty time of 6:00:0 after SS1) for an overall second place in Class 1 and Group 1 but she had to be content with a bronze in the women’s category. The Class 1 podium fetched her 16 valuable points in her campaign for the 2021 Bajas World Cup. However, the provisional points need to be confirmed by FIM.
The Bengalurean finished the first leg in second place in the women’s section with an overall lead in 18th place after Day 1. Today, she took overall 14th place on Day 2, for a final count of third in the women’s class which matters for her WC campaign.
On Day 2, an issue with in the gearbox slowed a speeding Aishwarya in her tracks. Forced to nurse her bike back while others passed by, Aishwarya made the most of her situation to cross the finish line for a third place in the women’s class. Mirjam Pol (7:04:06) and Llobera Farre (8:27:01) finished ahead of her in that order.
Khuraibet S, who did well, picked up a penalty and slided to fourth place. Aishwarya’s third was good enough to get her an overall combined second place behind Pol in Class 1 but with both classes 1 and 1/2 counting together for WC points, Aishwarya will get 16 points for her efforts.
Aishwarya Pissay in Dubai before with her medal. The TVS Racing talent is supported by Sidvin Core Tech, Scott Sports India, K&N, Pepsico and CutGear.
Aishwarya has bagged 16 points with her achievement today. This year, the ladies should take part in at least one of the 10 FIM 2021 Baja World Cup rounds to be eligible for the finals, which will have a coefficient of 2. Along with the final rankings, two other best events rankings, among the ten, will be counted for the World Cup Baja title. The individual qualifying rounds will have a coefficient of 1.
Note: Class and Points corrected on 22 Feb 2021 at 4.28 pm
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Team MRF Tyres welcomes Italian legend Paolo for 2021 rally season
Sardenga, 19 Feb 2021: Team MRF Tyres is excited to have an 11-time Italian national champion joining the squad for the season as Paolo Andreucci’s car will be shod by the Indian tyres for the 2021 Italian Gravel Rally Championship.
Andreucci joins the team for the six-round Italian Gravel Rally Championship campaign and will drive a Citroen C3 Rally 2 on the latest generation of MRF Tyres.
Being able to partner with an 11-time national champion inspires confidence and a strong commitment to building on the progress made over the past year for MRF Tyres.
Andreucci has more than 20 years of experience in tyre development and these skills will be a valued asset throughout the season for Team MRF Tyres.
Alongside side the six round Italian Gravel Rally Championship, Team MRF Tyres has an aggressive 2021 testing schedule and Andreucci will play an important role in this program.
It demonstrates MRF Tyres’ commitment to the European market and the desire to reach the front of the world’s best championships.
The Italian Gravel rally Championship is one of the strongest and toughest championships in the world, drawing big fields and creating expert drivers.
After seven years on the west coast, Italy’s gravel round of the FIA World Rally Championship will swap sides for 2021. That’s not to say Alghero won’t be included in this year’s itinerary. Following the 2.76km shakedown at Loiri Porto San Paolo close to Olbia, the cars cross the Mediterranean island to Alghero where the picturesque town hosts the ceremonial start on the Thursday evening.
The crews remain in town overnight before heading off for the first day’s action on Friday morning. From then on, the cars will return to service at Olbia’s waterside Molo Brin area.
The season starts on 24-25 April with Rally Adriatico where Andreucci, along with codriver Francesco won here last year. The second round will be supporting the WRC with the Rally Italia Sargenda in early June. San Marino follows before the Rally Città di Arezzo – Valtiberina.
It was on these Tuscan roads last year where Emil Lindholm/Mikael Korhonen dominated the event before a mechanical issue robbed Team MRF Tyres of victory.
The final two rounds of the season take place on 11-12 September with the Rally dei Nuraghi e del Vermentino and on 6-7 November with the Liburna Rally Terra 2021.
Andreucci’s signing comes after a successful 2020 season with Team MRF Tyres taking stage wins in the company’s first-ever season in top-level European Rally competition.
It is the next piece in the puzzle as MRF Tyres continues to develop and build on a strong 2020 campaign.
The 2021 season started well for MRF Tyres with Lindholm/Korhonen taking a podium spot in the opening round of the Finnish Championship at Artic Rally. It makes two podiums from two outings on snow and ice after Craig Breen and Paul Nagle achieved a podium in 2020 in Finland.
MRF Tyres has proven pace and experience on gravel rallying around the world, producing perfect tyres for national and regional rallying. As MRF Tyres prepares to take on more and more top-level rallies around the world.
Further announcements for the 2021 campaigns will be made in due course. The next outing for Team MRF Tyres will be the SM OK Auto Ralli, the second round of the Finnish Rally Championship with Lindholm/Korhonen on 5-6 March.
Quotes
Paolo Andreucci (Driver, Team MRF Tyres, Italian Gravel Rally Championship)
“MRF Tyres is a very important company in the automotive market and, above all, is investing seriously in motorsport. We have common and converging objectives, and this commitment is what has drawn me to this program.”“I like to challenge myself with new opportunities, and I am excited about this one. I am a person who has always made commitment and determination based on strengths. It is thanks to the passion and technical knowledge of the entire team at MRF Tyres that I believe together we can do a good job.”
“For 2021, we want to be as competitive as possible in the Italian Gravel Rally Championship and above all to help MRF in developing competition tyres. The potential is high as well as everyone’s desire to achieve important goals.”
Mr. Arun Mammen (Vice-Chairman & Managing Director, MRF Tyres)
“We are proud of how competitive Team MRF Tyres was in the 2020 European Rally Championship season. Every one at MRF Tyres is working hard and we are happy to be present competitively on a world stage like this.”“To be able to attract an 11-time national champion to MRF Tyres speaks about our commitment to rallying in Europe and the continued development of our rally tyre. We are dedicated to further our success and we look forward to the Italian Gravel Rally Championship.”
“I would like to welcome Paolo to the team and wish him the best of luck for the 2021 season.”
About MRF Tyres
MRF Tyres was established in 1946 and now employs over 16,000 people and has revenue of around US$2.5 billion making it the biggest tyre supplier in India. MRF Tyres supplies rally and race tyres around the world. MRF Tyres entered the European Rally Championship for the first time in 2020 taking stage wins and took a podium position in the team’s first snow rally in the Finnish Rally Championship. It is part of a long motorsport heritage for the company that has seen multiple Asia Pacific Rally Championship titles, open wheeler success, national rally and racing success.About Paolo Andreucci
Paolo Andruecci is an Italian rally stalwart, having broken onto the scene in the late 1980s. It didn’t take him long to make his mark, taking a top 10 in Rally Portugal in 1989, taking second in class in the Production WRC class. He has made his career in Italy on gravel and tarmac, starting over 330 rallies and taking 80 wins. Incredibly, he has taken 11 Italian titles overall and a further five class titles. He brings a wealth of experience to MRF Tyres and our aggressive development campaign into Europe.Andreucci’s Championship titles
2020 –Italy 2WD class (Tarmac), 2018 – Italian Championship, 2017 – Italian Championship, 2015 – Italian Championship, 2014 – Italian Championship, 2012 – Italian Championship, 2011 – Italian Championship, 2010 – Italian Championship, 2009 – Italian Championship, 2006 – Italian Championship, 2005 – Italian S1600 class, 2004 – Italian S1600 class, 2003 – Italian Championship, 2003 – Italian S1600 class, 2001 – Italian Championship, 1998 – Italian 2WD Championship, 1997 – Italian 2WD ChampionshipAbout the Italian Gravel Rally Championship (Campionato Italiano Rally Terra)
Formed in 2017, the Italian Gravel Rally Championship allows the finest rally drivers to take on the best gravel roads across Italy. Sanctioned by the national ASN, ACI Sport, tallies typically take place over a single day of competition with around 70km of competitive action (except for the Rally Italia Sardegna which supports the WRC round). The fields are highly competitive with more than 20 Rally 2 cars, producing exciting finishes – to the point that the 2020 Rally San Marino was tied with 0.0 between the first two cars! The 2020 Champion was WRC2 front runners Bulacia Wilkinson Marco/Marcelo Der Ohannesian. Andreucci took second with two victories with codrivers Francesco Pinelli and Anna Andreussi.2021 Italian Gravel Rally Championship Calendar
1. Rally Adriatico 2021 (24-25 April)
2. Rally Italia Sardegna 2021 (3-6 June)
3. San Marino Rally 2021 (26-27 June)
4. Rally Città di Arezzo – Valtiberina 2021 (30 July – 1 August)
5. Rally dei Nuraghi e del Vermentino 2021 (11-12 September)
6. Liburna Rally Terra 2021 (6-7 November) -
Saudi star Al Rajhi, Mare top time sheets to take Dubai Baja lead; Aishwarya on target
Dubai, 19 Feb 2021: Saudi Arabia’s Yazeed Al Rajhi dominated the opening leg of the Dubai International Baja with a stunning drive on Friday while UAE-based South African rider Aaron Mare moved within reach of back-to-back bike victories as the rally entered the motorsport record books topping the time sheets on Day 1. Meanwhile, India’s world cupper Aishwarya Pissay had successfully completed the course on Day 1 finishing the SS1 with aplomb despite some initial hiccups.
Reunited with long-time British co-driver Michael Orr, Al Rajhi took his Toyota Hilux Overdrive into a lead of 21mins 31 secs over fellow-Saudi Yasir Seaidan, accompanied by Aleksei Kuzmich in a Mini John Cooper Works Rally
The UAE’s Khalid Al Qassimi and German Dirk Von Zitzewitz were just four seconds further adrift in third place in an Abu Dhabi Racing Peugeot 3008 DKR in the second round of the 2021 FIA World Cup for Cross Country Bajas for cars.
Ruled out last year because of the coronavirus emergency, the rally is being staged in compliance with strict COVID-19 Protocol, and it made history today as the first FIA World Cup cross-country event to be run on solar power.
Yazeed Al Rajhi and co-driver Michael Orr lean in their Toyota Hilux Overdrive on 19 Feb 2021 in Dubai International Baja after Leg 1. An ASO image Based at DEWA’s Innovation Centre located at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the event provided a challenging first leg test for drivers and riders on a 192km passage through the dunes and plains of the Al Qudra desert.
With Al Rajhi taking charge of DEWA’s Innovation Centre Special Stage as he chases a first cars victory in the event, France’s Pierre Lachaume and Loic Minaudier in a PH Sport Zephyr, Pavel Lebedev and Kiril Shubin in a CAN AM Maverick and Claude Fournier with Szymon Gospodqrczyk, also in a CAN AM Maverick, completed the top six.
Lachaume and Minaudier finished the day heading the T3 buggies category while Lebedev and Shubin were winning the race for the T4 title.
Top-seeded Honda rider Mare, returning to action after a 2019 Dakar Rally crash, produced another impressive display as he moved into a 2 mins 20 secs first leg bikes lead over fellow countryman and 2017 winner Mark Ackerman on a Husqvarna, with British KTM rider Sam Smith in third.
The UAE’s Sultan Al Balooshi on a Husqvarna, Jordanian Abdallah Abuaisheh riding a KTM and the UAE’s 2018 winner and World Cup champion Mohammed Al Balooshi on another Husqvarna completed the top six in the opening round of this year’s FIM Bajas World Cup.
Emirati Mansoor Al Suwaidi on a Yamaha YFZ 450 R was a runaway leader of the quads category with a huge lead of 1hr 38 mins 10 secs from Saudi Haitham Al Tuwayjiri on another Yamaha.
Taking place under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai, the Dubai International Baja is sponsored by Dubai Electricity & Water Authority, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park and Arabian Automobiles Nissan.
“It feels good to welcome back World Cup cross country rallying, especially as we’re setting an example for other events to follow in sustainable motor sport development,” said Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the Emirates Motorsports Organization and FIA Vice President for Sport.
Al Rajhi reached the end of the stage to say: “It was a good day and we drove fast, with Michael doing a good job. We had some technical issues at around 30km and later a puncture. But a good day. And good to have Michael back.”
Al Qassimi said: “The first 20km the car was hesitant on the dunes. We tried different ways but kept getting stuck. Because there has been no rain the sand is very soft so we tried to avoid the dunes as much as possible.”
Mare completed today’s leg to say: “It was good stage, pretty technical in places and some very fast straight flats. This has been my first since crashing in the 2019 Dakar. Since then I have had surgery and been focusing on getting fit.”
The event had started without the top-seeded driver and co-driver combination of Denis Krotov and Konstantin Zhiltsov who arrived in Dubai only for their Mini John Cooper Works Rally to be held up by customs formalities in Saudi Arabia following the Dakar Rally.
Among the early casualties were the UAE’s Yahya Al Helei and Khalid Al Kendi whose Nissan Pick Up went out of the rally with mechanical problems. The surviving drivers and riders next tackle Saturday’s 194 kms Arabian Automobiles Nissan Special Stage which leads to the podium and prizegiving at the Innovation Centre at 5.15pm.
Provisional leading positions after DEWA’s Innovation Centre Special Stage
Cars
1. Yazeed Al Rajhi/ Michael Orr (SAU / GBR) / Toyota Hilux Overdrive 2:40:57.0
2. Yasir Seaidan / Aleksei Kuzmich (SAU /RAF) / Mini John Cooper Works Rally 3:02:28.0
3. Khalid Al Qassimi / Dirk Von Zitzewitz (ARE / DEU) / Peugeot 3008 DKR 3:02:32.0
4. Pierre Lachaume / Loic Minaudier (FRA / FRA) / PH – Sport Zephyr 3:13.43.0
5. Pavel Lebedev / Kiril Shubin (RUS / RUS) / CAN AM Maverick / T4 3:23:51.0
6. Claude Fournier / Szymon Gospodqrczyk (FRA / POL) / CAN AM Maverick 3:28:57.0
7. Mshari Al Therifi / Ali Hassan Obaid (KWT / ARE) / CAN AM Maverick / T4 3:43:47.0
8. Khaled Al Feraihi / Omar Allahim (SAU / SAU) / Nissan Pick Up 4:04:34.0
9. Michael Fadel / Craig Tyson (ARE / ARE) / Polaris / T3 4:25:50.0
10. Laia Sanz / Lucas Cruz (SPA / SPA) / CAN AM Maverick / T4 4:40:58.0
Bikes
1. Aaron Mare (ZAF) / Honda CRF 450 R 2:37:14.0
2. Mark Ackerman (ZAF) / Husqvarna FX 450 2:39:34.0
3. Sam Smith (GBR) / KTM SX – F 450 2:41:08.0
4. Sultan Al Balooshi (ARE) / Husqvarna FC 450 2:41:36.0
5. Abdallah Abuaisheh (JOR) / KTM SX-F 450 2:45:50.0
6. Mohammed Al Balooshi (ARE) / Husqvarna FC 450 2:47:26.0
7. Martin Michek (CZE) / Husqvarna SX F450 2:52:30.0
8. Konrad Dabrowski (POL) / KTM SX-F 450 2:58:53.0
9. Darko Marasovic (CRO) / KTM SX – F 450 3:00:04.0
10. Abdulla Dakhan (ARE) / Yamaha YZ 450 F 3:03:34.0
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Aishwarya Pissay successfully completes SS1 in 18th place, in her class
Dubai, 19 Feb 2021: World Cup Baja winner and ace Indian rider Aishwarya Pissay of TVS Racing successfully completed the Leg 1 finishing 18th in her Group 1, Class 1, and overall 23rd in the FIM 2021 Dubai International Baja here in the Deserts of Al Qudra on Friday.
After a complicated year for the motorcycle world, the Dubai International Baja which attracted 43 competitors (37 motorcycles and six quads) returned to with its tough cross-country section of two stages and a total of 427.2 competitive kilometres.
Taking part in Group 1 for bikes and in the Ladies Moto class, Aishwarya clocked a creditable 4 hours, 31 minutes and 17 seconds for the 202.43km Selective Section 1 (SS1), with a competitive distance of 192.23km, that is part of Leg 1 on Friday. She finished 23rd in the timed stage and in overall timings, and second in the Ladies class which saw three out of four registered riders finish the day. In her Group, she finished 18th.
This year, the ladies should take part in at least one of the 10 FIM 2021 Baja World Cup rounds to be eligible for the finals, which will have a coefficient of 2. Along with the final rankings, two other best event rankings will be counted for the World Cup Baja title. The rounds will have a coefficient of 1.
South African Aaron Mare (Honda) sports the #1 ranked rider, finished first in the overall category ahead of compatriot Marck Ackerman (the second ranke on #2 Husqvarna). While Englishman Smith, on his #4 bike was ahead of Emirati Sultan Al-Balooshi (#3), who saw his brother Mohammed (#7) finish ninth on a Husqvarna, after SS1. Mare clocked 3:06:14.0 to top the time charts after Leg 1 (SS1).
Of the four riders in the female category Pol M finished on top clocking 3:49:44.0 while Aishwarya Pissay of India came second in SS1 with a time of 4:28:18.0 as she had to overcome mid-way hiccups navigating the tough dunes and managed to complete the day successfully. Llobera Farre M was a further 11 minutes behind in third place. The second leg SS2 of 204.75km is yet to be completed for the two-day cross-country rally which is a round of the FIM Baja World Cup.
Konrad Dabrowski (KTM) who, at 19-years-old, has just finished 28th at the Dakar Rally, did not find her name in the finishers list for Day 1.
The 25-year Bengaluru rider, Aishwarya Pissay, is the brand ambassador for Scott and Sidvin, the first two sponsors who supported her entry into the big world of Cross-Country rallying from July 2019. Run by former biker and Indian motorsports officionado Mohan, Sidvin Core Tech, is a customer focused Engineering Service provider for Oil & Gas, Petrochemical & Process Industry. She is also supported by Scott Sports India, CutGear, K&N Engineering and Pepsico, who recognised her talent and hardwork and have been sponsoring her as she backed by TVS Racing and Sherco.
Centred around the city of Dubai, the event got underway with administrative and technical checks at the Innovation Center for international riders on Thursday.
To access the bivouac and all the technical and administration checks, riders and their assistance teams had to undergo a Covid-19 test in a tent located in front of the entrance to the bivouac.
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Aishwarya back at the Dubai Baja, to begin the season
Dubai (UAE), 18 Feb, 2021: India’s Aishwarya Pissay, who became the first ever Indian athlete to win a World title in motorsports, winning the Baja World Cup in women’s category, will be making her second appearance in the Dubai International Baja this year.
The Dubai Baja has a habit of showing what World Cup winners are made of, and expectations are high again this weekend as the fourth edition of the event unfolds in the Al Qudra desert.
The 25-year Bengaluru-based rider will be among the four lady riders at the first cross-country event of the season. TVS Racing’s Aishwarya, first won her major international cross country win here in Dubai in 2019, and went on to win the Baja World Cup in women’s class. Kuwaiti, Sarah Khuraibet, along with Andorra’s Margot Llobera Farre and the Netherlands’ Mirjam Pol will be the other three.
The 2021 FIA World Cup for Cross Country Bajas for cars is already up and running, and top-seed Denis Krotov arrived in Dubai from the sub-zero temperatures of the Baja – Northern Forest, where his challenge in this season’s opener ended when he became stuck in a snowdrift.
Aishwarya Pissay with Fahad Al Musallam of Kuwait as she prepares for the Dubai International Baja. Fahad is chasing a third quads success while Aishwarya is looking for a second win in her second attempt in Dubai. Photo by Edoardo Bauer for ©RallyZone Partnering Krotov in an X-raid MINI John Cooper Works Rally is Konstantin Zhiltsov, who has twice guided Vladimir Vasilyev, the first round winner, to victory in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.
The first three editions of the Dubai Baja brought wins for competitors who went on to take World Cup titles that year. The 2018 bikes champion, Emirati Mohammed Al Balooshi, is seeded seventh this time, such is the strength of the 43-rider line-up for the first round of this year’s FIM Bajas World Cup.
Taking place under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai, the Dubai International Baja is sponsored by Dubai Electricity & Water Authority, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park and Arabian Automobiles Nissan.
Based at DEWA’s Innovation Centre located at the Solar Park, the rally enters the record books as the first FIA World Cup cross-country event to be run on solar power.
“We’re very happy to be setting a trend towards sustainability in rallying, and we’re expecting another classic baja event,” said Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the Emirates Motorsports Organization and FIA Vice President for Sport.
Nissan’s sponsorship of the event for a fourth year extends a long standing partnership between the manufacturer and the EMSO, the national motor sport authority.
Michel Ayat, Chief Executive Officer – AWR Automotive, said: “The Dubai International Baja is another exemplary event that further consolidates the emirate’s leading global position in the world of sports. As the official automotive sponsor, AW Rostamani Group consistently supports events of this caliber and is grateful to Mohammed Ben Sulayem for his unwavering drive and ambition.
“2021 is a year of recovery and a return to life as we know it, and it gives us great honour and privilege at Arabian Automobiles to be once again sponsoring the rally. We are grateful for all the initiatives that our wise leadership introduce and for all the support they offer to international events of this nature that strengthen Dubai’s influence on a regional and global scale.”
Friday’s 192km DEWA’s Innovation Centre Special Stage, carving through the Al Qudra dunes, presents a big test of desert driving skill and mechanical muscle. After an overnight halt, the survivors tackle Saturday’s 194 kms Arabian Automobiles Nissan.Special Stage leading to the finish at the Innovation Centre.
Following successive Dubai victories by Poland’s Jakub Przygonski, two of the Arab world’s leading drivers aim to prevent a third successive overseas victory.
This could mean a big duel between the UAE’s Khalid Al Qassimi, twice a runner-up and partnered by German Dirk Von Zitzewitz in an Abu Dhabi Racing Peugeot 3008 DKR, and Saudi Arabia’s Yazeed Al Rajhi, joined by British co-driver Michael Orr in a Toyota Hilux Overdrive.
Czech Miroslav Zapletal with Slovakian Marek Sykora in a Ford F150 Evo, the UAE’s Yahya Al Helei and Khalid Al Kendi in a Nissan Pick-up, and fellow Emiratis Khalid Al Jafla and Mirza Ali in a Toyota Hilux, complete the top six out of 29 car entries.
With 15 buggies on show, Britain’s Conrad Rautenbach in a Zephyr heads the T3 class. Top seed in T4, Saudi Saleh Alsaif in a Maverick X3, is up against France’s first round winner, Claude Fournier, and Spanish bikes star Laia Sainz, 13-time Trials World Champion, who moves from two wheels to four.
Two UAE-based South Africans lead the charge in the opening round of this year’s FIM Bajas World Cup for bikes. Last year’s winner Aaron Mare on a Honda and 2017 champion Mark Ackerman riding a Husqvarna, top the seeds ahead of the UAE’s Sultan Al Balooshi and British KTM rider Sam Smith.
Lithuanian Arunas Gelazninkas and Saudi Mishal Alghuneim complete the top six.
A quartet of Saudi riders, Haitham Altuwayjiri, Faisal Alsuwayh, Abdulmajeed Aakhulaifi and Hani Al Nomsi, are out to block a third Dubai Baja win for Kuwait’s Fahad Al Musallam whose hat-trick attempt in 2019 was halted by first leg mechanical failure.
A hardworking and dedicated motorsport athlete, Miss Pissay, who started the sport at a late age, gave up road racing after winning the National title in 2017 to focus on Cross Country rallying. She has topped many events in India in the women’s category which included Raid De Himalaya 2017, and Dakshin Dare for two years in 2016 and 2017. She also won the Indian National Rally Championship (INRC) for bikes in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. She started with circuit racing winning the TVS Apache Ladies One Make Championship 2017 and then the top honours in the MRF MMSC Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2017, when the women’s category was recognised as a national event by FMSCI, the Indian federation for the sport.
