INDIA in F1

Category: National Championship

The event counts as the National Championship recognised by FMSCI, the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India, the governing body of motorsports in India, and the ASN recognised by FIA and FIM.

  • Shahan, Avalakki continue to dominate: JK Tyre Karting Nationals

    Bengaluru, 8 July 2019: Agra’s Shahan Ali Mohsin and Bengaluru’s Mihir Suman Avalakki continued their good form to hold on to the lead after Round 2 of the Rotax Class of the JK Tyre-FMSCI National Karting Championship 2019 at the Meco Kartopia on the outskirts of Bengaluru.

    Shahan (MSport) looked at ease over the weekend as he won race 1 and finished second in another to notch up 86 points and take his total tally to 175 points in the Senior Max Category.

    Manav Sharma of Faridabad, who was outperformed by Shahan in the opening round, however, accumulated two more points than him by finishing second in the pre-final and winning the final this time around. The Peregrine Racing driver has a total of 173 points now and is sitting on the second place.

    MSports’ Bala Prasanth finished fifth in both the races to collect 78 points and take the third position with 160 points.

    In the Junior Max Category, it was a clean sweep for Birel Art as they took all the podium places, led by another local lad Mihir. He did not have the best of starts to the round, finishing only fourth in the opening race.

    But he came back to clinch the second place in the final race to pocket 83 points and take his total tally to 172 points. He is tied on points with his team-mate Rishon after two rounds, who won both races of the day to amass 89 points. Ruhaan Alva is on the third spot as he posted two third place-finishes to collect 82 points to take his total tally to 165 points.

    In the Micro Max Category, it was Peregrine Racing’s Ishaan Madhesh who came up with another powerful performance and won both the races to extend his tally to 178 points. His team-mate Jagrat Detroja is on the second spot with 166 points while Anshul Sai Shivkumar is in the third place with 157 points.

    Note: Results were not received from the organisers
    Provisional Standings after Round 2:
    Micro Max:
    1. Ishaan Madesh (Peregrine Racing) 178 points; 2. Jagrat Detroja (Peregrine Racing) 166 points; 3. Anshul Sai Shivakumar (Birel Art) 157 points    Junior Max:
    1. Mihir Avalakkai (Birel Art) 172 points; 2. Rishon (Birel Art) 172 points; 3. Ruhaan Alva (Birel Art) 165 pointsSenior Max:
    1. Shahan Ali Mohsin (MSports) 175 points; 2. Manav Sharma (Peregrine Racing) 173 points; 3. Bala Prasath (MSports) 160 points
  • After 12 years, Gaurav Gill leaves MRF and returns to JK Tyre fold; 3 WRC2 rounds in the offing

    After 12 years, Gaurav Gill leaves MRF and returns to JK Tyre fold; 3 WRC2 rounds in the offing

    Sanjay Sharma Head- Motorsport, JK Tyre (L) with Gaurav Gill at New Delhi on Friday. A JK Tyre image

    New Delhi, 21 June 2019: In a stunning move that jolted the motorsport fraternity of India, celebrated Indian rally driver Gaurav Gill returned to the JK Tyre fold after 12 long years with MRF and breathed a fresh life into his dream… to continue the quest for a full run in the World Rally Champioship.

    JK Tyre announced here on Friday that the 37-year old speed merchant will be their primary force and face behind JK Tyre’s all-new rallying programme. More importantly, Gill is expected to take part in at least three rounds of WRC2 this year.

    The three-time Asia Pacific and six times Indian National Rally champion, who began his sparkling career as a JK Tyre Go-karting prodigy almost two decades ago, will return to lead Team JK Tyre Rallying’s charge in all national and various international events, making it a true homecoming for the prodigal star after 12-long years. He joined MRF in January 2007 and his last rally for the red-outfit was Rally Finland 2018.

    The Delhi-based Speed Master got into motorsport making his debut on bikes in the National Motocross Championship in 1999. He then moved to 4-wheel racing and soon also started to take part in rallies and endurance races. He was runner-up in the National Road Racing Championship in 2003 and won the title in the following year. He finished the 2006 season, second overall.

     “I am thrilled to be back with JK Tyre under whose guidance and inspiration I learnt everything about this beautiful sport,” Gaurav said during an interaction with senior journalists.

    The star will embark on a bold new journey later this month, starting with the Champions Yacht Club Indian National Rally Championship in Chennai. At the same time, a much bigger and more exciting plan has been laid out for him, which will etch the champion’s legacy in the annals of motorsports forever.

    “We are delighted to have one of the world’s finest rallying talent with us,” Sanjay Sharma, Head- Motorsport, JK Tyre, said. “He will not only strengthen our immediate rallying thrust but more excitingly will work with us to develop the next generation of drivers. Gaurav’s experience and expertise will also come in handy for the brand in testing and developing even more robust tyres,” he added.

    Gaurav, who is easily at the peak of his driving as also his fitness, will make a fresh assault on key international events, with his eyes firmly locked on the European Rally Championship, to begin with. He will continue to pursue his long-cherished dream of making his presence felt in the World Rally 2 Championship too, taking part in at least some of its events.

    The fearless and nearly invincible rallyist will play multiple roles during his new stint, with the JK Tyre powered Gaurav Gill Rallying Academy soon becoming the hub for all off-roading activities. He and the team’s array of experts will work in tandem to develop a new breed of drivers in his own mould.

    The immediate goal is to zero in on young talented drivers from the existing grid, sharpen them and absorb them for bigger things if they show the aptitude for it. A full-fledged JK Tyre Rallying team too will soon be launched even as international FIA- R2 spec cars of various Indian manufacturers are being developed with collaborations and inputs from world-class tuners and teams by JK Tyre.

    A clear and logical progression ladder will be put in place for all worthies, with even cross-karts powered by 600cc superbike engines to be simultaneously introduced for beginners.

    “The sport has given me everything that I have today. I want to give something back to it, even as I chase my other goals in motorsport. JK is the perfect platform for both. Their programme has been designed to help new talent be on par with international counterparts, honing their skills in the most conducive environment and ambience,” Gaurav Gill said.

  • Nirmal Umashankar, Ruhaan Alva, Ishaan Madesh excel in X-30 class JK Tyre Karting Nationals

    Nirmal Umashankar, Ruhaan Alva, Ishaan Madesh excel in X-30 class JK Tyre Karting Nationals

    Winners of Junior class Race 3: from left: Mihir Suman Avalakki (2nd) with winner Ruhaan Alva and Shahan Ali Mohsin (3rd) at Meco Kartopia in Bengaluru on Sunday. Photos: JK Tyre

    Bengaluru, 16 June 2019: Chennai’s Nirmal Umashankar came up with another power-packed performance to consolidate his lead in the X-30 class of the JK Tyre-FMSCI National Karting Championship at the Meco Kartopia near Bengaluru on Sunday.

    Nirmal, an accomplished driver in the Euro JK category of JKNRC, was unstoppable in the Senior Category and won all four races during the day to collect a total of 40 points to maintain his vice-like grip at the top of the leaderboard with 76 points after two rounds. Debarun Banerjee of Delhi, who started the round behind Nirmal, began with two, second-place finishes. But he could not better that show and finished third and fourth respectively in the next two races to drift away. He is currently on 49 points after two rounds.

    Senior Class winners: From left: Debarun Banerjee (2nd), Nirmal Umashankar (1st) and Shahan Ali Mohsin (3rd)

    Agra’s Shahan Ali Mohsin, who started 7th on the leaderboard, collected 22 points, thanks to his three third-place finishes catapulting to the third spot with a total of 32 points.

    In the Junior Category, it was Bangalore’s Ruhaan Alva who made the most of the round, winning three races to collect a total of 34 points to climb up the charts with a total of 57 points. His city-mate Arjun S Nair won one race and posted two, second-place finishes to log in 27 points and maintain his second spot with a total of 51 points. Shahan Ali, just like in the Senior Category, covered good ground to go to the third position (38 points), courtesy of two second and two third-place finishes. However, Round 1 leader Mihir Suman Avalakki did not have the best of the days and could collect only 23 points to slide down to 4th position.

    Cadet winners: From left: Shriya Loha (2nd), Ishaan Madesh (1st) and Sai Shiva Makesh Sankaran (3rd).

    In the cadet category, Bangalore’s Ishaan Mahesh collected a perfect 40 to accumulate a total of 77 pointsto hold on to his lead. Young Shriya Lohia of Pune is in the distant second with a total of 52 points, while Sai Shiva Makesh Shankara is in the third spot with 45 points.

    Arafath Sheikh from Pune, the youngest driver on the grid also proved his mettle as he managed to collect 12 points in the cadet category.

    Round 2: (provisional unaudited results):

    Senior Race 1 (15 laps): 1. Nirmal Umashankar (Chennai) 14:07.082; 2. Debarun Banerjee (Delhi) 14:07.545; (Fastest lap: 0:55.935); 3. Shahan Ali Mohsin (Agra) 13:18.160 (one lap less).

    Senior Race 2 (15 laps): 1. Nirmal Umashankar (Chennai) (14:05.620); 2. Debarun Banerjee (Delhi) (14:09.057); 3. Shahan Ali Mohsin (Agra) (14:09.274). Fastest lap: Nirmal 0:55.740.

    Senior Race 3 (15 laps): 1. Nirmal Umashankar (Chennai) 13:58.958 (Fastest lap 00:55.437); 2. Manav Sharma  (Faridabad) 14:04.372; 3. Debarun Banerjee 14:04.951.

    Senior Race 4 (18 laps): 1. Nirmal Umashankar (Chennai) 16:46.845 (Fastest lap 00:55.674); 2. Manav Sharma (Faridabad) 16:54.526; 3. Shahan Ali Mohsin (Agra) 16:58.972; 3.

    Junior Race 1 (12 laps): 1. Ruhaan Alva (Bengaluru) (11:13.420); 2. Shahan Ali Mohsin (Agra) (11:16.546); 3. Arjun S Nair (Bengaluru) (11:19.207); Best Lap: Arjun Nair 0:55.916.

    Junior Race 2 (12 laps): 1. Arjun S Nair (Bengaluru) (11:20.283); 2. Mihir Suman Avalakki (Bengaluru) (11:20.547); 3. Shahan Ali Mohsin (Agra) (11:20.895); Best lap: Mihir Avalakki 0:55.581.

    Junior Race 3 (15 laps): 1. Ruhaan Alva (Bengaluru) (13:49.402); 2. Mihir Suman Avalakki (Bengaluru) (13:52.230); 3. Shahan Ali Mohsin (Agra) (13:53.388); Best lap: Ruhaan Alva 0:55.100.

    Junior Race 4 (15 laps): 1. Ruhaan Alva (Bengaluru) (13:53.045); 2. Shahan Ali Mohsin (Agra) (13:57.120); 3. Arjun S Nair (Bengaluru) (13:57.428); Best lap: Ruhaan Alva 0:55.255.

    Cadet Class Race 1 (10 laps): 1. Ishaan Madesh (Bengaluru) (11:21.358); 2. Shriya Loha (Pune) (11:31.894); 3. Sai Shiva Makesh Sankaran (Pune) (11:33.527); Best Lap: Ishaan: 1:03.313.

    Cadet Class Race 2 (10 laps): 1. Ishaan Madesh (Bengaluru) (10:36.489); 2. Shriya Loha (Pune) (10:40.277); 3. Sai Shiva Makesh Sankaran (Pune) (10:50.596); Best Lap: Ishaan: 1:02.802.

    Cadet Class Race 3 (10 laps): 1. Ishaan Madesh (Bengaluru) (10:34.779); 2. Shriya Loha (Pune) (10:40.682); 3. Sai Shiva Makesh Sankaran (Pune) (10:42.887); Best Lap: Ishaan: 1:02.722.

    Cadet Class Race 4 (12 laps): 1. Ishaan Madesh (Bengaluru) (12:45.365); 2. Sai Shiva Makesh Sankaran (Pune) (12:53.594); 3. Shriya Loha (Pune) (13:00.311); Best Lap: Ishaan: 1:03.314. (Shriya demoted to thrid place after a 10-second penalty for jump start)

    Provisional Rankings post Round 2:
    Cadet Category: 1. Ishaan Madhesh (Bangalore) 77 points; 2. Shriya Lohia (Pune) 52 points; 3. Sai Shiva Makesh Sankaran (Pune) 45 points

    Junior Category: 1. Ruhaan Alva (Bangalore) 57 points; 2. Arun S. Nair (Bangalore) 51 points; 3. Shahan Ali Mohsin (Agra) 38 points

    Senior Category: 1. Nirmal Umashankar (Chennai) 76 points; 2. Debarun Banerjee (Delhi) 49 points; 3. Shahan Ali Mohsin (Agra) 32 points

  • Agra’s Shahan, Bengaluru’s Mihir shine in opening round of Rotax Class: Karting Nationals

    Agra’s Shahan, Bengaluru’s Mihir shine in opening round of Rotax Class: Karting Nationals

    Shahan Ali Mohsin (centre) who won Senior Max Category with third-placed Manav Sharma (2nd from right) and Bala Prasath (2nd from left) who finished second. A JK Tyre photo

    Bengaluru, 9 June 2019: Agra’s Shahan Ali Mohsin and Bengaluru’s Mihir Avalakki stole the limelight in Round 1 of the Rotax Class of the JK Tyre-FMSCI National Karting Championship at the Meco Kartopia here on Sunday.

    Shahan of MSport proved to be the star of the day in the Senior Max category, winning both his races (the pre-final and final) of the day to accumulate a total of 89 points to surge into the lead.

    Manav Sharma of Faridabad and Coimbatore’s Bala Prasath, both regulars in the LGB Formula 4 category of the JKNRC, took the second and third spot respectively.

    Peregrine Racing’s Manav finished second in both races of the day and collected 85 points while Bala of MSport finished third in his two outings to end the day with a total of 82 points.

    Local boy Mihir, who starred in the opening round of the X-30 class earlier this month, sizzled again to go atop the leader board in the Junior Max category.

    Mihir, racing for Birel Art, finished on top in both the races and picked up 89 points. He is being trailed by his team-mate Rushon, who has 83 points.

    Another Birel Art racer and Bengaluru’s own Ruhaan Alva ended the day on the third spot. He finished second in the opening race and third in the last to register 83 points and tie with Rushon but had to be content with the third spot for finishing behind his team-mate in the final race.

    In the Micro Max category, it was the young Ishaan Madhesh of Peregrine Racing who emerged on top with two wins and a total of 89 points in his kitty. Trailing in the second spot is Ranveer Singh of Birel Art with 85 points while Jagrat Detroja of Peregrine Racing is third with 82 points.

    Provisional Results (After Round 1):

    Micro Category – 1. Ishaan Madesh (Peregrine Racing) 89 points; 2. Ranvir Singh (Birel Art) 85 points; 3. Jagrat Detroja (Peregrine Racing) 82 points

    Junior Category – 1. Mihir Avalakki (Birel Art) 89 points; 2. Rishon (Birel Art) 83 points; 3. Ruhaan Alva (Birel Art) 83 points

    Senior Category – 1. Shahan Ali Mohsin (MSport) 89 points; 2. Manav Sharma (Peregrine Racing) 85 points; 3. Bala Prasath (MSport) 82 points

  • Chennai’s Nirmal, Bengaluru’s Ishaan, Mihir star in X30 Round 1

    Chennai’s Nirmal, Bengaluru’s Ishaan, Mihir star in X30 Round 1

    Winners of Round 1 of JKNKC X30 Senior Class. From Left: Debarun Banerjee (2nd) Nirmal Umashankar (Winner) and MR Rishon (3rd). Photos: JK Tyre Motorsports

    Bengaluru, 26 May 2019: Chennai’s Nirmal Umashankar and Bengaluru’s Mihir Suman Avalakki emerged as the heroes of Round 1 of the JK Tyre-FMSCI National Karting Chamionship 2019, X-30 class, at the Meco Kartopia here on Sunday.

    Nirmal, a regular in the Euro JK category of JKNRC, proved to be the man with nerves of steel as he strolled into the lead in the Senior category. He finished third in the opening race of the day but won the next three to accumulate a total of 36 points.

    Delhi’s Debarun Banerjee surged to the second spot by picking up 24 points; thanks to his two second-place finishes in the last two races of the round. Another local boy M R Rishon is on their tail with 23 points with two third places and one second-place finish.

    In the Junior category, Mihir did not have the best of the starts, finishing sixth in the opening race. However, he won the next three races to register a total of 33 points to go atop the leaderboard. With three podium finishes and 24 points in his kitty, Mihir’s city-mate Arjun S Nair ended the round in the second spot.

    Another local boy and one of the favourites of the championship, Ruhaan Alva, is on the third spot with 23 points. He started the round on a glorious note winning the opening race and finishing second in the next race. It looked like it was going to be his day but a DNF in the third race cost him. He recovered well in the final race finishing third, to be pushed down to the third place.

    X30 Cadet Winners: From left: Saathvik Raju (2nd), Ishan Madesh (winner) and Shriya Lohia (3rd) at Meco Kartopia in Bengaluru on Sunday. A JK Tyre image

    In the Cadet category, Ishaan Madesh from Bengaluru took the first spot with three wins and one second-place finish with 37 points. Trailing on the second spot is Bengaluru’s Saathvik Raju (30 points) and 9-year-old Shriya Lohia (25 points) of Pune.

    Standings after Round 1 – X-30:

    Senior: Nirmal Umashankar (36 points); Debarun Banerjee (24 points); M R Rishon (23 points)

    Junior : Mihir Suman Avalakki (33 points); Arjun S Nair (24 points); Ruhaan Alva (23 points)

    Cadet : Ishaan Madesh (37 points); Saathvik Raju (30 points); Shriya Lohia (25 points.

    Results: (Unaudited results): X 30 Senior Class:  

    Race 1 (15 laps): 1. Aditya Swaminathan 14:30.208; 2. Mihir Suman Avalakki 14:30.316; 3, Nirmal Umashankar 14:31.455; Best lap: Debarun Banerjee 56.936 (4th place)

    Race 2 (15 laps): 1. Nirmal Umashankar 14:20.166; 2. MR Rishon 14:28.593; 3. Aditya Swaminathan 14:28593; Best lap: Debarun Banerjee 56.672 sec (4th place)

    Race 3 (15 laps): 1. Nirmal Umashankar 14:49.633; 2. Debarun Banerjee 14:50.891; 3. MR Rishon 14:52.133; Best lap: Mihir Suman Avalakki  56.362 secs (4th place)

    Race 4 (4 laps): 1. Nirmal Umashankar 3:50.159; 2. Debarun Banerjee 3:50626; MR Rishon 3:51.602; Best Lap: Debarun 56.649.

  • Shahan raring to go as JK Tyre National Karting Championship begins in Bengaluru

    Bengaluru, 24 May 2019: Young Shahan Ali Mohsin is raring to go as the X-30 class of the JK Tyre-FMSCI National Karting Championship gets under way here at the Meco Kartopia on Saturday.

    As many as 30 racers from across the country will be in action over the weekend in three different categories (Cadet, Junior and Senior) as the sports gets a new fillip at the grassroots level.

    Agra’s Shahan Ali, holder of multiple national karting championships and former Asia Max Karting champion, heads the star cast, beginning as a strong favourite in the Senior category.

    It will, however, not be a cakewalk for him as the Chennai duo of Nirmal Umashankar and Raghul Rangasamy are also in the fray. Nirmal and Raghul have already made a mark in the higher Euro JK & LGB-4 category of the JKNRC respectively and will bring all their experience into play in this opening round.

    It will be a three-way battle in the Junior category too, with Shahan featuring in this pack too, and the Bengaluru pair of Rohaan Madesh and Ruhaan Alva. All of them are champions in their own right and have the ability to come up with brilliant performances. Coimbatore’s Shravantika Lakshmi will also be another racer in this category to watch out for. The 14-year-old from Coimbatore will hope to use the opportunity to the optimum and give the boys a run for their money.

    “I am really happy to see so many top young racers lining up for this championship. The younger lot has to go through the rigours on go-karts to become top racers,”  Sanjay Sharma, Head-Motorsport, JK Tyre, said.

    In the Cadet category, all eyes would be on the fine young talent from Pune: Shriya Lohia. The 9-year-old has already been lauded by FMSCI in their Annual Awards as an Outstanding Woman in Indian Motorsport. She will look to live up to the expectations and will pose a tough fight to local boy Ishaan Madesh, who will start as the favourite in this category.

    The first and the second round will be held in Bengaluru while the third and the fourth will take place in Hyderabad before returning to Meco Kartopia for the final round.

  • 5th round of MRF Mogrip Supercross at Nashik

    MRF MOGRIP-FMSCI NATIONAL SUPERCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP 2018

    Nashik, 27 Nov 2018: Top guns are expected to take part in the Round 5 of the the 5th and penultimate round of the 19th edition of the MRF MoGrip FMSCI National Supercross Championship 2018 which returns to Nashik. This will be the 5th round of the 6-round FMSCI National Supercross Championship 2018.

    The MRF Mogrip fmsci National Supercross Championship is thebiggest off-road 2-wheeler National Racing Championship in India.

    Godspeed Racing, Pune spearheaded by 7-times National motocross champion Shyam Kothari have won the rights to promote the championship for the last 6 years hence, Godspeed Racing is organising this year’s championship too.

    MRF Tyres along with Godspeed Racing have made a comeback to Nashik and have made this city a part of the racing calendar for this year due to the massive response this event garnered in the previous year.

    VENUES 2018:

    R # 1 –COCHIN – Completed

    R # 2 – GOA – Completed

    R# 3 – COIMBATORE – Completed

    R # 4 – JAIPUR – Completed

    R # 5 – NASHIK – Scheduled

    R # 6 – VADODARA – Scheduled

    ‘Supercross is a motorcycling sport that involves off-road motorcycles racing on artificially created dirt track consisting of steep jumps and obstacles’

    The 19th edition of the MRF MoGrip-FMSCI National Supercross championship has attracted almost 100 participants across the 8 categories in each of their previous events. Supercross is gaining popularity in India, with close to ten thousand spectators in hordes at each of the venues last year, leading to an increase in participation and growing involvement and support from Corporate houses and media alike.

    MRF Tyres Limited is the title sponsor; TVS Motor Company, Sidvin Energy and IOC Servo are associate sponsors. Also partnering with this Championship are Amor & Vega Helmets.
    The Categories:

     

    • SX 1 (Foreign Open, Group A, Two/Four Stroke, up to 250cc Two-Stroke and 500cc Four-Stroke
    • SX 2 Foreign Open, Group A, Two/Four Stroke, up to 250cc Two-Stroke and 500cc Four-Stroke
    • Junior SX, Group A/B/C/D up to 260cc
    • Indian Expert Class, Group B, Two/Four Stroke, up to 260cc
    • Indian Expert Class, Group C Two/Four Stroke, up to 260cc
    • Expert Class, Group C, Two/Four Stroke, up to 260cc
    • Novice Class, Group C, Two/Four Stroke, up to 260cc
    • Locals Class

     

    Nashik and its terrain is extremely demanding for the man and the machine and when this event in Nasik is scheduled as a penultimate round of the championship, it promises to change a lot of equations in the points table. The riders and teams are completely focussed on getting their set-up, fitness and strategies spot on in order to take full advantage of these conditions.

    The technically demanding track is 750 meters in length, which includes 12 double jumps, a cut tabletop, 1 tabletop, whoops and berms. The organizers have created a very demanding track, which will separate the boys from the men.

    1st FMX show in Nashik! For the 1st time in history, the city of Nashik stands to witness a thrilling ‘Freestyle Motocross ‘ show which will be put up by 2 of Australia’s top FMX athletes  Shaun Webb who will ride a Honda CR 450 and Jordan Sprague who will be astride a Yamaha YZ 250 and we will be able to witness some of the most unbelievable tricks and stunts ever performed on motorcycles.

    The scrutiny & administration checks for this event will be held on Friday the 23rd of November& Saturday the 24th of November 2018

    Venue Address: ‘Pethe Nagar, behind Kaka ka dhaba, Indiranagar, ’

    Mumbai Agra Nashik Highway

    Date: Sunday 25th November 2018

    Time : 10:00 a.m onwards

  • Ashwin Datta consolidates position; double for Chittesh Mandody

    Ashwin Datta consolidates position; double for Chittesh Mandody

    File photo of Kolhapur’s Chittesh Mandody, who won both the LGB Formula 4 races on Sunday.

    Coimbatore, 14 October 2018: Chennai’s Ashwin Datta moved a step closer to his maiden Euro JK title in the 21st JK Tyre FMSCI National Racing Championship as a dramatic Round 3, replete with ups, downs and upsets, concluded at the Kari Motor Speedway here on Sunday.

    Ashwin (74 points after R3 ), who was just two points ahead of Nayan Chatterjee (66 after R3) as the action began on Saturday, made the most of Nayan’s DNF to widen his lead. But Chennai’s Karthik Tharani (68 after R3) won the next two races to come back into the equation.

    The final race of the weekend, however, saw a totally new set of winners, with Nirmal Uma Shankar, Brayan Perera and Yash Aradhya claiming the podium places. Ashwin finished fourth, though, ahead of his key competitors to be 6 points ahead of the field.

    The LGB Formula 4 too proved to be topsy-turvy but Vishnu Prasad (59) managed to keep his nose barely ahead despite not having the best of weekends with Chittesh Mandody (Avalanche) scoring a fine double.

    Delhi’s Rohit Khanna seemed to be cruising ahead after winning the first race on Day 1 and starting Day 2 with another victory. However, a series of incidents led to a number of protests, that saw him being penalized by 20 seconds and slip down from No. 1 to 13.

    In the final race, Rohit just couldn’t recover his poise and ended up with a DNF. Vishnu too had a poor race, finishing ninth and without a point. Raghul Rangasamy is now on the second place on the Championship table with 57 points.

    The other Chennai star Joseph Mathew too had an eventful race, beating Malsawmdawngliana literally at the post. Joseph began cautiously, allowing his rival from Aizawl to take the lead. He overtook him at the halfway stage only to see Malsawmdawngliana streak past him in the final lap.

    Just as victory seemed in Malsawmdawngliana’s grasp, Joseph outwitted him, winning by a wafer-thin margin of 0.087 seconds. This is Joseph’s sixth straight victory in the three rounds and puts him firmly in line for another title.

    The JK Tyre Novice Cup too saw a dramatic turn of events, which led to Surya Varathan claiming the championship and Tijil Rao taking the second place.

    Hashim EKP, who had won all three races over the weekend to move ahead, was disqualified as he had contravened the competition norms.

    The results (Provisional):

    Euro JK 18 – Race 3: 1. Karthik Tharani (15:37.117); 2. Nayan Chatterjee (15:38.043); 3. Ashwin Datta (15:40.886). Race 4: 1. Nirmal Uma Shankar (15:42.818); 2 Brayan Perera (15:46.014); 3. Yash Aradhya (15:47.130).

    Formula LGB 4 – Race 2: 1. Chittesh Mandody (Avalanche; 18:47.313); 2. Sarosh Hataria (Dark Don; 18:47.409); 3. Sohil Shah (MSport; 18:47.957). Race 3: 1. Chittesh Mandody (20:11.953); 2. Sarosh Hataria (20:12.040); 3. Raghul Rangasamy (MSport; 18:13.676).

    Suzuki Gixxer Cup: 1. Joseph Mathew (14:02.704); 2. Malsawmdawngliana (14:02.791); 3. Syed Muzamil Ali (14:13.359).

    JK Tyre Novice Cup: 1. Tijil Rao (Momentum; 18:40.030); 2. K Surya Varathan (MSport; 18:40.342); 3. Jamwal Digveshar (Prudent; 18:56.462).

  • Ashwin Datta stays ahead in JK Tyre FMSCI National Racing Championship on a day of crashes

    Ashwin Datta stays ahead in JK Tyre FMSCI National Racing Championship on a day of crashes

    Chennai’s Ashwin Datta in action on Saturday in JK Tyre National Racing Championship.

    Coimbatore, 13 October 2018: On a day of thrills and crashes, Ashwin Datta made the most of his good fortune to hang on to his Euro JK 2018 lead in the 21st JK Tyre FMSCI National Racing Championship at the Kari Motor Speedway here on Saturday.

    Joseph Mathew too continued his stunning run in the Suzuki Gixxer Cup, winning his fifth straight race to widen his Championship lead further. The LGB Formula 4, however, saw a mini upset, with Delhi’s Rohit Khanna (Dark Don Racing) pulling off a stunning victory.

    Mumbai’s Nayan Chatterjee started the day on a high note in the Euro JK 2018, claiming the pole position in a tight qualifying session. He turned out to be just 0.316 seconds faster than the field but looked set to give Ashwin a mighty fight.

    But he was a tad slow off the mark in Race 1, and Karthik Tharani shot past him before the first turn itself. As if that was not enough, Nayan and Tharani got caught in a tangle midway through the race, forcing both of them off the tarmac.

    Tharani managed to recover, but Nayan failed to finish, losing valuable points. Ashwin Datta took advantage of the situation to streak ahead into the lead. He began from P3 but came into his own soon, clocking the fastest lap time of 1:01.422.

    In Race 2, with the reverse grid for the top six coming into play, young Yash Aradhya started on pole. Yash made the most of the opportunity to build a sizable lead, but he slipped out of contention due to another minor collision.

    Karthik Tharani jumped at the chance to win the race while Nayan Chatterjee, racing in a hit car, finished third to keep his Championship hopes alive.

    Joseph Mathew reigned supreme in the Suzuki Gixxer Cup once again, claiming another facile victory. He was followed home by Malsawmdawngliana and Sachin Chaudhary.

    Rohit Khanna of Delhi made the most of his smart run in the LGB Formula 4 qualifying to win the race. It was a close race, with Sandeep Kumar finishing second just 0.285 seconds behind.

    Raghul Rangasamy claimed the third place while championship leader Vishnu Prasad had to be content with the fourth place.

    The results (Provisional):

    Euro JK 18 – Race 1: 1. Ashwin Datta (15:38.306); 2. Karthik Tharani (15:42.598); 3. Brayan Perera (15:42.829). Race 2: 1. Karthik Tharani; 2. Nirmal Uma Shankar; 3. Nayan Chatterjee.

    Formula LGB 4: 1. Rohit Khanna (Dark Don Racing; 23:28.307); 2. Sandeep Kumar (Dark Don; 23:28.592); 3. Raghul Rangasamy (MSport; 23:29.337).

    Suzuki Gixxer Cup: 1. Joseph Mathew (12:36.577); 2. Malsawmdawngliana (12:41.202); 3. Sachin Chaudhary (12:44.210).

    JK Tyre Novice Cup (under investigation): 1. Hasim EKP (19:09.525); 2. Kunal Maini (19:14.166); 3. Tijil Rao (19:26.560).

  • Ashwin, Vishnu start favourites for Round 3 of 21st JK Tyre FMSCI National Racing Championship

    Ashwin, Vishnu start favourites for Round 3 of 21st JK Tyre FMSCI National Racing Championship

    EURO JK 18 championship leader Chennai’s Ashwin Datta in action.

    Coimbatore, October 13: Round 3 of the 21st JK Tyre FMSCI National Racing Championship will commence here today at the Kari Motor Speedway with the Chennai trio of Ashwin Datta, Vishnu Prasad and Joseph Matthew looking to consolidate their positions on the leaderboard.

    Ashwin, who had surprised everyone with speed and guile this season, has managed to stay ahead of the pack with three podium finishes in the Euro JK 18 category with 51 points. He will be looking anxiously over this shoulder as he has a slender two-point lead.

    Mumbai’s Nayan Chatterjee

    Nayan Chatterjee (49 points) was breathing fire in Round 2 and will be keen to carry that momentum forward to stake his claim for the championship in the final round next month.

    “The championship has reached a very exciting stage, with anyone capable of winning in each of the championships,” Sanjay Sharma, Head of JK Motorsports, said. “It is going to be an intense battle this weekend.”

    In the LGB 4 category, MSport’s Vishnu was at his imperious best in the last round, winning two races and finishing second in one to gather a total of 28 points. With 50 points in the kitty from two rounds, he will look to widen the gap further at the top. Vishnu, however will be wary of his buddy and team-mate Raghul Rangasamy who is not too far behind him at 45 points.

    In the JK Tyre Novice Cup, all eyes will be on 14-year-old Tijil Rao of Momentum Motorsports, who annexed his maiden win to end the round with 13 points. He is currently third in the championship standings. Tijil’s team-mate Siddharth Mehdiratta is currently leading the standings with 16 points, just one ahead of but Viswas Vijayaraj.

    Chennai’s Vishnu Prasad

    Defending champion Joseph Matthew of Chennai continues to rule the Suzuki Gixxer Cup. He is yet to drop a point in the championship and has four wins from as many starts for a total of 40 points. He will be the man to beat once again.

    The top 3 after Round 2 – EURO JK 18: Ashwin Datta – 51 points; Nayan Chatterjee – 49 points; Brayan Perera – 43 points

    LGB Formula 4: Vishnu Prasad (Msport) – 50 points; Raghul Rangasamy (Msport) – 45 points; Rohit Khanna – 37 points

    NOVICE CUP: Siddharth Mehdiratta (Momentum Motorsports) – 16 points; Viswas Vijayraj (DTS Racing) – 15 points; Tijil Rao (Momentum Motorsports) – 13 points.

    JK Tyre Suzuki Gixxer Cup: Joseph Matthew – 40 points; Syed Muzzammil Ali – 30 points; Malsawmdawngliana – 21 points.