INDIA in F1

Category: National Rally Championship

  • Abdul Tanveer wins Rally of Coimbatore; Third victory for Tanika in Ladies class

    Abdul Tanveer wins Rally of Coimbatore; Third victory for Tanika in Ladies class

    Coimbatore, 16 July 2023: Former National Champion Abdul Waheed Tanveerof Petronas TVS Racing took an important victory at the Rally of Coimbatore, the third round of the MRF Mogrip fmsci National Rally Championship for two-wheelers 2023 at the Windmill farms of Kethanur, the favourite destination of rally riders near Palladam here on Sunday.

    Once again Imran Pasha of TVS did a splendid job finishing an Overall fifth beating many bigger bikes and also duly won his class, the Super Sport 260cc Group B class with ease.

    After Rajendra won the first round in Coorg, Tanveer came back with a win at the Coffee stages in Chikkamagalur to halt the winning run of his teammate and now gained crucial points winning his second straight race to fight for the championship.

    Abdul Tanveer on a victory run. Video by Rahul Reghu

    One of the fastest rallies in the calendar, the high-speed stages of Black Thunder (18.20km) and Thunder World (14.99) were run twice each. The rally promoted by Godspeed Racing, Pune, was professionally managed and hosted by the Coimbatore Auto Sports Club (CASC) lead by Shyam Kothari and Clerk of the Course Prithiviraj respectively.

    From the very start, teammates Abdul Tanveer and the reigning champion Rajendra RE began well with the later winning the first stage by just a second but Tanveer returned the favour, with a fastest run in the second stage, but just by a fraction of a second. Then, Rajendra switched up gears and took a 7-second lead in the third, but the fight fizzled out in the last stage, as he suffered an unfortunate brake issue and lost by just a little over four seconds. “My rear brakes failed in the last stage,” said a disappointed Rajendra, but promised, “We had a good fight and definitely I will come back stronger.”

    While Petronas TVS Racing continued its domination sweeping all the top-three overall places, Nataraj R, also a product of TVS, but now running as a privateer, put his brand new 2023 KTM 450 rally spec on top coming out triumphant in the in the Premier Super Bike Expert class beating Suhail Ahmed by a mile.

    Tanika Shanbag, left, and Tanaya Singh of Hero Motosport who finished one-two in the Ladies Class. Defending champion Aishwarya Pissay has moved up to the top class. Photo by Rahul Reghu, for INDIAinF1.com

    Meanwhile, Tanika Shanbagh kept the Hero Motosport flag flying with a strong victory in the Ladies Class. Fighting on equal footing with the male riders, she took a creditable 36th place among the 88 riders who finished the rally. Another new recruit of Hero Motosport, Tanaya Singh of Pune stood second with Palakkad’s Fazeela completing the podium.

    Uttarkhand’s Akhand Pratap Singh astride a Duke 390 won the Super Sport 400cc Group B class while Yogesh P put his Impulse on the top in the SS 165cc class.

    In the Super Sport 550cc Bullet class, Bengaluru’s Naresh VS notched up an easy victory while TVS rider Syed Asif, astride a NTorq, won the Scooter Class. Super Stock up to 450cc Group D class saw two riders from Kulu Manali take the top two spots. Nithish Bhardwaj won the race ahead of Shivam Thakur. Both the privateers were on an XPulse. A Tharun, a privateer from Avinashi won the Star of Tamil Nadu, the local class.

    Satara’s Tanika Shanbag (Ladies Class), Nataraj (Expert), Imran Pasha (SS 260cc), Syed Asif (Scooter) and Nithish Bhardwaj (SS up to 450cc) have won all the three rounds thus far and are leading the championship in their respective classes.

    Provisional Results:

    Abdul Waheed Tanveer with his trusted Apache RTR machine

    OVERALL:

    1. #2 Abdul Waheed Tanveer (Apache RTR, Petronas TVS, Mysore) 56min, 49.928seconds;
    2. #1 Rajendra RE (Apache RTR, Petronas TVS Racing, Shivamogga), 56:54.443;
    3. #3 Samuel Jacob (Apache RTR, Petronas TVS Racing, Udupi) 57:14.986.
    4. #5 Nataraj R (KTM, privateer, Bengaluru) 58: 35.799;
    5. #15 Imran Pasha (Apache RTR, Petronas TVS Racing, Mysore) 01:00:36.501;
    6. #17 Sachin D (Apache RTR, Petronas TVS Racing, Bengaluru) 01:01:23.866;

    CLASS 1: SUPER BIKE – (PRO EXPERT) GROUP A:

    • #2 Abdul Waheed Tanveer (Apache RTR, Petronas TVS, Mysore) 56min, 49.928seconds;
    • #1 Rajendra RE (Apache RTR, Petronas TVS Racing, Shivamogga), 56:54.443;
    • #3 Samuel Jacob (Apache RTR, Petronas TVS Racing, Udupi) 57:14.986.

    CLASS 2: SUPER BIKE – (EXPERT) GROUP A:

    1. #5 Nataraj R (KTM, privateer, Bengaluru) 58: 35.799;
    2. #13 Suhail Ahmed  (KTM, Pvt, Bengaluru) 01: 01:51.959;
    3. #8 Aman Prabhakar Pawade (KTM, Pvt, Nagpur) 01:01:58.615.

    CLASS 4: SUPER SPORT 260 GROUP B:

    1. #15 Imran Pasha (Apache RTR, Petronas TVS Racing, Mysore) 01:00:36.501;
    2. #17 Sachin D (Apache RTR, Petronas TVS Racing, Bengaluru) 01:01:23.866;
    3. #16 T Arun (Xpulse, Hero MotoSports, Hassan)  01:01:50.697.

    CLASS 3: SUPER SPORT 165 GROUP B:

    1. #43 Yogesh P (Impulse, Pvt, Bengaluru) 01.07.08.212;
    2. #96 Abrar Pasha (Impulse, Pvt, Shivamogga) 01.08.09.257;
    3. #42 Francis PV (Impulse, Pvt, Chikkamagaluru) 01.08.12.510.

    CLASS 5: SUPER SPORT 400 GROUP B:

    1. #48 Akhand Pratap Singh (Duke 390, Pvt, Uttarakhand) 01:05:02.310;
    2. #47 Russel Jossy (KTM, Pvt, Mumbai) 01:05:58.002;
    3. #51 Aakash Aithal (KTM, Pvt, Puttur) 01:08:41.646.

    CLASS 6: SUPER SPORT 550 GROUP B:

    1. #54 Naresh VS (Royal Enfield, Pvt, Bengaluru) 01:06:36.009;
    2. #57 Mohammed Zaheer (Royal Enfield, Pvt, Bengaluru) 01:06:39.556;
    3. #53 Jeemon Anthony (Royal Enfield, Pvt, Ernakulam) 01: 08:50.603.

    CLASS 7: SCOOTERS UP TO 210cc GROUP B:

    1. #60 Syed Asif (NTorq, Petronas TVS Racing) 01:10:40.975;
    2. #65 Shamim Khan (NTorq, Petronas TVS Racing) 01:11:46.404;
    3. #64 Goutham N (Aprilia 150, JB Racing, Bengaluru) 01:15:29.063.

    CLASS 9: SUPER STOCK UPTO 450cc GROUP D:

    1. #67 Nithish Bhardwaj (Xpulse, Pvt, Kulu Manali) 01:07:37.880;
    2. #72 Shivam Thakur (Xpulse, Pvt, Kulu Manali) 01:08:09.736;
    3. #71 Eldhose P Benny (Xpulse, Pvt, Thrissur) 01:08:58.158;

    CLASS 8: WOMEN’s CLASS GROUP B:

    1. #87 Tanika Shanbhag (XPulse, Hero MotoSports, Satara) 01:09:48.803;
    2. #91 Tanaya Singh (XPulse, Hero MotoSports, Pune) 01:13:01.502;
    3. #88 Fazeela U (Impulse, Pvt. Palakkad) 01:13:54.462.

    CLASS 10: STAR OF TAMIL NADU:

    1. #108 A Tharun (Pvt. Coimbatore) 01:09:47.943;
    2. #104 G Jagadeesh (XPulse, Pvt, Coimbatore) 01:10:27.483;
    3. #101 Ricarius Venchaslaus (Pvt, Coimbatore) 01:10:49.163.

    (22 Bikes did not finish, including two who were excluded and six ‘did not start’)

    Ends/

  • Aroor Arjun Rao-Satish Rajagopal triumphant at fickle Rally of Arunachal

    Aroor Arjun Rao-Satish Rajagopal triumphant at fickle Rally of Arunachal

    Itanagar, 16 June 2023: Mangaluru’s Aroor Arjun Rao, who had no time to celebrate his birthday on June 9, presented himself and his co-driver a wonderful birthday gift exactly after a week. The Mangaluru-Bengaluru duo bounced back to clinch the Overall honours in the Rally of Arunachal Pradesh, the second round of the Blueband fmsci Indian National Rally Championship (INRC) supported by the Directorate of Youth Affairs, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, here on Friday. Organised by the Motorsports Club of Arunachal, the 4-wheeler rally has MRF as associate sponsors with the Directorate of Youth Affairs, the main body for youth and sports in the state, taking it up with full vigour to make motorsports as a tourist destination to Arunachal.

    Arjun Rao Aroor and co-driver Satish Rajagopal from Bengaluru, who won the first round South India Rally in Chennai, were trailing overnight but bounced back after navigating, the slush and bad weather, to get on to the top of the podium while overnight leaders Amittrajit Ghosh (Ashwin Naik) and hot favourite Arjuna Awardee Gaurav Gill (Aniruddha Rangnekar) fell victim to the conditions and slush. While Ghosh logged a DNF on Day 2, Gill spent some anxious moments after finishing first in the special stages. But he had to cough up a huge ‘road penalty’ that pushed him down from first position to 7th.

    “It was a spectacular event both for the drivers and the spectators but we had to be extra cautious about the safety as rains and hilly roads made the rally challenging,” said Premnath Kasinath, the man behind Promoters Blueband Sports who brought the event to the North East for second year running.

    “Tarmac is my favourite but the rally turned out to be tricky with fortunes fluctuating after every stage. Frequently changing from full-dry to full-wet Tyres made the rally challenging. MRF Tyres withstood these extreme conditions and my tyre choice worked perfectly well. Big thanks to MRF, Mandovi Racing and Falkon Motorsports for giving me an amazing car. Without my navigator Satish (Rajagopal), this win would not have been possible,” said a visibly pleased Arjun Rao, who is leading the INRC Overall table after two rounds.

    The surprise result was a stunning display by Sheshank Jamwal and co-driver Aseem Sharma from Arka Motorsports. Sheshank, an IT professional from Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh, paired with Sharma from Chandigarh in an INRC3-spec Volkswagen Polo 1.6 and punched above their weight to finish second overall. They were followed by Dr Speed, Bikku Babu, who overcame not only rain and extreme weather, but jet-lag, too. After landing from US, only for this rally, the Kerala Speed Maestro who finished third Overall, came first in his class INRC2. With virtually no seat time, the doctor did it again. He said: “One of the toughest tarmac rallies I have ever driven, for sure.”

    Defending champion Karna Kadur, with experienced Kumar Ramaswamy as navigator, salvaged an overall fourth place after coughing up a road penalty. Delhi daredevil Philippos Matthai of Speed Sport fame, along with PVS Murthy rounded off the top-5 for MRF Tyres, who swept all top-five places, and also took a second in his class INRC2. Sheshank and Aseem won the INRC3 class.

    Abhin Rai and Uday Kumar of Ammyfied Rallying won the INRC4 class while Arnav Pratap Singh (co-driver Arjun SSB) also from Ammyfied bagged the Junior INRC class.

    Anushriya Gulati topped the ladies class but it was Phoebe Nongrum, a lady driver from Shillong, who created ripples taking her maiden podium in the INRC4 class with Dr Dinesh from Shivamogga as her navigator.

    Of the 51 cars that took the start, only 40 cars finished the rally. The third round of the Blueband INRC will be held in Coimbatore.

    Provisional Unaudited Results after Day2:

     Overall: 1. Aroor Arjun Rao/ Satish Rajagopal (Mandovi Racing) (01:03:17.8); 2. Sheshank Jamwal/ Aseem Sharma (Arka Motorsports) (01:04:35.9); 3.Dr Bikku Babu/ Milen George (Chettinad Sporting) (01:04:44.0); 4. Karna Kadur/ Kumar Ramaswamy (Arka Motorsports) (01:04:46.7); 5. Philippos Matthai/ PV Srinivasa Murthy (Arka Motorsports) (01:04:49.9).

    INRC2: 1.Dr Bikku Babu/ Milen George (Chettinad Sporting) (01:04:44.0); 2. Philippos Matthai/ PV Srinivasa Murthy (Arka Motorsports) (01:04:49.9); 3. Chetan Shivram/ E Shivaprakash (Snap Racing) (01:05:05.0).

    INRC3: 1.Sheshank Jamwal/ Aseem Sharma (Arka Motorsports) (01:04:35.9); 2. Arnav Pratap Singh/ Arjun SSB (Ammyfied Rallying) (01:05:06.1); 3. Jahaan Singh Gill/ Suraj Keshav Prasad (SNAP Racing) (01:05:35.1).

    INRC4: 1. Abhin Rai/ Uday Kumar (Ammyfied Rallying) (01:11:47.2); 2. Vivek Ruthuparna/ Sanjay Agarwal (SNAP Racing) (01:13:32.6); 3. Phoebe Nongrum / Dr. Dinesh S (Ammyfied Rallying, Shillong/Shivamogga) (01:18:37.6).

    Gypsy Challenge: 1. Samrat Yadav/ Arvind Dheerendra (Ammyfied Rallying) (01:08:53.7); 2. Amanpreet Ahluwalia/ Amber Udasi (Pvt. Delhi/Chanigarh) (01:11:13.6); 3. Baljinder Singh Dhillon/ Goutham CP (Pvt. Delhi/Chikmagalur) (01:15:25.9).

    Junior INRC: 1. Arnav Pratap Singh/ Arjun SSB (Ammyfied Rallying) (01:05:06.1); 2. Jahaan Singh Gill/ Suraj Keshav Prasad (SNAP Racing) (01:05:35.1); 3. Mohommed Sahil/ Eldo Chacko (Ammyfied Rallying) (01:10:12.6).

    Women’s class: 1. Anushriya Gulati/ Arjun Dheerendra (Dark Don Racing) (01:13:20.0); 2. Shivani Parmar/ Dr Vani Parmar (Chettinad Sporting) (01:13:56.9); 3. Nikeetaa Takkale/ Venu Ramesh Kumar (Ammyfied Rallying) (01:16:34.1).

  • Amittrajit Ghosh posts stunning time in SuperSpecial: INRC Ro2

    Amittrajit Ghosh posts stunning time in SuperSpecial: INRC Ro2

    Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh) June 15, 2023: Double National Overall INRC champion Amittrajit Ghosh and experienced co-driver Ashwin Naik zoomed to the top of the charts, thrilling the crowds with stunning drifts to clock 1min 53.5sec in the 2.05-KM Super Special Stage second run. Ghosh had skipped SSS-I, which is also the SS5, on Wednesday (June 14) night as the Rally of Arunachal headed to a climax.

    Earlier, Gaurav Gill posted a time of 2-min flat in the first run of the Super Special Stage. “I always give my best but the huge crowds are too close to comfort. Both the runs in ‘Triple S’ are quite different tracks but I enjoyed my run,” the three-time APRC champion said. Obviously, the times of left and right ones could not be compared despite both being the same distance of 2.05km.

    Despite their intimidating presence, the ‘Master of Speed’ displayed controlled aggression and put in a couple smart and pitch-perfect drifts posting the best time of 2-min flat in the first run.

    The Ziro leg is cancelled according to a bulletin by the CoC Girijashankar Joshy, and the rally will finish the course with four more Special Stages at the Chimpu and Hollongi, twice each in the same direction.

    Safety was an issue with huge number of spectators thronging the Super Special Stage (SSS) venue. But the organisers were alert and quick to stop the SSS as the situation become unmanageable. The drivers who did not compete were given scratch times.
    Photo: YouTube grab

    The leg one standing will be available only after scratch times were given to those who did not complete the SSS runs.

    While 51 cars took the start, four cars logged a DNF. Three from INRC3 and one Gypsy. Prominent among them are Pragathi Gowda and Jason Saldanha.

    Revised Itenerary

    Rally of Arunachal 2023
    Day 2 Programme ( 15th June ) at Itanagar

    14:45 Parc ferme out / Service in
    45 Mins Service
    15:30 Service out
    15:45 SS7 Chimpu
    17:18 SS8 Holongi
    17:58 Service In
    30 Min Service
    19:33 Regroup Out
    19:48 SS9 Chimpu
    21:21 SS10 Holongi
    22:01 Service In
    10 Min Service
    22:11 Parc ferme

  • Amittrajit Ghosh takes lead after two Stages; Gill in striking distance: INRC

    Amittrajit Ghosh takes lead after two Stages; Gill in striking distance: INRC

    Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh) June 14, 2023: Double INRC champion Amittrajit Ghosh and co-driver Ashwin Naik of Arka Motorsports took a narrow 7.2-second lead at the end of two stages on Day 1 of the Rally of Arunachal, the second round of the Blueband fmsci Indian National Rally Championship here on Wednesday.

    Overnight rains made the hilly tarmac terrain challenging and the Special Stages started late. Keeping in view the safety aspects and lack of time, the final two Special Stages scheduled for the evening were cancelled. However, the short 4.1km Super Special Stage (SSS) will be held in the night for the benefit of the local spectators.

    After the completion of two special stages, Kolkata’s Amittrajit Ghosh along with Mangaluru’s co-driver Ashwin Naik took the lead with consistent times in both the stages. However, first round winner of the South India Rally,  Aroor Arjun Rao and co-driver Satish Rajagopal, who began with a blistering pace winning the first stage, played safe in the next stage, and were in third place after the finish of two Special Stages.

    Arjuna Awardee and three-time Asia Pacific Winner, Gaurav Gill (Aniruddha Rangnekar) who skipped the first round to take part in APRC Asia Cup qualifier that were held together, overcame initial hiccups and clocked the fastest time in Special Stage 2 and stood overall second after two Special Stages. He lost about 20 seconds to the front runner Arjun, in Chimpu SS1, but is back in the game to mount a challenge as four special stages are slated for tomorrow in Ziro.

    Suhem Kabir and co-driver Jeevarathinam of Ammyfied Rallying were leading the INRC2 class while Sheshank Jamwal (co-driver Aseem Sharma) of Arka Motorsports is in the top spot in INRC3 category. In the INRC4 class, the pair of Abhin Rai and Uday Kumar was heading the field with another Ammyfied Rallying pair topping the Gypsy Challenge after two stages is Samrat Yadav and Arvind Dheerendra.

    Talented Jahan Singh Gill is leading the Junior INRC while International lady driver Anushriya Gulati posted a comfortable lead over Nikeetaa Takkale in the Ladies class.

    Aditya Thakur (centre) and Virender Kashyap, the 2021 INRC overall champions praise the fast and flowing stages of Itanagar before the start of Super Special Stage on Wednesday.

    After the 4.10km Super special Stage tonight, the rally caravan will travel uphill to Ziro mountains on Thursday for four more Special Stages. The Prize Distribution will be held on June 16 at the Ziro resort.

    Provisional Unaudited Results (Day 1): Overall and INRC:

    1. Amittrajit Ghosh/ Ashwin Naik (Arka Motorsports) (18minutes, 59.6seconds); 2. Gaurav Gill/ Aniruddha Ragnekar (Privateer, Delhi/Pune) (19:06.8); 3. Aroor Arjun Rao/ Satish Rajagopal (Mandovi Racing) (19:07.8);

    INRC2:

    1.Suhem Kabir/ Jeevarathinam J (Ammyfied Rallying) (19:38.2); 2. Chetan Shivram/ E Shivaprakash (Snap Racing) (19:56.8); 3. Dr Bikku Babu/ Milen George (Chettinad Sporting) (20:04.2).

    INRC3: 1. Sheshank Jamwal/ Aseem Sharma (Arka Motorsports) (19:43.0); 2. Jason Saldanha/ Thimmanna Uddapanda B (Dark Don Racing) (20:14.400); 3. Jahaan Singh Gill/ Suraj Keshav Prasad (SNAP Racing) (20:14.9).

    INRC4: 1. Abhin Rai/ Uday Kumar (Ammyfied Rallying) (21:28.5); 2. Vivek Ruthuparna/ Sanjay Agarwal (SNAP Racing) (22:20.8); 3. Hage Chada/ Pramod Raman (pvt, Itanagar/Bengaluru) (23:10.2).

    Gypsy Challenge: 1. Samrat Yadav/ Arvind Dheerendra (Ammyfied Rallying) (20:54.2); 2. Amanpreet Ahluwalia/ Amber Udasi (Pvt. Delhi/Chanigarh) (21:34.7); 3. Baljinder Singh Dhillon/ Goutham CP (Pvt. Delhi/Chikmagalur) (22:48.8).

    Junior INRC: 1. Jahaan Singh Gill/ Suraj Keshava Prasad (Snap Racing) (20:14.9); 2. Arvan Pratap Singh/ Arjun SSB (Ammyfied Rallying) (20:30.8); 3. Abhin Rai/ D Uday Kumar (Ammyfied Rallying) (21:28.5).

    Women’s class: 1. Anushriya Gulati/ Arjun Dheerendra (Dark Don Racing) (21:32.5); 2. Nikeetaa Takkale/ Venu Ramesh Kumar (Ammyfied Rallying) (21:48.8); 3. Shivani Parmar/ Dr Vani Parmar (Chettinad Sporting) (22:00.6).

  • INRC all set to thrill the spectators in Itanagar

    INRC all set to thrill the spectators in Itanagar

    Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh), June 13, 2023: The Rally of Arunachal, organised by the Motorsports Club of Arunachal, under the aegis of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (fmsci)*, the second round of the Blueband FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship will begin with the first leg at Hollongi and Chimpu stages on Wednesday June 14, before it moves up into the mountains of Ziro for Thursday’s final leg. The Ceremonial flag off was held on Tuesday evening.

    This prestigious event is hugely supported by the Directorate of Youth Affairs, Government of Arunachal, with a huge financial and technical support to promote tourism in the North Eastern hill State. Headed by Lhakpa Tsering, President of the Motorsports Club of Arunachal, who will also be the Chairman of the event, the Rally offers a technically daunting terrain and with rains expected, the challenge both for the drivers and the teams increases making it unpredictable. Being a Tarmac rally already offers substantial change in the preparations and car set-up and the travel distance to North East and the transportation of cars, is a huge burden on the drivers. However, the thrills and scenic beauty and the support from the organisers and Promoters should ease the situation.

    Karna Kadur and co-driver Kumar Ramaswamy being flagged off at the Ceremonial inauguration on in Itanagar on Tuesday. Karna will be missing his regular navigator, Nikhil Pai, a professional sound engineer, who is in Durban for a big show. Photo MRF

    In the pre-event press conference, Tsering said, “We are proud to hold the 5th Rally of Arunachal INRC in Arunachal Pradesh. Arunachal is already established as a driving destination of the Northeast because of events like this. This championship is bound to go a long way in boosting adventure tourism in the state.” Itanagar had hosted two back to back rounds to begin the a very successful 2020 INRC Championship that was delayed to due to COVID19. It was first time in the history of INRC that any venue hosted two rallies within a span of eight days. Later, the INRC 2020 was rounded off with a 3-round year at Coimbatore with Gaurav Gill (Musa Sherif) adding another title to his chequered career. The event also saw a Digital Steward and was held for the first time on week-days. Arunachal Pradesh made its debut as a venue into the INRC calendar for the first time in 2017, which also saw Gaurav Gill and Musa Sherif clinch the victory. Thus, Gill and Sherif have won the Overall top class, in all the rallies held in Arunachal so far. This year, both the stages held in 2020 December will be repeated on Day 1, June 14, before the caravan moves to greater heights to Ziro. Thanks to the government support, the State Police are deployed and the Highways closed for the Special Stages and the rally is run in no-man’s land.

    The stages are very fast and the rule says that the average speeds cannot exceed 110 KMPH, which means that the drivers could touch top speeds of 180kmph (while maintaining over 100kmph average speeds), like what Gaurav Gill, the King of Speed, did in the previous Itanagar round. In fact, this reporter was a witness when Gill and Musa, stopped about a 100 metres from the finish for about 11 seconds. The speed maestro skillfully exploited a brief pause, before the flying finish to stay within the rule. He was streets ahead and could afford halting on a Special Stage and he did win to keep a clean record of winning all the INRC events in Arunachal. Just after that Amittrajit Ghosh (Ashwin Naik) came speeding down and as he crossed the line with a burning hot wheel that flew away from the car into the wilderness, they made it safely to the finish. And Ghosh ran to collect the tyre and resumed to service. Fortunately, it flew into the no-man’s and and there were no casualties. That was all in 2020.

    Amittrajit Ghosh recovers a wheel within a few seconds after his front right flew away into the wilderness of the night stage Hollingi F1 SS2 on Wednesday 17Dec2020, even as Ashwin Naik (in the car) reports timesheets. Exclusive File Photo by David Bodapati

    “We have installed a few artificial chicanes to reduce the speeds at the tarmac roads are very fast. It will help the drivers ease out and makes it more safer,” said Shrikanth Gowda, the Safety Officer, who too was present in 2020 with the same role.  

    The Rally of Arunachal 2023 attracted a massive field of 51 entries, thanks to Ammyfied Rallying which fielded 14 cars with the support Vamsi Merla Sports Foundation. It is the highest seen in the North East, and will offer an adrenaline-fueled experience . The ceremonial start at the Legislative Assembly Complex in Itanagar was held at 4:30 p.m.

    The thrilling event is set to showcase the skill and determination of rally drivers across multiple categories, with seven cars in INRC, 12 in INRC2, 22 in INRC3 and five each in INRC4 and Gypsy Class, a non championship class. Eight of the drivers are also eligible for Junior INRC which is for drivers below 26 years as of Jan 1, 2023. Only 6 of the eight lady drivers and co-drivers will be eligible for Women’s Class honours, which is also a non-championship event. Deeksha Balakrishna, a talented co-driver, misses out as she is navigating for a male driver.

    Promoter Premnath K. of Blueband Sports said: “It is truly encouraging to witness the overwhelming response the INRC has received this year, with a record number of entries representing the absolute cream of rallying talent from all corners of our nation. We are committed to making the INRC bigger, better, and more captivating for competitors and the audience. With a series of six rounds scheduled across India, alongside various other initiatives, we aim to elevate the stature and allure of the INRC.”
     

    The three-day event will take place on June 14, with the Special Stages run on the highway from Hollongi to Chimpu and back, near Itanagar. The adrenaline-fueled action will kick off at 11 a.m. and continue until 8 p.m., offering spectators an unforgettable experience. As dusk falls, the excitement will intensify with a thrilling night Spectator Special Stage inside the city, starting at 8:00 p.m. and concluding at 11:30 p.m., taking participants from Zero Point to the “C” sector.

    The Rally of Arunachal 2023 boasts an impressive lineup of renowned drivers who are set to unleash their skills on the challenging terrain. Leading the pack is the Arjuna Awardee Gaurav Gill (Aniruddha Rangnekar) and reigning national champion from Bengaluru Karna Kadur, who will have a new navigator in Kumar Ramaswamy. The first Round South India Rally INRC segment winner, the formidable Arjun Rao Aroor, and Satish Rajagopal of Mandovi Racing will look to extend their lead. Former champions Amittrajit Ghosh and Ashwin Naik, 2021 champions Aditya Thakur and Virender Kashyap, multiple champions in various sub-classes and reigning champions of INRC2, Rahul Kanthraj and Vivek have moved up to the top INRC class, will join talented Dean Mascarenhas and co-driver Gagan Karumbaiah, in the top INRC category. “What a lovely stage, just flat out… The corners are tricky but we will make it,” said Nikeetaa Takkale after the Recce, with experienced Venu Ramesh Kumar, her navigator, watching in admiration, in an insta reel.

    Maninder Singh Prince, the INRC3 champion of 2022 has also moved up to INRC2 class while Pragathi Gowda and Trisha Alonkar the Junior INRC champions are in INRC3 and Pragathi will be competing in both INRC3 and Junior INRC.

    The defending Overall team champions Arka Motorsports headed by N Leelakrishnan has fielded 12 cars, including Karna Kadur while Chettinad Sporting and Snap Racing have 7 cars each. Aroor Arjun Rao continues to spearhead Mandovi challenge while two talented drivers Jason Saldanha (Thimmu Uddapanda) and Anushriya Gulati (Arjun Dheerendra) are in fray representing Dark Don Racing.

    For the benefit of followers, real-time results will be available on live.chronopulse.com. The podium ceremony will be held at Ziro on June 16 at 11:30 a.m. The third round Rally of Coimbatore, will be hosted by Coimbatore Automotive Sports Club, form July 28 to 30.

    2022 Indian National Champions in INRC

    Blueband Sports fmsci Indian National Rally Championship 4W 2022

    1. INRC Driver Overall champion: Karna Kadur, Bengaluru;

    2. INRC Co-Driver Overall Champion: Nikhil Vittal Pai; Bengaluru.

    3. INRC Overall Champion Team: Arka Motorsports, Coimbatore;

    4. INRC2 champion Driver: Rahul Kantharaj, Bengaluru;

    5. INRC2 champion Co-Driver: Vivek Y Bhatt, Bengaluru;

    6. INRC2 Champion Team: Snap Racing, Delhi;

    7. INRC3 champion Driver: Maninder Singh Prince, Delhi;

    8. INRC3 champion Co-Driver: Arjun SSB, Bengaluru;

    9. INRC3 Champion Team: Snap Racing, Delhi;

    10. Junior INRC champion driver: Pragathi Gowda, Bengaluru.

  • Blueband INRC back to Ziro; Arunachal beckons top Indians drivers to North-East

    Blueband INRC back to Ziro; Arunachal beckons top Indians drivers to North-East

    Itanagar, (Arunachal Pradesh), 12 June 2023: Arjuna Awardee Gaurav Gill (co-driver Aniruddha Rangnekar) of JK Tyre, the winner of first round APRC, is raring to re-launch his domestic campaign while defending champion Karna Kadur will have a new but experienced co-driver in Kumar Ramaswamy as record numbers, including the cream of Indian talent, pour into Arunachal Pradesh for the second round of the Blueband fmsci Indian National Rally Championship at the picturesque hill station here from June 14 to 16. With rain forecast during the rally, the mountain roads will turn challenging for the drivers, making the event all the more spectacular.

    Gaurav Gill, the 7-time National champion and the first and only Indian to have three Asia Pacific Rally Championship titles will spearhead the campaign after missing the first round INRC at the Blueband MMSC South India Rally 2023, where he took part only in APRC, and won it hands down putting his Subaru Impreza STi N14 on the pedastal after tricky and slushy two days. Reigning champion Karna Kadur, former champions Aditya Thakur, Rahul Kantharaj, Aroor Arjun Rao, Dean Mascarenhas and Amittrajit Ghosh will be the other six top guns in INRC, the premier class.

    “Good to be back here. Two years we missed out on this rally. It is a very special rally for me. The Arunachal Government gives so much support here and we get the best roads which are super fast mountain roads. Looking at the weather it is a big game-changer as heavy rain is forecast which is to my liking. Yes, it will change a lot of set-up and tyre selection is crucial. I am well prepared and the JK Tyres offer me the best,” said Gill, who is gunning for his record 8th National INRC title in a Mahindra XUV300. Arunachal is the happy hunting ground for Gill, who won all the INRC rounds held here till now, two in Itanagar in 2020, and once in Ziro 2017, with Musa Sherif as navigator.

    “I am feeling very positive after winning INRC Round 1. Arunachal being a tarmac rally, the set up of the car will be different and I am looking forward to see how my Baleno will perform in its 1st tarmac test. We have couple of night stages as well that makes it interesting. We have done testing and the feeling is good. Looking forward to a good event,” said Aroor Arjun Rao of Mandovi Racing, who broke the ice with winning the INRC section of the South India Rally, the first round this year.

    The Rally of Arunachal returns to its tarmac home Ziro, two years after visiting Itanagar for the 2020 championship double-header. Ziro, the only tarmac rally in the Blueband Sports calendar, which made its INRC debut in 2017, and offers high speeds, high-altitude rallying, and technical challenges including night stage cold tyres. The Rally of Arunachal organised by the local Motorsports Club of Arunachal is sponsored by Arunachal Pradesh Tourism under the Department of Youth Affairs (and Sports) with MRF Tyres as Associate Sponsor. Promoted by Blueband Sports, the rights winners of the INRC, the rally also has Mahindra Thar Club, another local club lending a hand.

    “We are proud to bring back the National rally to Arunachal as drivers and teams loved the Rally in Nagaland last year. North-East states offer well-maintained roads and with the support of Arunachal Pradesh Government and the police, we get closed tarmac high-way roads that offer high speeds,” said Premnath Kashi, the Chief Promoter and the man who brings the spectacular show to North East.

    The roads are closed and manned by the State’s police machinery along with the Safety officer Shrikant GM, a former champion, who did yeoman job, the last time around. All ambulances and other safety measures are in place as per the Federations regulations and experienced Clerk of the Course Girija Shankar Joshy is conducting the event with the support of trained local Marshals who know every bit of route under the guidance of Lhakpa Tsering and Arindam Ghosh, two former rally drivers of repute who will be the Chairman of the Event and Chief Administrator, respectively.

    After a day in the familiar Chimpu (16.05km, SS1 & SS3) and Hollongi (18.10km, SS2 & SS4) Special Stages (SS), that would be run twice in the forward direction on Wednesday, the 2.05-km Super Special Stage (SSS, SS5 & SS6) is run twice in the chilling night that is bound to offer a technically challenging cold tyres for the drivers to tackle.

    Then the caravan moves uphill (from 320 metres above mean sea level to about 1680m) on Thursday morning on the winding roads to still cooler Ziro for final four Special Stages (SS). The two physical stages are Yazali (10.25km) and longer Yachuli Special Stage is 14.75 km. All the cars run both the Yazali (SS7 and SS9) and Yachuli (SS8 and SS10) in the forward direction, once in the afternoon and once in the night and the event ends at about 11pm in the hills to offer a thrilling extravaganza to the speed lovers. The rally has 122.4km of competitive timed distance and offers a total distance of 283km including 160.6km of transport section, where the drivers must follow normal road rules.

    INRC2 will have 12 cars but INRC3 continues to be the popular category with 22 cars while the INRC4 saw the entry of five cars along with 5 Gypsy entries in the non-Championship Challenge event.

    There will also be 8 lady drivers who are competing on equal footing with men and 8 below-26 year drivers in the Junior INRC category.

    They include two all-woman entries of Pragathi Gowda and Trisha Alonkar and daughter-mom pair of Shivani and Dr Vani Parmar. Bengaluru’s Deeksha Balakrishna navigates for Aditya Kousgi. Nikeetaa Takkale and Anushriya Gulati have male navigators. Phoebe Dale Nongrum of Shillong will be the only lady driver from North East with a male co-driver in Shivamogga’s Dinesh S.            

    Top guns Gaurav Gill and Dean Mascarenhas of JK Tyre will be among the eight privateers (non-team entry) gunning with top outfit Arka Motorsports’ 12 cars tuned by N Leelakrishnan and Chettinad Sporting’s seven cars tuned by Thiyagarajan and Roshan. Newcomers Ammyfied Rallying, headed by Aeman Ahemad and Sagar, have fielded the highest number of 14 cars while SNAP headed by Sumit Punjabi has seven cars managed by Nitin Jacob.

    Former champion Arjun Rao Aroor fresh from his victory (INRC) in the South India Rally in Chennai will be the lone crusader for Mandovi Racing while another top Road Racing team which entered rallying this season is Dark Don, that has two cars with talented international lady driver Anushriya Gulati and Jason Saldanha, who made his international debut podium this year in Indonesia.

    The event offers prize money of over Rs.9.3 lakhs and trophies in eight different classes for drivers, co-drivers and teams. Best tuners in each class also get trophies.

  • Tanveer back on top; Rajendra docked road penalty; Tanika stars again: 2w Rally Nationals

    Tanveer back on top; Rajendra docked road penalty; Tanika stars again: 2w Rally Nationals

    Chikkamagaluru, 28 May 2023: Former National champion, Mysuru’s Abdul Wahid Tanveer of Petronas TVS Racing, who became the first Indian to win a class in an international rally, was in his elements once again as he conquered the premier class in the Rally of Chikmagalur, the second round of the MRF MoGrip fmsci National Rally Championship for 2-wheelers here on Sunday.

    The TVS talent won the top Superbike Pro-Expert Group A class clocking a time of 54 minutes, 08.106 seconds as he relegated defending champion and teammate Rajendra RE of Shivamogga, who was docked a one minute, 10-second liaison penalty for the transport section, that did him in. Yuva Kumar, the celebrated Hero MotoSports is back on the podium after a long time as he took the third place. Abdul Tanveer won his class in the Merzouga Rally in 2019.

    The Petronas TVS Racing team riders dominated the proceedings once again winning the top-four Overall places with Imran Pasha, who bagged victories in the first two rounds, in third Overall place followed by a superb ride from Sachin Ignatius D in fourth. However, T Arun of Hero MotoSports prevented a top-5 sweep in the overall honours, which is a norm for TVS of late. TVS riders won three classes. It was a stunning ride from Imran Pasha who punched above his weight on a humble bike but the TVS Apache became a tiger in his hands.

    Tanika Shanbagh, another young Hero MotoSport talent, continued to fly the Women in Motorsports flag winning the Ladies class again. Tanika, who won the National Sprint Championship ladies title in 2022 is keen to add another National title this year to her kitty. Though, the daughter of former rally champion Shanbagh, was streets ahead, she lost stage win to former National champion (road racing) Ryhana Bee in Special Stage 3 and 6. But her Overall 40th place beating about 60 male riders is quite an achievement. Ryhana Bee came second followed by Fazeela U of Palakkad, who is supported by Vamcy Merla of Kalyani Group in Andhra Pradesh, a former Promoter of 4w INRC.

    Fazeela U of Palakkad takes a start even as officials look on at Chikkamagaluru on Sunday. The VM Sports Foundation rider finished third. INDIAinF1 photo

    Tanika, the young talent from Satara, is now leading the championship winning both the rounds, thus far, in the Ladies class while others, also keeping their slate clean after two rounds are, Nataraj R in the Group A Superbike Expert class, Star of Karnataka Darpan Darshan of Shivamogga, TVS’ pair of Imran Pasha and Syed Asif Ali in Supersport 260cc and Scooter class, respectively, and the new-found talent from Kulu, Nitish Bharadhwaj in the Group D 450cc Super Stock class.

    Defending Ladies champion Aishwarya Pissay moved to the top class and finished fourth among five Pro-expert bikes. Preparing for Dakar 2024, the 2019 World Baja winner beat 81 male riders. She was on a superior 450cc TVS Apache rally bike as she competed with men on equal footing.

    In the Supersport 400cc Group B, Rohit Shinde of Baramati turned the tables on first-round winner Russel Jossey, who had to be content with a second place and Syed Aquib of Chikkamagaluru took the final spot on the podium.

    In the Supersport 550cc Group B Class 6, Bengaluru’s Mohammed Zaheer won beating reigning champion Naresh “Bruce Lee” VS while Jeemon Anthony, the supercop from Kochi took a third place keeping himself in points. The first round winner Arun Joy logged a DNF in Stage 2.

    In a fight between TVS teammates in the scooter class, traditionally dominated by TVS NTorq, Syed Asif Ali once again came on top with Karthik Naidu taking second place. Despite a 20-second penalty, Goutham N of Bengaluru took third place beating Aprilia JB Racing teammate Pinkesh Thakkar, who took a podium in the first round.

    Chalass Bose of Kottayam, the defending champion in Super Sport 130 cc – Group B class shifted to 165 class as the SS 130cc event is replaced by a new class, as 2023 championship saw the introduction of a Super Stock class for upto 450cc Group D bikes, where Nitish Bharadwaj of Kulu in Himachal Pradesh took the honours in the second round repeating his success in the first round at Coorg.

    The National Rally Championship for two-wheelers powered by time-keepers Zeitmesser, is meticulously organised by Motor Sports Club of Chikmagalur (MSCC), under the dynamic leadership of Farooq Ahmed, a three-time Overall winner of INRC for 4-wheelers and former Vice-President of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (fmsci). Godspeed Racing of Pune headed by 7-time National champion Shyam Kothari are the Promoters. Dilip Jain, ably assisted by other team members pulled off another National event but the Club is famous for hosting the four-wheeler INRC for decades.

    Vamcy Merla supports 25 riders, awards cash for podium stars

    Many of the private riders were supported by Vamcy Merla, who also gave away cash prizes to those who made it to the podium in Chikkamagaluru on Sunday.

    Meanwhile, Vamcy Merla Sports Foundation has supported 25 riders and also awarded cash prizes for those who stood on the podium. Merla has also announced and supported riders for the first round held in Coorg. Vamcy Merla Sports Foundation is also in the process of supporting Aishwarya Pissay for Dakar 2024.

    Second round Podium stars from the select group of 25 riders: Nataraj 1 st Group 1A Rs. 50,000; Nitish Bharadwaj 1st Group D Rs. 50,000; Ajin Abraham 2nd 165 class Rs.25,000; Challas Bose 3rd place Rs.15,000; Naresh VS 2nd 550 class Rs.25,000; Jeemon 3rd 550 class Rs.15,000; Russel Jossy 2nd 400 class Rs.25,000; Rehana 2nd Women’s class Rs.25,000; Fazeela 3rd Women’s Class Rs.15,000; Total Prize Money given away to nine riders is Rs.2,45,000.

    Provisional Results:

    Class 1: Superbike Pro-Expert Group A: 1. Abdul Waheed Tanveer (Petronas TVS Racing) (54 minutes, 08.106 seconds); 2. Rajendra RE (TVS) (55:35.192, including 1min, 10sec liaison/road penalty); 2. Yuva Kumar (Hero MotoSports) (57:19.377);

    Class 2 Superbike Expert Group A: 1. Nataraj R (Bengaluru) (57:41.574); 2. Aman Pawde (Nagpur) (59:18.192); 3. Sinan Francis (Ernakulam) (59:20.892).

    Class 10 Star of Karnataka: 1. Darpan Darshan (Shivamogga) (1:05:50.303); 2. Kiran Kumar S (Mysore) (1:06:56.178 incl. 10-sec penalty); 3. Madhusudhan Suresh (Shivamogga) (01:07:01.954).

    Class 3 Supersport 165cc Group B: 1. Abrar Pasha (Shivamogga) (1:01:47.827); 2. Ajin Abraham (Kottayam) (1:02:46.695); 3. Chalass K Bose (Kottayam) (1:03:58.263).

    Classs 4: Supersport 260 Group B: 1. Imran Pasha (TVS) (56:48.770); 2. Sachin Ignatius D (TVS) (57:04.271); 3. T Arun (Hero Motosports)  (57:12.135);

    Class 5: Supersport 400 Group B: 1. Rohit Shinde (Baramati) (1:02:04.453); 2. Russel Jossey (Mumbai) (1:03:17.438); 3. Syed Aquib (Chikkamagaluru) (01:04:48.101).

    Class 6: Supersport 550 Group B: 1. Mohammed Zaheer (Bengaluru) (1:02:07.125); 2. Naresh VS (Bengaluru) (01:03:00.904); 3. Jeemon Anthony (Kochi) (01:03:16.858);

    Class 7: Scooters up to 210cc Group B: 1. Syed Asif Ali (TVS) (1:05:12.797); 2. N Karthik Naidu (TVS) (1:05:24.794); 3. Goutham N (Aprilia JB Racing, Bengaluru) (1:09:42.098).

    Class 8: Women’s Class Group B: 1. Tanika Shanbhag (Hero MotoSports, Satara) (1:06:10.932); 2. Rehana Bee A (Chennai) (1:07:18.812); 3. Fazeela U (Palakkad) (1:12:03.957).

    Class 9: Super Stock up to 450cc Group D: 1. Nitish Bharadwaj (Kulu) (1:03:02.882); 2. Mohammed Arshad (Thrissur) (1:03:31.897); 3. Sabarish R (Coimbatore) (1:03:41.690).

  • TVS’ Rajendra sets fastest time; wins Round 1: 2w Rally

    TVS’ Rajendra sets fastest time; wins Round 1: 2w Rally

    Madikeri, 22 May 2023: Defending champion Rajendra RE of Petronas TVS Racing began his title defence clocking the best time as he won the premier class in the MRF Rally of Coorg, the first round of the National Rally Championship for two-wheelers 2023 here on Sunday.

    The first round of the two-wheeler National Rally Championship was organised by Ace Events and promoted by Godspeed Racing. While MRF sponsored the event, many of the riders were individually supported by Vamsi Merla Sports Foundation.

    In the Ladies class, young Tanika Shanbagh of Satara (Hero MotoSports) dominated the proceedings all through and won the class with ease and also beat the times of fancied Aishwarya Pissay, the reigning champion, in three of the six special stages. Tanika also finished a creditable overall 30th, among 94 finishers, just two spots behind 2019 World Baja champion Pissay. The six-time national champion, Pissay, moved to the top class contending on equal footing with the male bikers on a TVS Apache RTR 450.

    Nataraj of Bengaluru won the Superbike Expert class while Stephen Roy of Kodagu beat Ajin Abraham of Kottayam to clinch the Supersport 165cc Group B class.

    Imran Pasha (Supersport 260cc Group B) and Syed Asif Ali (Scooters) won two more titles for Petronas TVS Racing team while Tanika kept the Hero MotoSports flag flying winning the Ladies class victory.

    Shivamogga’s Darpan Darshan became Star of Karnataka winning the local class while Stephen Roy,  Russel Jossey, Arun Jossey M and Nitish Bharadwaj won the other classes.

    Provisional Results:

    Class 1: Superbike Pro-Expert Group A: 1. Rajendra RE (Petronas TVS Racing) (1hour, 5min, 13.356sec); 2. Samuel Jacob (TVS) (1:05.40.361); 3. Abdul Waheed Tanveer (TVS) (1:06:06.253).

    Class 2 Superbike Expert Group A: 1. Nataraj (Bengaluru) (1:09:33.070); 2. Dhritimaan Singh (Dehradun) (1:12:23.307); 3. Sinan Francis (Ernakulam) (1:13:47.472).

    Class 10 Star of Karnataka: 1. Darpan Darshan (Shivamogga) (1:22:56.020); 2. Yamanurappa Hugar (Kachohalli) (1:24:13.725 including 1min 51sec penalty); 3. Kiran Kumar S (Mysore) (1:24:33.249).

    Class 3 Supersport 165cc Group B: 1. Stephen Roy (Kodagu) (1:13:21.324); 2. Ajin Abraham (Kottayam) (1:13:41.419); 3. Akhil Joy (Ernakulam) (1:16:11.147).

    Classs 4: Supersport 260 Group B: 1. Imran Pasha (Petronas TVS Racing) (1:06:34.949); 2. T Arun (Hero Motosports)  (1:06:58.310); 3. Karan Kumar (Hero Motosports) – 01:08:57.733)

    Class 5: Supersport 400 Grouop B: 1. Russel Jossey (Mumbai) (1:16:54.803); 2. Rohit Shinde (Baramathi) (1:21:41.088); 3. Akhand Pratap Singh (Uttarakhand) (1:22:35.504).

    Class 6: Supersport 550 Group B: 1. Arun Joy M (Eranakulam) (1:18:23.852); 2. Jeemon Anthony (Kochi) (1:19:12.449); 3. Sharath Kumar (Bengaluru) (1:20:27.756);

    Class 7: Scooters up to 210cc Group B: 1. Syed Asif Ali (TVS) – 01:19:26.866; 2. N Karthik Naidu (TVS)  (1:21:19.864); 3. Pinkesh Thakkar (JB Racing) (1:21:48.845).

    Class 8: Women’s Class Group B: 1. Tanika Shanbhag (Hero MotoSports) (1:19:04.992); 2. Tanaya Singh (Hero MotoSports) (1:25:20.163); 3. Fazeela U (Palakkad) (1:32:18.855).

    Class 9: Super Stock up to 450cc Group D: 1. Nitish Bharadwaj (Kulu) (1:14:29.829); 2. Shailesh Kumar (Erode) (1:14:37.088); 3. R Sabarish (Coimbatore) (1:15:44.466).

    Last edited on 30May2023

  • fmsci honours 2022 Indian National champions

    fmsci honours 2022 Indian National champions

    Chennai, 11 April 2023: After successful conduct of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship earlier this year in Hyderabad, the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India is hopeful that the FIM MotoGP World Championship will be held as scheduled at the Buddh International Circuit in September.

    List of all the awardees honoured by fmsci is here!

    Delivering the keynote address during the Annual Awards function of the FMSCI, here on Tuesday, when it honoured 118 National champions of the 2022 season across various formats of the sport, president Akbar Ebrahim said: “Last year, we had announced that MotoGP will be coming to India and I am informed by the Indian promoters and FIM that work is in progress, and all are hopeful that event will be held as planned.”

    INRC double overall champion Karna Kadur, left, along with fmsci Commission chairman Farooq Commissariat and experienced co-driver Nikhil Vittal Pai after receiving the Indian National Rally Championship Overall winners award at Trident hotel in Chennai on Tuesday.
    fmsci councillor and former INRC driver Vicky Chandhok (left) applauds the 11-time National champion (including3 fissme Cup titles) after presenting him the award for 2022 Indian Touring Cars National title. All photos by Anand Philar

    The FMSCI, besides felicitating the 2022 season National champions, presented special awards to Bengaluru’s Pragathi Gowda who won the FIA Rally Star Asia-Pacific final round in Chennai, and Shriya Lohia (Sundernagar, Himachal Pradesh) who represented India and finished fifth overall at the FIA Girls On Track event in Paris, France.

    Ebrahim, recounting various milestones of the FMSCI which is celebrating its Golden Jubilee, revealed that Hyderabad produced India’s first FIA Grade 2 and FIA Formula E street Circuit.

    He also announced plans to promote the sport at grassroots level. “We want to take the sport to the masses. We will also be conducting training programmes for Stewards and Marshals to ensure events are run adhering to all safety requirements. Only the accredited officials will supervise all motorsport events in India. At the moment, there are 2,500 FMSCI license holders and we would like to increase the number to 20,000.”

    “It is the 50th year of the FMSCI and we owe it to the five founders. We overcame all the challenges because of the passion and dedication of all stakeholders involved in the sport. The FIA and FIM now take India seriously and our country is spoken of highly in various international forums.”

    Ebrahim congratulated MRF Tyres for winning the prestigious European Rally Championship (ERC) title. “Indian drivers are now participating in various international events from Karting to Rallying to racing and fighting for podium positions,” he concluded.

    The FMSCI Council Members, various Commission heads, promoters and sponsors were also present at the function.

    About the FMSCI

    The Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) was founded in the year 1971 and was registered as a Private Limited Non-Profit Company in 1973. It became affiliated to Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) in 1979 and to the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) in 1986. Fifteen years after its inception, the FMSCI was recognised by the Government of India as the sole authority to control and conduct Motor Sport events in India. It is also recognised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS). The FMSCI is the affiliated National Sporting Authority (ASN) of the International federations for 4-wheeler and National Motorcycle Federations (FMN) of the 2-wheeler motorsports viz. the FIA, headquartered at Paris, and the FIM, headquartered at Switzerland. It is also a part of the FIA Commission Internationale de Karting (CIK or CIK-FIA) which is the primary international sanctioning body for Karting. The FMSCI has a wide, pan-India base of affiliated member clubs totalling 48 currently.

  • Visit www.INDIANmotorsports.in for all Indian National Rally Championship 2023 articles

    Visit www.INDIANmotorsports.in for all Indian National Rally Championship 2023 articles

    Here is a list of articles and reports that were published for the Blueband Sports fmsci Indian National Rally Championship 2023, starting with the Blueband Sports South India Rally (SIR) organised by the Madras Motor Sports Club (MMSC) at the Madras International Circuit (MIC) from March 17 to 19. The International rally returned to MIC after a year for the qualifying round of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC), in the form of the second round of the Asia Rally Cup that was held concurrently with 18 cars taking part.

    Top drivers including Arjuna Awardee and rally legend from India, Gaurav Gill of JK Tyre fame along with Mana Pornsiricherd and Thanyaphat Meenil from Thailand were the star attractions of the APRC Asia leg. Gill was taking the services of experienced navigator Aniruddha Rangnekar for the first time. Defending INRC champion and winner of the last year’s Asia Cup Rally in India, Karna Kadur and co-driver Nikhil Pai led a field of stars, in the Indian Championship along with Amittrajit Ghosh, (with co-driver Ashwin Naik) who is returning from a break from England, and Dr Speed, the one and only Bikku Babu from Kerala, now settled in US, co-driven by Milen George Cherian, and aggressive driver Dean Mascarenhas (Gagan Karumbaiah) from Mangaluru, 2019 champs and brothers Chetan Shivram and Dilip Sharan, reigning champions in their classes, Maninder Singh Prince, Samrat Yadav and Rahul Kanthraj, were the others stalwarts of the INRC who took part in the 46th edition of SIR.

    Many talented youngsters like Jahaan Singh Gill, Arjun Rajiv, a graduate from karting also joined the fray along with six ladies led by FIA Rally Star cup champion from the Asia Pacific region Pragathi Gowda who had Trisha Alonkar as co-driver. Bengaluru-based Vizag driver Renuka Gajendra who paired with Dilip Sharan’s wife Angela James is the only other team which had both ladies in the car. Nikeetaa Takkale, the niece of Sanjay Takale, former APRC Production Cars champion, Shivani Parmar of Mumbai, co-driver Deeksha Balakrishna, were the other two ladies that represented ‘Women in Motorsports’.

    A total of 66 cars took part along with three cars which took part only in APRC Asia round. Fifteen of the cars took part in both APRC round and INRC to make it 63 cars in INRC, an attractive number of entries but it not a record as many INRC rounds have seen more number of entries in the earlier years.

    With sponsors JK Tyre pulling out in the last minute former champion in his class, Fabid Ahmer, opted out citing lack of time to put the things together. Other notable drivers missing were talented lady drivers Athira Murali (lack of sponsors), and Dr. Shivani Pruthvi (busy with post-graduate medical studies for MD).

    The list of articles published for INRC in this website can be read here: (Compilation in process)

    1. Gaurva Gill begins favourite; 18 in fray for FIA-APRC (Asia Rally Cup).
    2. Vamcy Merla to back FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship India round: Asia Rally Cup.
    3. Gaurav Gill tops Super Special Stage; Karna heads INRC; Pragathi stuns the field for 7th.
    4. Aroor Arjun Rao sparkles in rain, leads INRC; Gaurav Gill extends lead in APRC Asia Cup.
    5. Gaurav Gill wins FIA-APRC (Asia Rally Cup) round.