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Category: Domestic
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MMSC presents awards to 2024 champions
Chennai, January 31: The racing scene in India is set for a major enhancement by way of bigger and more powerful vehicles in the near future, according to Vicky Chandhok, Vice-President, Madras Motor Sports Club.
Speaking during the MMSC Annual Awards ceremony to honour the 2024 National Racing Championship winners here on Friday, Chandhok said: “I cannot go into specifics, but the racing scene should witness infusion of bigger and more powerful machines sometime soon.
“Parallelly, MMSC is working towards making motorsports more affordable and to this end, our karting programme at the Mika International Karting Arena, is the first step in this direction.
“We also thank MRF Tyres, Honda and TVS for their active involvement in our National Championships.”
Chief guest Arun Mammen, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, MRF Ltd., outlined his company’s involvement in motorsports over six decades and a strong presence in various championships globally. He reiterated that MRF would continue to support motorsports in India across various disciplines.
The ceremony marked the conclusion of the 2024 National racing season as awards were presented to the winners at a gala function.
MMSC president Ajit Thomas welcomed the gathering while MMSC treasurer Manoj Dalal proposed a vote of thanks.
The 2024 National Racing Championship winners:
MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship
Pro-Stock 301-400cc: Rider Champion – Sarthak Chavan (Pune, TVS Racing). Team – TVS Racing. Manufacturer champion – TVS.
Pro-Stock 165cc: Rider – Jagan Kumar (Chennai, TVS Racing). Team – TVS Racing. Manufacturer – TVS.
Stock 301-400cc (Novice): Rider – Kaushik Subbiah Ganesan (Chennai, RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate). Team – RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate. Manufacturer – Yamaha.
Novice (Stock 165cc): Rider – Abdul Basim RS (Chennai, Rockers Racing). Team – Rockers Racing. Manufacturer – Yamaha.
Girls (Stock 165cc): Rider – Jagathishree Kumaresan (Chennai, One Racing. Team – One Racing. Manufacturer – Yamaha.
Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup (NSF 250 Open): Rider – Mohsin Paramban (Mallapuram).
TVS One-Make Championship Open (Apache RR 310): Rider – Senthil Kumar C (Coimbatore).
TVS OMC Women (Apache RTR 200): Rider – Saimah Ajaz Baig (Pune).
TVS OMC Rookie (Apache RTR 200): Rider – Harshith V Bogar (Bengaluru).
TVS OMC Electric RTE: Rider – Sarthak Chavan (Pune).
MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Car Racing Championship
MRF Formula 2000: Driver champion – Jaden Rahman Pariat (Shillong).
MRF Formula 1600: Driver – Abhay Mohan (Bengaluru).
Indian Touring Cars: Driver – Biren Pithawalla (Mumbai, Team N1 Racing). Team – Team N1 Racing.
Indian Junior Touring Cars: Driver – Srinivas Teja (Chennai, Team Performance Racing). Team – Team Performance Racing.
Super Stock: Driver – Justin Singh (Gurugram, Redline Racing India). Team – Redline Racing India.
Formula LGB 1300: Driver – Viswas Vijayaraj (Nellore, DTS Racing). Team – DTS Racing.
MRF Saloons (Toyota Etios): Driver – Diana Pundole (Pune).
Polo Cup: Driver – Dhruv Chavan (Lonavla).
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Ashad Pasha dominates INAC South Zone qualifier; Pallavi Yadav tops Ladies class
Chennai, 11 January 2025: Six time National Autocross champion, Ashad Pasha of Chikkamagaluru, a last-minute entrant, clocked the fastest time, besides winning a triple crown in the South Zone qualifier of the Fmsci Indian National Autocross Championship 2024, at the Madras International Circuit, here on Saturday.+
The Muscat-based driver, won three titles in different classes in 2022 fmsci Nationals and added two more last year, for which the Awards are yet to be distributed by the federation.
The 31-year-old reigning National champion in three different INAC classes, Pasha flew in to support his brother, but with a car available, he took part, and he did it in style by clocking the fastest time of the day of two minutes, 28.615 seconds over the 2.4-Kms circuit which was a mix of dirt and tarmac. The event was conducted by the Madras Motor Sports Club.
Kolhapur’s Pallavi Yadav, topped the Ladies class as she clocked 03:30.081 as against second-placed Reshma Inchalkar (Goa) (03:44.312).
“I am from Chikkamagaluru but based in Muscat and flew in here to support my brother. But since a vehicle was available, I was persuaded to drive and so it was a last-minute decision to drive,” said Ashad who participated in three categories and topped them all.
The qualifiers from South Zone will participate in the final round of the Championship to be run at the same venue on Sunday. They will be joined by toppers from North and East Zone qualifiers.
Pallavi Yadav of Kolhapur in action. She drove all the way from Kolhapur to Chennai via Bengaluru for 16 hours and won the South Zone, in her class without any rest.
Provisional results:
INAC1 Class B: 1. Kiran Reddy (Bengaluru) (02:39.825).
INAC1 Class C: 1. Ashad Pasha (Chikkamagaluru) (02:28.615); 2. Amandeep Singh (Delhi) (02:57.160); 3. Ashish Gupta (03:08.219).
INAC2 Class B: 1. Ashad Pasha (02:35.871); 2. Kartik Konchady (Mumbai) (02:50.345).
INAC2 Class C: 1. Arshad Pasha (02:29.400); 2. Areeb Rahman (Kolkata) (02:41.547); 3. Saneesh Sharma (02:43.353).
INAC2 Class E: 1. Nameer Pasha (Chikkamagaluru) (02:36.185); 2. Areeb Rahman (02:37.118); 3. Saneesh Sharma (02:41.330).
INAC3 Stock Class A: 1. Amey Desai (Mapusa) (02:52.865); 2. Kartik Konchady (02:55.585); 3. Karan Panikar (Navi Mumbai) (02:56.968).
INAC3 Stock Class B: 1. Kushal Chaudhari (New Panvel) (02:51.735); 2. Althaf Hussain (Kolhapur) (03:14.388).
INAC3 Stock Class C: 1. Kartik Konchady (02:41.524); 2. Amey Desai (02:49.772); 3. Sravan Kumar Kuttoor (Hyderabad) (03:01.017).
INAC3 Stock Class E: 1. Karan Chaudhary (Kolkata) (02:39.694); 2. Amey Desai (02:46.588); 3. Kushal Chaudhari (02:55.132).
Ladies Open: 1. Pallavi Yadav (Kolhapur) (03:30.081); 2. Reshma Inchalkar (Goa) (03:44.312).
4WD Open: 1. Raunak Jana (Kolkata) (02:44.311); 2. Sravan Kumar Kuttoor (02:50.769).
Amateur: 1. Nameer Pasha (Chikkamagaluru) (02min, 35.441sec); 2. Ashish Gupta (Chennai) (03:45.346).
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National record by Sean Rogers Pachigalla in 4w Drag Nationals; Tune O’Tronics bags 6 titles
Sean Rogers, National Record Bengaluru, 26 December 2024: Stunning run by Hyderabad drag star, Sean Rogers, set the track alight at the Hosur Taneja Aerospace facility, as he set a National Record for the “fastest car in India” over a quarter-mile distance.
Meanwhile, drivers representing Tune O Tronics dominated the final two rounds of the Indian Oil Storm X Presents fmsci Indian National 4-wheeler Drag Championship 2024 which concluded at Hosur, near here on December 22. Tune O Tronics bagged the National Team Championship in six classes.
Stephen Jyothi Rogers Pachigalla, popularly known as Sean Rogers Pachigalla, from Hyderabad, driving an Audi R8, clocked the fastest time of 9.119 seconds in the N1 Unrestricted Class, for his record breaking feat.
Bengaluru drivers Vivek Ramachander (Tune O Tronics) and Shreyas Mahendra (DB Motorsports) won National titles in two categories apiece as did Chennai’s Ashwin Durai (Tune O Tronics) on conclusion of the three-day event organised and promoted by Vroom Motorsports, Bangalore and Speedway Motorsports, Hyderabad, and Powered by A-THON All Terrain Pvt Ltd.
(Caption: Vivek RAmachander of Chennai bags a double)
The Bengaluru-based Tune O Tronics walked away with team championship in eight categories besides picking up seven Drivers’ National titles to underline their status as the country’s top drag racing team.
The list of National Champions (Individual and Team):
K2 (1151cc – 1450cc): Narayana Swamy (Privateer).
K3 (1451cc to 1650cc): Mohammed Afaqh Ameen (Race Concepts). Team: Race Concepts.
K4 (1651cc to 2050cc): Trishal MS (Tune O Tronics). Team: Tune O Tronics.
K5 (2051cc to 2550cc): Shreyas Mahendra (DB Motorsports). Team: DB Motorsports.
K7 (3061cc to 4002cc): Bradeep Raj (Tune O Tronics). Team: Tune O Tronics.
Caption: Ashwin Durai (white shirt)
K8 (4003cc to 5100cc): Vishnu Ram (Harmonixx Tuning). Team: Harmonixx Tuning.
L4 (1651cc to 2050 cc): Ashwin Durai (Tune O Tronics). Team: Tune O Tronics.
L6 (2551cc to 3060cc): Vinod John (Tune O Tronics). Team: Tune O Tronics.
M1 (Upto 2750cc): Shreyas Mahendra (DB Motorsports). Team: Tune O Tronics.
M2 (Upto 4002cc): Ashwin Durai (Tune O Tronics). Team: Tune O Tronics.
M3 (Unlimited): Vivek Ramachander (Tune O Tronics). Team: Tune O Tronics.
N1 (Unrestricted): Vivek Ramachander (Tune O Tronics). Team: Tune O Tronics.
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Indu Chandhok, one of the founders of fmsci, is no more; ‘An era has passed’, says Shramik
Chennai, 7 Dec 2024: Indu Chandhok, the doyen of Indian motorsports with which he was actively associated for over six decades, passed away here this morning. He was 93 and leaves behind two sons, one daughter, seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren. He is the father of Vicky Chandhok, former fmsci president and widely considered as the man who brought Formula 1 to India.
Madras Motor Sports Club president Ajit Thomas said: “In Indu Chandhok’s demise, the MMSC and Indian motorsports have lost a giant and an institutional figure. He was instrumental in providing definitive direction to motorsports in India and we are now enjoying the fruits of his untiring efforts. He also shaped MMSC to what it is today. We deeply mourn his passing away and offer condolences to his family.”
Indu Chandhok’s son and MMSC Vice-President Vicky Chandhok, said: “The Patriarch of the Chandhok family, passed away in his sleep this morning. Total legend he was. ‘BIC’ lived his life filled with a great sense of humour until the end. He was a fantastic father and protector. In a way, he was also the patriarch of Indian motorsports who saw the big picture with a clear vision for the growth of the sport. The family and the motorsports fraternity will miss him.”
Born in Kolkata on July 22, 1931, and then moving to Chennai (erstwhile Madras) in 1932, Indu Chandhok, blessed with boundless energy and varied interests, led an active life. He was one of the founder-members of the Madras Motor Sports Club in 1953 and later, the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) in 1971 of which he was the president (1978-79), besides being integral part of the Trust that purchased and developed the Madras International Circuit (erstwhile Madras Motor Race Track) at Irungattkottai, near Sriperumbudur and about 40 Kms from Chennai.
Off the track, he was involved with the Punjab Association Trust of which he was the Chairman, the DAV School, Camp Tonakela, the Madras Round Table which he founded, the Masonic Lodge, president of Indian Motor Parts Dealers Association, the 41 Clubs of India, an association of ex-Round Tablers whose international President he became.
Indu Chandhok was best known for his long and enduring contribution to the growth of motorsports in the country. His involvement with motor sports for the last 60 years, first as a competitor and later an organizer, earned him the sobriquet of “Godfather of Motor Sports in India”.
He passed on his motorsports genes to his son Vicky Chandhok, a former National Rally Champion, and grandson Karun Chandhok, India’s second Formula One driver (after Narain Karthikeyan), who is now a well-known F1 race commentator and analyst.
Former FMSCI president Shramik Masturlal put it best when he said: “Indu was an institution in himself. His co-founding of the FMSCI, his huge efforts in making Sholavaram races what it became, the creation of the new track from scratch, the birth of the MMST etc, all bore the stamp of Indu’s efforts in furthering motor sports to unimaginable levels. Indu leaves gigantic footprints. An era has passed!”
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Shlok Ghorpade emerges triumphant in Supercross Championship 2024; Brings honour to KTM on debut
Kochi, 30 Nov. 2024: India’s top rider Shlok Ghorpade created history emerging triumphant in the MRF MoGrip fmsci Indian National Supercross Championship 2024 to stop the long reign of TVS Factory riders as he won the first moto in the top SX1 class of the final round which concluded at Eloor, near here on Saturday. The Supercross Nationals was promoted by Godspeed Racing and the final round was organised by KMA Motorsports guided by veteran Musa Sherif and Anil Abbas, in collaboration with Bandidos Motorsports, Kerala.
The Satara star thus brought a stunning victory and title triumph for the KTM Factory Racing team which made its debut in the National Championship this year by winning the Overall Championship and the premier class by garnering 201 points, six more than his rival, the talented Ikshan Shanbagh, also from Satara. While Ghorpade won the first moto after taking the hole shot, Ikshan came back to take a win in the second moto of SX1 class, but it was too little and too late, as Ghorpade clinched the well-fought championship by finishing second in the second moto.
Shlok Ghorpade celebrates after winning the 2024 title. INDIAinF1 image The capacity crowd of about 15000, enjoyed a thrilling event, witnessing a supercross after a long time and were rewarded with plenty of action and stunts in the night. The track was one of the biggest among all the six rounds and had fast stretches and technical jumps for riders to showcase their talent and skill.
Shlok Ghorpade, who just completed 17 years on October 18, was astride a KTM 250, and was in his elements maneuvering the jumps and berms with high skills and near-perfect technique. He recently fine tuned his skills in California, USA and showed immense confidence and class in the face of tough and sometimes, ugly competition. TVS Racing team, which has been dominating the Supercross and two-wheeler rally championships for many years now, has won the Motocross/Supercross championships for the last 14 consecutive years. But they were jolted by the young talent and despite Ikshaan providing tough time to him, they had to rope in the newly-crowned road racing champion, Sarthak Chavan to try and beat the marauding Ghorpade. But the latter, stood his ground and won a well-deserving title, his seventh National Championship crown in different sub-classes and dirt Nationals.
Shlok Ghorpade, a 7-time National champion “I have been working and planning for the past four years to win the SX 1 class. I worked hard for this championship victory and it is the fruit for my hardwork and dedication of my team and sponsors,” the 2022 Junior SX1 National champion quipped on the morning after.
However, the season has been a tough one, with the much experienced and strong team like TVS Racing on the other side. He endured falls, the blocking of racing lines in every round and race, and fought as a lone warrior against a huge team and thus, the success is all the more sweet. “I can’t think of a single day where I didn’t think of improving and getting better. I was becoming too serious. That is when I thought I should start enjoying my races and as a result, the points came back,” he felt.
“I banked on my family and knew my potential. I have no legacy to protect and I had nothing to lose. The stakes are high and the tempo increased from the Pune round,” he added. Yes, the blocking too ‘increased’ from the Pune round.
The heat was on and he was boxed so much that for the first time in two years, he was not on the podium in the Bengaluru round. However, the champion rose like a phoenix and won the first moto, to virtually seal the issue and won with a second place in the final moto, as the championship went to wire.
“Physically it was tiring but it was much more a mental game. Once I accepted that my winning streak of over five rounds was broken, it was easier for me to get up, dust myself and relaunch the attack. My core team and I worked on all possibilities, strategised and planned for the worst. I always hope for the best while preparing for the worst. And the results are there, now, for everyone to see,” he spoke as if in nostalgia, of the just-concluded season’s ups and downs.
All commissioned photographs by Siddharth, Hyderabad
Shlok Ghorpade – Roll of honour – 7 National titles
2022: Indian National Supercross Junior SX 1 (under 16 yrs) Champion
2023: Indian National Supercross Junior SX 1 (under 16 yrs) Champion
2023: Indian National Dirt Track Junior SX 1 (under 16 yrs) Champion
2023: Indian National Supercross SX 2 category Champion
2023: Indian national Dirt Track SX 2 category Champion
2024: Indian National Supercross SX1 category – Overall champion
2024: Indian National Dirt Track SX1 category Champion
5 International trophies :
DMX Round 5 – 3rd place
Saturday MX at Glen Helen summer series
Saturday MX at Glen Helen 250cc category
Mammoth qualifiers at Fox
Fall series at Glen Helen
Final Round: The results (provisional):
1. Ikshan Shanbhag (TVS Racing) 37 points (17, 20);
2. Shlok Ghorpade (KTM Factory Racing India) 40 points (20, 17);
3. Sarthak Chavan (TVS Racing) 28 (15, 13).
Class 2 – SX 2: Group A:
1. Ryan Haig (Kochi) 40 (20, 20);
2. S. Kathiroli (Coimbatore) 34 (17, 17);
3. Wilmer Valentino (Kochi) 23 (8, 15).
Class 3 – Novice, Group B: (only one moto)
1. Karan Kumar (Hero Motorsports) 20;
2. W.N. Jayden (TVS Racing) 17;
3. Shaun Chhangte (Aizawl) 15.
Class 5 – Indian Experts, Group B:
1. D. Sachin (TVS Racing) 37 (17, 20);
2. Imran Pasha (TVS Racing) 33 (20, 13);
3. Karan Kumar (Hero Motorsports) 28 (11, 17).
Class 6 – Private Experts: Group B:
1. Subramanya (Bengaluru);
2. Shreeraj H (Kerala);
3. Arshad Muhammed (Cheruthuruthy); (Points not received)
Class 7 – Jr. SX1: Group A:
1. Jinendra Sangave (Ichakaranji) 40 (20, 20);
2. Ector Ezak (Kochi) 34 (17, 17);
3. Faiz Sayyed (Pune) 30 (15, 15).
Class 8 – Jr. SX2: Group A:
1. Yash Shinde; KTM SX 85;
2. Akshat Hupale; KTM SX 85;
3. Sujan J. Kawasaki; (All from Pune).
Class 9 – Jr. SX3: Group A:
1. Bhairav C. Gowda (Bengaluru);
2. Chaitanya Joshi (Pune);
3. Nandan Das 30 (15, 15).
Demo class:
1. Vismay Ram (Blr);
2. Rithin Sai (Cbe);
3. Shyam Aditya.
(Complete results are not received yet from the organizers)
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Sizzling Gaurav Gill wins Robusta Rally, back in contention for INRC title
Ammathi (Kodagu), 24 Nov. 2024:Seven times National champion Gaurav Gill displayed enough speed and skill to emerge triumphant in the Robusta Rally, the fifth and penultimate round of the Blueband Sports fmsci Indian National Rally Championship 2024 organised by Robusta Adventure and Sports Academy here, on Sanday.
Notching up his second straight win after the success in the Rally of Hyderabad last month, Arjuna Awardee Gill, along with co-driver Aniruddha Rangnekar, was in superb form and exhibited controlled aggression on the final day for a comfortable win and bagged full 40 points.
The win saw Gill drawing closer to table topper Karna Kadur (Musa Sherif) of Arka Motorsports, who finished second overall. 2021 champion Aditya Thakur (Virender Kashyap) upped the game in the last stage to pip local favourites Jason Saldanha (Thimmu Uddapanda) by a second to take overall third place.
“It is a nice feeling to win back-to-back. I must thank my team, probably the smallest with just four mechanics, who have put in a lot of hard work to give me a perfect car. JK Tyre also deserves commendation for the tyres they specially developed for my car. I think I am getting better as a driver. I would say I was in total control in both Hyderabad and here. My first aim this season has been to bring the car home and I am happy that I managed to do that in two consecutive rallies this season.”
Himachal Pradesh duo Aditya Thakur and Virender Kasyap won the INRC2 class beating the Karnataka pair of Jason Saldanha and Thimmu Uddapanda while Mangaluru’s Dean Mascarenhas (Gagan Karumbaiah) powered his way from 11th to third in the class.
In INRC 3 class, Daraius Shroff (Mumbai) and Arjun Dheerendra of Chettinad Sporting, the championship leaders won by over a minute to stay at the top. Gurugram-Bengaluru pair of Arnav Pratap Singh and Rohin N of Snap Racing came second and Jeet Jhabakh of Hyderabad with Sekar of Erode as co-driver, also from Chettinad Sporting, pushed his way to the third place. Arnav Pratap also won the Junior INRC.
Dehradun’s Anushriya Gulati (co-driver Karan Aukta) won the Ladies class followed by talented Nikeetaa Takkale (Raghuram Saminathan) in second and Shillong’s Phoebe Nongrum (Nash Ross).
Provisional Final Results:
INRC Overall:
1. Gaurav Gill (privateers, Delhi)/ Anirudha Rangnekar (Pune) (01 hour, 40 minutes, 36.6 seconds);
2. Karna Kadur (Arka Motorsports, Bengaluru)/ Musa Sherif (Kasargod) (01:41:57.0);
3. Aditya Thakur (Chettinad Sporting Solan) / Virender Kashyap (Shimla) (01:44:27.3);
INRC2:
1. Aditya Thakur (Chettinad Sporting Solan) / Virender Kashyap (Shimla) (01:44:27.3);
2. Jason Saldhanha (Arka Motorsports, Hassan)/ Thimmu Uddapanda (Kodagu) (01:44:28.5);
3. Dean Mascarenhas (Pvt. Mangaluru)/ Gagan Karumbaiah (Virajpet) (01:44:51.8);
INRC3:
1. Daraius Shroff (Chettinad Sporting, Mumbai)/ Arjun Dheerendra (Bengaluru) (01:45.02.4);
2. Arnav Pratap Singh (Snap Racing, Gurugram)/ Rohit N (Bengaluru) (01:46:10.3);
3. Jeet Jhabakh (Chettinad Sporting, Hyderabad)/ V. Sekhar (Erode) (01:46:53.8);
Ladies Class:
1. Anushriya Gulati (Arka Motorsports, Dehradun)/ Karan Aukta (Jubbal) (01:52:20.9);
2. Nikeetaa Takkale (Pvt, Pune)/ Raghuram Saminathan (Coimbatore) (01:55:07.3);
3. Phoebe Nongrum (Snap Racing, Shillong)/ Nash Ross (Hyderabad) (02:05:49.0);
Junior INRC:1. Arnav Pratap Singh (Snap Racing, Gurugram)/ Rohit N (Bengaluru) (01:46:10.3);
2. Abhin R Rai/ Arvind Dheerendra (Ideal Racing, both Bengaluru) (01:47:53.2);
3. Arjun Rajiv (Chettinadu Sporting)/ Vinay Padmashali (Both Bengaluru) (01:49:14.6);
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Gaurav Gill takes lead on Day1: INRC Robusta Rally
Ammathi (Kodagu), 23 Nov. 2024: Arjuna Awardee Gaurav Gill and co-driver Aniruddha Rangnekar overcame initial hiccups and performed admirably to take the lead after Day 1 in the Robusta Rally, the fifth and penultimate round of the Blueband Sports fmsci Indian National Rally Championship 2024 organised by Robusta Adventure and Sports Academy here, on Saturday.
The Speed Maestro from Delhi, Gill, was forced to start on a cautious note as their intercom failed resulting in no calls and he had to drive from memory. After losing 17.4 seconds to Karna Kadur, who was fastest in Stage 1, Gill bounced back brilliantly to clock the fastest times in the remaining five Stages and took a handsome lead of over 53 seconds by the end of the day.
“It has been a perfect day. The stages were rougher than I expected with massive stones and boulders but we managed to overcome all odds as our tyres performed well. We had decent speeds and the goal is to bring back the car home tomorrow,” said the seven-time National champion, Gill.
Championship leaders Karna Kadur and co-driver Musa Sherif of Arka Motorsports were second overall followed by Hassan’s Jason Saldhanha and local co-driver Timmu Uddapanda. He who overtook former National champion Aditya Thakur (Chettinad Sporting) in the final Stage of the day, was also leading in INRC2 class with Thakur in second place ahead of Jahaan Singh Gill of Snap Racing.
Chettinad Sporting’s Daraius Shroff from Mumbai, the championship leader in INRC3 category took a 20-second lead over Abhin Rai.
Fabid Ahmer, Harkrishan Wadia, Philippos Matthai and Chetan Shivram were some of the top casualties on Day 1. Of the 61 cars that took the start, only 43 cars finished the day.
On Sunday, the rally will run another six Special Stages at Woshully and Margoli estates.
Provisional Results after Day 1 (Leg 1 – Saturday):
INRC Overall:
1. Gaurav Gill (privateers, Delhi)/ Anirudha Rangnekar (Pune) (00, 57 minutes, 35.1 seconds);
2. Karna Kadur (Arka Motorsports, Bengaluru)/ Musa Sherif (Kasargod) (00:58:28.3);
3. Jason Saldhanha (Arka Motorsports, Hassan)/ Thimmu Uddapanda (Kodagu) (00:59:05.1);
INRC2: 1. Jason Saldhanha (Arka Motorsports, Hassan)/ Thimmu Uddapanda (Kodagu) (00:59:05.1);
2. Aditya Thakur (Chettinad Sporting Solan) / Virender Kashyap (Shimla) (00:59:36.7);
3. Jahaan Singh Gill (Snap Racing, Chandigarh)/ Suraj K Prasad (Bengaluru) (01:00:31.5);
INRC3: 1. Daraius Shroff (Chettinad Sporting, Mumbai)/ Arjun Dheerendra (Bengaluru) (01:00.44.3);
2. Abhin R Rai/ Arvind Dheerendra (Ideal Racing, both Bengaluru) (01:01:06.6);
3. Arnav Pratap Singh (Snap Racing, Gurugram)/ Rohit N (Bengaluru) (01:01:33.8);
Ladies Class: 1. Anushriya Gulati (Arka Motorsports, Dehradun)/ Karan Aukta (01:04:08.0);
2. Nikeetaa Takkale (Pvt, Pune)/ Raghuram Saminathan (Coimbatore) (01:05:52.8);
3. Phoebe Nongrum (Snap Racing, Shillong)/ Nash Ross (Hyderabad) (01:08:18.2);
Junior INRC: 1. Abhin R Rai/ Arvind Dheerendra (Ideal Racing, both Bengaluru) (01:01:06.6);
2. Arnav Pratap Singh (Snap Racing, Gurugram)/ Rohit N (Bengaluru) (01:01:33.8);
3. Arjun Rajiv (Chettinadu Sporting)/ Vinay Padmashali (Both Bengaluru) (01:04:44.9);
Fmsci Classic Challenge:
1. Harish KN Gowda/ Mahesh Nandi (Privateers, both Bengaluru) (01:10:15.1);
2. Praveen Dwarakanath/ Kariyappa (Kass Motorsports., both Bengaluru) (01:10:29.9);
3. Thejas S Reddy/ Ravindra Kumar (Pvt. Both Bengaluru) (01:14:32.2);
Fmsci Gypsy Challenge: 1. Darshan Nachappa/ Abinav Ganapathy (Pvt. Both Kodagu) (01:08:08.4);
2. Sanjay Aggarwal/ Dheeraj Manae (Pvt. Both Bengaluru) (01:09:00.8);
3. Dr Akarsh Sundar (Pvt., Chikmagalur)/ Ravi Kumar (Bengaluru) (01:10:14.8);
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Krish Gupta: Profile of a budding racing driver
Chennai, 14 November 2024: The atmosphere was electric at the Madras International Circuit as the curtain fell on the National Karting Championship finale. While the spotlight was on the podium finishers, the newly-inaugurated Madras International Karting Arena (MIKA) also captured attention. Named after Mika Hakkinen, the two-time Formula 1 World Champion, who inaugurated the facility just a week prior, MIKA set the stage for the emergence of fresh talent in Indian motorsport.
Among the standout performances that evening was an inspiring display by 18-year-old Krish Gupta, a rising star in the Senior Karting category. Starting from P19 in the final race, Krish battled his way through the field to finish an impressive fifth—a feat that earned him recognition despite not making it to the podium. This determination and resilience have marked him as one to watch and the commentator did not miss his marauding march that day. “amidst all these winners there is a fine performance today,’’ he announced. “It was Krish Gupta who started last and finished fifth.”
Rising Through the Ranks
Hailing from Mumbai, Krish began his karting journey in 2021 at Ajmera Indikarting. He quickly joined the Rayo Racing Academy, where his natural talent and commitment to the sport flourished. Over the past three years, Krish has secured 22 podium finishes, including 8 wins, and clinched four karting titles across junior and senior categories.
In 2024, he competed in the Senior Max category of the Meco FMSCI National Rotax Max Championship. Despite challenges, including mechanical failures and racing incidents, Krish’s skills were on full display. Notably, he qualified on pole in the fifth round with a lap time of 51.315 seconds and won the first heat before a series of incidents placed him at the back of the grid for the final. Undeterred, he delivered a remarkable comeback, finishing in the top 10 overall standings in the championship.
“It’s been a fantastic season,” Krish shared. “While the results didn’t always go my way, I’m proud of my performances and excited for what’s ahead.”
“Krish is a very promising talent for India. In a very short while he has grown tremendously. His talent combined with his hard work and dedication will take him far.
“He is now recognised as one of India’s best. He has proved himself at the Asian level with his nomination from the Asian Rotax Championship to represent India and Asia at the World Rotax Championship,” said Rayomond Banajee, a multiple national champion and mentor of many National champions. He is a respected figure in the Indian motorsports administration and in nurturing of fresh talent. This reporter has covered many of Rayo’s magnificent victories over the years.
A Global Stage: The Rotax Max Grand Finals
Krish’s talent earned him a good opportunity to take part in the prestigious Rotax Max Grand Finals in Sarno, Italy, where he competed in the challenging DD2 category representing fmsci and India. Sharing the track with global karting legends, including four-time British champion Macauley Bishop, was a defining moment for Krish.
“The Grand Finals were unforgettable,” he said. “Every lap was a challenge, and racing against the best in the world was a dream come true. Meeting Macauley Bishop was inspiring and a reminder of the heights I aspire to reach.”
Reflecting on his journey, Krish emphasized the lessons learned and the memories made. “This experience has deepened my passion for the sport. I’m determined to train harder and aim for the front.”
Professional Karting Journey
Season 2022
Krish debuted in the Indian Rotax Max Challenge senior category in 2022, a season marked by competitive grids and valuable learning experiences. He displayed promising pace, with six top-five finishes, including a standout performance in the wet during Round 4, where he climbed from 14th to 2nd.
His international debut came in the IAME Asia Series in Malaysia, where he finished a respectable 8th under mixed conditions.
Season 2023
Building on his rookie season, Krish’s 2023 campaign showcased significant progress. Competing in both domestic and international championships, he earned his first international podium with a strong 3rd place in the IAME Asia Series. On home soil, he achieved his first national pole position in wet conditions at the Rotax Max Challenge Asia Trophy in Pattaya, Thailand.
Season 2024
Krish’s 2024 season began with a podium finish in the Rotax Max Challenge Asia Trophy in Thailand, marking his first international podium. Back in India, despite technical setbacks, he displayed resilience, finishing 2nd in Round 3 of the National Championship.
Looking Ahead
Krish Gupta’s talent and dedication are evident, and his journey showcases the potential of this young Indian racer. As he continues to hone his skills and push his limits, Krish is poised to make a mark on the global stage, if he does not lose focus and nurtured properly. With the right support and guidance, this budding star is on track to go places.
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Ruhaan Alva bags a grand double in F4; Goa Aces JA Racing clinch IRL title
Coimbatore, 17 November 2024: Bengaluru’s racing star Ruhaan Alva of Shrachi Rarh Royal Bengal Tigers closed the championship in style bagging a grand double in the FIA Formula 4 Indian Championship while Raoul Hyman and Gabriela Jilkova not only delivered a 1-2 finish for Goa Aces JA Racing but also helped the team clinch the Indian Racing League championship as the curtains came down at the Kari Motor Speedway, here on Sunday.
South African teenager Aqil Alibhai (Hyderabad Blackbirds) clinched the F4 title. Alva finished second in the Championship as the fifth and final round of the IRL promoted by Racing Promotions private limited concluded on Sunday.
Alibhai, enjoying a successful season with six wins, had two podium finishes (P2 and P3) today which fetched sufficient points to win him the crown.
South African teenager Aqil Alibhai (Hyderabad Blackbirds) clinched the F4 title Alva displayed rare sparks of aggression as he won the day’s first race starting from P5 on the reverse grid easily outpacing Alibhai and Divy Nandan (Bangalore Speedsters). He carried the momentum to win the next from P4 ahead of Canadian Hady Noah Mimassi (Chennai Turbo Riders) and Alibhai. In both races, the 18-year-old came up with a couple of daring moves to notch deserving wins.
An unperturbed Alibhai played it smart. With one eye on the points, he was content to run in P2 behind Alva in the first race as the Indian took the honours by over nine seconds. Alibhai had enough lead on third-placed Nandan to survive a 10-second post-race penalty for a “infringement”.
The P2 finish ensured Alibhai the championship as he led Alva by 29 points going into the final race which had a maximum of 26 on offer.
For the several Indian drivers, the season in F4 was an eye-opener in the context of the level of competition at this level. The championship made it affordable for the home-grown racers to take the next step up in their racing careers and the experience should stand them in good stead going forward.
Alibhai said: “I wanted to finish the season with a win, but it was not to be. But I have had a good season, and I am very happy to win the championship. Going forward, let’s see where this success takes me.”
Indian Racing League
Raoul Hyman tops IRL race as Goa Aces clinch title on Sunday at Kari Speedway. Photo by Rahul Reghu Raoul Hyman and Gabriela Jilkova not only delivered a 1-2 finish for Goa Aces JA Racing but also helped the team clinch the Indian Racing League championship. There was icing on Goa Aces’ cake too as the team also won the car championship to finish the season with a memorable double.
Going into the final race which began after sharp showers, the Goa Aces led Shrachi Rarh Royal Bengal Tigers by just two points, but the latter virtually handed over the championship on a platter within seconds after the race commenced from a rolling start following a crash.
Ruhaan Alva, sandwiched between pole-sitter Hyman and Jilkova in P2, lost the rear of his car, slid across the track and rammed into Akash Gowda (Speed Demons Delhi) just as they approached the start-finish line, leading to their retirement. The Safety Car made a brief appearance before racing resumed.
Thereafter, Hyman and Jilkova cruised along without any serious challenge with the former eventually winning by 28 seconds as they came up with a 1-2 finish for their team which followed yesterday’s win by their team-mate Sohil Shah. Mohd Ryan (Chennai Turbo Riders) completed the podium.
The second Shrachi Rarh Royal Bengal Tigers car, driven by Malaysian Alister Yoong, finished a distant seventh.
“We are very happy for the 1-2 finish. We are grateful to the team for giving us cars that won the races for us. It is their hardwork which enabled us to win the championship,” said Hyman.
The two-day Indian Racing Festival was sponsored by Kingfisher Soda, JK Tyres, Mobil 1 and Megha Engineering & Infrastructure Limited.
The results (Provisional):
John Abraham with Goa Aces Team Medium Indian Racing League (Race-2, Driver-B) 25 mins+1 lap:1. Raul Hyman (UK, Goa Aces JA Racing) (26:39.020); 2.Gabriela Jilkova (Czech Republic, Goa Aces JA Racing) (27:07.684);3. Mohamed Ryan (India, Chennai Turbo Riders) (27:29.813). Best Lap:Raoul Hyman (01:10.359).
Formula 4 Indian Open (Race-2, 25mins+1 lap):1. Ruhaan Alva (India, Shrachi Rarh Royal Bengal Tigers) (26:55.114);2. Aqil Alibhai (South Africa, Hyderabad Blackbirds) (27:14.880);3. Divy Nandan (India, Bangalore Speedsters) (27:24.987).Best Lap:Ruhaan Alva (01:06.492).
Race-3:1. Ruhaan Alva (India, Shrachi Rarh Royal Bengal Tigers) (27:00.884);2. Hady Noah Mimassi (Canada, Chennai Turbo Riders) (27:10.373);3. Aqil Alibhai (South Africa, Hyderabad Blackbirds) (27:16.425).Best Lap:RuhaanAlva (01:06.386).
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Sohil Shah aces the field for maiden win in Indian Racing League
Coimbatore, 16 Nov 2024: Championship contenders Goa Aces JA Racing received a massive boost when Sohil Shah destroyed a high-quality field and delivered a hat-trick of pole position, race win and best lap, in the Round 5 of the Indian Racing League at the Kari Motor Speedway here on Saturday.
It was 23-year-old Shah’s first win in the Indian Racing League which is promoted by the Racing Promotions private limited. He did it in style beating the likes of veterans Neel Jani of Black Birds Hyderabad and Alvaro Parente of Speed Demons Delhi, who came in second and third respectively. However, Parente was docked a five-second penalty for a “infringement”and was pushed to P4 with Jon Lancaster of Chennai Turbo Riders moving upa spot to P3.
The winning margin of 17.156 seconds underlined the dominating performance by the Bengalurean that came on the back of several podium finishes this season.
With the sun out and track almost fully dry following rains earlier in the day, it was Shah who roared away from the rolling start and with every lap increased his lead over Jaani, Lancaster and Parente who got involved in a close battle.
In the latter half of the race, Lancaster slowed down with an engine issue, giving up his P3 spot to Parente. Up the road, Shah kept increasing the lead, followed by Jaani and Parente and the trio finished in that order while Lancaster came in fourth, but subsequently moved up to third as the Portuguese driver was penalized for an infringement.
Behind the front-runners, Shah’s team-mate Shahan Ali Mohsin finished an impressive fifth after starting from P12 to bring more cheer to Goa Aces JA Racing team. However, Shahan dropped to seventh following a 20-second penalty for a “infringement”.
“I am very happy with this win today after several podium finishes. It was a good race and am pleased with my performance as the grid had top drivers like Jaani, Parente and Lancaster,” said Shah.
The two-day Indian Racing Festival, sponsored by Kingfisher Soda, JK Tyres, Mobil 1 and Megha Engineering & Infrastructure Limited.
Formula 4 Indian Championship
South African Aqil Alibhai (Black Birds Hyderabad) came up with yet another brilliant drive on a drying Kari Motor Speedway track to post his sixth overall and fifth win in a row to consolidate his spot on top of the leaderboard in the FIA-certified Formula 4 Indian Championship.
Finishing in P2 was his closest rival,Ruhaan Alva (SrachiRarh Royal Bengal Tigers) who wasted a pole-position start while Canadian Hady Noah Mimassi(Chennai Turbo Riders) completed the podium while also winning the Rookie award besides clocking the best lap of the race.
At the start, Alva made a poor getaway and left the door open at Turn-1 for Alibhai to forge ahead. Thereafter, the South African maintained his lead, literally tiptoeing past the water patches and later the back markers. Behind him Alva settled in second place unable to come close to making a move on Alibhai while Mimassicouldn’t make much headawayand had to be content with P3.
Reflecting on his performance today, Alibhai said: “I am happy to win today. I had a good start but had to be careful due to the water on the track. Towards the end, others were catching up, but I managed to maintain my lead and want to maintain the momentum tomorrow and win the championship.”
27thJK Tyre-FMSCI National Racing Championship
Starting from P2 on the grid, Bengaluru’s Tijil Rao (Dark Don Racing) pulled off yet another win to move closer to the championship title in the 27th JK Tyre-FMSCI National Racing Championship on Saturday at the Kari Motor Speedway.
In a close LGB Formula 4 race, Tijil held off a strong challenge from Chennai’s Saran Vikram Tmars (Momentum Motorsports) while Rookie Dhruvh Goswami (MSPORT) from Bengaluru finished third.Meanwhile, as many as seven drivers failed to finish the incident-filled race.
Royal Enfield Continental GT Cup
Championship leader Navaneeth Kumar S from Puducherry consolidated his position on the points table with one win and a P2 finish in the Royal Enfield Continental GT Cup. His arch-rival, Rohan R from Coimbatore matched the performance to remain in title contention.
Meanwhile, Bengaluru’s Yogesh P also notched a double in the Amateurs category to seal the championship in this class.
The results (Provisional):
Indian Racing League (Race-1, Driver-A) 25 mins+1 lap:1. Sohil Shah (India, Goa Aces JA Racing) (26mins, 34.598secs);2. Neel Jani (Switzerland, Black Birds Hyderabad) (26:51.754);3.Jon Lancaster (UK, Chennai Turbo Riders) (26:54.848).Best Lap:Sohil Shah (01:03.088).
Formula 4 Indian Open (Race-1, 25mins+1 lap):1. Aqil Alibhai (South Africa, Black Birds Hyderabad) (26:14.474);2. Ruhan Alva (India, ShrachiRarh Royal Bengal Tigers) (26:15.614);3. Hady Noah Mimassi (Canada, Chennai Turbo Riders) (26:17.254).Best Lap:Mimassi(01:10.638).
JK Tyre-FMSCI National Racing Championship:
LGB Formula 4 (Race-1, 15 laps):1. Tijil Rao (Bengaluru, Dark Don Racing) (22:02.750);2. Saran Vikram Tmars (Chennai, Momentum Motorsports) (23:03.725);3.Dhruvh Goswami (Bengaluru, MSPORT) (23:04.504).Rookie: 1. Dhruvh Goswami (23:04.504); 2. Abhay Mohan (Bengaluru, 23:06.147); 3. Neythan McPherson (Pune, Momentum Motorsports) (23:08.494).
Royal Enfield Continental GT Cup (Race-1, 9 laps) – Professionals: 1.Rohan R (Coimbatore) (11:44.984);2. Navaneeth Kumar S (Puducherry) (11:45.320);3. Anish Shetty (Bengaluru) (11:45.470).Amateurs:1. Yogesh P (Bengaluru) (12:16.480); 2. Johring Warisa (Umrangso) (12:16.891); Johnson Saldanha (Mangaluru) (12:22.450).
Race-2 (6 laps) – Professionals:1. Navaneeth Kumar S (07:48.397);2.Anish Shetty (07:50.894);3. Rohan R (07:51.227).Amateurs:1. Yogesh P (Bengaluru) (08:08.594); 2. Johring Warisa (08:10.664); 3. Johnson Saldanha (08:21.798).
