INDIA in F1

Category: Domestic

  • Jagan wins 5th championship title in a row

    Jagan wins 5th championship title in a row

    Chennai, 21 Jan 2017: Jagan Kumar of Team TVS Racing sealed the championship, with a race to spare, in the Super Sport upto 165cc class, the premier event in the final round of the MRF National Motorcycle Racing Championship at the Madras Motor Sports Track, Irungattukottai, on Saturday. Jagan has won

    Winners of Honda ladies race. Image by Srinivasa Krishnan

    the championship for the fifth time.

    Jagan put in another commanding performance to seal the title in the premium Super Sport Indian (165cc) class on the penultimate day.

    With just one more race to be run on Sunday and a maximum of 25 points available, 28-year-old Jagan, who chalked up his fourth win from nine starts today, took his tally to 166, well beyond the reach of his nearest rival and team-mate Kannan Subramaniam (122). It is Jagan’s fifth championship title in as many years.

    Also clinching the championship in his class, the Super Sport Indian 300-400cc, was Auroville-based Spaniard Ami van Poederooijen (Rockstar Racing) who roared to his sixth win in nine races with another dominating ride.

    Anthony Peter (Performance Racing) though finished second behind Bengaluru’s Yashas RL in the concluding Stock 165cc race earned sufficient points to annex the championship in the Stock 165cc class ahead of Hubballi’s Anish Shetty.

    The championship in the Pro Stock 165cc class, however, is still wide open with Honda Ten10 team-mates Rajiv Sethu (169) and Hari Krishnan Rajagopal (153) in the frame for the title which will be decided on Sunday when the second of the double-header will be run. In Saturday’s outing, Sethu finished a distant first while Hari Krishnan came away without a point.

    In the MMSC One-Make Championships, Mathana Kumar (Honda CBR 250), Anish Shetty (Honda CBR 150), Yashas (TVS Apache RTR 200 Novice), Meka Vidhuraj (Suzuki Gixxer Cup Open) and Joseph Mathew (Suzuki Gixxer Cup Novice) emerged champions in their respective categories.

    Provisional results (all six laps unless mentioned):

    National Championship – Super Sport Indian (300-400cc):  1. Ami van Poederooijen (Rockstar Racing) (12mins, 09.200secs); 2. Amarnath Menon (Rockstar Racing) (12:13.491); 3. Abhishek Vasudev (Rockstar Racing) (12:20.926).

    Super Sport Indian (165cc): 1. Jagan Kumar (TVS Racing) (12:14.805); Harry Sylvester (TVS Racing) (12:16.422); 3. Mathana Kumar (Honda Ten10 Racing) (12:18.772).

    Pro Stock (165cc): 1. Rajiv Sethu (Honda Ten10 Racing) (12:43.867); 2. Mithun Kumar (Honda Ten10 Racing) (12:48.541); 3. Prabhu Arunagiri (RACR) (12:49.197).

    Stock (165cc): 1. Yashas RL (Bengaluru) (13:28.353); 2. Antony Peter (Performance Racing) (13:28.368); 3. Soorya PM (Speed Up Racing) (13:28.513).

    MMSC One-Make Championship – TVS Apache RTR 200 (Open): 1. Kannan Karnan (Chennai) (13:22.756); 2. Arun Muthukrishnan (Chennai) (13:23.539); 3. Prashanth Kumar (Karimnagar) (13:23.605). Novice: 1. Yashas RL (Bengaluru) (09:13.274); 2. Peddu Sriharsha (Chennai) (09:15.052); 3. Aditya Rao Immaneni (Bengaluru) (09:17.922).

    Honda CBR 250 (Open): 1. Hari Krishnan R (Honda Ten10 Racing) (15:06.767); 2.Mathana Kumar S (Honda Ten10 Racing) (15:07.349);  3. Ananth Raj P (Pro Lap Racing) (15:07.919). CBR 150 (Novice, 4 laps): 1. Piyush Ranjan (Patna) (09:05.163); 2. Mahesh Murali M (Kerala) (09:07.506); 3. Soorya PM (Chennai) (09:08.460).

    Suzuki Gixxer Cup (Novice, 4 laps): 1. Joseph Mathew (Chennai) (09:11.643); 2. Vishal S (Chennai) (09:22.692); 3. Alexander AS (Chennai) (09:24.259).

    All Ladies Support Races (4 laps) – Honda: 1. Aishwarya Pissay (Bengaluru) (09:27.007); 2. Ryhana Bee A (Chennai) (09:39.365); Niranjanie Ravishankar (Chennai) (09:56.603). Alisha Abdullah Training Academy (4 laps): 1. Haritha R (Bangalore) (9:41.731); 2. Olesya V Dias (Goa) (10:09.644); 3. Renuka Gajendran (Bangalore) (10:29.673).

    eom/david

  • Keen battle on cards for National titles: Bike races

    Keen battle on cards for National titles: Bike races

    File photo of Jagan Kumar of TVS in action. Image by Anand Philar

    Chennai, 19 Jan 2017: The fifth and concluding round of the MRF Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2016, which spilled over from last year’s calendar, is set for a thrilling finish at the MMRT track in Sriperumbudur, near here, with titles in all categories up for grabs.

    The card of 23 races to be run over three days beginning Friday includes the premium Super Sport Indian (400cc and 165cc) class along with Pro-Stock (165cc) and Stock (165cc) which form the National Championship besides MMSC One-Make Championships for TVS and  Honda, and the Suzuki Gixxer Cup. Also scheduled are support races exclusively for ladies, by Honda and Alisha Abdullah Academy.

    The Madras Motor Sports Club (MMSC) officials burnt the proverbial midnight oil to get the MMRT circuit facilities in order after the battering it received in December from cyclone Vardah that created havoc in the region while also forcing a postponement of the final round of the two-wheeler championship, which was earlier scheduled to be held on Nov 19.

    Thus, it has been a three-month break in the championship and the riders, especially those in contention for the titles, are a bit eager to get back into action. As such, with so much at stake, the competition is expected to be razor-sharp as in all the previous four rounds.

    In the Super Sport Indian (300-400cc), it will be a straight fight between two Rockstar Racing team-mates Ami van Poederooijen (135 points), a Spaniard based in Auroville, and Bengaluru’s Abhishek Vasudev (115), while a trio of TVS Racing mates reigning champion Jagan Kumar (141), Kannan Subramaniam (110) and Harry Sylvester (102), all from Chennai, are in title race in the Super Sport Indian 165cc class.

    Two talented racers from Chennai who performed well in the 2016 Asia Road Racing Championships, Hari Krishnan Rajagopal (153) and Rajiv Sethu (144), both from Honda Ten10 Racing team, are locked in a tight battle in the Pro Stock (165cc) category, having won seven of the eight races between them over four rounds.

    The Stock 165cc class will witness a four-cornered battle for top honours involving Hubbali’s Anish Shetty (122) of United Tech Torque, Antony Peter (Performance Racing, 120) from Coimbatore, Chennai duo of Joseph Mathew (Sparks Racing, 111) and PM Soorya (Team Speedup, 100).

    The situation in the MMSC One-Make championships is much the same with the title race wide open and multiple competitors in the running for the top prize.

    After Thursday’s practice sessions, action kicks-off with four races scheduled for Friday followed by a busy Saturday when 10 races will be run before the championship winds up on Sunday when the remaining eight are held. The programme will conclude with championship prize distribution trackside.

     

    eom/AP Media press release

     

  • Volkswagen shortlists 15 drivers for Ameo Cup 2017

    Volkswagen shortlists 15 drivers for Ameo Cup 2017

    Pune, 27 Dec 2016: Volkswagen Motorsport India conducted the driver selection process for the Ameo Cup 2017 on Dec 17 and 18 at the Indi Karting here in Kharadi. Aspiring drivers were selected to participate in the one-make series of Volkswagen Ameo Cup 2017 which will be hosted as a part of the MMSC-FMSCI Indian National Racing Championship in Chennai.

    The selection process received an enormous response from the young racers from across the country with over 600 aspirants registering for the racing series. Rayomand Banajee, driver coach for Volkswagen Motorsport India and Sirish Vissa, Head of Volkswagen Motorsport India were the judges. Overall driving skills that covered consistency in performance, understanding of racing lines, driving attitude, lap times and ability to learn were judged.

    During the two days of comprehensive and rigorous selection process, participants were briefed about the techniques to hone their skills. The prospective racers were also put through a fitness session which tested their stamina and core physical strength. Additionally, they were also introduced to the importance of sponsorship in their career and how it plays a vital role especially in the field of racing.

    Vissa said, “Volkswagen Motorsport India has been committed to nurturing budding racing talent and it is pleasing to see such enthusiasm among youngsters in the country. Promising racing talent has come forward this year and I hope they would put their learnings to practice in competition. With the introduction of Ameo Cup, we expect to see more action on the tracks.

    Earlier in December, 15 drivers have been shortlisted for the 2017 season one make-series. The list of the final 20 drivers will be confirmed by end of January 2017.

    About Volkswagen Motorsport India: Taking ahead 50 years of enriching global motorsport legacy of Volkswagen, Volkswagen Motorsport India commenced operations with the Polo Cup India in 2010. The series started off with a first- ever iconic race being held at Shri Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex at Balewadi in Pune, the hometown of Volkswagen in India. The vast global expertise, coupled with rich dynamic history of the Group has enabled Volkswagen Motorsport India to progress swiftly and become the best one make series in a short span of time. The Volkswagen Polo R Cup enhanced awareness as well as underlined the technological advancement of Volkswagen in India. In 2015, Volkswagen Motorsport India shifted to Vento Cup and continued to provide a vital platform for the talented young racers to demonstrate their capabilities nationally and internationally by nurturing them. In the one-make series, all participating cars are technically identical with the same performance making it possible for only the most skilled drivers to leave an impact.

    Successes in Indian Rallying: Under the Customer Sport Initiative, Volkswagen Motorsport India started providing teams and individuals running Volkswagen Polo rally cars in the Indian Rally Championship (IRC) with technical assistance and spares from 2013. The Volkswagen Polo won the 2013 and 2014 season in the 1600-cc class.

    eom/Volkswagen Motorsport release

  • Karna-Nikhil duo are INRC 2016 champions

    Karna-Nikhil duo are INRC 2016 champions

    By David Bodapati

    Bengaluru, 18 Dec 2016: Karna Kadur and co-driver Nikhil Pai of Team Yokohama R2 became the National champions in the Indian National Rally Championship for the year 2016 despite finishing sixth overall in the MRF 42nd K1000 Rally 2016 which concluded near Hosadurga, about 220 kms from here.

    Amittrajit Ghosh and Ashwin Naik drove in a steady and cautious manner to bag the coveted K1000 rally with a time of 51 minutes, 40.2 seconds. This is the second time that the Team Mahindra Adventure driver has won India’s oldest rally in the country, the last one being in 2013. The Ghosh duo became the only son and father pair to win the popular K1000. Amittrajit’s father and chief of current INRC promoter RRPM, Arindam Ghosh won the K1000 in 1981. He was one of the aggressive bunch of speed masters in early 80s who clinched the Karnataka 1000 in a Fiat over 1000 miles of rough and tumble.

    Phalguna V Urs and Chandramouli finished second a time of 53:38.1 while Rahul Kanthraj and Vivek Bhatt came third clocking 54:30.5.

    Favourite Gaurav Gill of Team Mahindra Adventure dropped out in the very first stage with a driveshaft failure. Arjun Rao was another prominent casualty who had a gearbox failure while running third.

    Talking to India in F1, Arindam Ghosh, Director, Ramakrishna Race Performance Management (RRPM), the promoters of the Indian Natinal Rally Championship said: “It has been a lovely year of rallying and it can only get better from here. We promise to bring back an even better championship next year”. Earlier, he hinted that the INRC may use the Saturday for some night rallying, running a loop of special stages on Saturday nights instead of extending the event by another day which has financial and logistical implications. For the first time INRC, became a one-day event with rallying only on Sunday. Till 2015, the National Championship used to run for three or two days with a Super Special Stage either on Friday or Sunday.

    Abhilash PG and Srikant Gowda took overall honors in Indian Rally Championship (IRC), run concurrently with the INRC, in 54:31.4, some 5 sconds ahead of Mohammed Kasim AA and Sanath G Ritesh.  M Guttedar and Sheraz Ahmed were third timing 1 minute and 0.9 seconds.

    Amittrajit and Ashwin took home Rs. 50,000/- in prize money.

    Provisional Results: Overall winners: 1. Abhilash PG / Srikant Gowda GM (54:31.4); 2. Mohammead Asim AA / Sanath G (59:28.4); 3. Ritesh M Guttedar / Sheraz Ahmed (1:00:00.9).

    IRC: 1. Abhilash PG / Srikant Gowda GM (54:31.4); 2. Mohammead Kasim AA / Sanath G (59:28.4); 3. Ritesh M Guttedar / Sheraz Ahmed (1:00:00.9).

    INRC:  1. Amittrajit Ghosh / Ashwin M Naik (51:40.2); 2. Phalguna V Urs / Chandramouli CM (53:38.1): 3. Rahul Kantharaj / Vivek Y Bhatt (54:30.5).

    INRC 2000: 1. Rahul Kantharaj / Vivek Y Bhatt (54:30.5): 2. Bopaiah KM/ Gagan Karumbaiah (54:35.8): 3. Aroor Vikram Rao / Jeevarathinam J (54:56.0).

    FMSCI Cup: 1. Sridhar N Urs / Roopesh BC (1:01:59.3); 2. Krishna Kant Yadav / Sagar M (1:06:32.3); 3. Ganapathy SC/ Venu Ramesh Kumar (1:12:21.7).

    Support event: Gypsy Cup: 1. Sanjay Agarwal / Smitha N (1:03:37.4); 2. Shiv Kumar Reddy/ Vinay Prasad BK (1:07:45.8); 3. Nayan J Sharma /Shuchindra SP (1:11:09.6)

    ends/david

    Karna Kadur (left) and Nikhil Pai after winning title in Hosadurga on 18 Dec 2016. Image courtesy Red Rooster Perf.ormance

  • Akbar Ebrahim elected President of FMSCI for 2017-18

    Chennai, 13 Dec 2016: At the FMSCI Annual General Meeting of 2016,held in Chennai yesterday, Akbar Ebrahim was elected as the President of FMSCI and J.Prithiviraj elected as the Vice-President.

    The 43rd Annual General Meeting of the Federation of Motor Sports Club of India (FMSCI) was held here on Monday, the 12th of December 2016. Elections were conducted for member clubs to be elected to The following Clubs/Councillors were declared elected . COUNCIL for 2017-2018:

    The FMSCI council for the two years of 2017 and 2018:

    1. Madras Motor Sports Club (MMSC) – KD Madan
    2. Karnataka Motor Sports Club (KMSC) – Shivu Shivappa
    3. Coimbatore Auto Sports Club(CASC)- J. Prithiviraj
    4. Calcutta Motor Sports Club (CMSC) – Sanjay Sharma
    5. Indian Automotive Racing Club(IARC).- Ketan Mehta
    6. Motor Sports Club of Chikmaglur (MSCC)- Farooq Ahmed
    7. Meco Motorsports Club (MMS) – Akbar Ebrahim
    8. Ramakrishna Race Performance (RRPM)—Arindam Ghos

    Elections were also conducted for the post of President and Vice-President and the following were elected by the General Body.

    Akbar Ebrahim – President

    1. Prithiviraj – Vice President

    Akbar Ebrahim is a well-known former racer and organizer of the National Rotax Max Karting Championship for last several years. He has been in the FMSCI council for the past four years and as a Chairman of 4W Racing Commission has streamlined and brought in many racing initiatives and programs which have resulted in a quantum jump in car racing in India.

    Akbar Ebrahim said: “ It is a great honour to be elected as the President of the FMSCI. I intend to dedicate my time and energy towards further development of Indian Motorsport right from the grassroot level all the way to the top, Nationally and Internationally for all disciplines of the sport.”

    An action-packed 2017 calendar awaits motorsports enthusiasts with 13 National Championships in various disciplines set to kick off in January itself.

    At the recently concluded FIA AGM , the following Fmsci nominees were inducted in to the following FIA Commissions.

    1) Driver’s Commission – Karun Chandhok

    2) Drag Racing Commission – J Balamurugan

    3) Rally Commission – Ashwin Pandit

    4) Circuits – Manoj P Dalal

    5) Medical – Dr Uday Balakrishnan

    6) Land Speed Records – Hormazd Sorabjee

    7) Women in Motorsports – Navaz Sandhu

    8) Volunteers and Officials – Prabha Shankar

    9) CIK Karting – Rayomand Banajee

    10) Truck Racing – Vicky Chandhok

    11) Closed Road – Mohan Nagarajan

    12) Hill Climb – Raj Kapoor

    13) Off Road – Jayesh Desai

    FIM Comissions

    1) GP Roop Kumar – Technical

    2) Anand Sashidharan – Legal.

     

     

    eom/Press release from Sharon Spears, Media Assistant, FMSCI.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Mick Schumacher takes the lead with a double

    Mick Schumacher takes the lead with a double

    Bahrain, 19 Nov 2016: German driver Mick Schumacher got his MRF Challenge 2016 off to the perfect start by winning two races and taking the championship lead after Round 1 in Bahrain. Schumacher finished ahead of Joey Mawson and Ralf Aron in Race 2. Aron struck back in Race 3 to win comfortably with Schumacher taking the win in Race 4. Schumacher leads the championship with 75 points ahead of Aron (72) and Mawson (61).

    In Race 2 Schumacher started from the front row alongside Brazilian rookie Felipe Drugovich, who was on the reverse grid pole position. Schumacher had a great start and took the lead going into Turn 1, with Drugovich managing to hold off Race 1 winner Newey and Aussie driver Mawson. It was just a matter of time before both drivers passed Drugovich, while Aron recovered from a poor start to also quickly start catching the lead bunch of drivers. Schumacher pulled away while Newey had Mawson all over him and on Lap 3 the he passed him to move into 2nd place. Aron set some fast lap times to close in on Newey. Schumacher crossed the finish line comfortably in 1st place to take his maiden MRF Challenge win ahead of Mawson. Aron was on Newey’s tail and overtook him on the last lap to take the final podium spot, with the pair being separated by a mere 0.016s. Drugovich finished in 5th place ahead of Kimi Schramm and Dylan Young.

    In Race 3 Pole-sitter Newey had a torrid start and got jumped by the chasing pack heading into the first corner. Mawson took the lead with Aron in 2nd and Schumacher 3rd. Schumacher pulled off a brilliant overtaking move into turn 9 to get past Aron but the latter struck back down the main straight to get back into 2nd place. Newey was forced to retire on lap 1 bringing out the Safety car for the first time this season. At the restart, Aron wasted no time in overtaking Mawson and then pulled away, winning by a margin of 6.566s. Schumacher came under late pressure from Drugovich, but the German managed to hold on to 3rd position by a mere 0.248s. Juri Vips took 5th place ahead of Pedro Cardoso and Schramm.

    In Race 4 Schumacher got the jump on pole-sitter Cardoso to slot into second place behind Vips. It was turn 9 again that Schumacher pounced and got past Vips to take the lead and pull away. Behind, it was a battle between Joey Mawson and European F3 regular Ralf Aron for fourth and they were soon joined by Harrison Newey, who made up eight places to sixth in the opening few laps. Newey managed to go past Aron at Turn 1 on Lap 4 to move into the top five and later was gifted fourth after Mawson’s mistake. Schumacher crossed the line in 1st place ahead of first time podium winner Vips and Cardoso.

    Mick Schumacher was happy to get his challenge off to to a great start. He said, “I am happy with the overall start to the championship. In the last race I felt it was important to get past Juri Vips soon in order to get the win. The circuit was enjoyable to drive on and I now look forward to the next race in Dubai.”

    Ralf Aron was pleased to get his first win under his belt. He commented, “I managed to get a good start and then after that the car felt great. I am really happy to take my first win in the series. In Race 4 my tyres were old while the others had new ones so it was not as easy. Anyway to go away with three podiums is a good start.”

    MRF Challenge 2016, Round 1, Bahrain, Race 2:

    Pos Driver Name Total Time
    1 Mick Schumacher 20:18.365
    2 Joey Mawson 20:20.243
    3 Ralf Aron 20:25.917
    4 Harrison Newey 20:25.933
    5 Felipe Drugovich 20:31.973
    6 Kimi Schramm 20:36.912
    7 Dylan Young 20:48.811
    8 Bruna Tomaselli 20:50.304
    9 Manuel Maldonado 20:51.572
    10 Pavan Ravishanker 20:52.861

    MRF Challenge 2016, Round 1, Bahrain, Race 3:

    Pos Driver Name Total Time
    1 Ralf Aron 21:09.925
    2 Joey Mawson 21:16.493
    3 Mick Schumacher 21:20.470
    4 Felipe Drugovich 21:20.718
    5 Juri Vips 21:23.848
    6 Pedro Cardoso 21:24.067
    7 Kimi Schramm 21:25.016
    8 Dylan Young 21:29.378
    9 Yoshiaki Katayama 21:30.515
    10 Bruna Tomaselli 21:32.410
    Mick Schumacher receiving the 1st place trophy from Arun Mammen, MD, MRF Tyres on Saturday. An MRF image
    Mick Schumacher receiving the 1st place trophy from Arun Mammen, MD, MRF Tyres on Saturday. An MRF image

    MRF Challenge 2016, Round 1, Bahrain, Race 4:

    Pos Driver Name Total Time
    1 Mick Schumacher 20:20.843
    2 Juri Vips 20:23.145
    3 Pedro Cardoso 20:24.452
    4 Harrison Newey 20:25.027
    5 Ralf Aron 20:27.138
    6 Joey Mawson 20:28.716
    7 Kimi Schramm 20:29.246
    8 Felipe Drugovich 20:30.369
    9 Dylan Young 20:36.502
    10 Yoshiaki Katayama 20:39.558
  • Harrison Newey wins opening race

    Harrison Newey wins opening race

    Bahrain, 18 Nov 2016: Eighteen-year-old British driver Harrison Newey dominated qualifying and Race 1 of the MRF Challenge 2016 in Bahrain. Newey, son of legendary F1 designer Adrian Newey, was in a league of his own as he won comfortably ahead of Ralf Aron and Joey Mawson. Earlier in the day Newey set the fastest lap to qualify on pole position for the opening round of the championship.

    It was qualifying that started the day off for the motorsport fans in Bahrain with all eyes on the MRF F2000 cars. As the times started to tumble Newey set a 2:00.316, the fastest time ever set by these cars at this circuit. Mawson, who led for more than half the session had no answer and settled for 2nd with a 2:00.628. Behind him on the grid were Aron, Mick Schumacher and Van Kalmthout.

    As the drivers formed on the grid 5th placed Kalmthout encountered problems. When the lights went out Newey made the perfect start to lead comfortably into the first corner. Mawson managed to keep 2nd place ahead of a charging Schumacher and Aron. On lap 2 Aron passed Schumacher to move into 3rd place and then set his sights on catching Mawson. An interesting battle ensued with Mawson and Aron going side by side through corners 4, 5, 6, 7 before Aron finally got ahead. Behind them Juri Vips got past Schumacher but the German driver was trying everything possible to get back ahead. At the front Newey stretched out his lead to 5 seconds and was untroubled as he crossed the finish line to win the opening race of the season. Estonian driver Aron finished in 2nd place ahead of Mawson and Vips. Schumacher crossed the line in 5th place ahead of Felipe Drugovich.

    Harrison Newey, who took a commanding win, was ecstatic with his start to the season. He commented, “I could not have hoped for a better start to the season. In qualifying the car was just great and I was able to extract maximum from it. I had the perfect getaway and after that it was all about controlling the pace. I hope I can carry this same form for the rest of the weekend.”

    Ralf Aron, was pleased to finish second after what he called a disappointing qualifying session. He commented, “Am absolutely thrilled to finish in 2nd place after a great battle with Mawson. I did not have the best start but managed to pick off Vips and Schumacher in the 2nd lap. It was a clean fight with Mawson and I am happy to start the season with a podium. I should have been higher up in qualifying but I will take this result.”

    MRF Challenge 2016, Round 1, Bahrain, Qualifying:

    Pos Driver Name Total Time
    1 Harrison Newey 2:00.316
    2 Joey Mawson 2:00.628
    3 Ralf Aron 2:00.944
    4 Mick Schumacher 2:01.209
    5 Van Kalmthout 2:01.339

    MRF Challenge 2016, Round 1, Bahrain, Race 1:

     

    Pos Driver Name Total Time
    1 Harrison Newey 20:19.964
    2 Ralf Aron 20:24.941
    3 Joey Mawson 20:27.788
    4 Juri Vips 20:33.106
    5 Mick Schumacher 20:34.023
    6 Felipe Drugovich 20:35.087
    7 Pedro Cardoso 20:40.184
    8 Kimi Schramm 20:46.008
    9 Dylan Young 20:47.104
    10 Yoshiaki Katayama 20:47.912

     

    Newey leading the pack in Race 1. An MRF image
    Newey leading the pack in Race 1. An MRF image

    MRF Challenge 2016, Round 1, Bahrain, Race 1:

     

    Pos Driver Name Total Time
    1 Harrison Newey 20:19.964
    2 Ralf Aron 20:24.941
    3 Joey Mawson 20:27.788
    4 Juri Vips 20:33.106
    5 Mick Schumacher 20:34.023
    6 Felipe Drugovich 20:35.087
    7 Pedro Cardoso 20:40.184
    8 Kimi Schramm 20:46.008
    9 Dylan Young 20:47.104
    10 Yoshiaki Katayama 20:47.912

    eom/MRF press release

  • Mick Schumacher goes fastest in practice

    Mick Schumacher goes fastest in practice

    Bahrain, 17 Nov 2016: Mick Schumacher topped the opening day of practice for the MRF Challenge 2016 season opener in Bahrain by setting the fastest time in Free Practice 2. The German driver clocked a 2:00.467 to go one tenth faster than German F4 Champion Joey Mawson. Earlier in the day Estonian driver Ralf Aron clocked the fastest time in Free Practice 1, ahead of Schumacher and Harrison Newey.

    In the opening practice session of the weekend it was Newey who first went fastest as the other drivers spent time familiarizing themselves with the circuit. Halfway through the session Newey led with a 2:02.449 ahead of Mawson and Schumacher. The next 10 minutes saw Newey and Schumacher exchange fastest laps with latter setting a time of 2:01.370. Newey went one tenth faster with a 2:01.263 as the session was coming to an end only to be pipped by Italian F4 champion Ralf Aron on the last timed lap who did a 2:01.144. Juri Vips and Kimi Schramm completed the top 5.

    Free practice 2 saw Mawson wasting no time in getting up to speed and went fastest with a 2:01.783. Behind him Newey and Aron also went fast but were couple of tenths off the pace. Schumacher then posted a 2:00.783 to be the first driver to dip into the 2min time. He went even faster to set a 2:00.467 to top the sheets. Mawson went 2nd with a 2:00.566 with Aron in 3rd with a 2:00.889.  Van Kalmthout and Manuel Maldonado completed the top 5.

    Mick Schumacher, commented, “It is my first time driving here so I spent the first few laps familiarizing myself with the circuit, which I really enjoyed driving at. The car is step forward from last year’s car and I felt comfortable straight away. I was happy with how today went but now it is time to focus on qualifying and the race for tomorrow.”

    All drivers were using the updated MRF 2000, which features a new updated Mountune Engine amongst aerodynamic changes. The time set by Schumacher was a full 3 seconds faster than the time set by Alessio Picariello in qualifying for the event last year. The drivers were happy with the updated car and feel there is lot for potential yet to be unlocked by India’s fastest single seater race car.

    Harrison Newey, who is only 1 of the 3 drivers to have driven last season was very happy with the updated new car. He commented, “The updated car is definitely a step forward. You can feel the engine and braking is much better. The car is also lighter so finding a right balance is easier. I am happy with practice today and look forward to getting up there in qualifying tomorrow.”

    Qualifying will take place tomorrow along with Race 1&2.

    MRF Challenge 2016, Round 1, Bahrain, Free Practice 1:

    1. Ralf Aron – 2:01.144
    2. Harrison Newey – 2:01.263
    3. Mick Schumacher – 2:01.370
    4. Juri Vips – 2:01.699
    5. Kimi Schramm – 2:01.738

    MRF Challenge 2016, Round 1, Bahrain, Free Practice 2:

    1. Mick Schumacher – 2:00.467
    2. Joey Mawson – 2:00.566
    3. Ralf Aron – 2:00.889
    4. K Van Kalmthout – 2:01.225
    5. Manuel Maldonado – 2:01.717
    Mick Schumacher in Bahrain on Thursday. An MRF image
    Mick Schumacher in Bahrain on Thursday. An MRF image

    eom/MRF press release

  • MRF Challenge 2016 to kick-off in Bahrain

    MRF Challenge 2016 to kick-off in Bahrain

    Bahrain, 17 Nov 2016: The MRF Challenge 2016 season will kick-start this weekend with the first round taking place in Bahrain alongside the final round of the FIA World Endurance Championship. The FIA sanctioned MRF Challenge 2016 championship, which is the only Indian based motorsport series to continuously race internationally, will feature 4 rounds with 14 races in Bahrain, Dubai, New Delhi and Chennai. This will also mark the return to the Buddh International Circuit in New Delhi after a 3 year absence.

    Arun Mammen, Managing Director, MRF Tyres, said: “After a thrilling 2015 season we are excited to launch the fifth season of the MRF Challenge. The MRF Challenge has been a great opportunity for young drivers to establish themselves, and give drivers the best chance to hone their skills on some of the world’s leading circuits. We continue to push the envelope on our R&D capabilities with significant upgrades to the car and huge improvement with the tyres for the season. It is heartening to see the top young drivers choosing to compete in the MRF Challenge 2016 and this year is no different with yet another exciting line-up. We are happy to announce that we will return to the Buddh International Circuit in New Delhi along with a return to Dubai and Chennai.”

    This year the grid will have another promising line-up headed by the returning Harrison Newey, son of legendary F1 designer Adrian Newey, and Mick Schumacher, son of 7 time F1 champion Michael Schumacher. Joining them will be German F4 Champion Joey Mawson, 2015 Italian F4 Champion and F3 race winner Ralf Aron, Japanese F3 Champion Yoshiaki Katayama and Manuel Maldonado, cousin of former F1 race winner Pastor Maldonado. 17 year old French F4 runner up Gilles Magnus will also join the championship the average age being 18 for the MRF Challenge this year.

    India’s first ever Formula One driver Narain Karthikeyan, who has played a key role in developing the car, was once again quick to praise MRF and the Challenge in its 5th year. He commented, “I have been working closely with MRF for many years and it is great to see their commitment for the sport only increase season by season. It’s a fantastic package for young drivers to really learn how a high-grip, high-downforce single-seater works and is surely unmatched in terms of the value and track time it offers for experienced drivers as well. A lot of development has been undertaken for the 2016 MRF Challenge with improved tyres and aero package that has made the car significantly quicker and better to drive.”

    In its fifth year, the MRF Challenge will feature 17 MRF Formula 2000 race cars, which have been made in India by JA Motorsport, who are based in Coimbatore. The Formula 3 style car has been built by JA Motorsport in technical collaboration with Dallara, and is considered to be the fastest of its kind in Asia. The new car is powered by a 2 litre Mountune Duratec engine with max power of 230 bhp and shod on MRF Z.L.O. tyres. The car will also feature advanced aerodynamics with underbody diffuser and a Hewland 6-speed sequential gearbox.

    J Anand, Managing Director, JA Motorsports, is looking forward to yet another exciting season of racing ahead. He commented, “The great thing about this championship is that we are constantly trying to improve and better the car. This is a testament to the commitment from MRF Tyres to make this series one of the biggest in Asia. The 2016 MRF Challenge features an all-new car which is faster, more powerful and very exciting to race. We have made some upgrades to the car including a new Mountune engine and many aerodynamic changes. This year has been very intense as the race car will see its greatest evolution since the start of the championship 5 years ago. The MRF Challenge continues to establish itself as the premier series in Asia by attracting big names in the motorsport fraternity, from drivers to engineers. ”

    MRF Challenge 2016 Calendar:

    Round 1: November 17-19, 2016, Bahrain, Bahrain International Circuit (WEC Support Race)

    Round 2: December 7-9, 2016, Dubai, Dubai Autodrome

    Round 3: January 27-29, 2016, New Delhi, Buddh International Circuit

    Round 4: February 17-19, 2016, Chennai, Madras Motor Race Track

    Driver Line-up:

    1. Harrison Newey
    2. Juri Vips
    3. Mick Schumacher
    4. Dylan Young
    5. Kimi Schramm
    6. Manuel Maldonado
    7. Joey Mawson
    8. Ralf Aron
    9. Pavan Ravishanker
    10. Gilles Magnus
    11. Yoshiaki Katayama
    12. Moraes Cardoso
    13. Felipe Drugovich
    14. Rinus Van Kalmthout
    15. Bobby Eberle
    16. Bruna Tomaselli
    17. Christophe Mariot.

    eom/MRF press release

    File photo of Fittipaldi leading a race last year. An MRF image
    File photo of Fittipaldi leading a race last year. An MRF image

     

  • Jayaram’s `mantra’ brings a Reva to life in Drag Nationals

    Jayaram’s `mantra’ brings a Reva to life in Drag Nationals

    Bengaluru, 13 Nov 2016: Veteran Pratap Jayaram literally set the track on fire in a fully modified Reva as he won the Indian Open class for cars in the MMSC fmsci Indian National Drag Racing Championship at the Taneja Aerospace facility near here on Sunday while Mysuru’s Rizwan Khan took the honours in the Superbikes category (Unrestricted).

    Jayaram, who last raced actively in 1995 and returned for one-off events in 2010, clocked a bewildering 11.055 seconds for the 400 metres dash. He wopratap-jayaram-reva-wins-drag-r1-13nov2016uld have clocked a faster time but for a seized engine some 50 metres before the finish.

    “There is very little original about this little Reva. I worked on it for nearly three months and brought it out for the championship. I would have gone under 11 seconds but the engine seized about 50 metres from the finish,” said “senior citizen” Jayaram.

    True to his team’s name, Mantra, Jayaram performed a magic of sorts in the Reva which touched a top speed of 260Kmph while winning the Indian Open hands down while also being the quickest among cars across all classes.

    Joel Joseph from Bengaluru won the title in the Unrestricted class clocking 11.992 seconds with Jayaram unable to enter the Reva which could not be repaired in time.

    Pavan Rangaraj (Bengaluru, 1450cc), Dheeraj Manae (Bengaluru, 1450cc), Siddharth Sinh Jhala (Bengaluru, 2550cc), Vineet Abhiram (Bengaluru, 3050cc) and Vivek Ramachander (Bengaluru, 2050cc Diesel) topped their respective categories in the MMSC Drag Race series that doubled up as the support event for the National Championship.

    Earlier, Rizwan Khan, a 29-year old orthopedic doctor from Mysuru, won the high-end Unrestricted class of the Superbikes category riding the BMW HP4 Competition, just fractions ahead of Hyderabad’s Md Riyaz, clocking 09.746 seconds.

    “I could have gone a bit quicker, but the tyres were worn out a bit and so, I was a bit slow,” said Rizwan who divides time between his professional commitments as a doctor and his passion for bike racing.

    Provisional results (National Championship):

    CARS – Unrestricted: 1. Joel Joseph (Bengaluru) (11.992secs); Stephen Pachigalla (Vizag) (13.166); Jayant V (Bengaluru) (13.898).

    Indian Open: 1. Pratap Jayaram (Bengaluru, Mantra Racing) (11.055); 2. Joel Joseph (Bengaluru) (12:042); 3. Jagadish Gowda (Bengaluru) (12.653).

    MMSC Drag Race (Pro-Stock, winners only): Pavan Rangaraj (Bengaluru, 1450cc), Dheeraj Manae (Bengaluru, 1450cc), Siddharth Sinh Jhala (Bengaluru, 2550cc), Vineet Abhiram (Bengaluru, 3050cc), Vivek Ramachander (Bengaluru, 2050cc Diesel).

    SUPERBIKES – Unrestricted: 1. Rizwan Khan (Mysuru) (09.746); 2. Md Riyaz (Hyderabad) (09.898); 3. Stephen Pachigalla (Vizag) (10.110).

    Above 1050cc: 1. Zubair Ali Jung (Bengaluru) (10.647); 2. Mohammed Asif Ullah (Bengaluru) (10.812); 3. Naveen YA (Bengaluru) (11.133).

    Up to 1050cc: 1. Rameez Khan (Mysuru) (09.820); 2. Md Riyaz (Hyderabad) (09.874); 3. Rizwan Khan (Mysuru) (09.942).

    Up to 750cc: 1. Mohammed Asif Ullah (Bengaluru) (11.530); 2. Aftab Khan (Bengaluru) (11.714); 3. Zubair Ali Jung (Bengaluru) (11.735).

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    eom/AP Media Communications release