INDIA in F1

Category: Non-F1

  • Despite a serious injury, Jagathishree wins National title with grit and gumption

    Despite a serious injury, Jagathishree wins National title with grit and gumption

    Chennai, 14 November 2024: In a dramatic final race of the year that decided the championship, she crashed. As scores of hearts skipped their beat both in the pits and the stands, she rose like a phoenix and finished the race to be crowned the Indian National champion in the Stock 165cc girls’ category of the MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2024 at the Madras International Circuit recently.

    It was Jagathishree Kumaresan, a professional circuit racer and an Archaeology student, who rides for Team Oneracing India, taking part in various categories, apart from the Ladies class.

    The oft-repeated adage goes, ‘One has to first finish (the race) to finish first’! Yes, one has to finish the race, to be counted. She did not finish first that day, but she finished last. But ‘FINISH’, she did, and that’s what mattered the most. By then, she garnered enough points to race to the title edging out two champions, Rakshitha Dave and Rehana Bee, who clashed in the penultimate race and failed to finish the race that cost them dear. Rehana, a former champion and an aggressive rider, came back roaring into the title fight midway through the championship and what appeared like a sure shot at the title, vanished into the thin air when she made contact with Rakshitha, another former champ, and both the riders crashed out. Not just out of the race, but virtually out of the championship. Rehana injured her fingers and could not take part in the final race which was won by Rakshitha. But it was a bit late for her championship battle. Thus, Jagathishree, who wears a smile all the time, win or lose, powered her way to glory winning her maiden National Championship title. In fact, after limping back and jumping on to the bike, she crossed the chequered flag twice, counting her laps wrong, but escaped with a cash penalty and retained her points as she completed 75 per cent of the race distance.

    A visit to the karting track

    Jagathishree with one of her trophies, sporting her trademark smile. Currently, Jagathishree is leading the Drag Nationals table in Stock 165 Girls’ category. INDIAinF1 image by Karan Ravi

    A chance visit to a karting track got her hooked to the sport. “One fine day, my dad took me to a karting track to show me how riders ride on tracks.  The same day, I met coach Mohamed Hanif for the first time and the very next day I joined the team,” said the girl, who looks like the normal lass next door, until she is on the track riding.  “That’s how my racing journey started in 2019,” she adds.

    Five years after it began with the experience at the karting track, the fun outing turned into a passion. “The urge to learn new things and to win more made me the person who I am now. Both failures and victories push me towards my goal and my goal is bigger than the National crown, the INMRC championship,” she said. She plans to train well and take part in international championships, before getting on to the Worlds.

    “In 2024, my goal was to win the individual Championship and team Championship in the stock category in both circuit and Drag Nationals,” she added. She started her practice early for the 2024 season and injured her right ankle. But the Chennai rider, braved her injury throughout the season and compiled her points race by race to come out triumphant. In fact, she needs a surgery to be done. But with a goal to win the Drag Nationals title later in December, she delayed the surgery.

    She began the season on a positive note making it to the podium in both the races in Round 1 of the Racing Nationals. After the races she said: “Definitely not the result we wanted. We want to dominate this season but because of my mistakes I could not achieve.” She was frank to accept her mistakes. And she bounced back with a double win and maintained her grip on the championship staying in the top-three thereafter. The victories are admirable and all the more sweet as she suffered a bad crash in the practice session during that weekend, where she broke her helmet and aggravated her injury.

    The injury troubled her, and one could witness that she was struggling on all the right corners, but with grit and determination, she endured the pain and managed to get a podium in all the four races of the third and fourth rounds.

    In between, she got a shot in the arm as she won both the second and third rounds of the Drag National Championship, and that boosted her confidence.

    And then came the last round of National Motorcycle Racing Championship that was the decider and after she won the first race of the last round, the final race became a winner-take-all event. She had a comfortable 13-point lead over her main rivals and just needed to finish the final race.

    But the crash in the second lap notwithstanding, she achieved her goal with aplomb. “I got incredible support from my team, Oneracing India and my coach Mr Mohamed Hanif. But for whom I would not have been a champion. The team worked day in and day out and put in extra hours to work on my bike and to support my sessions. I want to make a special mention of our team boss Mr Praveen Kumar for all his support and guidance. Also my thanks are also due to all my wonderful teammates, who made the season a time for fun and frolic, apart from the serious action. I want to give my special thanks to our technical crew SDZ Garage for the technical support on the bike,” said Jagathishree remembering those who stood with her during the successful journey. Not to forget the sponsors, she thanked from the bottom of her heart mentioning Bikerzmodule, Team Farooq Warriors, Revnitro and Evtron motorsports for their outstanding support.  I also want to remember the important feedback and guidance from DDRS (Data  Driven Racing Solutions) for the support on data side, which improved my work. In the end, I am very grateful to Mahendran uncle, Anil sir, Ananth sir for all their help and suggestions. Last but not the least, my love and affection to my family whose support and encouragement keeps me in good stead as I move forward.

    Jagathishree of OneRacing India, receiving trophy from Vicky Chandhok of MMSC.

    However, the season without a proper sponsor, which has been the story for all the last five years, has been causing serious financial issues as she has to think twice while doing budgets for a proper bike and other necessary equipment, leave alone the nitty-gritty like entry fees and transportation costs. She promises to bring mileage and enough returns to any prospective sponsor.

    After the struggle and the pain, “It feels good to be a champion and the feeling one experiences being called a champion by the team members is so sweet,” she concluded.

    But it’s just a first step as she races towards her ultimate goal!

    The Journey

    2020: Debut in the National Championship – 2nd runner-up champion in the TVS One Make Championship (OMC).

    2021: Only girl to get podium places in the TVS OMC rookie category. She also took part in the Stock Novice category,  again the only girl to finish in the top-five among 40 boys on the gird.

    2022: Podiums in women dirt championship, a first time private event for her.

    2023: National drag champion in Ladies class, a clean sweep winning all the rounds.

    2024: The only girl in the top-18 in the Castrol presents India’s Ultimate Motostar on Mtv. Many other podiums in the various  categories. National Champion in the MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2024 – Girls’ category…

  • Rohit Shinde hattrick of titles in National Stunt Championship

    Rohit Shinde hattrick of titles in National Stunt Championship

    Bengaluru, 14 Nov. 2024:  Celebrated stunt rider Rohit Shinde achieved a hattrick winning his third consecutive title in the National Stunt Championship held at Sanctity Ferme, Sholagiri, near here on November 9 and 10.

    Hosted by Stunter Paradise, CRF Women on Wheels, and HTRzModz, at Sanctity Ferme, a registered motorcycle stunt academy, the private National event attracted 66 participants. The judging panel included Florian Caraminot, a French professional stunt rider from the Switch Riders team, DJ Deep from Pro-Guyz Stunt Team, and Jupsy Kushalappa.

    There were six main categories this year: Super Athlete, Pro Athlete, Women Athlete, Intermediate, Obstacle Challenge, and Circle Challenge, and Shinde took part in Super Athlete, Obstacle Challenge and Circle Challenge categories.

    “I am very happy with my performance. This event marked a big milestone in my career as I achieved a hat-trick, winning the championship title for three years in a row starting with 2022,” a beaming Rohit said, after the event.

    In the Super Athlete category, he pulled off a strong four-minute final run, covering wheelies, stoppies, acrobatics, burnouts, and drifts that thrilled the spectators and participants alike. Despite a packed schedule, he found time for night training sessions to ensure he was ready to showcase his talent.

    In the Obstacle Challenge, he took first place again. The category tests control and finesse of a rider, and he said: “ I am proud to have maintained the top spot here.”

    The highlight, though, was the Circle Challenge, where he set a ‘new record’ with a continuous Circle Wheelie lasting for 33 minutes where he pushed himself to the limit.

    Shinde is also the reigning 2023 National Dirt Track and National Rally Champion. He is also gunning for honours in the Sprint Rally Championship this December, aiming to add another title to his coveted list.

    “My long-term goal is to represent India on the global stage to bring Indian motorsport to the forefront on the world stage,” was the parting shot for a rider who started his journey when he was 17, and 11 years later he is a champion. “With the support of an amazing community, I am determined to keep pushing limits and I have good memories on and off the track,” he added.

  • Gaurav Gill back to winning ways; Clinches Rally of Hyderabad: INRC Round 4

    Gaurav Gill back to winning ways; Clinches Rally of Hyderabad: INRC Round 4

    Hyderabad, 20 October 2024: Celebrated motorsports driver Gaurav Gill displayed high skills and admirable car control to come out triumphant in the Blueband Rally of Hyderabad, the fourth round of the Blueband FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship 2024, which concluded in Shamshabad, near here, on Sunday. The round of the Nationals was organised by Telangana Motors Sports Foundation and promoted Blueband Sports.

    The only Arjuna Awardee in motorsports, Gill, along with co-driver Anirudha Rangnekar, supported by JK Tyre, began the second day with a blistering run in the first stage and the seven-time National champion, eased off to nurture the car with superb consistency thereafter, and notched a well-deserving victory. “This is one of the hottest rallies and the terrain is treacherous. So, we were calm and consistent and that paid rich dividends. We had some new upgrades and new compounds and JK Tyre has been supporting me with a lot of faith and we are happy to get back a win in the middle of the year,” said a visibly happy Gill. When asked if this win can change the fortunes, he paused for a second. “You never know. A win always changes the path to a positive one. If you have noticed, this season we had different winners in all the rallies. And two more rallies with more than 70 points to win. Despite not getting good results, JK has backed me thoroughly and it is time to get back to winning ways,” was his parting shot.

    Former champion Chetan Shivram and co-driver E Shivaprakash of A & A Motorsports took an admirable overall second, with two stage wins, and they also won their class, INRC2. Kerala’s ace driver, Fabid Ahmer and co-driver Milen George, supported by MRF, showed great resilience to grab an overall podium pipping a marauding Arka Motorsports pair, Karna Kadur and co-driver Musa Sherif, by a mere two seconds. However, Karna and Musa, supported by MRF, took the overall lead in the INRC 2024 championships with two more rallies to go.

    Gurugram’s Arnav Pratap Singh and co-driver Rohit of Bengaluru won the INRC3 class and also came out on top in the Junior INRC. Anushriya Gulati of Dehradun with Karan Aukta as co-driver won the Ladies class while the Chikmagalur-Bengaluru pair of Dr Akarsh Sundar and co-driver Ravikumar won the gypsy class.

    “The husband-wife duo of Aneeshnath and Amitha Aneesh from A & A Motorsports won the FMSCI Classic Challenge Cup. ‘We are very happy to clinch victory in this tricky rally,’ said the Bengaluru pair. When asked about having his wife as a navigator, Aneesh replied, ‘It has been wonderful over the last few rallies, and she has played a big part in my success. We share great chemistry both inside and outside the car,’ he quipped, adding a sparkle to the eyes of his life partner.”

    Out of the 55 that took the start, 12 cars logged a DNF as the terrain proved treacherous for many drivers. The next rally will be in Coorg followed by season finale, the popular K-1000 at Tumkur, also in Karnataka.

    Final Provisional Results:

    INRC Overall:

    1. Gaurav Gill (privateers, Delhi)/ Anirudha Rangnekar (Pune) (01hour, 48 minutes, 18.7 seconds);

    2. Chetan Shivram/ E Shivaprakash (A&A Motorsports, Both Bengaluru) (01:49:39.4);

    3. Fabid Ahmer (Chettinad Sporting, Palakkad)/ Milen George (Kottayam) (01:51:06.1);

    INRC2:

    1. Chetan Shivram/ E Shivaprakash (A&A Motorsports, Both Bengaluru) (01:49:39.4);

    2. Fabid Ahmer (Chettinad Sporting, Palakkad)/ Milen George (Kottayam) (01:51:06.1);

    3. Jason Saldhanha (Arka Motorsports, Hassan)/ Thimmu Uddapanda (Kodagu) (01:51:14.0);

    INRC3:

    1. Arnav Pratap Singh (Snap Racing, Gurugram)/ Rohit (Bengaluru) (01:51:46.1)

    2. Daraius Shroff (Chettinad Sporting, Mumbai)/ Arjun Dheerendra (Bengaluru) (01:51.59.4);

    3. Arjun Rajiv (Chettinadu Sporting)/ Vinay Padmashali (Both Bengaluru) (01:52:00.2);

    Ladies Class:

    1. Anushriya Gulati (Arka Motorsports, Dehradun)/ Karan Aukta (01:55:26.0);

    2. Nikeetaa Takkale (Pvt, Pune)/ Arvind Dheerendra (Bengaluru) (01:58:23.3);

    3. Phoebe Nongrum (Snap Racing, Shillong)/ KP Aravind (Bengaluru) (02:11:00.7);

    Junior INRC:

    1. Arnav Pratap Singh (Snap Racing, Gurugram)/ Rohit N (Bengaluru) (01:51:46.1)

    2. Arjun Rajiv (Chettinadu Sporting)/ Vinay (Both Bengaluru) (01:52:00.2);

    3. Abhin Rai (Ideal Racing)/ Moideen Jasheer (both Chikmagalur) (01:53:08.3);

    Fmsci Classic Challenge:

    1. Aneeshnath S (A & A Motorsports)/ Amitha Aneesh (Both Bengaluru) (02:03:48.0);

    2. Shaik Hussain Pasha (Addons Motorsports, Hyderabad)/ Ashfaque Afrid (Sattupalli, AP) (02:30:43.9);

    3. Praveen Dwarakanath (Pvt., Bengaluru). Arun V (Tirupur) (02:39:38.7);

    Fmsci Gypsy Challenge:

    1. Dr Akarsh Sundar (Pvt., Chikmagalur)/ Ravi Kumar (Bengaluru) (02:02:51.2);

    2. Baljinder Singh Dhillon (A & A Motorsports, Delhi)/ Goutham CP (Chikmagalur) (02:04:39.8);

    3.Sachin Singh (Pvt., Hyderabad)/ Anand Raj (Erode) (02:05:47.5);

    Star of Hyderabad:

    1. Uday Pilani (Chettinad Sporting)/ Sheraz Ahmed (01:58.48.7);

    2. Amit Sanghi (Arka Motorsports)/ Dinky Varghese K (02:04:10.9);

    3. Sravan Kumar Kuttoor (pvt.)/ Nash Ross 02:04:32.7).

  • Raoul Hyman’s all round show confirms convincing win for Goa Aces: IRL

    Raoul Hyman’s all round show confirms convincing win for Goa Aces: IRL

    Coimbatore, 20 October 2024: Raoul Hyman, the 28-year-old from UK, delivered a second podium for Goa Aces JA Racing with a comfortable lights-to-flag victory as the fourth round of the Indian Racing League, promoted by the Racing Promotions, concluded at the Kari Motor Speedway, here on Sunday.

    Hyman picked up the full quota of points from pole position, race win and best lap of the race, and his success followed his teammate Sohil Shah’s P3 finish on Saturday in the first race of the Indian Racing League.

    Finishing second behind Hyman was Ruhaan Alva of Shrachi Rarh Royal Bengal Tigers and Portugal’s Alvaro Parante for Speed Demons Delhi. Incidentally, Parante profited when Hyman’s teammate Gabriela Jilkova’s car encountered a problem when running P3 in the closing stages. Further, Jilkova was handed a 20-second penalty for false-start and it pushed her down to seventh at the finish.

    Pole-sitter Hyman capitalised on a good start throughout the race. Down the grid, Alva, starting from P2 dropped a couple of places at the very start before recovering to regain his second spot, but way behind Hyman. Jilkova looked certain for a podium spot until her car suffered an issue and Parante moved up a spot to P3 where he finished.

    The two-day Indian Racing Festival, sponsored by Kingfisher Soda, JK Tyres, Mobil 1 and Megha Engineering & Infrastructure Limited is broadcasted on Star Sports HD and fan Code. The fifth and final round of the festival will be held in Coimbatore from November 16-17, 2024.

    Formula 4 Indian Open

    Three teenagers, South African Aqil Alibhai of Black Birds Hyderabad, and Indians Ruhaan Alva from Shrachi Rarh Royal Bengal Tigers and Jaden Pariat of Bangalore Speedsters extended their domination of the Formula 4 Indian Open Championship by finishing on the podium in all three races this weekend.

    Alibhai won all three races, including two today. The trio had too much pace and race craft for the rest of the pack which was left chasing the shadows of the front-runners.

    “It was a perfect weekend for me, winning all three races. I hope to continue this form in the final round and seal the championship,” said Alibhai after posting his fourth win in a row, including one in the previous round and three this weekend.

    The day’s final race typified the weekend’s proceedings. Alibhai capitalised his pole position start while Alva recovered from a poor start to get back to P2, ahead of Pariat. The trio did not face any challenge once they settled into their respective track positions to secure the top three spots on the podium.

    Earlier, Alibhai won his second race of the weekend comfortably despite starting P6 on the reverse grid, while Pariat and Alva, who both made places immediately after the start, came in second and third respectively. As before, Alibhai’s pace proved decisive. With about eight minutes and a lap left in the race, Alibhai led by about eight seconds, but the lead was wiped out when the Safety Car was deployed. On resumption though, the South African jetted away from the pack, yet again underlining the impressive pace.

    27th JK Tyre-FMSCI National Racing Championship – Bengaluru trio sweep podium

    Racers from Bengaluru, Abhay Mohan (MSPORT), championship leader Tiljil Rao (Dark Don Racing) and Chetan Surineni (Ahura Racing), who started from P23, swept the podium spots in that order in the fiercely contested LGB Formula 4 race.

    Starting from pole position on the reverse grid, teenager Abhay Mohan pulled away from the pack while behind him, a four-way tussle involving veteran Raghul Rangasamy (MSPORT), and the Dark Don trio of Bala Prasath, Tijil Rao and Diljith TS. As the 20-lap progressed, Abhay Mohan continued to extend his lead while track positions were trading behind him. 

    Eventually, Tijil moved to P2 after getting past Bala Prasath, whose car lost the front cone following contact with another vehicle, and Rangasamy. Meanwhile, Viswas Vijayaraj (Dark Don Racing) and Surineni, who both started from the back row of the 23-car grid, joined the lead back behind Abhay Mohan. Surineni benefitted when Vijayaraj and Rangasamy knocked each other out at Turn-1 with three laps remaining before the race ended behind the Safety Car.

    Royal Enfield Continental GT Cup

    Rohan R (Coimbatore) and Navaneeth Kumar S (Puducherry) won a race apiece in the Royal Enfield Continental GT Cup after surviving close battles. In fact, Rohan, after winning today’s first race, looked set for a double, but Navaneeth Kumar, with a late burst, denied him with a late burst in the second outing.

    The results (Provisional):

    Indian Racing League (Race-2, Driver-B) 22 mins+1 lap: 1. Raoul Hyman (UK, Goa Aces JA Racing) (23mins, 40.164secs); 2. Ruhaan Alva (India, Shrachi Rarh Royal Bengal Tigers) (23:52.434); 3. Alvaro Parante (Portugal, Speed Demons Delhi) (23:54.337). Best Lap: Raoul Hyman (01:03.917).

    Formula 4 Indian Open (Race-2, 25mins+1 lap): 1. Aqil Alibhai (South Africa, Hyderabad Blackbirds) (26:16.904); 2. Jaden Pariat (India, Bangalore Speedsters) (26:18.991); 3. Ruhaan Alva (India, Srachi Rarh Royal Bengal Tigers) (26:19.996). Best Lap: Alibhai (01:06.693). Race-3: 1. Aqil Alibhai (South Africa, Black Birds Hyderabad) (26:54.554); 2. Ruhaan Alva (India, Srachi Rarh Royal Bengal Tigers) (27:03.942); 3. Jaden Pariat (India, Bangalore Speedsters) (27:09.106); 3. Ruhaan Alva (India, Srachi Rarh Royal Bengal Tigers) (26:19.996). Best Lap: Alibhai (01:06.615).

    27th JK Tyre-FMSCI National Racing Championship:

    LGB Formula 4 (Race-2, 20 laps): 1. Abhay Mohan (Bengaluru, MSPORT) (27:37.914); 2. Tijil Rao (Bengaluru, Dark Don Racing) (27:38.085); 3. Chetan Surineni (Bengaluru, Ahura Racing) (27:38.162). Rookie: 1. Abhay Mohan (Bengaluru, MSPORT) (27:37.914); 2. Dhruvh Goswami (Bengaluru, MSPORT) (27:39.889); 3. Monith Kumaran Srinivasan (Chennai, Ahura Racing) (27:43.006).

    Royal Enfield Continental GT Cup (Race-2, 5 laps): 1. Rohan R (Coimbatore) (06:39.768); 2. Kayan Patel (Mumbai) (06:40.124); 3. Navaneeth Kumar S (Puducherry) (06:40.214). Race-3 (10 laps) – Professionals: 1. Navaneeth Kumar S (Puducherry) (13:04.139); 2. Rohan R (Coimbatore) (13:04.620); 3. Jagadeesh Nagaraj (Bengaluru) (13:07.724). Amateurs: 1. Yogesh P (Bengaluru) (13:31.365); 2. Johring Warisa (Umrangso) (13:54.196); 3. Prashant C (Chennai) (14:03.400).

  • Gaurav Gill cruises into comfortable lead: INRC- Rally of Hyderabad

    Gaurav Gill cruises into comfortable lead: INRC- Rally of Hyderabad

    Hyderabad, 19 October 2024: Arjuna Awardee Gaurav Gill began with a bang and cruised into his wonted form to take the lead navigating the tricky and rough stages in the Blueband Rally of Hyderabad, the fourth round of the Blueband FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship 2024, which began at the Special Stages around the Liberty Statue in Shamshabad on Saturday.

    Gill, along with co-driver Anirudha Rangnekar, took the overall lead while the pair of Daraius Shroff and Arjun Dheerendra are leading the INRC3 class and Chetan Shivram and Shivprakash, INRC2 class.

    The final stage, SS4 was red flagged after only four cars crossed the finish flag as a few cars toppled out. Three top guns, 2021 champion Aditya Thakur, defending champ Arjun Rao Aroor and INRC2 leader Harkishan Wadia, suffered causalities. Daraius Shroff is leading INRC3 after three stages and Chethan Shivram tops the INRC2 class, also after three stages.

    Earlier, Delhi’s speed maestro and 7-time National champion, Gill, clocked the fastest time in the first Special Stage and took a commanding lead of 17 seconds on former champion Chetan Shivram (co-driver Shivaprakash) of Bengaluru with Arnav Pratap Singh and Gulbarga’s Rithesh Guttedar following the top guns in the first stage. Gill kept his momentum with a combination of caution and aggression in the next three stages to cruise into a comfortable lead after Day 1. Chethan was fastest in JVR2, the second Special Stage, by 6.2seconds, by Gill bounced back with another 15 seconds margin on Chethan in the third stage and retained his overall lead.

    Of the 55 cars that took the start, 15 cars failed to finish Day 1. However, 13 of them will take a restart on Sunday.

    Provisional Results: (Day 1) (All times after SS3 only)

    INRC Overall: 1. Gaurav Gill (privateer, Delhi)/ Anirudha Rangnekar (Pune) (00hour, 52 minutes, 11.9 seconds); 2. Chetan Shivram/ E Shivaprakash (A&A Motorsports, Both Bengaluru) (00:52:36.0); 3. Jason Saldhanha (Arka Motorsports, Hassan)/ Thimmu Uddapanda (Kodagu) (00:53:29.5);

    INRC2: 1. Chetan Shivram/ E Shivaprakash (A&A Motorsports, Both Bengaluru) (00:52:36.0); 2. Jason Saldhanha (Arka Motorsports, Hassan)/ Thimmu Uddapanda (Kodagu) (00:53:29.5); 3. Ritesh Guttedhar (Pvt. Gulbarga)/ Suraj M (Bengaluru) (00:53:47.9).

    INRC3: 1. Daraius Shroff (Chettinad Sporting, Mumbai)/ Arjun Dheerendra (Bengaluru) (00:54.13.0); 2. Shashank Jamwal (Arka Motorsports, Himachal)/ Aseem Sharma (Chandigarh) (00:54.03.8); 3. Arnav Pratap Singh (Snap Racing, Gurugram)/ Rohit (Bengaluru) (00:54:07.6)

    Ladies Class: 1. Anushriya Gulati (Arka MS, Dehradun)/ Karan Aukta (00:56:43.2); 2. Nikeetaa Takkale (Pvt, Pune)/ Arvind Dheerendra (Bengaluru) (00:58:14.7); 3. Phoebe Nongrum (Snap Racing, Shillong)/ KP Aravind (Bengaluru) (01:06:35.6);

    Junior INRC: 1. Abhin Rai (Ideal Racing)/ Moideen Jasheer (both Chikmagalur) (00:54:55.6); 2. Arjun Rajiv (Chettinadu Sporting)/ Vinay (Both Bengaluru) (00:54:26.1); 3. Ajay Sankar (Pvt. Coimbatore)/ Vybhav Mukund (Bengaluru) (00:56:06.5);

    Note: Only five cars finished the SS4, the final stage of the day before the stage was red flagged. So all the rest of the cars were given scratch times based on SS2 times.

  • John Lancaster gives Chennai Turbo Riders fourth win: IRL Round 4

    John Lancaster gives Chennai Turbo Riders fourth win: IRL Round 4

    Coimbatore, October 19: Chennai Turbo Riders continued their relentless assault on the championship by clinching their fourth win of the season through veteran Britisher Jon Lancaster as the Round 4 of the Indian Racing League, promoted by Racing Promotions Pvt Ltd, got off a thrilling start at the recently upgraded Kari Motor Speedway, here on Saturday.

    The 35-year-old Lancaster produced moments of magic to hold off pole-sitter and former Formula 1 test driver Neel Jani of Hyderabad Blackbirds, returning to the Indian Racing League championship after missing the previous two rounds, in a tight finish. In P3 behind the two veterans was India’s Sohil Shah of Goa Aces JA Races.

    In a race that kept spectators on their toes, Jani, the 40-year-old from Switzerland, starting from pole position, opened a near five-second gap over Lancaster while 23-year-old Bengalurean Shah made places with some super aggressive moves to tuck himself in P3. 

    Midway through the race, Jani slowed down considerably after getting stuck in a gear and Lancaster moved into the lead and quickly pulled an eight-second lead at one stage. However, Jani found his second win and swiftly caught up with the 35-year-old Lancaster but could not pass him with the Britisher displaying amazing skills to keep his P1 spot in which he finished. Jani had to be content with second place ahead of Shah.

    Lancaster after the race said, “We did a lot of work on the car to put things together and it is a big step forward for our team.”

    The two-day Indian Racing Festival, sponsored by Kingfisher Soda, JK Tyres, Mobil 1 and Megha Engineering & Infrastructure Limited was live on Star Sports and Fan Code. 

    Formula 4 Indian Open

    South African Aqil Alibhai Hyderabad Blackbirds notched his third win of the season with a near-flawless drive starting from P2 on the grid. With a daring move at Turn-1 on the very first lap, Alibhai went past pole-sitter Ruhaan Alva of Shrachi Rarh Royal Bengal Tigers and never looked back for a deserving win which saw him consolidate his position at the head of the leaderboard.

    While Alibhai disappeared into the distance, there were furious battles up and down the grid on a tight and tricky 2.2 Kms circuit that presented only a couple of overtaking opportunities. Alva, the teenager from Bengaluru, just about held on to his P2 after coming under pressure from Shillong’s Jaden Pariat of Bangalore Speedsters as the duo completed podium behind Alibhai who also picked up a bonus point for the best lap of the race.

    The Safety Car deployed twice, and it left the drivers to do a one lap sprint at the end of the 25-minute race duration.

    Reflecting on his performance, Alibhai said: “I managed to go on the inside of Ruhaan at Turn-1. Once past him, I put my head down and put in consistent laps. I am very happy with today’s win.”

    27th JK Tyre-FMSCI National Racing Championship 

    Veteran Diljith TS (Dark Don Racing) from Thrissur made the best of a gift from leader Tijil Rao (Dark Don Racing) to win the JK-LGB Formula 4 race while Dhruvh Goswami (MSPORT) came in second. Tijil, who was comfortably ahead, ran wide while negotiating a back marker in the closing stages of the race and it allowed Diljith the space to take the lead with Dhruvh in tow. Tijil recovered to come in third. 

    The results (Provisional):

    Indian Racing League (Race-1, Driver-A) 25 mins+1 lap: 1. Jon Lacaster (UK, Chennai Turbo Riders) (26mins, 54.251secs); 2. Neel Jani (Switzerland, Black Birds Hyderabad) (26:54.587); 3. Sohil Shah (India, Goa Aces JA Racing) (26:54.965).

    Formula 4 Indian Open (Race-1, 25mins+1 lap): 1. Aqil Alibhai (South Africa, Black Birds Hyderabad) (26:34.669); 2. Ruhaan Alva (India, Srachi Rarh Royal Bengal Tigers) (26:35.335); 3. Jaden Pariat (India, Bangalore Speedsters) (26:35.887). Best Lap: Aqil Alibhai (01:06.767).

    27th JK Tyre-FMSCI National Racing Championship:

    LGB Formula 4 (Race-1, 15 laps): 1. Dilith TS (Thrissur, Dark Don Racing) (19:19.910); 2. Dhruvh Goswami (Bengaluru, MSPORT) (19:23.850); 3. Tijil Rao (Bengaluru, Dark Don Racing) (19:29.574).

    Royal Enfield Continental GT Cup (Race-1, 10 laps): 1. Yogesh P (Bengaluru) (13:42.862); 2. Johring Warisa (Umrangso) (14:00.662); 3. Johson Saldanha (Mangaluru) (14:13.184).

    END

  • Diana Pundole breaks gender barrier, creates history in Indian Motorsports

    Diana Pundole breaks gender barrier, creates history in Indian Motorsports

    Bengaluru: Diana Pundole, a 28-year-old from Pune, has made history as the first Indian woman to win a national racing championship in the MRF Saloon category. Her remarkable victory at the 2024 Indian National Car Racing Championship, held at the Madras International Circuit, marks a significant achievement in a male-dominated sport. Pundole’s journey has been anything but conventional—balancing her roles as a mother of two and a teacher while pursuing her passion for motorsport.

    Diana’s entry into racing started early when she took up karting as a hobby. Despite having no formal training, she built her skills through sheer determination. However, it wasn’t until she participated in a nationwide talent hunt organized by JK Tyre Motorsport that her career truly took off. Winning the event gave her a fully sponsored racing season, where she debuted in a Formula car. From there, her racing career blossomed, with milestones like setting lap records and eventually progressing to the saloon category.

    Her 2024 victory is particularly notable for breaking longstanding stereotypes in motorsports. As she noted in interviews, racing is a physically and mentally demanding sport, and she has faced her share of criticism and taunts. Yet, her perseverance paid off, and today, she is celebrated for her groundbreaking achievements.

    This victory is not just a personal triumph but a significant step for women in Indian motorsports, inspiring young girls to follow their dreams despite societal challenges​.

    Note: This article is part of Indian ‘Women in Motorpsots’ series which profiles the best performances of women riders and drivers of the 2024 season.

  • A triumph against the odds: Sarah Khan is 2024 vice champion in TVS ladies class

    A triumph against the odds: Sarah Khan is 2024 vice champion in TVS ladies class

    Bengaluru, 10 October 2024: In a brutal display of resilience and determination, Sarah Khan has secured the title of vice-champion in the prestigious TVS One-Make Championship braving odds head on. She clinched victory in the final round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship, a feat made remarkable as she competed with a fractured wrist.

    Sarah Khan with her 2024 Trophy

    The 2024 season began on a high note for Sarah, with a decisive win in the first round. However, the journey to the championship podium was far from smooth. In Round 2, some technical issues hindered her performance where she finished in third position. Round 3 presented another setback, with Sarah starting from the last on the grid due to a penalty but finished a fighting fourth. Yet, it was in Round 4 that the greatest challenge arose. During the race, Sarah suffered a crash, resulting in a fractured wrist. Despite the injury, she refused to quit.

    After the race was red-flagged, Sarah rejoined the competition, starting from the pitlane and defying the odds, he finished in P7. It was a gritty performance, one that showcased her unrelenting spirit. Even with the fractured wrist, she was determined to continue racing.

    In the final round, Round 5, Sarah made a remarkable comeback. Despite struggling with her pace due to wrist pain, she qualified in P5. However, Sarah fought through the adversity and delivered a spectacular performance. In a hard-fought battle, she claimed victory in the race, securing enough points to finish the season as the vice-champion.

    Sarah Khan with the machines that she raced in 2024

    Reflecting on the season, Sarah acknowledges that none of it would have been possible without the unwavering support of her mom and brother. “I wasn’t even sure if I’d be able to race this season.” Sarah said. “But their support gave me the strength to keep going. It’s funny to think that there was a time when they were against me to become a motorcycle racer but now I’m happy they’re very proud.”

    The season has been a journey of highs and lows, but through it all, Sarah demonstrated a remarkable ability to persevere in the face of adversity. With a vice-champion tag to her name and an inspiring story to match, Sarah Khan has scripted a remarkable journey in the 2024 TVS One-Make Championship.

    Note: This article is part of Indian ‘Women in Motorpsots’ series which profiles the best performances of women riders and drivers of the 2024 season.

  • Jagan bids adieu winning 11 Nationals; Maiden National title for Jagathishree

    Jagan bids adieu winning 11 Nationals; Maiden National title for Jagathishree

    Chennai, 6 October 2024: Veteran Jagan Kumar (TVS Racing), the “King of 165”, bid adieu to his illustrious racing career after clinching his 11th National title to provide an emotional finish to the fifth and final round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2024 – Powered by STORM at the Madras International Circuit, here on Sunday.

    Joining him on the National Championship rostrum were Sarthak Chavan (Pune, TVS Racing) in Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open; Abdul Basim (Chennai, Rockers Racing), Jagathishree Kumaresan (Chennai, One Racing), an archaeologist in the making, in the Girls, Stock 165cc, and Kaushik Subbiah Ganesan (Chennai, RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) in the Stock 301-400cc (Novice) category.

    Jagan, the 36-year-old from Chennai, rolled back the years with a stunning last-corner overtake while winning the concluding Pro-Stock 165cc Open race that also saw his old mates, KY Ahamed and Deepak Ravikumar following him home, leaving the two next generation riders and team-mates, Sarthak Chavan and Chiranth Vishwanath to scrap for minor positions. The win, his third of the season, put him five points clear of Ahamed in the final championship standings.

    “I am finished with my racing career. I have two young daughters, and they need all my attention now. I started this season with a dream of ending my career with a championship win and I am happy I was able to accomplish that. Now, it is time for the new generation, Sarthak and Chiranth, to step up,” said Jagan, who won the first of his 11 National titles in 2009.

    Meanwhile, Sarthak lent credence to Jagan’s words by becoming only the second rider after Rajini Krishnan (2007) to win two titles in the same season – the Pro-Stock 301-400cc and the TVS RTE Electric. “It’s been a great year for me, and I look forward to more success in the coming seasons,” said the 17-year-old from Pune who scored an astonishing nine wins from 10 starts in the premier Pro-Stock 301-400cc category.

    Among the performances of the day was that of Chennai’s Deepak Ravikumar (TVS Racing) who started last and finished third in the Pro-Stock 301-400cc race, behind team-mates Sarthak Chavan, who thus notched his ninth win in 10 starts, and Chiranth Vishwanath. Ravikumar, who missed Saturday’s race owing to the demise of his grandmother, roared through the high-quality grid today for a well-deserved podium finish.

    Jagathishree (One Racing), the 20-year-old from Chennai who has chosen archaeology as a profession, and who scored a fortuitous win yesterday after two title contenders, Ryhana Bee and Rakshitha Dave, crashed. She too suffered a similar fate in Race-2 today but picked herself up to complete the race in sixth place and picked up 10 points that fetched her the championship.

    Sarthak Chavan, at MIC on Sunday

    In front of her, Chennai school girl Rakshitha Dave (Castrol Power1 Ultimate) won the race untroubled with Bengaluru’s Shuria SP (One Racing) and Aisvariya V (One Racing) from Coimbatore finishing second and third, respectively. Ryhana Bee, nursing a wrist injury from yesterday’s crash, did not start the race. Jagathishree copped a Rs 2,000/- fine for crossing the cheqeuered flag twice, but retained her sixth spot that helped her win the title.

    Mysuru’s Tasmai Cariappa (Motul Sparks Racing) won his second race of the season in the Novice (Stock 165cc) category after a tough fight. The result put him in second spot on the leaderboard behind Abdul Basim (Rockers Racing) who suffered a crash and finished 17th.

    Later, Chennai’s 24-year-old Kaushik Subbiah Ganesan, who has roots in Kodagu, Karnataka, was content to finish third in the Stock 301-400cc (Novice) race which was sufficient for him to clinch the championship in this category. Bengaluru’s 17-year-old Savion Sabu (Mad Rabbit Racing) won a close race from experienced Raj Kumar (RDX Torque Racing).

    Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup

    Bengaluru teenager Savion Sabu finished the season in the NSF 250R category with his maiden win and occupied second in the championship behind Malappuram’s Mohsin Paramban. The eight-lap race saw Savion, studying online in 11th standard, take an early lead which he nursed to the finish while Mohsin came in second ahead of Hyderabad’s Rajender Beedani.

    TVS India One-Make Championship

    Senthilkumar C from Coimbatore snatched the title in the Open (Apache RR 310) category with a second-place finish in the concluding race which Chennai’s Manoj Yesuadian won. Another Chennai rider, Jayanth P took the third spot.

    Bengaluru’s Harshith V Bogar took the title in the Rookie category though he finished second behind Akarsh Jangam. CS Kedarnath completed the podium.

    Sarthak Chavan wrote another piece of history by becoming the first-ever Electric motorcycle racing champion as he finished unbeaten across five races in the TVS RTE Electric category.

    The results (Provisional – all 6 laps unless mentioned):

    National Championship – Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open (Race-2): 1. Sarthak Chavan (Pune, TVS Racing) (11mins, 06.720secs); 2. Chiranth Vishwanath (Bengaluru, TVS Racing) (11:08.130); 3. Deepak Ravikumar (Chennai, TVS Racing) (11:08.848). Rider Champion: Sarthak Chavan (Pune, TVS Racing). Champion Team: TVS Racing

    Pro-Stock 165cc Open (Race-2): 1. Jagan Kumar (Chennai, TVS Racing) (11:40.405); 2. Deepak Ravikumar (Chennai, TVS Racing) (11:40.508); 3. KY Ahamad (Chennai, TVS Racing) (11:40.667). Rider Champion: Jagan Kumar (Chennai, TVS Racing). Champion Team: TVS Racing.

    Stock 301-400cc (Novice) Race-2: 1. Savion Sabu (Bengaluru, Mad Rabbit Racing) (12:13.970); 2. Raj Kumar C (Coimbatore, RDX Torque Racing) (12:14.003); 3. Kaushik Subbiah Ganesan (Chennai, RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) (12:15.905). Rider Champion: Kaushik Subbiah Ganesan (Chennai, RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate). Champion Team: RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate.

    Novice (Stock 165cc) Race-2: 1. Tasmai Cariappa (Mysuru, Motul Sparks Racing) (12:59.465); 2. Kamal Navas (Chennai, Rockers Racing) (13:00.752); 3. CS Kedarnath (Tirupati, Alpha Racing) (13:03.426). Rider Champion: Abdul Basim (Chennai, Rockers Racing). Champion Team: Rockers Racing.

    Girls (Stock 165cc) Race-2 (5 laps): 1. Rakshitha Dave (Chennai, RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) (11:05.170); 2. Shuria SP (Bengaluru, One Racing) (11:17.947); 3. Aisvariya V (Coimbatore, Motul Sparks Racing) (11:20.239). Rider Champion: Jagathishree Kumaresan (Chennai, One Racing). Champion team: One Racing

    Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup (NSF 250R) Race-2 (8 laps): 1. Savion Sabu (Bengaluru) (15:03.809); 2. Mohsin Paramban (Malappuram) (15:10.876); 3. Beedani Rajender (Hyderabad) (15:17.258). Rider Champion: Mohsin Paramban (Malappuram).

    TVS Racing One-Make Championship – Open (Apache RR 310) Race-2: 1. Manoj Yesuadiyan (Chennai) (11:42.927); 2. Senthilkumar C (Coimbatore) (11:47.034); 3. Jayanth P (Chennai) (11:51.216). Rider Champion: Senthilkumar C (Coimbatore).

    Rookie (Apache RTR 200) Race-2: 1. Akarsh Jangam (Vijayawada) (13:17.500); 2. Harshith V Bogar (Bengaluru) (13:17.929); 3. CS Kedarnadh (Tirupati) (13:18.113). Rider Champion: Harshith V Bogar (Bengaluru).

    TVS RTE Electric (3 laps): 1. Sarthak Chavan (Pune) (05:22.071); 2. Alwin Sundar A (Chennai) (05:27.526); 3. Chiranth Vishwanath (Bengaluru) (05:34.935). Rider Champion: Sarthak Chavan (Pune).

    Media (Apache RTR 200, 5 laps): 1. Praveen Kumar (Chennai) (11:22.005); 2. Charan Karthik G (Pune).

  • Sarthak wins maiden National title; Jagathishree in line for title as Ryhana, Rakshitha log DNF

    Sarthak wins maiden National title; Jagathishree in line for title as Ryhana, Rakshitha log DNF

    Chennai, October 5: Pune’s Sarthak Chavan (TVS Racing), enjoying the best season of his fledgling career yet, scripted history when he became the youngest ever at 17 years of age to seal the title in the premier Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open class as the fifth and final round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2024 – Powered by STORM headed towards a grand climax at the Madras International Circuit, here on Saturday.

    Sarthak, who will turn 18 at the end of October, clinched the crown by winning Race-1 which put him beyond reach of his rivals in the points tally. Riding with great maturity, Sarthak tucked himself behind race leader and team-mate Chiranth Vishwanath, the 17-year-old from Bengaluru before making a move late in the six-lapper to notch his eighth win in nine races. Veteran Rajini Krishnan (RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) was placed third. The result put Sarthak 57 points ahead of Chiranth on the leaderboard.

    Minutes after the victory, the team decked up Sarthak in champion livery at MIC on Saturday. Photo By Anand Philar.

    “It feels great to win my maiden National title. I have had a good season this year with five podium finishes at the Asian level. At the start of the season, I was focused on my riding and wanting to do well,” said Sarthak.

    Later, Chiranth Vishwanath, the 17-year-old from Bengaluru, won the other premier class race, Pro-Stock 165cc Open, which went down to the wire after a few heart-stopping moments, as TVS Racing swept the podium spots with KY Ahamed and Sarthak Chavan finishing second and third, respectively. The six-lap race had three different leaders until Chiranth went past Sarthak and Ahamed with a daring move at the last corner as the trio finished within a second of each other.

    The victory, though, kept Chiranth anchored in fourth spot on the leaderboard while Ahamed and his mentor and multiple National champion Jagan Kumar, who finished fourth today, and Sarthak are separated by only three points ahead of Sunday’s concluding race.

    Meanwhile, the Girls (Stock 165cc) race threw up an unexpected result as the two championship contenders Ryhana Bee (One Racing) and Rakshitha Dave (RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) made contact and crashed in the third lap. Their retirement saw Jagathishree Kumaresan (One Racing) notch an easy win ahead of team-mate SP Shuria and Saimah Ajaz Baig (Motul Sparks Racing). With today’s win, Jagathishree moved to the top of the leaderboard with a 22-point advantage over Ryhana, going into Sunday’s concluding race.

    Chennai’s Kaushik Subbiah Ganesan (RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) picked up crucial points after finishing third in the Stock 301-400cc (Novice) race behind Raj Kumar C (RDX Torque Racing) and Savion Sabu (Mad Rabbit Racing) to keep his top spot on the points table. He leads Raj Kumar by 17 points ahead of Sunday’s final race.

    Abdul Basim (Rockers Racing) maintained his form and scored his eighth win in the Novice (Stock 165cc) category, having already sealed the championship in the previous round. He held off his close rival, Tasmai Cariappa (Motul Sparks Racing).

    Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup

    Scoring his sixth win in nine starts, Malappuram’s Mohsin Paramban only confirmed his title in the NSF 250R category. He had to fight hard for his today’s success as he crossed the finish line in a close formation with second-placed Siddesh Sawant (Kolhapur) and Bengaluru’s Savion Sabu.

    TVS India One-Make Championship

    Senthilkumar C (Coimbatore) chalked up his sixth win in the Open (RR 310) category to move 13 points clear of second-placed Manoj Yesuadian (Chennai) on the leaderboard to set up an exciting battle for the title on Sunday when Race-2 will be run. Senthil’s elder brother Raj Kumar came in third but is not in contention for the title.

    Bengaluru’s 20-year-old Harshith V Bogar provisionally clinched the championship in the Rookie (Apache RTR 200) category despite finishing third behind Akarsh Jangam from Vijayawada and CS Kedarnath (Tirupati) in the six-lap race. Going into the concluding race to be run on Sunday, Harshith enjoys an insurmountable 44-point lead over Kedarnath.

    Pune’s Saimah Ajaz Baig took the title in the Girls (Apache RTR 200) category by finishing second behind Sarah Khan (Mumbai) and ahead of Aisvariya V (Coimbatore). The 21 points that Saimah earned put her on top of the leaderboard at the conclusion of the championship in this category.

    The results (Provisional – all 6 laps unless mentioned):

    National Championship – Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open (Race-1): 1. Sarthak Chavan (Pune, TVS Racing) (11mins, 04.916secs); 2. Chiranth Vishwanath (Bengaluru, TVS Racing) (11:05.126); 3. Rajini Krishnan (Chennai, RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) (11:05.903).

    Pro-Stock 165cc Open (Race-1): 1. Chiranth Vishwanath (Bengaluru, TVS Racing) (11:42.136); 2. KY Ahamed (Chennai, TVS Racing) (11:42.256); 3. Sarthak Chavan (Pune, TVS Racing) (11:42.581).

    Stock 301-400cc (Novice) Race-1: 1. Raj Kumar (Coimbatore, RDX Torque Racing) (12:18.326); 2. Savion Sabu (Bengaluru, Mad Rabbit Racing) (12:18.504); 3. Kaushik Subbiah Ganesan (Chennai, RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) (12:18.668).

    Novice (Stock 165cc) Race-1: 1. Abdul Basim RS (Chennai, Team Rockers Racing) (12:55.636); 2. Tasmai Cariappa (Mysuru, Motul Sparks Racing) (12:58.727); 3. Lal Nunsanga (Mizoram, Motul Sparks Racing) (12:59.713).

    Girls (Stock 165cc) Race-1 (5 laps): 1. Jagathishree Kumaresan (Chennai, One Racing) (11:03.823); 2. SP Shuria (Bengaluru, One Racing) (11:29.946); 3. Saimah Ajaz Baig (Pune, Motul Sparks Racing) (11:39.598).

    Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup (NSF 250R) Race-1: 1. Mohsin Paramban (Malappuram) (11:22.331); 2. Siddesh Sawant (Kolhapur) (11:22.425); 3. Savion Sabu (Bengaluru) (11:22.568).

    TVS Racing One-Make Championship – Open (Apache RR 310) Race-1: 1. Senthilkumar C (Coimbatore) (11:44.902); 2. Manoj Yesuadiyan (Chennai) (11:47.405); 3. Raj Kumar C (Coimbatore) (11:48.223).

    Rookie (Apache RTR 200) Race-1: 1. Akarsh Jangam (Vijayawada) (13:14.266); 2. CS Kedarnadh (Tirupati) (13:14.285); 3. Harshith V Bogar (Bengaluru) (13:14.662).

    Girls (Apache RTR 200): 1. Sarah Khan (Mumbai) (13:24.959); 2. Saimah Ajaz Baig (Pune) (13:25.639); 3. Aisvariya V (Coimbatore) (13:27.976).