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Category: Non-F1
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Organisers must waive-off entry fee for women, to host INRC round: Vamsi Merla
Bengaluru, 2 Sept 2020: Due to the global race against Corona Virus, which affected both national and international motorsports for over five months, the Indian National Rally Championship, too, was postponed after the lockdown was announced in India.
With the country taking measures to bring back normalcy in the sporting arena along with activities in other walks of life, the Indian government announced Unlock 4.0 and the motorsports fraternity is eagerly waiting for the action to begin. International motorsports, including Formula 1 and MotoGP, have started with tight measures to beat Corona and India too, is expected to resume the events amidst the necessary precautions due to the pandemic.
Vamsi Merla of Champions Yacht Group, the INRC Promoters And the first to respond is the Champions Yacht Club, the promoters of Indian National Rally Championship, the flagship event of Indian Motorsports. The calendar for 2020, was expected to begin with the South India Rally in Chennai but it was the first event to get boxed by the lockdown. The Promoters are eager to announce a seven-round calendar once the go-ahead is given by the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI). As announced earlier, the Champions Yacht Club is keen to promote ‘Women in Motorsports (WIM)’ and is offering to waive-off the entry fee for all women participants for the Rally rounds apart from providing a slew of incentives for the drivers and teams to promote rallying. “We have written to the Federation to waive the entry fee for female drivers but it looks like the decision has to be taken by the organising club. So Champions Yacht Club has decided to give hosting rights of a rally round only to those clubs who are willing to waive-off the fee,” said Vamsi Merla, the promoter. “So even a male driver with a female navigator will also get a waiver of the entry fee as the team has a female participant,” he clarified.
He also promised that the accommodation for all the participants would be provided free by the Promoters and arrangements will be made taking strict precautions to beat the Virus. “We have put in place measures to tackle the current situation. Social distancing norms and masks are made compulsory along with checking of temperature with thermal scanners, and sanitisers would be provided at all necessary entry points and other places. All large gatherings will be prohibited,” added Merla.
“Rally championship holds a special place in Indian motorsports and over the years, in its 31-year history, INRC has thrown up many champions and the Promoters are keen to encourage newcomers and young talent by providing the necessary facilities to continue the tradition of making champioins,” he added.
When queried how seven rounds could be possible with only four months available, he said that back-to-back rounds were being planned and permission is being sought to extend the calendar for two months into Feb 2021. “Also five clubs have already agreed to waive the fee and promote women participation. So the confirmed rounds are South India Rally in Chennai, K1000 in Bengaluru, Hampi, also in Karnataka, Arunachal Pradesh and Coimbatore,” Vamsi Merla revealed. The calendar will be announced soon.
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Prithvi, Kothadiya take top honours
Mumbai, 25 August 2020: Chennai’s Sai Prithvi and Pune’s Oshan Kothadiya won a race each in the Pro Class of the fourth round of the Mumbai Falcons Indian eRacing Championship, in association with Volkswagen Motorsport. The duo picked up their first wins this season, at the Daytona International Speedway on Sunday.
Qualifying saw Pune’s Muhammad Ibrahim post a laptime of 1:43.924, a mere 0.021 seconds ahead of defending champion – Amith Kutti. Championship leader Sai Prithvi from Chennai was third.
As the lights went out, Ibrahim made a good start to lead race 1, but a few corners later, Kutti outbraked the leader to grab the lead. The duo fought for a couple of laps, before Ibrahim attempted to retake the lead, resulting in both spectacularly crashing out of the race. Prithvi comfortably won ahead of Raghav Budhiraja (New Delhi). Ujjwal Belwariar (Bangalore) graduated from Junior to Pro Class and had a dream debut with a podium. Mumbai’s Raiden Samervel and Ooty’s Niranjan Kumar were fourth and fifth.
The top 12 from race 1, are reversed for the start of Race 2. Kaushick Mohanraja started from pole and the entire field had a clean start. Unfortunately he spun and a few cars hit him. Eventually Former Volkswagen Polo Cup Runner Up, Oshan Kothadiya (Pune) won the race after an excellent drive from seventh on the grid. Mumbai’s Prathamesh Yedre and Lucknow’s Siddharth Mehdiratta earned their maiden podiums with second and third, ahead of Kumar and Kutti.
“After 4 rounds we have 4 different race winners in the Pro Class. It’s really competitive at the top. The champions now have the best opportunity possible to transition from this, into real world racing.” said Moid Tungekar, CEO of Mumbai Falcons.
Gurgaon’s Garvit Agarwal started on pole and ran away, to win the Junior Race. Mumbai’s Janak Panchal and Tej Patel earned their maiden podiums, ahead of Jahaan Noble and Yash Khare. This weekend saw the commencement of the Amateur category with Deepak Raj, Guru Vishal & Deepak Walvekar finishing in the top three.
Pune’s Oshan Kothadiya Sirish Vissa, Head of Volkswagen Motorsport India said, “It is exciting to see a former Volkswagen Polo Cup runner up battling with and giving his competitors a tough fight. This shows how well the competitors are driving. Both the races were exhilarating to watch, we hope that this close battle continues for the rest of the championship.”
8 Time Champion and Founder of IR eSports, Rayomand Banajee added “We are happy with the excellent response that the Amateur category has received. We are confident that the entry-level classes will grow further, as we add on the Amateur PS4 category and a Women’s category.
Pro Race 1 Position Car No Name City Start Pos. 1 12 Sai Prithvi Chennai 3 2 63 Raghav Budhiraja New Delhi 6 3 9 Ujjwal Belwariar Bangalore 12 4 64 Raiden Samervel Mumbai 11 5 98 Niranjan Kumar Ooty 7 Pro Race 2 Position Car No Name City Start Pos. 1 14 Oshan Kothadiya Pune 7 2 45 Prathamesh Yedre Mumbai 2 3 41 Siddharth Mehdiratta Lucknow 6 4 98 Niranjan Kumar Ooty 8 5 16 Amith Kutti Chennai 18 Junior Race Position Car No Name City Start Pos. 1 13 Garvit Agarwal Gurgaon 1 2 21 Janak Panchal Mumbai 9 3 11 Tej Patel Mumbai 6 4 15 Jahaan Noble Mumbai 10 5 25 Yash Khare Mumbai 12 Amateur Race Position Name City 1 Deepak Raj Chennai 2 Guru Vishal Chennai 3 Deepak Walvekar Bangalore 4 Anish Joshi Kolkata 5 Anish Kumar New Delhi Pro Championship Position Car No Name City Points 1 57/12 Sai Prithvi Chennai 265 2 33 Muhammad Ibrahim Pune* 261 3 9/12/11/16 Amith Kutti Chennai 242 4 777/98 Niranjan Kumar Ooty 211 5 20 Chevlyn Fernandes Mumbai 176 Junior Championship Position Car No Name City Points 1 16/13 Garvit Agarwal Munich 161 2 7 / 19 Ujjwal Belwariar Bangalore 123 3 10 Aditya Iyer Pune 118 4 5 / 30 Avinash Gupta Kalimpong 118 5 21 Janak Panchal Mumbai 94 *
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Ibrahim continues domination in IeRC; Agarwal wins Junior Class
Mumbai, 16 August 2020: Pune’s Muhammad Ibrahim continued his winning streak in the Mumbai Falcons Indian eRacing Championship, in association with Volkswagen Motorsport. The accomplished karter had a near-perfect run, to once again demolish the competition and win both races of the Pro Class here.
Ibrahim started the event on the right note, qualifying on pole with a laptime of 1:22.010. Amith Kutti (Chennai) bagged second on the grid, qualifying 0.48 seconds behind. Sai Prithvi, also from Chennai, was third.
Race 1 saw championship leader Kutti, make a rare mistake to crash out of contention while Ibrahim took advantage of a good start to pull away and win the race. Prithvi had an intense battle with Sohil Shah for many laps before managing to overtake, to finish second. Shah, a former National Formula 1300 Champion, finished third, ahead of Niranjan Kumar and Raiden Samervel.
The starting order for Race 2 is based on the top 12 finishers of Race 1 being reversed. Coimbatore’s Kaushick Mohanraja started on pole and drove a sensible race, but could not keep Ibrahim behind him. Ibrahim won, ahead of Mohanraja, while Bhanu Teja from Hyderabad was third.
The Junior Class saw Sayee Saran (Chennai) lead after starting from pole. A back marker swerved into him, and Saran fell down the order. Debjit Adak from second, got involved in multiple crashes but still managed to finish fourth. Gurgaon boys – Garvit Agarwal picked up his maiden victory, while Amitesh Rao took his maiden podium, with second. Mumbai’s Veer Sheth also earned his maiden podium with a fine third place, ahead of Adak and Ritesh Rai.
“It’s good to see the Championship quite close in both classes. We are coming up with numerous opportunities for youngsters in motorsport & the Mumbai Falcons Indian eRacing Championship, is the ideal avenue for youngsters to start with motorsport.” said Moid Tungekar, CEO of Mumbai Falcons
Sirish Vissa, Head of Volkswagen Motorsport India said, “It is exciting to witness the competition for every position in the championship – this shows the dedication and effort that these young drivers are putting in to battle each other. With five more races to go, the racing is going to be intense as the drivers fight for the top spot.”
“Next round will see the addition of the Amateur Class followed by the Women’s Class. We are confident that this will expand the entry level opportunities and youngsters can register by visiting any social media platform of IReSportsIN.” said 8 Time National Racing and Karting Champion and founder of IR eSports.
The Championship standings in the Pro Class saw a major reshuffle thanks to poor results from Amith Kutti. Sai Prthivi grabbed the lead while, Ibrahim moves into second. After a significant lead, Kutti falls to third. Bangalore’s Ujjwal Belwariar stays in the lead of the Junior Class.
Pro Race 1 Position Car No Name City Start Pos. 1 33 Muhammad Ibrahim Pune 1 2 12 Sai Prithvi Chennai 3 3 24 Sohail Shah Bangalore 5 4 98 Niranjan Kumar Ooty 4 5 64 Raiden Samervel Mumbai 6 Pro Race 2 Position Car No Name City Start Pos. 1 33 Muhammad Ibrahim Pune 12 2 6 Kaushick Mohanraja Coimbatore 1 3 99 Bhanu Teja Hyderabad 5 4 12 Sai Prithvi Chennai 11 5 98 Niranjan Kumar Ooty 9 Junior Race Position Car No Name City Start Pos. 1 13 Garvit Agarwal Gurgaon 4 2 17 Amitesh Rao Gurgaon 6 3 44 Veer Sheth Mumbai 8 4 8 Debjit Adak Bangalore 2 5 12 Ritesh Rai Chennai 7 Pro Championship Position Car No Name City Points 1 57/12 Sai Prithvi Chennai 215 2 33 Muhammad Ibrahim Pune 212 3 9/12/11/16 Amith Kutti Chennai 204 4 16 / 11 / 19 Bhanu Teja Hyderabad 155 5 20 Chevlyn Fernandes Mumbai 151 Junior Championship Position Car No Name City Points 1 43647 Ujjwal Belwariar Bangalore 123 2 16/13 Garvit Agarwal Gurgaon 107 3 10 Aditya Iyer Pune 103 4 11079 Avinash Gupta Kalimpong 99 5 68/44 Veer Sheth Mumbai 83 -
Pune’s Ibrahim dominates Indian eRacing Round 2
Mumbai, 4 August 2020: Pune’s Muhammad Ibrahim sparkled in Round 2 of the Mumbai Falcons Indian Racing Championship, in association with Volkswagen Motorsport India, stunning Amith Kutti of Chennai and winning both his Pro Class races here on Sunday.
Ibrahim, who is currently competing from Kuala Lumpur and famously ran in the top five of the World Rotax Karting Finals recently and was a runner-up in the Asian Rotax Championship too, stamped his authority right from the word go.
He bagged pole, with a lap-time of 1:47.778, ahead of Ooty’s Niranjan Kumar. Season 2 Champion Sai Prithvi was third while Kutti could manage only fourth on the grid, ahead of Ankit Tyagi.
As the lights went out for Race 1 at the famed Nurburgring Circuit, Ibrahim made an excellent start to hold on to his lead. Kutti, from fourth, made a daring lunge into Corner 1 to jump to second place. Ibrahim pulled away and cruised to victory ahead of Kutti and Prithvi. Raghav Budhiraja (Delhi) and Abdul Hadi (Thrissur) drove smartly to move up from 14th & 15th to complete the Top Five.
Race 2 saw carnage on the first corner after pole-sitter Viswas Vijayraj turned into Niranjan Kumar, causing over 8 cars to suffer damage, and deployment of the safety car. Ibrahim took full advantage of this to win ahead of Kutti and Chevlyn Fernandes (Mumbai). Sai Prithvi & Niranjan Kumar completed the top five.
Sirish Vissa, Head of Volkswagen Motorsport India said, “The series has been remarkable with strong performance from Muhammad Ibrahim and the racers leading on the point table. The fight for the first spot was most exciting and enthralling.”
He further added, “It is our conscious effort to provide a level playing field even virtually. The cut-throat competition witnessed throughout the championship is a testimony to that fact.”
For the second round in a row in the Junior Class, Sayee Saran (Chennai) started from pole. He made a good start to lead the race ahead of Ujjwal Belwarier (Bangalore) & Garvit Agrawal (Gurgaon). A thrilling three-car battle for the lead ensued for most of the race, before Saran lost the lead. Belwarier won ahead of Avinash Gupta (Kalimpong) and Agrawal.
Six-time World Guinness record holder and winner of 11 motorsport titles, Ronny Wechselberger was one of the guest racers. A technical issue saw him skip Race 1 and he moved up from twentieth on the grid to finish a creditable ninth in Race 2. Macau’s Frederico Joaquin finished ninth in Race 1.
“The Mumbai Falcons Indian Racing Championship got a tremendous boost with acclaimed kart-racer Muhammad Ibrahim taking part. He got the better of Amith Kutti and Sai Prithvi which shows his class,” Moid Tungekar, CEO of Mumbai Falcons, said.
“We are happy to see strong viewership growth of the live races on our IR eSports social media channels. In addition to our existing sponsors, Mumbai Falcons & Volkswagen Motorsport India, we welcome Gamer Connect on board,” Rayomand Banajee, the organiser and karting king, said.
Pro Race 1 Position Car No Name City Start Pos. 1 33 Muhammad Ibrahim Pune 1 2 11 Amith Kutti Chennai 4 3 12 Sai Prithvi Chennai 3 4 63 Raghav Budhiraja New Delhi 14 5 17 Abdul Hadi Thrissur 15 Pro Race 2 Position Car No Name City Start Pos. 1 33 Muhammad Ibrahim Pune 11 2 16 Amith Kutti Chennai 10 3 20 Chevlyn Fernandes Mumbai 5 4 12 Sai Prithvi Chennai 9 5 98 Niranjan Kumar Ooty 2 Junior Race Position Car No Name City Start Pos. 1 19 Ujjwal Belwarier Bangalore 2 2 30 Avinash Gupta Kalimpong 4 3 13 Garvit Agrawal Munich 3 4 10 Aditya Iyer Pune 11 5 7 Jahaan Noble Mumbai 9 Pro Championship Position Car No Name City Points 1 16 Amith Kutti Chennai 194 2 12 Sai Prithvi Chennai 135 3 20 Chevlyn Fernandes Mumbai 113 4 46 Ankit Tyagi Sonipat 111 5 33 Muhammad Ibrahim Pune 106 Junior Championship Position Car No Name City Start Pos. 1 19 Ujjwal Belwarier Bangalore 104 2 30 Avinash Gupta Kalimpong 88 3 10 Aditya Iyer Pune 76 4 33 Sayee Saran Chennai 70 5 13 Garvit Agrawal Gurgaon 57 -
Defending champion Amith Kutti begins with a bang
Mumbai, 27 July 2020: Chennai’s Amith Kutti launched his campaign in the fourth edition of the Mumbai Falcons Indian eRacing Championship, in association with Volkswagen Motorsport, in style, winning both the Pro races on Sunday.
The defending champion warded off Season 2 winner Sai Prithvi’s challenge to take a commanding lead after Round 1. Bangalore’s Ujjwal Belwariar won the Junior race, edging past Sayee Saran who had taken pole position.
Reigning champion Amith Kutti and Sai Prithvi were engaged in a keen battle for pole on the Spa Francorchamps Circuit, with the former finishing ahead in 2:13.718. Prithvi was a close 0.13 seconds behind while Niranjan Kumar was third.
The latest season of the Indian eRacing Championship (earlier ISRL) extends to eight rounds and will see multiple new classes as the season progresses. A women’s class along with two separate amateur classes are also set to be introduced soon.
“We are proud to be associated with the Indian eRacing Championship. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the IR eSports team has done a stellar job in keeping the spirit of motorsport flying in the minds of racers,” Ameet Gadhoke, owner of Mumbai Falcons, said.
Sirish Vissa, Head Volkswagen Motorsport India added “The Indian eRacing Championship is making motorsport racing fun, exciting and a unique learning experience for our young and aspirational racers in India. With the continuous development of this platform, it intends to offer a near realistic experience along with reaching out to a wider audience of potential race drivers.”
Race 1 began on a furious note with three cars attempting to enter a corner side by side in the first lap itself before Kutti and Prithvi pulled away. However, a massive crash in the midfield saw multiple cars suffering severe damage.
Kutti eventually won just 0.75 seconds ahead of Prithvi while Hyderabad’s Bhanu Teja was third. Sonipat’s Ankit Tyagi was fourth.
With the reverse grid coming into play for the top 12, Ankit Roy started with the advantage of pole. But after just a few corners, he made a mistake and went off-track, setting off a chain reaction of incidents, resulting in numerous cars suffering damage. Ankit Tyagi took the lead while Kutti made his way up to fourth.
Kutti was on a charge though, and eventually grabbed the lead as also the race ahead of Tyagi & Teja.
F3 Asia Race winner & guest racer for the weekend, Sri Lanka’s Eshan Pieris, representing the CMSC, suffered technical issues and an accident in Race 1. The highly rated racer started seventeenth in Race 2 and made some excellent moves to finish fifth.
Macau’s Frederico Joaquin finished fourteenth, climbing from 21st, after missing Race 1.
“We have created the Junior Class to help newcomers adapt to the sport in slower cars. We are thankful to Mumbai Falcons and Volkswagen Motorsport for their continued support. We also welcome and thank Red Bull for their support,” 8-time champion and founder of IR eSports Rayomand Banajee said.
Results (Top 5):
Pro Race 1 Position Car No. Name City Start Pos. 1 9 Amith Kutti Chennai 1 2 57 Sai Prithvi Chennai 2 3 16 Bhanu Teja Hyderabad 4 4 46 Ankit Tyagi Sonipat 7 5 75 Sunil Kukde Bangalore 17 Pro Race 2 Position Car No. Name City Start Pos. 1 12 Amith Kutti Chennai 12 2 46 Ankit Tyagi Sonipat 9 3 11 Bhanu Teja Hyderabad 10 4 20 Chevlyn Fernandes Mumbai 13 5 21 Eshan Pieris Colombo 17 Junior Race 1 Position Car No. Name City Start Pos. 1 7 Ujjwal Belwariar Bangalore 2 2 5 Avinash Gupta Kalimpong 4 3 10 Aditya Iyer Pune 5 4 3 Sayee Saran Chennai 1 5 21 Janak Panchal Mumbai 7 -
We want to send talented drivers for ERC, says Vamsi Merla
Bangalore, 12 June 2020: The Champions Group has started providing free rally training sessions in Mysore for drivers who are newcomers, and novice lady drivers to promote `Women in Motorsports’, according to Vamsi Merla of Champions Yacht Club (CYC), the Promoters of the Indian National Rally Championship (INRC) for 2020.
The training sessions for the newcomers are being undertaken by ace rally driver and Autocross champion Den Thimmaiah and all the infrastructure including the rally-prepared cars are being provided by the Promoters. “Soon we will rope in other senior drivers to take the training sessions. Last year, the drivers trained by Gaurav Gill have done admirably during the season and we want to continue to nurture these young and talented drivers,” he added.
“We will be training the drivers in basics of rallying but important tips like how to nurture the car are being given prominence,” said Den Thimmaiah, former INRC round winner in his class.
The Promoters, who are into their second year, are getting ready for the Rally season which was affected by the COVID 19 pandemic. “All the preparations are going on and we are ready from our side and even the organisers of the individual rounds are ready and we are expecting the season to begin in September. If all goes well, the first round will begin with the South India Rally in Chennai,” said Vamsi, the Director of the Champions Yacht Club. However, he cautioned, “I am very eager to start immediately. But it is better not to start if we are putting the drivers at risk. For me, the drivers are very important.”
Vamsi Merla of Champions Yacht Group, the INRC Promoters The promoters have made sincere efforts to not only sponsor many drivers from Team Champions’ side but have also supported many other drivers by getting sponsorships, at least in part, from different corporate houses, and one prominent name is JK Tyres. They have also announced free entry and support in the form of tyres and free transportation of the cars for all woman rally drivers.
In one of his rare interviews to `Indian Motoring’ on Instagram recently, Vamsi Merla revealed how he took to the sport. “I always loved speed and occasionally used to enjoy and do speed drives on the Nice road near Bangalore. Once, a gentleman stopped me and said: `If you have talent go and race on race tracks but don’t play with your life.’ That has changed my life and after that I took part in rallies where I noticed the scenario in INRC and realised that talented and skilled drivers are not able to continue rallying for want of sponsors. That is when I started Team Champions.”
Talking about sponsors, he said that big Corporates like Accenture support F1 but not the local motorsports or the local drivers. “So I thought let’s start something and then I thought everybody will join me. It is actually, not me. Everybody should join to support Indian Motorsports,” he said. Talking about the Director of Champions Group, he said: “Mr Shubakara Rao went to a large extent. But how far can he stretch his limit. I too want to support everyone. My mind tells me support all these drivers but my resources tell me, you can only do this much,” he lamented.
Asked about the tyre giants, Vamsi praised both MRF and JK Tyres, saying that both of them have supported Motorsports from the very beginning. “They are the lifeline of the sport. But what I have seen in the commitment and dedication. I have never in my life seen such committed people in their companies. It is because of such dedicated employees, the companies are doing well. Whether it is Sanjay Sharma or Hari Singh of JK Tyres, or Madhusudhan or Murali of MRF. These are the names that come to my mind immediately but it is such sincere stalwarts who put their companies above their own families that keep the ball rolling. I am pleasantly surprised to see such dedication,” he said.
Vamsi promoted a concept of rallying, similar to that of a league where Indian States can support rally teams. “I am approaching different State Governments. Like, if each State promotes two drivers and two cars, it is not much of a burden. AP Tourism, Karnataka Tourism and others should chip in. Goa Tourism and North East, have already supported some rallies in the past. I will get the support from the Telugu States and I need friends in other States to talk to the governments,” he put forth an idea.
In reply to a query, he said that the promoters are supporting drivers from all zones in the country and he named some youngsters who are doing well like Arjun Rao, Fabid Arakkal, Aditya Thakur and Mohamad Kaif from Bhopal. “Off the cuff, these names come to my mind and I have missed some names. But these are talented ones and if nurtured properly, they can go a long way,” he felt.
Finally, talking about talented drivers he said that they should be promoted abroad. “At the end of the day, it is not just rallying in India. I want to support and get sponsors too, so that our talented drivers can go abroad and take part in bigger events. Once they get laurels for the country, I will be proud. I wanted to start with the European Rally Championship but due to COVID situation, we had put if off for now,” he concluded.
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MMSC upgrades Marshals’ cabins; Grandstand to be ready by September
Chennai, 10 June 2020: With the easing of lockdown restrictions, the Madras Motor Sports Club is gearing itself up for the “new normal” with a slew of measures conforming to government regulations to create a safe environment at the iconic MMRT circuit here while also carrying out upgrades to the track.
Keeping in mind the situation arising out of Covid-19 virus, the MMSC will implement safety protocols as mandated by the government at the MMRT. Simultaneously, a new grandstand, digital flags that can be operated from the Race Control room and self-contained Marshal posts are being added to the facility.
A model of the Grandstand that is being built at MMRT circuit. An MMSC image MMSC president Ajit Thomas said: “This is a difficult and sensitive phase we are going through and it is MMSC’s endeavour to ensure that track users, be it vehicle manufacturers who test their products here or the competitors, are provided a safe and healthy environment.
“In this context, we have already put in place the ‘new normal’ protocols such as thermal temperature check at the entrance, social distancing and hand sanitisation, as per government regulations.”
The track has been active for the past few days with testing sessions by vehicle manufacturers, and the facility will be opened to car and bike competitors from June 14 for paid practice sessions.
Regarding various upgrades to the track, MMSC vice-president Vicky Chandhok, who is also Chairman of Racing Events, said: “The track is open for non-sporting activity as we try to ease into a situation and conditions we are not familiar with. So, we are not taking anything for granted or lightly. Health and safety of our employees, officials, competitors and visitors are our priority.
“To start with, for the practice sessions, we will be restricting the number of persons attached to each vehicle to two in the case of cars and one for bikes. This will help us enforce social distancing with a gap of at least 10 feet between them. Next up are the Marshals who play a critical role during races. We are replacing all 21 existing Marshal posts with new, self-contained locked enclosures that will protect them from elements, and numbered as per FIA and FIM international standards.
“We are close to finalising a deal with Tag Heuer for digital flags that will considerably reduce the number of Marshals. We plan to install 12 digital flags at select spots around the track to start off with and go on to 21 in due course. Having said that, I must emphasise that there would be absolutely no compromise on safety and we will have sufficient staff to handle any on-track incidents.”
MMSC is also addressing a long-felt need for a permanent grandstand along the start-finish straight, facing the eastern paddock and pits. “For the moment, it would be a 600-seater structure with a provision for expansion. The bottom rung of the stand will start three metres above track surface. Below the stands, we are providing space for two-wheeler academies with access to the track, food kiosks and self-contained toilets. This facility should be ready by September.
Self -contained cabins for flag marshals at the MMRT. An MMSC image “We also have plans to actively promote the sport at the grassroot level by putting up suitable facilities, the details of which will be announced later,” said Chandhok.
As for sporting events, Chandhok said: “The action will commence with the National Championship in September, by which time, hopefully, the overall situation would have improved.”
Meanwhile, the sport’s World governing body FIA, has extended MMRT circuit’s Grade-2 certification to July 2021 on a request by MMSC and in view of prevailing virus-related situation in India, said Chandhok.
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Chennai’s Amith Kutti wins Indian Sim Racing League 3
Abdul Malik and Sai Prithvi finish runners up
Mumbai, 19 May 2020: Chennai’s Amith Kutti was crowned champion in the Mumbai Falcons Indian Sim Racing League that concluded, after a thrilling finale, on Sunday. The Indian SIM Racing League (ISRL) has been growing in leaps and bounds. Its wide success has seen Mumbai Falcons step up to sponsor the ISRL, while Volkswagen Motorsport continues their association, taking the ISRL to newer heights.
Amidst a close competition, the speedy Kutti amassed 377 points, winning six out of the ten races over five rounds to pip Thrissur’s Abdul Malik (345 points; one win and four podiums) and another Chennai lad Sai Prithvi (341 points; six podium finishes) to the title.
Start of the MUmbai Falcons ISRL .The Season 3 winners received cash prizes from Mumbai Falcons, with the champion getting Rs 15,000, the first runner-up Rs 10,000 and the second runner-up Rs 5,000. In addition, the title winner Kutti also earned a fully paid testing and training session for a day from Volkswagen Motorsport India, who have been part of the ISRL from the first edition. Second-placed Malik won a training session with Rayo Racing while Prithvi, third, got a race entry from IndiKarting.
Top racers from across the country took part in the competition, with Kutti dominating the first 2 rounds and winning all 4 races; UK based Muhammad Ibrahim snatched pole and won Race 1 of Round 3. Round 4 was dominated by the lads from Thrissur; and saw Abdul Malik earn his maiden victory in Race 1 while Abdul Fattah won Race 2.
Entering the final round, 3 racers were in a close fight for the title. Kutti had a narrow lead and secured his position by winning Race 1 after Malik had a relatively poor race by his standards. Former International racer and India’s representative to the Volkswagen Scirocco Cup in Europe, Oshan Kothadiya, currently based in the Netherlands, won his final race of the season.
Ameet Gadhoke owner of Mumbai Falcons commented “We at Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited are proud to associate with the Indian Sim Racing Challenge. There was a lot of great racing by the competitors which shows the potential and talent available in our great nation. During these trying times of the Covid-19 pandemic, SIM racing has offered an alternate platform for racing aspirants to continue to hone their talents.”
Sirish Vissa, Head of Volkswagen Motorsport India, said “I am glad that ISRL is making racing fun and exciting for the young racers. It is great to see the enthusiasm and traction for Mumbai Falcon ISRL in its third season. Basis the continuous development of the ISRL platform, I believe, it is offering a near realistic experience to the racers on the way we run our national racing championships in India. I look forward to meeting these young champions and train them in one of our Polo Cup cars in the near future. Till then, I urge you all to stay safe, stay at home and keep honing your racing skills on your SIMS.”
“Season 3 has been a big step up. We are grateful to Mumbai Falcons showing faith in our progress and would also like to thank Volkswagen Motorsport for their continued support,” Rayomand Banajee, of IR eSports, organisers of the ISRL, said.
Season 4 dates and format will be announced shortly, with the new schedule promising to increase the duration of the season.
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FMSCI announces stimulus package for Indian motorsports
Chennai, 19 May 2020: The Indian Motorsports Federation, FMSCI, has announced a slew of concessions to clubs and sportsperson to promote the sport during these tough times due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, which has disrupted the sporting activities worldwide including motorsports.
The Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI), the National Sports Federation, responsible for the governance and promotion of motorsports in India, has announced this package for the year 2020 to stimulate the Indian motorsports activity on Tuesday.
To give impetus and to encourage the resumption of grass root motorsports activities as well as National Championships, the FMSCI Council has announced a spate of initiatives as under:
· Free renewal of National level Competition Licences applied for in 2020 for the year 2021, if these licence holders do not take part in any event in 2020.
· 100% waiver of the Permit Fees for organisers of all status of events, if no sponsor/s associated with the event. 50% of permit fees will be charged otherwise.
· 100% waiver of the Naming Rights fees for events, if no sponsor/s associated with the event. 50% naming rights fees will be charged otherwise.
· One year extension for the existing Promoters of various National Championship events irrespective of whether the National Championship is conducted in 2020 or not
· Local Stewards will be appointed to ease the burden of travel and hospitality costs for the organizers.
The FMSCI sincerely hopes that with these initiatives, the motorsports in India will resume as soon as the lock down is lifted for sports activities.
The Government has already announced that stadiums can be opened but with no spectators, though a clarity is needed if sports can be conducted without spectators or not.
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Champions Group keen to begin INRC season in June
Bengaluru, 24 April 2020: The sporting activities all over the world have come to a standstill and it is no different in India. No wonder, the motorsports in India, too, had to bow its head to the epidemic that changed the way people lead their life outdoors. However, with the lifting of the lockdown looming large and the government expected to relax certain activities from May 4, the Champions Yacht Club, the Promoters of the Indian National Rally Championship are looking at June-July to begin the season.
“If all goes well, we are expecting to start the season with the South India Rally towards June-end and the Rally of Coimbatore would be the second rally followed by the Rally of Arunachal as the third round, weather-permitting,” said Vamci Merla of Champions Yacht Club. “We will abide by all the regulations of the government and make sure that all safety and health aspects are taken care of both for the participants, marshals and other officials. We are planning to put up all the competitors in one hotel or nearby areas and ear-mark areas demarcating the gatherings and briefings for medical check-ups. The Madras Motor Sports Club had made all the arrangements and is ready to conduct the event and once the restrictions are relaxed, we will start the season. The first round also doubles up as an Asia Pacific Rally Championship leg,” added Merla.
Vamci Merla, Promoter Over the years, the Indian National Rally Championship has earned a reputation as the flagship event and has commanded the crowd patronage as the top event of the motorsports calendar of the Federation. However, after a lull in the activities, 2019 saw the entry of Champions Yacht Club of Champions Group as the Promoters and the new team has pumped in a lot of enthusiasm and cheer into the event as it arranged sponsorship for different drivers and some part sponsorship for tyres and other necessities. The curtain-raiser before the season was a big hit and the group also took an initiative and arranged training for select drivers, who were not in a position to afford it, under the tutelage of none other than Gaurav Gill, the multiple Asia Pacific Rally and Indian National Rally champion. The king of speed did his school especially for the group of drivers selected by Champions Group in Coimbatore with Chettinad Sporting providing the technical back-up for the cars. The Champions Group also had their team, which gave a chance to many talented drivers. Thus, last year, almost all the rounds saw a record participation of over 50 cars in all the rounds.
File photo of a Gypsy driven by Sanjay Aggarwal in 2018 K1000. An INDIAinF1 image The media in Jodhpur last year, were greeted by a Chennai rally enthusiast Gopi, who was providing voluntary services, taking reporters around. It was a pleasant surprise to see such passionate fans get a chance to take part in the rally this year. “I am very much interested in rallying but never had the resources to pursue my passion. This year, the Champions Yacht Club is sponsoring me and I am excited to take part in my first rally at Chennai. This is a golden chance for me as they are supporting me to enter all the rounds this season,” said the 31-year old Gopinath Ganapathi, said. A few such lucky competitors will get a chance to fulfil their dreams this year, thanks to the sponsorship support by the Promoter.
Vamci Merla thanked the MRF Tyres for providing the sponsorship and extending it this year too. He also expressed his thanks to, JK Tyre, who heeded to their request and sponsored some teams and drivers last year and will continue to do so this year also. He added that the season would have five rounds and after the Bengaluru K1000, the calendar will end with a round in either Chikkamagaluru or Kerala.
Most of the drivers and co-drivers have been taking to social media, especially Instagram to go live and have expressed eagerness to resume rallying. “It is too long and I am looking forward to the first rally,” Gaurav Gill had said.
