INDIA in F1

Category: Non-F1

  • Arjun Maini set to start F2 campaign at Sakhir; top quality grid promises thrilling action

    Arjun Maini set to start F2 campaign at Sakhir; top quality grid promises thrilling action

    Arjun Maini….carrying Indian hopes. Photo: Formula 2

    Bahrain, April 5: India’s Arjun Maini, who moved from GP3 series, will launch his campaign in FIA Formula 2, here at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir this weekend, with Trident team, hoping to build on his fine showing during the pre-season testing at this very venue.

    This year’s Formula 2 field is jam-packed with talent and 2017 runner-up Artem Markelov returns for another bite at the cherry along with fellow race-winners Nyck de Vries, Nicholas Latifi, Luca Ghiotto, Sergio Sette Camara and Antonio Fuoco.

    Joining them is reigning GP3 Series winner George Russell along with fellow “Class of 2017” graduates Jack Aitken, Nirei Fukuzumi and Arjun Maini, as they all prepare for battle with the goal of becoming the 2018 F2 Champion.

    The teams and drivers return to Bahrain, for the first of the 12 rounds, having completed a pre-season test at the venue two weeks ago. Rookie Maximilian Günther ended the test with the quickest time. The BWT Arden driver clocked in a 1:42.756 in the opening session of the final day, beating the benchmark set by Trident’s Arjun Maini in the previous morning.

    With hot temperatures, Bahrain promises to deliver a challenging opening round for all the drivers, who will have to contend with plenty of tyre management – Pirelli providing the Soft and Medium compounds – and heavy braking zones. With the field proving to be close in testing, the first round of 2018 should be thrilling.

    The 45-minute Free Practice session will be run on Friday, followed by the qualifying session later in the day under lights. Saturday will see the 32-lap feature race with the Sprint race (23 laps) on Sunday bringing the curtains down on the season-opener.

    Some interesting Season Stats:

    21.2 – The average age of this year’s drivers.
    7 – The number of rookie drivers joining the 2018 grid, including last year’s GP3 Series Top 3.
    7 – The number of different competition licenses held by this year’s 10 teams.
    7,085 – The number of laps completed in both 2018 FIA F2 pre-season tests with the new F2 2018 car.

    This will be the first Formula 2 season with the brand new car, the F2 2018, which was conceived with the aim of better preparing drivers for contemporary Formula 1 while still retaining the characteristics required to provide fans with thrilling on-track action and great racing.

    Last year’s champion Charles Leclerc underlined F2’s position as the ultimate feeder series to F1 by stepping up to an immediate race seat from which this year’s crop of young talents will draw inspiration as they seek to reach the pinnacle of international motorsport.

    Mario Isola, Head of Car Racing at Pirelli, said: “Bahrain is a circuit that’s all about traction, so the drivers will have to manage their rear tyres in particular. Generally speaking, wear is not especially high in Bahrain, but unlike Formula 1, Formula 2 is often running in the heat of the day rather than the cooler conditions of the evening and so thermal degradation will certainly play a part.

    “There haven’t been any big changes to the Formula 2 tyres since last year, but we modified the construction slightly to take into account the new turbo engine which generates more torque as well as the increased front downforce of the latest F2 chassis.

    “Strategy as always will be very important. Formula 2 drivers don’t have to start the race using the tyres on which they qualify which opens up the possibility of different tactics. Charles Leclerc used an innovative strategy in the sprint race last year by making a pit stop. While it seems an unlikely option again, motorsport is a constant learning process for everyone, so I’m sure that all the teams will have paid close attention to see if they can learn anything from it for this year.”

    Source: FIA Formula 2 Press Release

  • Gaurav Gill: Switching tracks for betterment of Indian rallying

    Gaurav Gill: Switching tracks for betterment of Indian rallying

    Gaurav Gill as the TC marshal giving countdown ahead of a timed lap on the last day of the ADA programme in Coimbatore. Photo – Anand Philar

    By Anand Philar

    Bengaluru, March 30: Like a hitherto dormant volcano slowly coming to life, there are rumblings within Gaurav Gill who is all set to burst forth with a plethora of initiatives and activities while giving wings to his fledgling driving academy which is founded on his intense passion for the sport and an all-consuming desire to contribute to the sport in the best way that he can.

    As in his motorsport career, Gill, a restless soul even otherwise, is seeking to move up to the next level that will not only provide a platform to the businessman in him but also help share his experience with the hope that at least one more talent emerges to follow his footsteps.

    “I will be happy and proud to see another Indian on the international rally circuit and win laurels,” said the triple Asia Pacific Rally Championship title winner, in the course of several conversations over two days that I spent with him in Coimbatore where he held another round of his Advanced Driving Academy programme, in conjunction with Chettinad Sporting.

    With his own rallying career struggling to progress from regional to World stage even after proving over and over again that he belongs to the elite group of rally drivers on the planet, Gill, now on a strict diet and looking leaner than last year, has decided to channel his frustrations rather than drown in them.

    Competing against and beating the best of factory-supported European drivers with WRC exposure and seat time as his MRF team-mates, Gill won the APRC title thrice in 2013, 2016 and 2017. Through it all, he hoped and prayed that his achievements will give him a leg up to the WRC stage. Gradually, when the wait prolonged, he realized that it was best for him to focus on the “attainable”.

    ADVANCED DRIVING ACADEMY

    “Like my driving, I too have evolved as a person. I am at peace with myself and the World at large after realizing that it was pointless for me to fret about things beyond my control. If I am destined to move to the World Rally Championship scene, then it will happen, and until then, I don’t even want to talk or think about it, because it is pointless. I have to move on,” he said, while deftly steering my car through the Coimbatore traffic.

    The Advanced Driving Academy is probably a logical step forward. “Through the academy I can share my knowledge and contribute to at least raising the level of rally driving in India,” he added, though it meant getting even busier while still finding time to be with his young family, especially his two boys, the elder of whom is already showing evidence of his father’s driving genes in him!

    DABBLING IN BOLLYWOOD AND MODELING!

    At 36, Gill is a dealer for Royal Enfield bikes in his hometown New Delhi; has invested in mining property in Goa; is all set to launch a Rally Park sometime in late April; has taken up modeling assignments for a leading fashion designer in Mumbai; will soon be driving premium luxury cars in Bollywood films; working on plans to start pan-India franchise academies for beginners. system. On top of all this, there is this small matter of rallying!

    As for his entry into Bollywood, he said: “I will be driving some top-end luxury cars for scenes in some films. Some of these scenes will be shot at the BIS (Buddh International Circuit, Noida). The modeling shoots will also be happening pretty soon.”

    “Yes, my plate is getting filled up, but then, I have look ahead to my post-retirement (from motorsport) life too,” he said with a distant and dreamy look.

    ADA – LESS EXPENSIVE OPTION FOR INDIANS

    Retirement at 36 when he has barely tickled the tip of his potential as a rally driver? When I told him he would be driving competitively even 20 years from now, for, after all, rally drivers get better with age, he responded with a happy chuckle.

    “Perhaps, but who knows? For the moment, I am keen that my academy takes off in a big way. It is not just the commercial thing, but like I said, I have the knowledge and experience to share with my compatriots. The Indian rally drivers are generally fast, but there is more to competitive driving than just speed. They can getter better if they iron out certain technical flaws, and that is what I hope to do.

    “It is not just about the pace, but there is a lot of science to driving, understanding the limits of the car beside yourself. These are some of the aspects that I dwell on during the training sessions. Also, the academy is a far less expensive option than going abroad to attend driving schools,” said Gill as he shared his vision.

    “When I look back on my career, I wish I had an Indian driver with international achievements I could have looked up to and learned from. There was no such icon at that time. I can say without being falsely modest that I have achieved something internationally and in a position to share my experience with young Indian drivers who are trying to make a mark. I started the academy since I am still very much active and fairly well known rather than wait until retirement after which you will be forgotten,” he said.

    Further, the academy offers plenty of options and packages depending on the trainee’s budget, beginning with “arrive and drive” where a fully-prepped Rally car along with fuel, tyres and service back-up is offered for hire to bringing one’s own vehicle and merely hiring the support system.

    THE RALLY PARK

    Besides the ADA, Gill’s other major project is the Rally Park in his hometown Delhi that will be thrown open to all-comers with a formal launch in April.
    The Rally Park facilities include:

    • 3 Kms of Rally track with timed lap option and available for rent
    • 1 Kms of Grade B motocross track
    • Off-roading zone for SUVs
    • Karting zone

    “The Rally Park is on a 15-acre plot and open to people across all age-groups, from eight to 80, besides Corporates and manufacturers who wish to test their products. Also, as we go along, I want to start academies on a franchise basis to tap the talent at the grassroots level. These franchise units will train beginners. There are so many youngsters around who wish to get into rallying and these franchise academies will help them get a start,” he explained, shedding light on his future plans for expansion.

    The two days at the ADA in Coimbatore was certainly an eye-opener in many ways. If anything, it gave driving a totally different perspective. Those who attended the sessions were unanimous that they benefitted hugely from Gill’s inputs and shared his belief that there was more to Rally driving than just pedal-to-metal.

  • Audi India racing talent Aditya Patel returns to Blancpain GT Series Asia with OD Racing

    Audi India racing talent Aditya Patel returns to Blancpain GT Series Asia with OD Racing

    File photo by Aditya Patel’s team.

    Mumbai, March 29: Indian racer and Audi India race talent Aditya Patel will be driving for OD Racing again this year, a team announcement said on Thursday.

    Patel said that he will join forces with Mitch Gilbert and OD Racing in their Audi R8 LMS GT3 once again to fight for the title of the Blancpain GT Series Asia, which the duo missed out on by a single point last year.

    This year, however, the car will be serviced by Team WRT. WRT is known for their exploits in GT Racing worldwide, having won titles such as the Nurburgring 24hr, Spa 24hr, Dubai 24 hr, Bathurst 12hr, Blancpain GT Series and the TCR International Series to name a few.

    Aditya Patel, backed by Audi India, Jubilant Motorworks, and 2Go Activewear, along with teammate Mitch Gilbert put in a string of fine results in 2017, grabbing more podiums than anyone else on the grid, only to fall short of the title by a single point. Talking about the association, Aditya Patel said,“It’s a pleasure to be back again this year with OD Racing and Mitch. We may have missed out on the title last year but we are sure we have a strong package this year, with the support from WRT, to be able to fight for the title again. WRT is considered to be one of the best GT3 teams in the world with an impeccable track record and I’m really looking forward to working with them this year! Once again, I must thank Audi India for their continued support over the years!”

    The Blancpain GT Series is known to be one of the most challenging championships in the world made an entry into Asia in 2017 and did not disappoint. With nearly 25 GT3 cars on the grid, the series instantly grew in popularity by attracting some of the best drivers from around the world.

    This year the series will visit Malaysia, Thailand, Japan and China over six race weekends and will witness multiples manufacturers such as Audi, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, BMW, Mercedes, Mclaren etc, vying for top honours.

    “Mitch and Aditya proved last year that they are one of the strongest driver pairs in Asia and we now have the opportunity to partner with the renowned race team, WRT, a team that Audi Sport have entrusted to run their factory cars in Europe. Like us, WRT may not have been around for very long but their impressive successes and solid experience with Audi in the European races is sure to be an advantage for us moving forward.”, said ODRacing team boss Cornelius Ee.

    This season’s six-round, 12-race Blancpain GT Series Asia campaign begins at Sepang in Malaysia on April 14/15. The second race will be at Buriram, Thailand on 12, 13 May 2018.

    Audi Media info

  • Günther on top; Arjun Maini 7th: Final day of Bahrain F2 pre-season test

    Günther on top; Arjun Maini 7th: Final day of Bahrain F2 pre-season test

    Gunther tops Final Day of Bahrain F2 Testing on Friday, 23rd March 2018. Photo: FIA

    Bahrain, March 23: Maximilian Günther set the fastest lap of the FIA Formula 2 Championship pre-season test at Sakhir, Bahrain on the final day, leading the way with a 1:42.756 set in the morning session to beat Charouz Racing System’s Louis Delétraz and ART Grand Prix’s George Russell. Günther’s BWT Arden teammate Nirei Fukuzumi was quickest in the afternoon session. Indian racing driver, Arjun Maini of Trident, who finished on top of the timesheets fon Day 2, ended up 7th on the Third Day of testing on Friday.

    Roy Nissany of Campos Vexatec Racing jumped the rest of the field onto the track, beating DAMS’ Alexander Albon and Fukuzumi out of the pitlane. Günther led the opening stages, making up for a lack of running from the previous day’s afternoon session to take the early advantage.
    Although Trident’s Arjun Maini – holder of yesterday’s fastest lap – briefly leapfrogged the German driver, Günther quickly reclaimed the top berth on the timing screens with the only lap in the 1m42s, ending the first hour on top, accosted soon after by Delétraz and RUSSIAN TIME’s Tadasuke Makino.
    Jack Aitken (ART Grand Prix) brought out the red flag shortly after the second hour, coming to a halt at turn 8, leaving 45 minutes of the session to run after the track went live once more. Multiple teams took the opportunity to practice tyre changes, with the pitlane becoming a hive of activity after the green flag.
    As attention turned to race preparation, Günther’s time remained unchallenged throughout the rest of the session, staying three-tenths of a second ahead of Delétraz, as Russell completed the top three ahead of teammate Aitken. Carlin’s Sergio Sette Camara moved ahead of Makino for fifth, as Maini and Luca Ghiotto (Campos) grabbed seventh and eighth. Albon and Charouz’s Antonio Fuoco completed the top half of the field.
    Ghiotto was the first driver on track for the afternoon session, taking the initiative ahead of the two Charouz drivers to commence the post-break running. The Italian headed the early timesheets before Roberto Merhi (MP Motorsport) ended the first half-hour on top with over a second’s advantage over the field.
    Although Fuoco, Makino and his RUSSIAN TIME teammate Artem Markelov spent periods of time nestled behind Merhi in the standings, the Spanish driver kept them at arm’s length to retain control of the timing boards going into the final hour of running as the majority focused further on race simulations.
    Markelov then came to a halt to bring out the first red flag, the session resuming with 45 minutes left on the clock before Ralph Boschung (MP) brought out a second just quarter of an hour later. The restart shuffled the order somewhat, with Fukuzumi ending Merhi’s hold on the first position before Günther returned to the top of the pile shortly after.
    In the final ten minutes, Fukuzumi surged to the lead of the timing boards to complete Arden’s lock-out of both sessions. Günther completed a one-two for the British team with Fuoco third, as Camara and Markelov completed the top five. Long-time leader Merhi ended the day sixth, ahead of British duo Norris and Russell – the latter clocking in 58 laps over the afternoon’s running. Makino held the ninth-best time, as Sean Gelael (PREMA) grabbed tenth ahead of Albon.
    The Formula 2 season will officially begin in two weeks’ time – returning to Bahrain – from the 6-8 April for the first races of 2018.
    FIA Formula 2 Bahrain Test – Day 3 Morning Session
    Driver
    Team
    Laptime
    Laps
    1
    Maximilian Günther
    BWT Arden
    1:42.756
    28
    2
    Louis Delétraz
    Charouz Racing System
    1:43.058
    39
    3
    George Russell
    ART Grand Prix
    1:43.109
    24
    4
    Jack Aitken
    ART Grand Prix
    1:43.143
    24
    5
    Sergio Sette Camara
    Carlin
    1:43.149
    28
    6
    Tadasuke Makino
    RUSSIAN TIME
    1:43.209
    21
    7
    Arjun Maini
    Trident
    1:43.254
    28
    8
    Luca Ghiotto
    Campos Vexatec Racing
    1:43.266
    22
    9
    Alexander Albon
    DAMS
    1:43.388
    29
    10
    Antonio Fuoco
    Charouz Racing System
    1:43.474
    21
    11
    Lando Norris
    Carlin
    1:43.490
    28
    12
    Artem Markelov
    RUSSIAN TIME
    1:43.682
    23
    13
    Nicholas Latifi
    DAMS
    1:43.715
    30
    14
    Ralph Boschung
    MP Motorsport
    1:43.828
    17
    15
    Nyck de Vries
    PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing
    1:43.876
    22
    16
    Santino Ferrucci
    Trident
    1:43.890
    22
    17
    Roy Nissany
    Campos Vexatec Racing
    1:43.975
    22
    18
    Sean Gelael
    PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing
    1:44.051
    20
    19
    Roberto Merhi
    MP Motorsport
    1:44.625
    28
    20
    Nirei Fukuzumi
    BWT Arden
    1:44.778
    12
    FIA Formula 2 Bahrain Test – Day 3 Afternoon Session
    Driver
    Team
    Laptime
    Laps
    1
    Nirei Fukuzumi
    BWT Arden
    1:43.430
    35
    2
    Maximilian Günther
    BWT Arden
    1:44.145
    35
    3
    Antonio Fuoco
    Charouz Racing System
    1:44.152
    39
    4
    Sergio Sette Camara
    Carlin
    1:45.310
    21
    5
    Artem Markelov
    RUSSIAN TIME
    1:46.895
    46
    6
    Roberto Merhi
    MP Motorsport
    1:46.908
    45
    7
    Lando Norris
    Carlin
    1:46.937
    24
    8
    George Russell
    ART Grand Prix
    1:47.860
    58
    9
    Tadasuke Makino
    RUSSIAN TIME
    1:47.239
    34
    10
    Sean Gelael
    PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing
    1:47.419
    45
    11
    Alexander Albon
    DAMS
    1:48.110
    48
    12
    Ralph Boschung
    MP Motorsport
    1:48.412
    24
    13
    Santino Ferrucci
    Trident
    1:48.454
    43
    14
    Roy Nissany
    Campos Vexatec Racing
    1:48.469
    28
    15
    Jack Aitken
    ART Grand Prix
    1:48.600
    53
    16
    Luca Ghiotto
    Campos Vexatec Racing
    1:48.759
    56
    17
    Nicholas Latifi
    DAMS
    1:48.776
    34
    18
    Nyck de Vries
    PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing
    1:48.857
    29
    19
    Louis Delétraz
    Charouz Racing System
    1:49.013
    41
    20
    Arjun Maini
    Trident
    1:49.327
    33
  • Arjun Maini fastest on Day 2: F2 Test

    Arjun Maini fastest on Day 2: F2 Test

    Arjun Maini, fastest on Day 2 at Shakir, Bahrain on Thursday. Photo: FIA

    Bahrain, March 22: Trident’s Arjun Maini ended the second day of the FIA Formula 2 Championship test here in Sakhir having set a quickest lap of 1:42.779 in the morning session, ending the day faster than ART Grand Prix’s Jack Aitken and Nyck de Vries of Pertamina Prema Theodore Racing.

     The competitors were once again greeted with perfect conditions, scrambling to get on track as soon as the green flag was waved. Maini and Trident teammate Santino Ferrucci were first to reach the circuit, followed in hot pursuit by Charouz Racing System’s Louis Delétraz.
    Luca Ghiotto (Campos Vexatec Racing) set the early pace, before trading best times with Delétraz in the opening stages of the session. Intruding on their fight for dominance, George Russell of ART soon displaced the pair from the top before the Swiss driver took six tenths out of his rival to raise the bar further.
    Maini then became the first driver to dip below the 1m43s marker, shading Delétraz by almost half a second to end the first hour on top. Artem Markelov (Russian Time) brought out a red flag for a spin at Turn 8 shortly after, but the ensuing burst of running after the session restarted was not enough to end the Indian driver’s stranglehold on the timing screens.
    Alexander Albon (DAMS) brought out a second red flag having stopped at the entry to the pitlane, before Aitken provided Maini’s sternest opposition yet having closed to within three tenths of the fastest lap. The final fifteen minutes brought out a final dash of activity, but Maini’s time proved to be unbeatable at the close of the session, with Aitken beating de Vries to second.
    Ghiotto ended the session fourth best ahead of Delétraz, with Russell and compatriot Lando Norris (Carlin) sixth and seventh. Maximilian Günther (BWT Arden) beat Tadasuke Makino (Russian Time) to ninth, with both edging ahead of Arden’s Nirei Fukuzumi.
    Race simulations took priority in the afternoon’s action as the temperatures rose, and Charouz took the initiative to send Antonio Fuoco and Delétraz out first. Ralph Boschung (MP Motorsport) set the early pace on his opening run, finding a time in the 1m47s which he then bested by over a second on his next set of laps.
    The Swiss led the standings throughout the majority of the session, before Ferrucci pipped the MP driver by a tenth of a second in the final 15 minutes to take control of the timesheets. He duly whittled his time down to a 1:45.522, which proved to be unbeatable throughout the remainder of the session.
    Boschung held onto second – half a second quicker than Maini’s afternoon best – while Delétraz took fourth ahead of Norris. Roberto Merhi (MP Motorsport) was sixth fastest, beating Aitken and Fuoco, while Sergio Sette Camara (Carlin) was ninth ahead of Fukuzumi. Aitken achieved the largest lap count of anyone across the day, circulating 86 times in total.
    Tomorrow’s final session will once more open from 9am until 12pm, with a two-hour interval before the running returns at 2pm. The test will conclude at 5pm.
    FIA Formula 2 Bahrain Test – Day 2 Morning Session
    Driver
    Team
    Laptime
    Laps
    1
    Arjun Maini
    Trident
    1:42.779
    34
    2
    Jack Aitken
    ART Grand Prix
    1:43.003
    34
    3
    Nyck de Vries
    PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing
    1:43.080
    40
    4
    Luca Ghiotto
    Campos Vexatec Racing
    1:43.111
    24
    5
    Louis Delétraz
    Charouz Racing System
    1:43.145
    17
    6
    George Russell
    ART Grand Prix
    1:43.161
    40
    7
    Lando Norris
    Carlin
    1:43.212
    31
    8
    Maximilian Günther
    BWT Arden
    1:43.315
    22
    9
    Tadasuke Makino
    RUSSIAN TIME
    1:43.415
    20
    10
    Nirei Fukuzumi
    BWT Arden
    1:43.467
    27
    11
    Antonio Fuoco
    Charouz Racing System
    1:43.498
    33
    12
    Nicholas Latifi
    DAMS
    1:43.520
    29
    13
    Roberto Merhi
    MP Motorsport
    1:43.610
    17
    14
    Sergio Sette Camara
    Carlin
    1:43.612
    29
    15
    Artem Markelov
    RUSSIAN TIME
    1:43.641
    28
    16
    Sean Gelael
    PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing
    1:43.686
    37
    17
    Santino Ferrucci
    Trident
    1:43.785
    22
    18
    Roy Nissany
    Campos Vexatec Racing
    1:43.971
    26
    19
    Alexander Albon
    DAMS
    1:44.001
    21
    20
    Ralph Boschung
    MP Motorsport
    1:44.164
    14
    FIA Formula 2 Bahrain Test – Day 2 Afternoon Session
    Driver
    Team
    Laptime
    Laps
    1
    Santino Ferrucci
    Trident
    1:45.522
    41
    2
    Ralph Boschung
    MP Motorsport
    1:45.664
    17
    3
    Arjun Maini
    Trident
    1:46.162
    39
    4
    Louis Delétraz
    Charouz Racing System
    1:46.737
    39
    5
    Lando Norris
    Carlin
    1:47.431
    33
    6
    Roberto Merhi
    MP Motorsport
    1:47.719
    25
    7
    Jack Aitken
    ART Grand Prix
    1:48.354
    52
    8
    Antonio Fuoco
    Charouz Racing System
    1:48.855
    38
    9
    Sergio Sette Camara
    Carlin
    1:48.862
    25
    10
    Nirei Fukuzumi
    BWT Arden
    1:48.867
    33
    11
    Roy Nissany
    Campos Vexatec Racing
    1:48.944
    38
    12
    Sean Gelael
    PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing
    1:49.512
    40
    13
    Luca Ghiotto
    Campos Vexatec Racing
    1:49.688
    37
    14
    Nicholas Latifi
    DAMS
    1:49.796
    40
    15
    Alexander Albon
    DAMS
    1:49.995
    26
    16
    Nyck de Vries
    PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing
    1:50.814
    38
    17
    Artem Markelov
    RUSSIAN TIME
    1:50.897
    35
    18
    Tadasuke Makino
    RUSSIAN TIME
    1:51.217
    34
    19
    George Russell
    ART Grand Prix
    1:51.243
    44
    20
    Maximilian Günther
    BWT Arden
    —
    —
  • Aishwarya Pissay geared up for Desert Storm challenge

    Aishwarya Pissay geared up for Desert Storm challenge

    Bikaner (Rajasthan): Indian National women’s racing and rally champion Aishwarya Pissay from Bengaluru, representing TVS Racing team, is hoping for a strong finish in the country’s major cross-country event, the Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm 2018, with the first-leg scheduled to start here this evening and conclude late at night.

    After Sunday’s ceremonial flag-off in Noida, the participants arrived here for the start of the first leg that comprises two Special Stages totaling about 70 Km

    File photo of Aishwarya Pissay by Anand Philar

    and scheduled to start in the evening.

    Having finished fourth in the Raid de Himalaya rally while becoming the only female rider to complete the grueling course in the ‘Xtreme’ category, Aishwarya has been entered in the Group B (up to 250cc) class for the Desert Storm that has 43 riders in the fray.

    Looking ahead to the weeklong event that has 900 Km of Special Stages while covering a total distance of 2,500 Km, Aishwarya, 22, said: “I am better prepared this year unlike in 2017 when I packed on the second day itself after suffering multiple crashes.

    “I am happy to have joined the TVS Racing team and it is a huge lift for my career. With the team’s support, I hope to do well this time around.

    “As part of my preparations for the Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm 2018, I spent a few days in Jaipur, working on my riding skills on desert tracks, thus giving myself more time on the bike and also overall fitness. So, I am as ready as I could be for the challenge.”

    This year, the Special Stages are located around Bikaner and Jaisalmer, and the riders will have to negotiate treacherous desert tracks dotted with sand dunes. The event will conclude on March 23 with a gala prize-distribution ceremony.

    AP Media Comm. release

  • Ajgar, Musthafa win JK Tyre Himalayan Drive

    Darjeeling, 2 March 2018: The pair of  Ajgar Ali and Mohammed Musthafa successfully defended their title at the  Biswa Bangla JK Tyre Himalayan Drive 6 beating the hot-in-pursuit Kolkata duo of Subir Roy and Nirav Mehta by a narrow five-penalty margin to bring the rally to an exciting finish in Darjeeling on Sunday.

    The five-day event, India’s Tri-Nation TSD rally, took 24 teams across Nepal, North Bengal and Bhutan over 1,615 tough kilometers. Leg 2 and 3 in Nepal were cancelled due to technical problems arising out of rallying through different time zones.

    In the Open category too, the Aaj Tak team of Gagan Sethi and Dhiraj Arora maintained their lead right from the Day 1 and emerged winners. The team of Govind Dalmia and Anand Agarwala from Siliguri finished a distant second.  Pranjal More and Milindo Paul, also from Siliguri, came third.

    In the SUV category, Amit Dhanotia and Anuragh Agarwala emerged winners while in the Above- 1300 cc category, Pranai Rai and Nanki Kharki from Kalimpong won the title. Another Kalimpong team of Bimal Kumar Poudel and Rajendra Gaire won the Under-1,300cc category.

    The final leg was flagged off from the Tashi Namgay Grand Hotel above Phuentsholing in Bhutan  The rally then hit the hills and passed through Samsing, Gorubathan, Lava and the charming hill station of Kalimpong and continued after lunch through the steep, tea bush-covered hills of Peshoke to reach Darjeeling in the evening through Jore bungalow.

    The scenic and iconic Mall in Darjeeling provided the perfect setting for the prize distribution ceremony.

    ends/david/release

  • Mathana, Aravind B win AVT Gold Cup Million Endurance Race for 2-wheelers

    Mathana, Aravind B win AVT Gold Cup Million Endurance Race for 2-wheelers

    Mathana Kumar (left) and Aravind Balakrishnan, winers of the AVT Gold Cup Million Endurance Race at the MMRT circuit at Sriperumbudur on Sunday, February 25. Image by Anand Philar

    Chennai,25 Feb 2018: The pair of Mathana Kumar (Trichy) and fellow-rider Aravind Balasumbramanaim (Chennai), representing Honda Ten10 Racing team, emerged overall champions in the AVT Gold Cup Million Endurance Race for two-wheelers at the MMRT circuit, here on Sunday.

    It is one of the firsts by Madras Motorsports Association (MMSC), as awareness about Endurance races is yet to reach the masses in India. “The Madras Motor Sports Club has been the pioneer in developing and promoting motorsport in India since 1953, and we look to further improve in the years to come. It is the club’s endeavor to provide more opportunities for competitors, and to this end, various progressive programmes were chalked out and this is one of them,” said an organiser.

    Kishor VS and Antony Peter (Apex Racing Academy) finished second overall ahead of Honda Ten10 Racing team’s Senthil Kumar and AS Alexander. All three podium pairs completed 41 laps.

    The final outcome of the 90-minute race had more to do with the team strategies and just about the pace of the riders. Each team comprised of two riders.

    As per the regulations, the minimum time a rider could ride was for 20 minutes and the maximum time was set at 45 minutes. After the minimum time and before the maximum time elapsed, the rider had to make a mandatory rider change. The mandatory stop time for a rider change was set at 1 minute.

    During the course of the race, a team had to make a mandatory fuel stop for which the motorcycle must have remained stationary for at least 3 minutes. The teams were allowed to do a tyre stop as well but this was not mandatory.

    “I think, our strategy worked well today. I went out first, built up a lead which my team-mate Aravind maintained. On my second run, I suffered from cramps, but somehow, I managed to complete my turn,” said an overjoyed Mathana who rode the Honda CBR 250 bike.

    The results (Provisional):

    Overall / Honda CBR 250: Mathana Kumar / Aravind Balasubramainam (Honda Ten10 Racing) 1 (41 laps, 01hr, 31mins, 38.048secs); 2. Kishor VS / Anthony Peter (Apex Racing Academy) (41 laps, 01:31.57.186); 3. Sethil Kumar / AS Alexander (Honda Ten10 Racing) (41 laps, 01:32.06.461).

    Pro-Stock Open (301-400cc): 1. P Sai Sahil / G Vikas Kumar (40 laps, 01:31:50.690); 2. K Raja Pandian / Varun Patil (38 laps, 01:32:06.038); 3. Aakash Rajshakha / Bhumik Lalwani (37 laps, 01:32:53.352).

    Pro-Stock Open (130-165cc): 1. Yashas RL / K Kannan (39 laps, 01:31:45.003); 2. A Amala Jerald / C Rajkumar (Honda Ten10 Racing) (39 laps, 01:32:11.871); 3. Sarath Kumar / PK Mithun Kumar (Honda Ten10 Racing) (39 laps, 01:32:31.469).

    Stock (130-165cc): 1. Aditya Rao Immaneni / Karthik (39 laps, 01:32:00.317); 2. Manoj Y / A Ryhana Bee (38 laps, 01:31:47.013); 3. Anand R / Narayanan K (38 laps, 01:33:29.028).

    eom/MMSC release

  • Ajgar-Mustafa take lead after Day 1 of Biswa Bangla presents JK Himalayan Drive 6

    Chitwan (Nepal), 24 Feb 2018: Defending champions Ajgar Ali and Mohammed Mustafa jumped into the lead after Day 1 of the Biswa Bangla presents JK Himalayan Drive 6, the only Tri-Nation TSD (Time, Speed, Distance) rally of India, late here on Saturday.

    The veteran rallyists underlined their class in their Mitsubishi Media as they tackled the dirt and dust tracks that eventually took them through the lush forests in Darjeeling. They were ahead of the pack with 54 penalty points; Subir Roy and navigator Nirav Mehta were right behind the leaders, with 62 penalty points in their Maruti Gypsy. Captain Vijay Kumar Sharma and Chandan Sen eased into the third position with 132 penalty points.

    The HD 6 was flagged off ceremonially at the City Center in Siliguri (West Bengal), jointly by Siliguri Police Commissioner Sunil Kumar Choudhury and Inspector General of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) Srikumar Bandopadhyay on Friday morning. Hundreds lined up

    To watch the mean machines even as police and SSB brass and pipe bands played popular tunes.

    The rallyists drove through Matigara-Kurseong Road, Khaprail Bazar and Panihati before reaching the vast dry bed of the Manja river, a tributary of Teesta river. They then drove through Naxalbari (which incubated the infamous ultra-left Naxal movement) to enter Nepal at Kakarbitta.

    At Kakarbitta, the participants were accorded a warm welcome by the Nepal Automotive Sports Association (NASA). The rallyists then drove 466 kilometers on the busy East-West Highway to reach Chitwan for the night halt. Out of the total 521 kilometers that they travelled on Friday, 74 kilometers were in the competitive section.

    The lush green backdrop of the Chitwan National park in Nepal provided the perfect setting for the ceremonial flag-off of the second leg of the rally. Saturday’s 80 kilometer-long rally route traversed through hills, tropical forests, embankments of the Rapti river and dry beds of the Rapti’s many tributaries.

    It proved to be a thrilling leg as it was the first time that an international rally was staged at Chitwan, a National Park and a World Heritage Site spread over 932 square kilometers. The rallyists drove through the periphery of the national park which is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna, including the Royal Bengal Tiger, the endangered one-horned rhino, sloth bears, elephants, leopards and crocodiles.

    About JK Tyre Motorsport: JK Tyre has always been closely associated with the world of sports. Almost three decades back the company laid down a long-term and sustained approach to promote Motorsport. Participating in this form of the sport has helped the company in continuously updating its products to meet the challenges of grueling Indian conditions. The sport at that time in India was perceived as elite but JK Tyre took upon itself to package and redesign the sport to suit the masses. The company not only made the sport affordable but also equivalent to International operating standards. JK Tyre’s foray into Motorsport was a well thought out strategic decision to not only use and develop this virgin branding platform but also to realise the dreams of making India a force in the field of motorsport.

    In 2011, the company acquired the Formula BMW Series and rechristened it as the JK Racing Asia Series (JKRAS). With this acquisition, JK Tyre created history in Indian Motorsport by becoming the first Indian company to acquire an FIA accredited series. By taking over the series, JK Tyre promises to utilise it as a platform to encourage and support the world’s best racing drivers and promote India as one of Asia’s motorsport capitals.

    Thus, JK Tyre has conquered two steps in the motorsport programme where the new racing aspirants first establish themselves in India, then graduate to Asian level i.e. to Formula BMW, which is now JKRAS and then they move to higher levels of racing. JK Tyre now stands closer to achieving its mission of bringing world-class motorsport to the Indian masses. The Racing and Karting programme by JK Tyre has been the breeding ground for the country’s  motorsport talents like Narain Karthikeyan, Armaan Ebrahim, Karun Chandhok, Aditya Patel and other emerging talents.

    Another pioneering initiative was the launch of the Truck Racing Championship in India in partnership with Tata Motors. The company developed and designed `JetRacing’, the new-generation truck racing tyres especially for this application. With this, JK Tyre became the first tyre company to produce truck racing tyres in India. The combination of the Prima trucks fitted with Jet Racing received an overwhelming response from participants and has definitely brought in a revolution in the Indian racing scenario.

  • Champ Drugovich unstoppable in MRF Challenge; Maiden career win for Nikanth Ram

    Champ Drugovich unstoppable in MRF Challenge; Maiden career win for Nikanth Ram

    Chennai, 4 Feb 2018: Young Nikanth Ram from Coimbatore and in Arka Motorsports livery chalked up maiden win of

    MRF Challenge 2017 champion Felipe Drugovich (centre) flanked by second-placed Presley Martono (right) and third-placed Rinus van Kalmthout at MMRT, Chennai on Sunday, 4 Feb 2018. Image by Anand Philar.

    his saloon car racing career as the first round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Racing Championship 2018 concluded at the MMRT circuit, here on Sunday.

    While Ram, a 21-year old commerce graduate from Coimbatore, bagged full points, team-mate Ashish Ramaswamy from Bengaluru achieved a double by winning the second race earlier, but retired with an expired engine in the weekend’s third outing.

    Meanwhile, 17-year old Brazilian Felipe Drugovich stamped his authority in the MRF Challenge 2017 as he swept to victory in both the races run today to finish the season with 10 wins from 16 outings over four rounds.

    Drugovich, who had sealed the championship on Saturday itself, had few problems in Race 3 after easing his way to the front of the field. He set such a hot pace that midway through the 20-lap race that he finished some 11 seconds in front of second-placed Indonesian Presley Martono who was followed home by Rinus van Kalmthout from the Netherlands.

    In the final race of the 2017 MRF Challenge later in the day, Drugovich, starting second on the grid, got a jump on pole-sitter Rinus van Kalmthout of the Netherlands in the very first lap and then gradually increased the lead to notch another fluent win.

    While Drugovich finished the season with 333 points, Martono (254) and Kalmthout (247) completed the top three positions in the championship.

    In the day’s first saloon car race, Ashish Ramaswamy was again the dominant force despite starting fourth on the reverse grid. He jumped two places by the end of the first lap, tailed leader Vidya Prakash for a couple of more laps before moving into the lead. Thereafter, he kept increasing the lead to emerge a comfortable winner while veterans Vijaya Kumar and Vidya Prakash finished behind him in that order while pole-sitter Nikanth Ram was a non-finisher following a spin.

    Nikanth, however, was handed a victory on the platter in the next outing when Ashish, enjoying a massive lead after starting from pole, retired with the engine problem in a fourth of the eight-lapper. Nikanth who was running second, made the best of the situation to score a maiden win in his saloon car racing career and finished ahead of Prime Racing’s Raja Ram and Biren Pithawalla of Team N1.

    The results (Provisional): MRF Challenge – Race 3 (20 laps): 1. Felipe Drugovich (Brazil) (33mins, 09.353secs); 2. Presley Martono (Indonesia) (33:20.422); 3. Rinus van Kalmthout (Netherlands) (33:21.398). Race 4 (20 laps): 1. Drugovich (30:08.812); 2. Kalmthout (30:13.094); 3. Martono (30:16.118).

    National Championship – Saloon cars: Indian Touring Cars (Race 2, 12 laps): 1. Ashish Ramaswamy (Arka Motorsports) (23:25.024); 2. B Vijaya Kumar (Prime Racing) (23:51.922); 3. D Vidya Prakash (Prime Racing) (23:58.350). Race 3 (8 laps): 1. V Nikanth Ram (Arka Motorsports) (15:55.693); 2. C Raja Ram (Prime Racing) (15:59.000); 3. Biren Pithawalla (Team N1) (16:11.372).

    Indian Junior Touring Cars (Race 2, 11 laps): 1. Kamlesh Parmar (Team N1) (23:55.103); 2. Chrys D’Souza (Unimek Racing) (24:24.572); 3. Prabhu AS (Arka Motorsports) (24:24.812). Race 3 (8 laps): 1. D’Souza (17:48.207); 2. Prabhu (17:48.434); 3. Nikunj D Vagh (Team N1) (17:49.100).

    Esteem Cup (12 laps): 1. Raghul Rangasamy (Performance Racing) (24:20.853); 2. Vinod S (Team N1) (24:33.727); 3. Archit Mylanda (Performance Racing) (25:06.829).  Race 3 (8 laps): 1. Rangasamy (16:21.542); 2. Vinod S (16:30.865); 3. Mylanda  (16:43.432).

    Super Stock (12 laps): 1. RP Rajarajan (Performance Racing) (24:55.565); 2. Srinivas Teja K (Performance Racing) (25:18.133); 3. Swajit Acharaker (Team N1) (23:38.158 + 1 lap). Race 3 (8 laps): 1. Srinivas Teja K (16:52.869); 2. Acharaker (17:02.854); 3. Rajashekar R (Infinite Piston) (17:09.812).

    Vidiem Superbikes Cup (Support race) – Race 2 (8 laps): 600cc – 1.Siddhanth Koundinya (Bengaluru) (15:30.765); 2. Vishwadev Muraleedharan (Coimbatore) (15:39.311); 3. Ritesh Sapre (Mumbai) (15:45.182).

    eom/MMSC release