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Category: Non-F1
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Diana Pundole creates history, becomes first woman to win a National title
Chennai, 18 August 2024: As expected, teenagers Jaden Rahman Pariat (Shillong) and Bengaluru’s Abhay Mohan emerged champions in the premier MRF single-seater categories while Diana Pundole from Pune broke the glass ceiling by becoming the first female driver to win a championship title as the curtains came down on an action-packed fourth and final round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Car Racing Championship 2024 – Powered by STORM-X at the Madras International Circuit, here on Sunday.
Others to win the championship in their respective categories were: Biren Pithawalla (Mumbai, N1 Racing) in Indian Touring Cars, Srinivas Teja (Chennai, Performance Racing) in Indian Junior Touring Cars, Viswas Vijayaraj (Nellore, DTS Racing) in Formula LGB 1300 and Diana Pundole, the mother of two from Pune, who also became the first female to annex the title in the MRF Saloons category. Incidentally, she celebrated her 28th birthday on Friday last. “But I didn’t touch my phone because I wanted to focus on this weekend’s races. I can’t describe the feelings now, but I’m very happy, of course,” she said.
Jaden Pariat, left, and Abhay Mohan Businessman from Lonavla Dhruv Chavan survived massive battles through six races over the weekend to win the championship in the Polo Cup.
Today, Jaden could not add to his eight wins, as he finished second behind Bengaluru’s Chetan Surineni in both MRF Formula 2000 races today. However, the 17-year-old Jaden accrued sufficient points to annex his maiden championship with Surineni in second spot on the leaderboard. “I have proved to myself that I have it in me to win a championship. After my win yesterday, I just wanted to bring the car home without trying anything risky, but it’s great to win my first-ever championship. It is also good for Chetan (Surineni) to win both races today,” said Jaden.
Similarly, 16-year-old Abhay Mohan marked his debut season by clinching his maiden championship in the MRF Formula 1600 category though he was denied an all-win record by Mumbai’s Zahan Commissariat. With 11 wins from 12 starts, Abhay emerged champion by a massive margin. “It is still to sink in. I mean, winning a championship in my debut season is great, but I can’t find words to express my happiness. It was a good run overall and I thank my JA Motorsports, my family and friends for their support,” said Abhay.
Nellore’s 26-year-old Viswas Vijayaraj claimed the title in the Formula LGB 1300 category despite retiring early in the last two races, one of which was won by Mira Erda who, starting from pole, held off stiff competition to score her first-ever win in single-seater since her debut in 2014. “I have waited for 10 years for this moment. I have been racing in a single-seater class since 2014, but apart from a few podiums, I have never won a race. So, I am absolutely delighted by today’s win which I am told is the first by a female driver in FLGB 1300,” said an ecstatic 23-year-old Mira who is also making a career as a driver-coach.
The day’s post-lunch session was extended due to a couple of crashes and spins leading to Red Flag stoppages with title contenders involved in wheel-to-wheel battles.
Provisional results:
MRF F2000 (Race-2, 10 laps): 1. Chetan Surineni (Bengaluru) (15min, 59.892sec); 2. Jaden Rahman Pariat (Shillong) (16:03.671); 3. Akhil Agarwal (Mumbai) (16:26.390). Race-3 (8 laps): 1. Chetan Surineni (16:17.445); 2. Jaden Rahman Pariat (16:18.863); 3. Tarun Muthaiah (Bengaluru) (16:31.961). Champion driver: Jaden Rahman Pariat (Shillong).
MRF F1600 (Race-2, 10 laps): 1. Zahan Commissariat (Mumbai) (17:31.861); 2. Abha Mohan (Bengaluru) (17:32.137); 3. Saishiva Sankaran (Pune) (17:35.536). Race-3 (8 laps): 1. Abhay Mohan (16:45.609); 2. Saishiva Sankaran (16:49.407); 3. Raaj Bakhru (Mumbai) (16:57.507). Champion driver: Abhay Mohan (Bengaluru).
Indian Touring Cars (Race-2, 10 laps): 1. Biren Pithawalla (Mumbai, Team N1) (19:15.391); 2. Anant Pithawalla (Mumbai, Team N1) (19:35.441); 3. Jeevanantham Subramaniam (Coimbatore, Pvt.) (20:04.964). Race-3 (6 laps): 1. Biren Pithawalla (11:34.635); 2. Deepak Ravikumar (Chennai, Team Performance Racing) (11:34.970); 3. Anant Pithawalla (11:38.379). Champion driver: Biren Pithawalla (Mumbai, Team N1).
Indian Junior Touring Cars (Race-2, 10 laps): 1. Srinivas Teja (Chennai, Performance Racing) (19:42.384); 2. Hatim Shabbir (Chennai, Team Performance Racing) (19:43.443); 3. Yug Italiya (Mumbai, Team N1) (20:05.723). Race-3 (6 laps): 1. Srinivas Teja (11:50.328); 2. Hatim Shabir (11:50.786); 3. Nikung Vagh (Surat, Team N1) (12:00.937). Champion driver: Srinivas Teja (Chennai, Performance Racing).
Super Stock (Race-2, 10 laps): 1. Justin Singh (Gurugram, Redline Racing) (21:07.530); 2. Anirudha Aravind (Chennai, Redline Racing India) (21:09.109); Angad Matharoo (Chandigarh, Buzzing Hornet Motorsports) (21:11.496). Race-3 (6 laps): 1. Justin Singh (12:35.884); 2. Anirudha Aravind (12:40.607); 3. Manan Patel (Mumbai, Redline Racing India) (12:40.825). Champion Driver: Withheld pending investigation.
Formula LGB 1300 (Race-2, 10 laps): 1. Mira Erda (Vadodara, DTS Racing) (19:53.382); 2. Dilijith TS (Thrissur, DTS Racing) (19:54.804); 3. Dhruv Goswami (Bengaluru, MSport) (19:57.549). Race-3 (8 laps): 1. Diljith TS (15:08.241); 2. Balaprasath (Thrissur, DTS Racing) (15:11.699); 3. Neev Datta (New Delhi, MSport) (15:17.425). Champion driver: Viswas Vijayaraj (Nellore, DTS Racing).
MRF Saloons (Toyota Etios) Race-2 (10 laps): 1. Anirudha Aravind (Chennai) (21:03.555); 2. Diana Pundole (Pune) (21:03.824); 3. Muskaan Jubbal (Delhi) (21:04.229). Race-3 (8 laps): 1. Diana Pundole (16:42.428); 2. Anirudha Aravind (16:46.799); 3. Muskaan Jubbal (16:49.432). All Redline Racing. Champion driver: Diana Pundole (Pune, Redline Racing).
Polo Cup (Race-4, 8 laps): 1. Romir Arya (Mumbai) (15:33.374); 2. Dhruv Chavan (Lonavala) (15:42.731); 3. Munjal Savia (Mumbai) (15:43.284). Race-5 (10 laps): 1. Aditya Patnaik (Mumbai) (19:30.762); 2. Munjal Savla (Mumbai) (19:40.753); 3. Romir Arya (Mumbai) (19:41.461). Polo Cup (Race-6, 8 laps): 1. Ojas Surve (Mumbai) (15:34.195); 2. Dhruv Chavan (15:39.358); 3. Aditya Patnaik (15:40.331). Champion driver: Dhruv Chavan (Lonavla).
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Viswas Vijayaraj, Abhay Mohan seal title in their classes with 3 races to spare;
Chennai, 17 August 2024: Viswas Vijayaraj from Nellore, Andhra Pradesh driving for DTS Racing sealed the championship in the MRF F1300 class with three races to spare while Abhay Mohan of Bengaluru continued his unbeaten run and clinched the MRF F1600 championship with three races still to be run, on the first day of the fourth and final round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Car Racing Championship 2024 – Powered by STORM-X at the Madras International Circuit, here on Saturday.
Vijayaraj won 8 of the 10 races so far and with only two races remaining on Sunday, he garnered an unbeatable lead of 63 points scoring 211 points. Barring a very unlikely ‘dq’ on the final day, he sealed the championship. for 2024. His closest driver in second place is Balaprasath of Coimbatore on 148 points.
Viswas Vijayaraj of Nellore who clinched the championship in F1300 class. Abhay Mohan, 16, was impressive in maintaining his unbeaten run in the MRF Formula 1600. He won all the 9 races so for to bag 225 points and he is far ahead of Zahan Commissariat in second place with 142 points. He is provisionally crowned the National champion in F1600 class.
In the MRF F2000 race, teenagers Jaden Rahman Pariat from Shillong also came up with fine performances to claim top honours.
Seventeen-year-old Jaden set a scorching pace to score his eighth win in 10 outings from pole position in the MRF Formula 2000 race. He was never seriously challenged in his race.
Elsewhere, Mumbai’s Biren Pithawalla (N1 Racing) also notched his eighth consecutive victory in the premier Indian Touring Cars class, holding off Chennai ace Deepak Ravikumar (Performance Racing) who drove a fine race to finish second with a last lap overtaking of Ananth Pithawalla (N1 Racing).
Bengaluru’s Abhay Mohan who won the MRF F1600 title with three races to spare on 17 Aug 2024. Srinivas Teja (Performance Racing) and Balaprasath (DTS Racing) topped the Indian Junior Touring Cars and Super Stock categories in a race that saw its share of extremely close fights where a few cars exchanged paints.
Viswas Vijayaraj from Nellore led a podium sweep for DTS Racing, while also scoring his eighth win to take a firm grip on the title in the Formula LGB 1300 category. His team-mates Balaprasath (Coimbatore) and Diljith TS (Thrissur) came in second and third, respectively.
There was plenty of action in the Polo Cup which saw three of the six races scheduled being completed. All three races produced different winners underlining the competitiveness of the grid. Aditya Patnaik (Mumbai), Dhruv Chavan (Lonavla) and Romir Arya (Mumbai), the youngest competitor in this category, won a race apiece.
Meanwhile, Daiana Pundole, the mother of two from Pune, was in total command while winning the MRF Saloons race ahead of Chennai’s Anirudha Aravind and Arunshi Vikram from Chikkamagaluru.
The results (Provisional – all 8 laps unless mentioned):
MRF F2000 (Race-1): 1. Jaden Rahman Pariat (Shillong) (12mins, 49.153secs); 2. Chetan Surineni (Bengaluru) (12:54.889); 3. Tarun Muthaiah (Bengaluru) (13:13.928).
MRF F1600 (Race-1): 1. Abhay Mohan (Bengaluru) (14:00.541); 2. Zahan Commissariat (Mumba) (14:03.100); 3. Raaj Bakhru (Mumbai) (14:03.978).
Indian Touring Cars (Race-1): 1. Biren Pithawalla (Mumbai, Team N1) (15:22.533); 2. Deepak Ravikumar (Chennai, Team Performance Racing) (15:24.900); 3. Anant Pithawalla (Mumbai, Team N1) (15:25.874).
Indian Junior Touring Cars (Race-1): 1. Srinivas Teja (Chennai, Team Performance Racing) (15:38.598); 2. Nikung Vagh (Surat, Team N1) (15:55.340): 3. Dean Mascarenhas (Mangaluru, DB Motorsports) (16:13.472).
Super Stock (Race-1): 1. Balaprasath (Coimbatore, DTS Racing) (16:45.693); 2. Justin Singh (Gurugram Redline Racing India) (16:46.283); 3. Manan Patel (Mumbai, Redline Racing India) (17:00.886).
Formula LGB 1300 (Race-1, 5 laps): 1. Viswas Vijayaraj (Nellore, DTS Racing) (09:25.493); 2. Balaprasath (Coimbatore, DTS Racing) (09:26.828); 3. Diljith T. S. (Thrissur, DTS Racing) (09:27.460).
MRF Saloons (Toyota Etios) (Race-1): 1. Diana Pundole (Pune) (16:46.605); 2. Anirudha Aravind (Chennai) (16:50.194); 3. Tarushi Vikram (Chikkamagaluru) (16:53.548). All Redline Racing.
Polo Cup (Race-1): 1. Aditya Patnaik (Mumbai) (15:35.929); 2. Ojas Surve (Mumbai) (15:39.574); 3. Dhruv Chavan (Lonavla) (15:40.330). Race-2: 1. Dhruv Chavan (15:35.029); 2. Ojas Surve (15:35.876); 3. Aditya Patnaik (15:36.524). Race-3 (10 laps): 1. Romir Arya (Mumbai) (19:22.798); 2. Ojas Surve (19:25.236): 3. Dhruv Chavan (19:28.045).
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Kingfisher set to bring good times to Indian Racing League
New Delhi, 13 August 2024: Kingfisher is set to bring the good times back to Indian motorsports as the presenting sponsor of the Indian Racing League (IRL) for the 2024 edition. IRL and Kingfisher announced this exciting partnership for India’s premier race event and the motorsport fans across the country.
Promoted by Racing Promotions, the IRL aims to captivate India’s booming motorsports fanbase. Returning in 2024, the IRL is set for its most spectacular season yet, with eight franchise teams set to battle for glory over five rounds. Kingfisher Power Soda from United Breweries Limited, part of the Heineken company, known for its vibrant and youthful spirit, joins the high-octane speed extravaganza at Chennai from August 20, when the season testing begins.
Akhilesh Reddy, Chairman & Managing Director of RPPL, expressed delight in welcoming Kingfisher on board; “We are thrilled to have Kingfisher, a brand that has been intrinsically associated with premier sports events in India. We are happy to welcome them as our sponsor for the 2024 edition. Kingfisher embodies the same spirit of excitement, youth, and belief to create experiences—values we at IRL not only share but also aim to celebrate with our rapidly growing fanbase of motorsport enthusiasts.”
Vikram Bahl, Chief Marketing Officer, United Breweries Limited said, “As one of the most iconic brands in the country, Kingfisher has always been on the forefront in bringing experiences that elevate consumer engagement. With significant opportunities for motorsports and growing popularity of the sport in India, we are thrilled to partner with Indian Racing League 2024 as the presenting partner. Tamil Nadu has been a hub for motorsports and is a state with immense growth potential. By being a part of IRL, we look forward to strengthening our association with the state and connecting with motorsport fans and consumers, as we celebrate the competitive spirit of the sport.”
Kingfisher has cemented itself as a prominent name in Indian sports, aligning with premier sports leagues and teams, including India’s foremost cricket franchise-based league. Sharing Kingfisher’s dedication, the IRL is equally committed to delivering exceptional moments for its audiences. The iconic visual identity of Kingfisher, the logo, will also be showcased throughout the Indian Racing Festival with a 360 degrees visibility this year.
The 2024 edition of IRL will witness the pre-season testing from August 21 and 22 followed by the first race at the Madras International Circuit on August 25. The excitement then shifts to the first-ever Chennai Formula Road Racing Circuit, hosting the subcontinent’s first night circuit race from August 30 to September 1 and the grand finale will be played in November 2024.
With an expanded grid and an unprecedented race experience, India is all set for good times on the track.
About Indian Racing Festival
The Indian Racing Festival (IRF) is a meticulously curated motorsport event designed to captivate the growing motorsport fan base in India. The Indian Racing League (IRL) is FMSCI (Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India) approved, adding a level of prestige and official recognition to the competition. The Indian Racing League (IRL) is India’s only 4-wheel racing league and the world’s first gender-neutral racing championship series, promoting inclusivity and competitive spirit. IRL features six city-based teams competing in a dynamic franchise-based competition.
About Racing Promotions Pvt. Ltd.
Racing Promotions Private Ltd., co-founded by Akhilesh Reddy, Abhinandan B, and professional race drivers Armaan Ebrahim and Aditya Patel in 2019, aims to bridge the gap between racing talent and opportunities. The franchise model, a first in Indian motorsports, emphasizes creating lasting engagement opportunities for teams, drivers, fans, and sponsors, while promoting inclusivity and competitive spirit.
Racing Promotions Pvt. Ltd. (RPPL) is dedicated to forging a holistic motorsport ecosystem in India, with the mission to host FIA-caliber events and create pathways for aspiring individuals to pursue careers as drivers, engineers, and mechanics.
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Chiranth, Sarthak dominate Pro-Stock races; Savion, Rakshitha, Abdul win
Chennai, 4 August 2024: Two of country’s best and brightest, Chiranth Vishwanath from Bengaluru and Pune’s Sarthak Chavan came up with sensational rides to win a race apiece in the two premier Pro-Stock categories as the third round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2024 – Powered by STORM concluded at the Madras International Circuit here on Sunday.
Chiranth, starting from P10, dished out a stunning ride to win the Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open race, all but destroying a high-quality field that included multiple National champion Rajini Krishnan (RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate), riding in his 23rd season after a year’s break. Later, Sarthak scrambled to a brilliant victory in the Pro-Stock 165cc Open race, starting from P5. The two 17-year-old TVS Racing team-mates, in the process, headlined a fresh crop of young riders who have been making a mark in the National Championship this season.
Two Chennai riders, 17-year-old Abdul Basim (Rockers Racing) and 15-year-old Rakshitha Dave topped in the Stock 165cc (Novice) and Girls (Stock 165cc) races, respectively, while Bengaluru’s Savion Sabu, who turned 17 three days back, won the Stock 301-400cc (Novice) race with a dominating performance.
Rakshitha (centre), flanked by Jagathishree Murugesan (left) and Ryhana Bee, 3rd, at at MIC on 4 August 2024. Photo by Anand Philar Chiranth was at his very best in the Pro-Stock 301-400cc race. He made some six places in the very first of the six-lap race and continued to progress through the field like a hot knife through butter to burst into the lead for a sensational win ahead of Rajini Krishnan and Alwin Sundar (KTM Gusto Racing India). Sarthak, starting from pole, came in eighth after stalling in the very first lap and then rejoining the race. The loss ended Sarthak’s streak of five wins but he continues to provisionally lead the championship table. Chiranth leapfrogged to second spot, 39 behind Sarthak.
In the Pro-Stock 165cc Open race, pole-sitter Chiranth led in the initial laps before being overtaken by his team-mates KY Ahamed and multiple National champion Jagan Kumar, and later, by Sarthak. In the latter half of the race, Sarthak moved to the front and notched his second win of the season in this category. Finishing second behind him was Jagan Kumar and the late-charging Chiranth.
Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup: Kolhapur’s Siddesh Sawant scored his first win of the season in the NSF 250R class by a comfortable margin. Savion Sabu from Bengaluru came in second, ahead of Hyderabad’s Beedani Rajender for whom it was his first podium finish this season. Championship leader Mohsin Paramban (Mallapuram) failed to complete the race but still enjoys a 36-point cushion over AS James (Bengaluru) in the provisional standings.
TVS One-Make Championship: Coimbatore’s Senthilkumar C notched his fourth win of the season to move to the top of the provisional points table in the Open (RR 310) class.
CS Kedarnath from Tirupati recorded his first win in the Rookie (RTR 200) category to end the unbeaten run of Bengaluru’s Harshith Bogar who failed to finish the race but continues to provisionally lead the points table on the back of his five consecutive wins this season.
Provisional results (all 6 laps unless mentioned):
Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open (Race-2): 1. Chiranth Vishwanath (Bengaluru, TVS Racing) (11mins, 03.966secs); 2. A Alwin Sundar (Chennai, KTM Gusto Racing India) (11:06.905); 3. Rajini Krishnan (Chennai, RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) (11:08.457).
Pro-Stock 165cc Open (Race-2): 1. Sarthak Chavan (Pune, TVS Racing) (11:40.093); 2. Jagan Kumar (Chennai, TVS Racing) (11:41.449); 3. Chiranth Vishwanath (Bengaluru, TVS Racing) (11:43.725).
Stock 301-400cc (Novice, Race-2): 1. Savion Babu (Bengaluru, Mad Rabbit Racing) (12:11.176); 2. Raj Kumar (Coimbatore, RDX Torque Racing) (12:11.258); 3. Shyam Sundar K (Chennai, Tachyon Motorsport) (12:15.525).
Girls (Stock 165cc, Race-2, 5 laps): 1. Rakshitha Dave (Chennai, RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) (11:02.916); 2. Jagathishree Kumaresan (Chennai, One Racing) (11:08.132); 3. Ryhana Bee (Chennai, Motul Sparks Racing) (11:08.174).
Novice (Stock 165cc, Race-2): 1. Abdul Basim RS (Chennai, Team Rockers Racing) (12:55.289); 2. Kamal Navas (Chennai, Team Rockers Racing) (13:08.895); 3. Tasmai Cariappa (Mysuru, Motul Sparks Racing) (13:08.982).
Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup (NSF 250R) Race-2 (8 laps): 1. Siddesh Sawant (Kolhapur) (15:11.679); 2. Savion Sabu (Bengaluru) (15:14.661); 3. Beedani Rajender (Hyderabad) (15:25.784).
TVS One-Make Championship: Open (RR310, Race-2, 5 laps): 1. Senthilkumar C (Coimbatore) (09:52.643); 2. Manoj Yesuadiyan (Chennai) (09:52.644); 3. Ajai Xavier M (Nagercoil) (10:01.808).
Rookie (Apache RTR 200, Race-2): 1. CS Kedarnadh (Tirupati) (13:30.442); 2. Saranjith KM (Thrissur) (13:34.532); 3. Rajivsham AS (Tirupur) (13:41.466).
Electric RTE (4 laps): 1. Sarthak Chavan (Pune) (07:21.134); 2. Chiranth Vishwanath (Bengaluru) (07:28.085); 3. Alwin Sundar (Chennai) (07:29.421).
Media (Apache RTR 200) 5 laps: 1. Praveen Kumar (Chennai) (11:25.490); 2. Charan Karthik G (Pune) (11:34.091); 3. Pratheek Kunder (Mumbai) (11:39.208).
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After a false start in 2023, Chennai hopes to host India’s first night street race in August
Chennai, 29 July 2024: After a false start in 2023, the Indian Racing League is all set to make history with its inaugural night race at the Chennai Formula Racing Circuit from August 30 to September 1.
This groundbreaking event marks the first night race on a street circuit in India. Over three thrilling days, eight teams will light up the track with their high-speed machines in what promises to be the festival’s most exhilarating and ambitious season yet.
Promoted by Racing Promotions Pvt. Ltd, the IRF strives to tap into a rapidly burgeoning motorsports fanbase in India. To capture the imagination of these fans, the IRF offers two championships: the Indian Racing League (IRL) and the FIA Formula 4 Indian Championship (F4IC). For the petrolheads, this Chennai night race, supported by the Government of Tamil Nadu, promises an unparalleled thrill for the region.
RPPL and the Tamil Nadu government announced the night circuit race on July 29 in a media conference, the event was graced by Dr. Atulya Mishra IAS, Additional Chief Secretary and J. Meghanatha Reddy IAS, Member Secretary of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu along with Akhilesh Reddy, Chairman & Managing Director of RPPL. They were also joined by former Formula 1 driver Narain Karthikeyan and FMSCI President Akbar Ebrahim for the even. Also present were RPPL Director Abhinandan and rising stars in the racing world, Formula 4 drivers Mohammed Ryan and Sandeep Kumar.
Termed as the Detroit of Southern Asia, Chennai is the country’s motorsports hub. While the metropolis boasts other race tracks and has held multiple race events in the past, the upcoming night race will add additional glory to its rich motorsports heritage and excitement to its burgeoning reputation as the center of all the high-octane action.
A 3.5-kilometre stretch, the Chennai Formula Racing Circuit was made by RPPL in collaboration with the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT). The competing speedsters zoom through the heart of India’s motorsports capital at breath-taking speed, within view of the iconic Marina Beach. The track commences at the Island Grounds and weaves past several key landmarks before rounding back to the starting point. Nineteen turns, multiple chicanes, and tricky elevations punctuate long stretches of the tarmac, keeping both drivers and fans on their toes.
As the motorsports fanbase in India grows to new heights, Chennai evolves with it. A dream destination for true petrol heads, India’s motorsports capital will now fall in line with the likes of Singapore and Saudi Arabia, offering a distinct and tantalizing street circuit that will light up under the city lights at night.
“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Tamil Nadu government for their exceptional leadership and steadfast backing in making this landmark event possible. Their unwavering support has been crucial in bringing India’s first-night street race to Chennai. This ground-breaking event will offer fans a thrilling new perspective and present drivers with unique challenges in a stunning setting.
We are confident it will further establish Chennai as the premier destination for motorsports enthusiasts across the country and inspire a new wave of interest in the sport, which India will experience for the first time,” says Akhilesh Reddy, Chairman & Managing Director of RPPL.
“I assure you that this race will set a new benchmark for motorsports and serve as a dynamic showcase of India as a premier destination for global events. This thrilling spectacle will not only highlight Chennai’s exceptional capabilities but also attract international drivers, positioning India as a top choice for future motorsports competitions in the coming times” he further added.
The Chennai night race will mark another first for the Indian Racing Festival, which is the foremost event in the motorsports world to offer a gender-neutral racing championship.
The six-franchise team league is approved by FMSCI (Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India), making it the most trusted and authentic race destination in the country. Meanwhile, the FIA-certified Formula 4 Indian Championship is an open-wheel, single-seater racing event that has begun attracting young, talented, and aspiring drivers from across the country, as well as around the world.
The Indian Racing Festival has also seen the support of heavyweights like Indian sporting great Sourav Ganguly and Bollywood star Arjun Kapoor as Team Owners, while many more are lined up to join the IRF’s exhilarating racing roster and make it one of the most sought-after sporting properties in India.
The latest, adrenaline-fueled season of the IRF gets underway with pre-season testing on August 22 and 23, followed by the opening round on August 24 and 25 at the Madras International Circuit ahead of the much anticipated night race for Round 2, starting August 30, 2024. Eight teams are confirmed to participate in the event with Kolkata and Ahmedabad joining seasons one and two stalwarts Delhi, Kochi, Goa, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru at the tracks.
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Rishon Rajeev tops Seniors; Nikhilesh, Rivaan Dev excel with a double each: Karting Nationals
Coimbatore, July 29: Bengaluru’s Rishon Rajeev and Nikhilesh Raju, and Rivaan Dev Preetham, the 11-year-old from Chennai, took the honours in their respective categories in the third round of the Meco Fmsci National Rotax Max Karting Championship 2024 at the brand new CoASTT circuit, built by India’s first F1 driver, Narain Karthikeyan, here on Sunday.
Former champion and Indian F4 driver, Rishon Rajeev (Birel Art India), topped the Pre-Final and the Final in the Senior Max class to underline his dominance. In fact, Rishon won the 19-lap Final by 7.4 seconds with Rayo Racing’s Krish Gupta from Mumbai finishing second and Bengalurean Ruhaan Alva (MSport) coming in third.
Nikhilesh Raju (Peregrine Racing) extended his win-streak by winning both Pre-Final and Final races in the Junior Max category. He edged out Gurugram’s Aarav Dewan (Leapfrog Racing) in the Final with Eshanth Vengatesan (Chennai, MSport) taking P3 spot. In the Pre-Final too Nikhilesh was a comfortable winner while Eshanth finished second, ahead of Aarav.
Rivaan Dev Preetham led a 1-2 finish for MSport in the Micro Max Final while finishing comfortably ahead of Rehan Khan R. Rayo Racing’s Danish Dalmiya from Mumbai completed the podium. Earlier, in the Pre-Final, the trio had finished in the same order.
Commissioner of Police, Coimbatore City, V. Balakrishnan and District Collector Kranthi Kumar Pati were the chief guests at the prize distribution ceremony.
The results (Provisional):
Senior Max – Final (19 laps):1. Rishon Rajeev (Bengaluru, Birel Art India) (14:36.817); 2. Krish Gupta (Mumbai, Rayo Racing) (14:44.230); 3. Ruhaan Alva (Bengaluru, MSport) (14:49.916).
Pre-final (14 laps): 1. Rishon Rajeev (Bengaluru, Birel Art India) (10:40.150); 2. Rohan Madesh (Bengaluru, Peregrine Racing) (10:40.914); 3. Krish Gupta (Mumbai, Rayo Racing) (10:43.194).
Junior Max – Final (20 laps): 1. Nikhilesh Raju (Bengaluru, Peregrine Racing) (15:06.695); 2. Aarav Dewan (Gurugram, Leapfrog Racing) (15:09.069); 3. Eshanth Vengatesan (Chennai, MSport) (15:12.905).
Pre-final (15 laps): 1. Nikhilesh Raju (Bengaluru, Peregrine Racing) (11:19.432); 2. Eshanth Vengatesan (Chennai, MSport) (11:23.919); 3. Aarav Dewan (Gurugram, Leapfrog Racing) (11:25.450).
Micro Max – Final (20 laps): 1. Rivaan Dev Preetham (Chennai, MSport) (16:07.601); 2. Rehan Khan R (Chennai, MSport) (16:09.439); 3. Danish Dalmiya (Pune, Rayo Racing) (16:14.864).
Pre-final (15 laps): 1. Rivaan Dev Preetham (Chennai, MSport) (12:08.129); 2. Rehan Khan R (Chennai, MSport) (12:09.135) 3. Danish Dalmiya (Pune, Rayo Racing) (12:14.191).
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Triple for ‘King of Drag’, Hemanth Muddappa; Jagathishree triumphs
Chennai, 28 July 2024: Bengaluru ace, Hemanth Muddappa (Mantra Racing), continued to dominate the MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Drag Racing Championship 2024 as he claimed a triple crown in the third round at the Madras International Circuit, here on Sunday.
Consistently crossing the 200 Kmph speed barrier, Muddappa, the 12 times National champion, swept to victories in the Unrestricted, 1051-1650cc and 851-1050cc categories besides finishing second behind Hyderabad’s Mohammed Riyaz in the 551-850cc class.
In the process, Muddappa emulated his triple success in the previous round at the same venue last month and looked set to retain his status as the “King of Drag”.
Later, Chennai’s Jagathishree Murugesan led a 1-2 finish for One Racing in the Girls (Stock 165cc) category with SP Shuria from Bengaluru placed second ahead of Coimbatore challenger Aisvariya.
Provisional results (all 4-Stroke unless mentioned):
Chennai’s Jagathishree Murugesan Unrestricted: 1. Hemanth Muddappa (Bengaluru, Mantra Racing) (08.110secs); 2. Attaulla Baig (Bengaluru, Pvt) (08.112); 3. Mujahid Pasha (Bengaluru, Fast Track Racing) (08.385).
1051-1650cc (Super Sport): 1. Hemanth Muddappa (Bengaluru, Mantra Racing) (07. 970s); 2. Attaulla Baig (Bengaluru, Pvt) (08.196s); 3. Aymaan Baig (Bengaluru, Pvt) (08.227s).
851-1050cc (SS): 1. Hemanth Muddappa (Bengaluru, Mantra Racing) (08.006s); 2. Niranjan R Kumar (Bengaluru, Pvt) (08.805s); 3. Khaja Awais Ahmed (Hyderabad, Pvt) (08.866s).
551-850cc (SS): 1. Mohammed Riyaz (Hyderabad, Pvt) (08.407s); 2. Hemanth Muddappa (Bengaluru, Mantra Racing) (08.418s); 3. Altaf Khan (Hyderabad, Pvt) (08.684s).
361-550cc (SS Indian): 1. Jason D’Souza (Mumbai, Mantra Racing) (12.136s); 2. Mujahid Pasha (Bengaluru, Fast Track Racing) (12.456s); Iqbal Shaikh (Bengaluru, Pvt) (12.458s).
166-225cc (SS): 1. Prashanth S (Bengaluru, Pvt) (13.719); 2. Prashanth K (Chennai, Pvt) (14.023); 3. Govardhan R (Chennai, Pvt) (14.154).
Up to 165cc (SS Indian): 1. Shashi Kiran V (Bengaluru, Pvt) (14.143s); 2. Bharathraj J (Chennai, Rockers Racing) (14.281s); 3. Abdul Basim (Chennai, Rockers Racing) (14.319s).
Girls (Stock 165cc): 1. Jagathishree Kumaresan (Chennai, One Racing) (16.781s); 2. SP Shuria (Bengaluru, One Racing) (17.305s); 3. Aisvariya (Coimbatore, Motul Sparks Racing) (17.449s).
2-Stroke (131-165cc, SS): 1. Syed Imran (Bengaluru, Fast Track Racing) (13.019); 2. Prashanth S (Bengaluru, Pvt) (13.286); 3. Balasubramanian (Chennai, ACCSYS India Rookies Racing) (13.315).
2-Stroke (Up to 130cc, SS): 1. Shahrukh Khan (Mumbai, Pvt) (13.488s); 2. Syed Imran (Bengaluru, Fast Track Racing) (13.499); 3. Ashok S (Bengaluru, Pvt) (13.650).
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Dr KV Premlal suffers cardiac arrest, passes away during INRC at Coimbatore
Coimbatore, 27 July 2024: KV Premlal, a doctor from Kannur, passed away due to a heart attack during the transport section after Special Stage in the third round of the Blueband fmsci Indian National Rally Championship for four wheelers here on Saturday.
Dr Premlal, the rally driver who passed away during INRC round at Coimbatore. He was 47 and survived by his wife, Dr Smija Aravind, a neurosurgeon and two children, Vishnu Premlal and Anika Premlal. He was the son a famous doctor, late Dr A V Govindan and late K V Prema.
After completing SS2, the duo stopped and Premlal had a gulp of water and suddenly collapsed, according to an eye witness. His co-driver Thrissur’s KR Rishikesh, also a doctor, tried to revive him through resuscitation but in vain. He was driving an INRC3 spec Volkswagen Polo as part of Team Chettinad Sporting.
Thyagarajan, Team Principal and all the team members of Chettinad Sporting conveyed their deep condolences to the bereaved family. Blueband Sports, the promoters of INRC, condoled the unfortunate death and conveyed their condolences to all the family, friends and teammates.
The funeral will be held at Kannur on Monday, after his sister, who is in UK, arrives.
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Jaden Pariat delights on the bounce; Tarushi takes maiden podium: MMSC car Nationals
Chennai, 21 July 2024: Two teenagers, Jaden Rahman Pariat (MRF Formula 2000) and Abhay Mohan (MRF Formula 1600) continued their assault on the titles with splendid victories on Sunday at the Madras International Circuit here as the curtains came down on the third round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Car Racing Championship 2024 – Powered by STORM-X.
While 17-year-old Jaden from Shillong came up with two super-aggressive drives for a double on Sunday to add to his five wins in the previous two rounds in February, while Bengaluru’s 16-year Abhay Mohan, in only his first season in single-seater racing, completed a sweep of nine consecutive victories, including a triple crown this weekend. Both are in good space to clinch the championship titles in their respective categories with one more round remaining.
Jaden also won the Indian Oil special award for clocking the fastest lap (01min, 33.155secs) of the weekend across all categories.
Elsewhere, Mumbai’s Biren Pithawalla (N1 Racing) also achieved a triple without facing much of a challenge to remain unbeaten in the Indian Touring Cars category. Hatim Shabbir from Chennai (Performance Racing) also won all the three races in the highly- competitive Indian Junior Touring Cars class to come within three points of leader and team-mate Srinivas Teja.
Redline Racing’s Justin Singh from Gurugram drove well enough to win two of the three races this weekend in the Super Stock category which provisionally placed him six points behind championship leader Bala Prasath (DTS Racing) from Coimbatore who won the other race in the triple-header.
Meanwhile, DTS Racing’s Viswas Vijayaraj from Nellore extended his championship lead to 63 points by completing a treble in the Formula LGB 1300 category, showcasing his skills and maturity in no uncertain terms. His best outing came in Race-2 today that he won after starting from P5 on the reverse grid.
Pune’s Diana Pundole, a mother of two, picked up sufficient points in the three MRF Saloons (Toyota Etios) races over the weekend to lead the points table though she failed to win any of the outings. Chikkamagaluru’s 20-year, final year student of St. Joseph’s University, Bengaluru, Tarushi Vikram also enjoyed a good weekend, with a P3 finish in one race and top-five in the other two that has provisionally placed her third in the championship. Fighting with boys on equal footing, Tarushi won a podium place with admirable skill. The Chikkamagaluru driver, earlier took part in the Rally Star Cup.
In the Polo Cup that witnessed fierce competition up and down the grid, Lonavla’s Dhruv Chavan and Aditya Patnaik from Mumbai shared the honours by winning two races apiece.
Kesara Godage (Sri Lanka, centre), winner of MRF Saloons Race-2, flanked by second-placed Anirudha Aravind (Chennai, left) and third-placed Arushi Vikram (Chikkamagaluru) on Sunday. Photo by Anand Philar Provisional results (all 10 laps unless mentioned):
MRF F2000 (Race-2): 1. Jaden Rahman Pariat (Shillong) (15min, 48.421sec); 2. Chetan Surineni (Bengaluru) (16:13.812); 3. Akhil Agarwal (Mumbai) (16:23.584).
Race-3 (8 laps): 1. Jaden Rahman Pariat (Shillong) (12:45.676); 2. Chetan Surineni (Bengaluru) (13:00.405); 3. Akhil Agarwal (Mumbai) (13:07.807).
MRF F1600 (Race-2): 1. Abhay Mohan (Bengaluru) (17:26.053); 2. Zahan Commissariat (Mumbai) (17:29.637); 3. Monith Kumaran (Chennai) (17:31.157).
Race-3 (8 laps): 1. Abhay Mohan (13:55.948); 2. Monith Kumaran (14:05.481); 3. Saishiva Sankaran (Pune) (14:07.197).
Indian Touring Cars (Race-2): 1. Biren Pithawalla (Mumbai, Team N1) (19mins, 07.820secs); 2. Deepak Ravikumar (Chennai, Team Performance Racing) (19:13.510). Note: Only 2 finishers.
Race-3 (8 laps): 1. Biren Pithawalla (15:29.920); 2. Deepak Ravikumar (15:31.302); 3. Anant Pithawalla (Mumbai, N1 Racing) (15:38.100).
Indian Junior Touring Cars (Race-2): 1. Hatim Shabbir (Chennai, Team Performance Racing) (19:36.631); 2. Yug Italiya (Mumbai, N1 Racing) (19:48.982); 3. Dean Mascarenhas (Mangaluru, DB Motorsports) (20:01528).
Race-3 (8 laps): 1. Hatim Shabbir (15:41.300); 2. Srinivas Teja (15:44.905); 3. Yug Italiya (15:56.309).
Super Stock (Race-2): 1. Bala Prasath (Coimbatore, DTS Racing) (20:58.260); 2. Justin Singh (Gurugram, Redline Racing India) (20:58.386); 3. Angad Matharoo (Chandigarh, pvt) (21:04.759).
Race-3 (8 laps): 1. Justin Singh (16:49.050); 2. Angad Matharoo (17:04.842); 3. Bala Prasath (17:05.324).
MRF Saloons (Toyota Etios) Race-2: 1. Kesara Godage (Sri Lanka, Redline Racing India) (20:53.702); 2. Anirudha Aravind (Chennai, Redline Racing India) (21:00.207); 3. Tarushi Vikram (Chikkamagaluru, Redline Racing) (21:03.048).
Race-3 (8 laps): 1. Kesara Godage (16:39.241); 2. Anirudha Aravind (16:40.086); 3. Diana Pundole (Pune, Redline Racing India) (16:41.460)
Polo Cup (Race-2): 1. Dhruv Chavan (Lonavla) (19:27.389); 2. Ojas Surve (Mumbai) (19:29.874); 3. Aditya Patnaik (Mumbai) (19:30.348).
Race-3 (8 laps): 1. Aditya Patnaik (Mumbai) (15:36.664). 2. Dhruv Chavan (Lonavla) (15:38.699); 3. Ojas Surve (Mumbai) (15:39.687). Race-4: 1. Dhruv Chavan (19:29.079); 2. Aditya Patnaik (19:30.259); 3. Ojas Surve (19:30.834).
Formula LGB 1300 (Race-2): 1. Viswas Vijayaraj (Nellore, DTS Racing) (18:53.663); 2. Diljit TS (Thrissur, DTS Racing) (19:01.197); 3. Neev Datta (New Delhi, MSport) (19:02.725).
Race-3 (8 laps): 1. Viswas Vijayaraj (15:09.240); 2. Diljith TS (15:09.684); 3. Bala Prasath (Coimbatore, DTS Racing) (15:10.103).
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Viswas Vijayaraj wins; Jaden Pariat denied a chance to pay penalty, keep points
Chennai, July 20: Nellore’s Viswas Vijayaraj continued his domination in the LGB 1300 class while Akhil Agarwal, a 29-year-old first timer from Mumbai, was handed a victory in the marquee MRF Formula 2000 race following a “questionable” disqualification of Jaden Pariat in the third round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Car Racing Championship 2024 – Powered by STORM-X at the Madras International Circuit, here on Saturday.
It should be noted that, Jaden did get a jump start, and he said that he did not see or notice the warning by the marshals for a ‘dirve-through’ but the provisions in the rules had a 20-sec penalty, with a Rs.20,000 fine, which Jaden’s team was ready to pay a request for. But, the provision available in the rules was denied for the driver, who is the championship leader.
The report
Jaden, the 17-year-old from Shillong, “won” the race by the proverbial country mile. The penalty moved Agarwal to P1 while the Bengaluru pair of Chetan Surineni and Tarun Muthaiah were placed second and third, respectively.
Further behind, another Bengalurean, 16-year-old Abhay Mohan raced to his seventh consecutive win in the MRF Formula 1600 class that was run on a combined grid with the MRF F2000, with Chennai’s Monith Kumaran coming in second, ahead of Mumbai racer Raaj Bakhru.
Other winners of the day were Biren Pithawalla (Indian Touring Cars), Hatim Shabbir (Indian Junior Touring Cars), Justin Singh (Super Stock), Viswas Vijayaraj (Formula LGB 1300), Aditya Patnaik (Polo Cup) and Sri Lankan Kesara Godage (MRF Saloons).
Mumbai teenager and former National Karting champion Aditya Patnaik notched a handsome win in the Polo Cup without breaking sweat, leaving Bangladesh’s HM Tauhid Anwar Avik and Romir Arya (Mumbai) to scrap for P2 and P3. “I had a good start and opened up a big lead. Thereafter, I eased off completely. I am very happy with the win as it was just my second outing in this category,” said Aditya.
Kesara Godage, the youngster from Sri Lanka, took the honours in the MRF Saloons category that was run concurrently with the Polo Cup. Championship leader in this class, Diana Pundole finished second followed by Sri Lankan Kalim Iqbal.
Meanwhile, starting from pole position, Biren Pithawala (Team N1 Racing) from Mumbai, enjoyed a trouble-free run and was the lone finisher in the Indian Touring Cars race with his rivals, cousin brother Ananth Pithawalla and Chennai ace Deepak Ravikumar encountering mechanical issues. Neither driver was classified.
Chennai’s Hatim Shabbir led a 1-2 finish for Performance Racing in the Indian Junior Touring Cars class with Srinivas Teja following him home while Mumbai’s Yug Italiya (Team N1 Racing) completed the podium at the end of an entertaining race marked by wheel-to-wheel racing through the eight laps.
Justin Singh from Gurugram (Redline Racing) easily topped the Super Stock category displaying impressive pace, well clear of Chandigarh’s Angad Matharoo and Bala Prasath (DTS Racing) from Coimbatore.
DTS Racing team achieved a podium sweep in the Formula LGB 1300 category where Nellore’s Viswas Vijayaraj scored his fifth win of the season. Behind him Diljith TS (Thrissur) and Bala Prasath finished in that order after a fierce battle.
Provisional results (all 8 laps unless mentioned):
MRF F2000 (Race-1): 1. Akhil Agarwal (Mumbai) (13mins, 04.066secs); 2. Chetan Surineni (Bengaluru) (13:04.646); 3. Tarun Muthaiah (Bengaluru) (13:09.482).
MRF F1600 (Race-1): 1. Abhay Mohan (Bengaluru) (13:52.487); 2. Monith Kumaran (Chennai) (13:59.414); 3. Raaj Bakhru (Mumbai) (14:03.763).
Indian Touring Cars (Race-1): 1. Biren Pithawala (Mumbai, Team N1 Racing) (15:30.329). Note: Only one finisher.
Indian Junior Touring Cars (Race-1): 1. Hatim Shabbir (Chennai, Team Performance Racing) (15:32.392); 2. Teja Srinivas (Chennai, Team Performance Racing) (15:39.514); 3. Yug Italiya (Mumbai, Team N1 Racing) (15:50.132).
Super Stock (Race-1): 1. Justin Singh (Gurugram, Redline Racing India) (16:41.923); 2. Angad Matharoo (Chandigarh, Pvt.) (16:55.327); 3. Bala Prasath (Combatore, DTS Racing) (16:55.568).
MRF Saloons (Toyota Etios) Race-1: 1. Kesara Godage (Sri Lanka, Redline Racing India) (16:34.736); 2. Diana Pundole (Pune, Redline Racing India) (16:35.522); 3. Kalim Iqbal (Sri Lanka, Red Line Racing India) (16:54.554).
Polo Cup (Race-1): 1. Aditya Patnaik (Mumbai) (15:30.830); 2. HM Tauhid Anwar Avik (Bangladesh) (15:38.195); 3. Romir Arya (Mumbai) (15:39.509).
Formula LGB 1300 (Race-1): 1. Viswas Vijayaraj (Nellore, DTS Racing) (15:04.786); 2. Diljith TS (Thrissur, DTS Racing) (15:09.655); 3. Bala Prasath (Coimbatore, DTS Racing) (15:10877).
