INDIA in F1

Category: Non-F1

  • Keen battle on cards for National titles: Bike races

    Keen battle on cards for National titles: Bike races

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

     

    eom/AP Media press release

     

  • Jehan Daruvala wins Lady Wigram Trophy again

    Jehan Daruvala wins Lady Wigram Trophy again

    Christchurch, 17 Jan 2017: Jehan Daruvala representing the Sahara Force India Academy, achieved the rare distinction of successfully defending the Lady Wigram Trophy Title. The Mumbai based teenager had won the same trophy which is amongst New Zealand’s most prestigious races, in spectacular fashion last year, after starting 15th on the grid.  Jehan is the first racer since 1993 to successfully defend the trophy!

    In race 2, earlier in the day, Jehan started fifth as per the reverse grid rules. A bad start by him meant he fell down the order to 8th. The 3.33 Ruapuna Circuit at Christchurch is immensely difficult to overtake and Jehan was unable to gain back his lost positions. On the penultimate lap, the racer behind Jehan made an opportunistic lunge in a bid to overtake Jehan. The move resulted in contact and Jehan’s right front wheel had extensive damage, forcing him to retire from the 15 lap race. The race was won by Thomas Randle of Australia.

    The Lady Wigram Trophy was the third and biggest race of the weekend. Jehan made an excellent start from pole, and immediately pulled away from the rest of the grid. His impressive pace ensured that he continued to increase his lead to almost three seconds, before the safety car was deployed. Jehan once again pulled away at the restart and soon built up his lead when, once again, the safety car was deployed due to another incident. The second restart also saw Jehan pull away again, but almost immediately the red flag was brought out, suspending the race.

    The final restart of the day had Jehan pull away at the front. He soon built up his customary lead and took the chequered flag ahead of British racer Enaam Ahmed and Pedro Piquet, and successfully defended his 2016 title.

    “Race 2 was unfortunate, after I was hit and had to retire. I am happy I could keep my focus up and managed the three restarts well, in the Lady Wigram Trophy Race. My pace was really good and the team have done a fantastic job in giving me a great car. I would really like to thank everyone who have been part of my success and most importantly I must thank Sahara Force India for their continued support” said Jehan after winning the prestigious 20 lap race.

    The Lady Wigram Trophy was first contested in 1951 and numerous Formula 1 greats have won the trophy including Jack Brabham, Stirling Moss, Jackie Stewart, Bruce McLaren and Jim Clark. Jehan’s excellent weekend also saw him clock the fastest lap in race 3, bag two pole positions and a second place in race 1.

    The Toyota Racing Series will now move next weekend to the Teretonga Park circuit in Invercargill, New Zealand.

    eom/Rayo Racing Motorsports press release

    Jehan Daruwala with the trophy. A Rayo Racing image
  • Volkswagen shortlists 15 drivers for Ameo Cup 2017

    Volkswagen shortlists 15 drivers for Ameo Cup 2017

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    eom/Volkswagen Motorsport release

  • Karna-Nikhil duo are INRC 2016 champions

    Karna-Nikhil duo are INRC 2016 champions

    By David Bodapati

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    ends/david

    Karna Kadur (left) and Nikhil Pai after winning title in Hosadurga on 18 Dec 2016. Image courtesy Red Rooster Perf.ormance
  • Aishwarya, Shruthi for Thailand ARRC

    Aishwarya, Shruthi for Thailand ARRC

    Chennai, 15 Dec 2016: Aishwarya Madhusudhan and Shruthi Nagarajan are scheduled to attend the 2016 FIM Asia Cup of Road Racing in Thailand to be held from Dec 16 to 18 at the Circuit in Nakhonchaisri.

    They will be astride an Yamaha Exciter 150cc, an FMSCI press release said.

    The two ladies made the country proud in the previous race by turning out to be the first two female riders from India to compete at the FIM Asia Cup Road Racing in Taiwan and have performed well in their maiden attempt.

    Aishwarya Madhusudhan has also received an award in Delhi from the TIE Young Achievers Award on Dec 16 and rushed to to Thailand after the awards presentation.

    Sujith Kumar, Chairman of 2w Racing Commission said: “Aishwarya and Shruthi are among the fastest lady riders in our country at present and we feel their participation in international events would inspire more women to join the sport”.

    “Aishwarya and Shruti have redefined the threshold for women riders in India via their successful participation in the 2016 FIM Asia Cup of Road Racing. Their dauntless commitment and passion towards the sport is truly inspiring and I am sure that this is just the beginning of a great future that lies ahead of them. I do wish them the very best in all their future racing engagements” complimented Akbar Ebrahim, the new President of FMSCI.

    eom/david

  • Akbar Ebrahim elected President of FMSCI for 2017-18

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

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

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

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

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

    Akbar Ebrahim – President

    1. Prithiviraj – Vice President

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

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

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

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

    1) Driver’s Commission – Karun Chandhok

    2) Drag Racing Commission – J Balamurugan

    3) Rally Commission – Ashwin Pandit

    4) Circuits – Manoj P Dalal

    5) Medical – Dr Uday Balakrishnan

    6) Land Speed Records – Hormazd Sorabjee

    7) Women in Motorsports – Navaz Sandhu

    8) Volunteers and Officials – Prabha Shankar

    9) CIK Karting – Rayomand Banajee

    10) Truck Racing – Vicky Chandhok

    11) Closed Road – Mohan Nagarajan

    12) Hill Climb – Raj Kapoor

    13) Off Road – Jayesh Desai

    FIM Comissions

    1) GP Roop Kumar – Technical

    2) Anand Sashidharan – Legal.

     

     

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

     

     

     

     

     

  • Joey Mawson takes title lead; Newey wins Race 3

    Joey Mawson takes title lead; Newey wins Race 3

    Dubai, 10 Dec 2016: Australian driver Joey Mawson stormed to the top of the championship with a win in the final race of Round 2 of the MRF Challenge 2016 in Dubai. Mawson won ahead of Felipe Drugovich fellow Aussie Zane Goddard as championship rivals Harrison Newey and Mick Schumacher were both forced to retire. However 18 year old Newey survived all the action around him to win his second race of the weekend when he crossed the chequered flag in Race 3. Newey beat Race 2 winner Drugovich and Mawson in Race 3 of the weekend.

    In Race 3, Mawson started on pole position with Newey alongside him. Newey got the perfect start and got past the Australian as they headed into turn 1. Behind them Mick Schumacher and Juri Vips collided in turn 1 forcing both drivers to retire. This brought out the safety car. At the restart Mawson got the jump on Newey and took the lead into turn 1. Mawson started to push for a gap but ran wide and lost out to both Newey and Drugovich. Newey crossed the finish line to take his second win of the weekend with Drugovich in 2nd and Mawson in 3rd. Pedro Cardoso finished in 4th place ahead of Van Kalmthout and Dylan Young. Indian driver Parth Ghorpade finished in a strong 7th place with Zane Goddard, Pavan Ravishankar and Yoshiaki Katayama rounding off the top 10.

    In Race 4 pole sitter Young got bogged down as Van Kalmthout stormed into the lead with Mawson settling into 2nd place. Newey also had a good start and was up to 3rd position by the end of the first lap. On lap 3 Newey started to slow and eventually had to retire with a technical problem on his car. Mawson wasted no time passing Van Kalmthout with Drugovich folloing through as well. Meanwhile Schumacher, who started last, put in brilliant couple of opening corners and was 5th by the end of lap 1. He moved up to 3rd and looked to be challenging for 2nd place when he had a puncture and had to retire in what has been a disastrous day for the German. Mawson had an easy run to the finish line to win his first race of the series. Drugovich got his 3rd consecutive podium finish as he finished in 2nd place. Van Kalmthout crossed the line in 3rd place but was given a 10 second penalty that dropped him to 8th place. Goddard got 3rd ahead of Vips and Young.

    Joey Mawson finished on the podium in all 4 races and got pole position as well. He commented, “The whole weekend has just been great. The car has been great all weekend and I really enjoy driving here at the Dubai Autodrome. My competitors had a tough day but I am sure they will fight back and I look forward to driving in India next.”

    Harrison Newey was happy to win his 2nd race of the weekend. He commented, “I am really happy to win in what was an eventful race. Joey (Mawson) has always been a great competitor so it was good to finish ahead of him. It was a shame with the problem in the second race today.”

    Mawson currently leads the championship with 141 points with Newey on 113 and Drugovich in 3rd on 105 points. Schumacher’s double DNF drops him to 4th place with 102 points. Next race is in New Delhi on Jan 27-29.

    MRF Challenge 2016, Round 1, Dubai, Race 3: 1.Harrison Newey; 2. Felipe Drugovich 1.767 (Time difference to first); 3.Joey Mawson 2.812; Pedro Cardoso 3.727; 5.Van Kalmthout 10.077; 6.Dylan Young 11.748; 7.Parth Ghorpade 14.532; 8.Zane Goddard 15.218; 9.Pavan Ravishankar 15.601; 10.Yoshiaki Katayama 16.399.

    MRF Challenge 2016, Round 2, Dubai, Race 4: 1.Joey Mawson; 2.Felipe Drugovich 4.685; 3.Zane Goddard 13.225; 4.Juri Vips 13.925; 5.Dylan Young 19.154; 6.Kimi Schramm 20.844; 7.Yoshiaki Katayama 21.152; 8.Van Kalmthout 21.224; 9.Manuel Maldonado 34.495; 10.Bobby Eberle 46.652.

     

    Joey Mawson takes championship lead even as Newey wins Race 3 in Dubai on Saturday. An MRF image

    eom/david/MRF press release

  • Harrison tops practice sessions: MRF Challenge

    Harrison tops practice sessions: MRF Challenge

    Dubai, 8 Dec 2016: Harrison Newey, son of legendary F1 designer Adrian Newey, comfortably topped both practice sessions for Round 2 of the MRF Challenge 2016 at the Dubai Autodrome. He was faster than Felipe Drugovich and Juri Vips in FP1. In FP2, he was ahead of Drugovich and Joey Mawson. Newey set a blistering pace going half a second faster than his nearest rival in both sessions. His lap time is 3 seconds faster than the times in practice last year showing a vastly improved MRF F2000.

    In the opening practice session of the weekend it was newcomer Mawson who was the first to set a competitive time with 20 minutes remaining on the clock. He set a 2:01.345 to go top of the leader board. Newey then began a string of fastest laps which saw going fastest with a 1:59.772. With 5 minutes to go, he again went fastest to finish with a 1:58.231. Brazilian Drugovich was half a second slower with a 1:58.771. He was followed by Juri Vips, Mawson and Kimi Schramm. Championship leader Mick Schumacher had a quiet session and finished down in 6th position.

    Free practice 2 saw Mawson wasting no time in getting up to speed and was again one of the front runners to go fastest with a 1:59.883. Newey continued to show impressive pace and immediately went faster with a 1:58.976. Newey once again proved to be too fast as he was the only driver to dip into the 1min 57sec lap when he set a 1:57.942 to go fastest. Drivers behind him continued to improve but the closest anyone could get was Drugovich again with a 1:58.642, albeit a full six tenths off the pace. Mawson finished in 3rd place ahead of Schumacher and Van Kalmthout. Indian driver Parth Ghorpade finished at the back of the grid as he spent time familiarizing himself with the car, after being out of a racing car for more than a year.

    Harrison Newey, commented, “It was a real pleasure to drive out there. The car felt really good and quick. This circuit is quite challenging for the drivers so it is important to concentrate the whole time. We have to ensure that we carry this momentum tomorrow as starting in front will be critical. I will now work with the engineers to make sure we have the best possible setup for tomorrow.”

    Qualifying and Races 1&2 will take place on Friday, December 9, with Races 3&4 taking place on Saturday, December 10.

    MRF Challenge 2016, Round 2, Dubai, Free Practice 2:

    Pos Driver Name Total Time
    1 Harrison Newey 1:57.942
    2 Felipe Drugovich 1:58.673
    3 Joey Mawson 1:58.738
    4 Mick Schumacher 1:58.969
    5 Van Kalmthout 1:59.074
    Harrison Newey during a pracitce session in Dubai on Thursday. An MRF image

     

    About MRF Challenge

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

    This year the grid has yet another promising line-up headed by the returning Newey and Schumacher. Joining them is German F4 Champion Joey Mawson, 2015 Italian F4 Champion and F3 race winner Ralf Aron, Japanese F3 Champion (National Class) Yoshiaki Katayama and Manuel Maldonado, cousin of former F1 race winner Pastor Maldonado.

    MRF Challenge 2016 Calendar:

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

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

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

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

    eom

     

  • Jehan Daruvala steps up to Formula 3

    Jehan Daruvala steps up to Formula 3

    Bangalore, 9 Dec 2016: Force India Academy Racer, Jehan Daruvala, has confirmed his participation in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship. The 18-year-old Mumbai-based racer has been signed up by the world renowned team, Carlin, for their 2017 campaign according to Raymond Banajee of RR Motorsports here on Thursday.

    In a press release, he stated that Jehan’s maiden entry into Formula 3 comes after two productive seasons in Formula Renault, where he had 11 podiums at various circuits across Europe. After the conclusion of the Formula Renault season, the young Indian went on to participate in numerous Formula 3 tests and was eventually signed to Carlin after consistently being one of the fastest drivers during their tests.

    Formula 3, considered as one of the most important rungs on the ladder to Formula One, consistently attracts a highly competitive grid. Numerous Formula 1 winners, such as Nico Rosberg, Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher, have all honed their skills in Formula 3 before their debut at the pinnacle of motorsport.

    The championship will consist of 30 races over ten weekends and will visit some of the iconic Formula One circuits in addition to two street circuits at Pau and Norisring. The car Jehan will be racing will put out approximately 240 bhp while weighing just 565 kgs, driver included. Each round will have three races preceded by two practice sessions of 40 minutes each and two qualifying sessions of 20 minutes each.

    Carlin, as a team has one of motorsport’s most reputable legacies, with over 330 race wins across numerous racing series. Rosberg, Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat are just some of the Formula One racers who have competed for Carlin prior to getting their big break. The first Indian representative in Formula One, Narain Karthikeyan, also raced with Carlin. Last month, the team won and also came third in the FIA F3 World Cup at the prestigious street circuit of Macau, with Antonio Felix Da Costa.

    Team boss, Trevor Carlin added, “It’s fantastic to have Jehan on board with us for 2017. He has already tested with us in the Formula Three car and I have no doubt he will be competitive from the outset in his rookie season in the championship. Once again it’s going to be a really close season of racing but Jehan is a strong addition to the team and we’re already looking forward to the first weekend of the 2017 FIA Formula Three European Championship.”

    Jehan will also race in the 2017 Toyota Racing Series in New Zealand prior to commencing his Formula 3 season. The young Mumbaikar had multiple victories and was the overall runner-up in his maiden participation in the Toyota Racing Series earlier this year.

    “My first two years in single seaters have been a fantastic learning experience. After finishing in the top five in the Formula Renault NEC in 2015 and 2016, and having finished 2nd in the Toyota Racing Series this year, I am confident of stepping up to the highly competitive FIA F3 European Championship.

    I really enjoy driving the Formula 3 car, as I feel that the high downforce seems to suit my driving style. I am happy with how testing has been so far and I am really looking forward to my first season of Formula 3. It has been great working with Carlin, they are one of the best in the business. I must also thank Sahara Force India for all their vital support,” said Jehan on his signing with Carlin.

    Deputy Team Principal of Sahara Force India Formula One Team, Robert Fernley said: “We are delighted to support our Academy driver, Jehan, as he progresses to the next stage of his career. Ever since we identified his talent as a recruit in our ‘One From A Billion’ programme, he has continued to impress and delivered the results needed to progress up the motor racing ladder. Formula 3 is the next logical step and Carlin is a fantastic team with a track record of developing young talent. We look forward to seeing Jehan grow as a racer as he competes in this fiercely competitive championship.”

    The Indian teenager started his racing career in karting in 2009 before winning his first national title a year later, at just 11 years of age. He remains the first and only Indian to win the CIK FIA Asia Pacific KF3 Championship and the British KF3 Championship. He also remains the only Indian to have ever stood on the podium of any World Championship in motorsport, finishing as the second runner up of the 2014 World Karting Championship, in his very first year in the senior category of karting. In 2015 he moved to cars, winning the first place rookie trophy in his debut event of the Formula Renault NEC series. His maiden victory in cars came in the 2016 Toyota Racing Series, which he finished as the overall runner up in his maiden attempt.

    File photo of Jehan Dharuwala after his podium in Budapest early this year. Image courtesy Jehan Dharuwala

    eom/David

     

     

  • Gill wins Coffee Day India Rally, creates history

    Gill wins Coffee Day India Rally, creates history

    Gaurav Gill who was fastest in all the 12 special stages run on Sunday. Image by Sanjay Sridhar

    Chikkamagaluru, 5 Dec 2016: India’s Gaurav Gill notched a historic win here today as he emerged champion in the Coffee Day India Rally, the concluding round of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship.

    It was 35-year old Gill’s sixth consecutive win in the APRC this season following his success in New Zealand, Australia, China, Japan and Malaysia. In the process, the Delhi-based champion driver became the first person to win all rounds of an FIA championship on way to annexing the title. The 2016 title is his second after his maiden triumph in 2013.

    In winning the Coffee Day India Rally, Gill (co-driver Glenn Macneall) amply demonstrated his driving prowess and had a lot to spare at the finish while clocking three hours, 39 minutes, 37.9 seconds over 17 Special Stages while Cusco Racing’s Michael Young (Malcolm Read) was a distant second, over 11 minutes behind and his team-mate Sanjay Takale (Noriko Takeshita) who came third (04:03:51.0).

    Gill, who drove the super-quick Race Torque-prepared MRF Skoda Fabia R5, admitted it was befitting that he achieved the record in his home country and in front of a legion of adoring fans that thronged the three-day event, organised by the Motorsports Club of Chikkamagaluru, in their thousands.

    “Undoubtedly, this is my most satisfying win if only because it was achieved in India and here in Chikkamagaluru. Coming into this Rally with five wins out of five, there was pressure on me and high expectations. More importantly, I hope that my wins and the record make motorsport more popular in India and also attract manufacturers and sponsors.

    “It was an extremely difficult and technical rally because of the narrow, twisting route with hundreds of corners which required,” said Gill who celebrated the rare feat with his young family.

    Gill’s long-time partner Macneall also clinched the co-driver’s title while MRF took the team championship and Skoda pouched the manufacturer’s crown.

    With his MRF team-mate and German champion Fabian Kreim (Frank Christian) not in the fray following a crash on Sunday, Gill, who led overnight by over seven minutes, pushed in the early part of the day, but with his car encountering some problems was forced to ease off. Yet, he thrilled the huge crowd with his craft.

    While Gill cornered the limelight, Karna Kadur (Nikhil Pai) of Team Yokohama 2K took the honours in the MRF FMSCI Indian Rally Championship that was run concurrently after his nearest rival and overnight leader, Amittrajit Ghosh (Ashwin Naik) dropped out due to mechanical problems. Finishing second behind Kadur was Dr Bikku Babu (Milen George) and team-mate Rahul Kanthraj (Vivek Bhatt).

    Kadur also topped in the INRC 2000 category for the second time this season while Takale won in the IRC class that he had also entered apart from APRC, and Jacob KJ (Manoj Mohanan) chalked up his fourth consecutive win in the FMSCI Cup to bag the championship with a round to spare.

    The results (provisional, after Leg-2) APRC: 1. Gaurav Gill / Glenn Macneall (Team MRF) (3hrs, 39mins, 37.9secs); 2. Mike Young / Malcolm Read (Cusco Racing) (03:51:10.3); 3. Sanjay Takale / Noriko Takeshita (Cusco Racing) (04:03:51.0).

    INRC Overall: 1. Karna Kadur / Nikhil Pai (Team Yokohama 2K) (01:32:13.8); 2. Dr Bikku Babu / Milen George (01:33:38.2); 3. Rahul Kantharaj / Vivek Bhatt (Team Yokohama 2K) (01:34:51.9).

    INRC 2000: 1. Karna Kadur / Nikhil Pai (Team Yokohama 2K) (01:32:13.8); 2. Dr Bikku Babu / Milen George (01:33:38.2); 3. Rahul Kantharaj / Vivek Bhatt (Team Yokohama 2K) (01:34:51.9).

    FMSCI Cup: 1. Jacob KJ / Manoj Mohanan (02:01:14.8); 2. Minchu Ganapathy / Venu Ramesh Kumar  (02:01:25.8); 3. Fabid Ahmer / Arjun Dheerendra (02:06:06.7).

    IRC: 1. Sanjay Takale / Noriko Takeshita (Cusco Racing) (01:48:59.2); 2. Ritesh M Guttedar / Sheeraz Ahmed (02:01:12.3); 3. Byram Godrej / Ninad Mirajgaonkar (02:02:47.5).

    Gypsy Star (non-championship): 1. Sanjay Agarwal /Smitha N (02:09:53.3); 2. Avin Nanjappa / Suraj Shetti (02:17:36.1); 3. Dheeraj KV / Ravi (02:39:03.7).

    eom/Press Release