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Category: Non-F1
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Gill dominates Day 2, in line for a historic feat
Chikkamagaluru, 4 Dec 2016: Gaurav Gill of Team MRF is poised for an unprecedented clean sweep of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship as he surged to a commanding and unassailable lead at the end of Leg-1 in the Coffee Day India Rally here today.
Gill (co-driver Glenn Macneall), who took rally driving to a level not seen before in India, ended the day with a handsome lead of seven minutes, 33.6 seconds over second-placed Michael Young (Malcolm Read) of Cusco Racing after team-mate Fabian Kreim (Frank Christian) crashed out early in the day.
Should 35-year old Delhi-based Gill, who has already sealed the 2016 APRC driver’s title his second since 2013, win on Monday when the Coffee Day Rally, organised by the Motorsports Club of Chikkamagaluru, concludes, he will be the only competitor to achieve the rare feat of winning all the rounds of a FIA Rally championship en route to annexing the crown.
In sharp contrast to Gill’s absolute dominance, only seven seconds separated Amittrajit Ghosh (Ashwin Naik) of Mahindra Adventure and Team Yokohama 2K’s Karna Kadur (Nikhil Pai) in the battle for the INRC Overall honours in the FMSCI Indian Rally Championship that was run over six Special Stages today. Kadur also led the INRC 2000 class where he was ahead of Dr Bikku Babu (Milen George) by over three minutes.
The day clearly belonged to Gill who drove the MRF Skoda Fabia R5 with aplomb, negotiating the tight and twisty estate roads with rare mastery, especially in the unforgiving corners that flowed one into another.
“We had no problems with our car as such. The speeds were quite slow due to the nature of the route, but still it was quite challenging. Though we have a good lead, the R5 is built for speed and I have to be in my rhythm. So, there is nothing like easing off. May be, I can drive 97 per cent instead of 100,” said Gill
While Young was struggling with loss of power in his Subaru Impreza WRX STi, Kreim met with a misfortune early in the day when he crashed his R5 into a stone on a left-hander.
“We came over a crest and into a left-hander. I think I was carrying too much speed into the corner and crashed into the stone. Unfortunate, but that is the nature of motorsport. I will be driving tomorrow and hope to score some leg points,” said Kreim who won the German championship recently.
Placed third in the APRC was Pune-based Sanjay Takale (Nokiro Takeshita) of Cusco Racing while team-mate Yuya Sumiyama (Takahiro Yasui) retired with a mechanical problem.
The results (provisional, after Leg-1): APRC: 1. Gaurav Gill / Glenn Macneall (Team MRF) (02hrs, 42mins, 32.8secs); 2. Mike Young / Malcolm Read (Cusco Racing) (02:50:06.4); 3. Sanjay Takale / Noriko Takeshita (Cusco Racing) (03:00:06.5).
INRC Overall: 1. Amittrajit Ghosh / Ashwin Naik (Mahindra Adventure) (01:19:34.6); 2. Karna Kadur / Nikhil Pai (Team Yokohama 2K) (01:19:42.2); 3. Dr Bikku Babu / Milen George (01:21:17.1).
INRC 2000: 1. Karna Kadur / Nikhil Pai (Team Yokohama 2K) (01:19:42.2); 2. Dr Bikku Babu / Milen George (01:21:17.1); 3. Philippos Mathaii / Harish KN (01:30:37.0).
FMSCI Cup: 1. Minchu Ganapathy / Venu Ramesh Kumar (01:26:34.4); 2. Jacob KJ / Manoj Mohanan (01:26:57.9); 3. Veeresh Prasad / Shahid Salman (01:28:44.2).
IRC: 1. Sanjay Takale / Noriko Takeshita (Cusco Racing) (01:12:08.1); 2. Amol Satoskar / Dr Dinesh (01:28:01.4); 3. Shafraz Junaid / Akhry Ameer (01:28:28.6).
Gypsy Star (non-championship): 1. Sanjay Agarwal /Smitha N (01:32:46.0); 2. Avin Nanjappa / Suraj Shetti (01:36:26.8); 3. Dheeraj KV / Ravi (01:46:39.5).
eom/AP Media Comm press release
Gaurav Gill who was fastest in all the 12 special stages run on Sunday. Image by Sanjay Sridhar ======
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Kreim clocks best time in SSS; Gill plays safe
Fabien Kreim of Team MRF who clocked the fastest time in the Super Special Stage on Saturday. Image by Anand Philar Chikkamagaluru, 3 Dec 2016: German champion Fabian Kreim (co-driver Frank Christian) of Team MRF set early pace by topping the time charts in the Super Special Stage ahead of team-mate Gaurav Gill (Glenn Macneall) as the Coffee Day India Rally got off to a thrilling start here today.
The Coffee Day Rally, which is also the concluding round of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship, and organized by the Motorsports Club of Chikkamagalur, promises more exciting fare over the next two days when the 16 Special Stages will be run in the nearby estates of the Coffee Day Global as Kreim, running second in the championship will be seeking to hold off Gill who has already sealed the title with five wins in a row.
Ranged behind the two MRF Skoda Fabia R5 cars was Cusco Racing’s Yuya Sumiyama (Takahiro Yasui), in the Subaru Impreza WRX STi while team-mates Michael Young (Malcolm Read) and Sanjay Takale (Noriko Takeshita) completed the APRC standings.
Kreim clocked two minutes, 17.8 seconds for the 2.12 Kms sprint that was watched by close to 10,000 spectators at the Amber Valley school grounds who braved persistent drizzle, while Gill had 02:18.5, well clear of Sumiyama (02:23.4).
In the MRF FMSCI Indian Rally Championship that is being run concurrently, Amittrajit Ghosh (Ashwin Naik) took a slender lead over leader Arjun Rao Aroor (Satish Rajagopal) in the Overall category while young Dean Mascarenhas (Shanmuga SN) topped the INRC 2000 class and Vikram Gowda (Uday Kumar KV) led the FMSCI Cup category. Sanjay Takale, who is also taking part in the IRC class, was the fastest in this category.
The timings in the Super Special Stage are at best indicators of the pace of the cars, but the real battle begins on the morrow with rains providing a serious twist to the proceedings as Gill, who was the fastest in this morning’s Shakedown run, pointed out.
“The Rally Stages are quite tight and twisty with about a 1000 corners requiring a 1000 gear shifts. The co-driver has to be spot on with his calls since one corner flows into the next. So, I will be driving totally on his calls.
“I expect it to be slow going, basically first and second gear run which will put a lot of strain on the engine and the brakes will get quite heated too. So, it could boil down to reliability of the car. The rains could also give it another twist with conditions turning slippery,” said Gill.
Looking ahead to the Rally, Kreim said: “It’s another new experience for me. The conditions are going to be very challenging with the narrow roads and as Gaurav said, with a 1000 corners. But I hope to do well as the car is set up nicely for the terrain,” said Kreim who made his APRC debut this season.
Gill warmed up this morning by setting the fastest time during the Shakedown that was run in mild drizzle by clocking one minute, 28.3 seconds over the 1.6 Kms long circuit.
The results (provisional, Leg-1, Section-1):
APRC: 1. Fabian Kreim / Frank Christian (Team MRF) (02 mins, 17.8secs); 2.Gaurav Gill / Glenn Mcneall (Team MRF) (02:18.5); 3.Yuya Sumiyama / Takahiro Yasui (Cusco Racing) (02:23.4).
INRC Overall: 1.Amittrajit Ghosh / Ashwin Naik (Mahindra Adventure) 02:37.9; 2. Arjun Rao / Satish Rajagopal (02:38.9); 3.Sunny Sidhu / Musa Sheriff (Mahindra Adventure) (02:40.0).
INRC 2000: 1.Dean Mascarenhas / Shanmuga SN (02:40.8); 2.Karna Kadur / Nikhil Pai (Yokohama 2K) (02:42.6); 3.Rahul Kanthraj / Vivek Bhatt (Yokohama 2K) (02:42.7).
FMSCI Cup: 1.Vikram Gowda / Uday Kumar KV (02:49.5); 2.Michu Ganapathy SC / Venu Ramesh Kumar (02:52.8); 3.Fabid Ahmer / Arjun Dheerendra (02:55.6).
IRC: 1. Sanjay Takale / Noriko Takeshita (02:28.0); 2. Younus Illyas / Nitin Jacob (02:42.8); 3. Ritesh Guttedar / Sheeraz Ahmed (02:45.4).
Gypsy Star (non-championship): 1.Sanjay Agarwal / Smitha N (02:59.6); 2.Avin Nanjappa / Suraj Setti (03:09.5); 3.Dheeraj KV / Ravi (03:15.7).
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Gaurav Gill looking for a clean sweep
Chikkamagaluru, 2 Dec 2016: The Coffee Day India Rally, country’s biggest motorsport event after Formula One Indian Grand Prix, gets rolling here tomorrow with Gaurav Gill and co-driver Glenn Macneall of Team MRF Skoda headlining a 50-car combined grid. Gill, who won all the rounds till now to clinch the championship is looking for a clean sweep.
The three-day event, organized by the Motorsports Club of Chikkamagaluru, doubles up as the sixth and concluding round of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship, and Round-4 of the MRF FMSCI Indian Rally Championship. In all, 10 crews are competing in the international section and 40 in the domestic championship.
After tonight’s ceremonial start in the town, the Rally gets down to business with a shakedown followed by Super Special Stage at the Amber Valley School grounds on Saturday before the cars head to the estates of Coffee Day Global, about 30 Kms away, for the Special Stages which will be run on Sunday and Monday. With the region not experiencing rains in the past few weeks, the tight and twisty terrain will be a dust bowl, while putting to test both man and machine.
Delhi-based Gill, who turned 35 today, and who has already sealed the 2016 APRC title, his second in three years, is on the verge of scoring a historic sixth consecutive win this season. If he succeeds, he will become the only driver ever to win all the rounds in this championship that in the past has produced several World champions.
“Though I have already taken the title this year, I still want to finish the season on a high with a win here in my home country in front of my family and friends,” said Gill on the eve of the Rally referring to the presence of his young family, including two sons besides a huge number of fans from all across India, expected to descend on this coffee town that has run out of hotel rooms.
While Gill, driving the super-quick MRF Skoda Fabia R5 is expected to dominate, his team-mate and German champion Fabian Kreim (co-driver Christian Frank) will be involved in a tight battle for the second spot in the championship with Cusco Racing’s Michael Young (Malcolm Read) who will be piloting the Subaru Impreza WRX STi, the same as his two team-mates Sanjay Takale (Noriko Takeshita) and Japan’s Yuya Sumiyama (Takahiro Yasui).
Meanwhile, in the FMSCI Indian Rally Championship, Team Mahindra Adventure’s London-based Amittrajit Ghosh (Ashwin Naik), who heads the Overall leaderboard driving the Mahindra XUV 500 and Mangaluru’s Arjun Rao Aroor (Satish Rajagopal), in the more nimble Volkswagen Polo R2 are locked in a titanic battle, just one point separating the two as each won a round.
With Gill, who drove for Mahindra Adventure in the previous three rounds and won in Nashik, not in the fray in the National Championship here, both Ghosh and Rao have an excellent chance to consolidate their positions.
The position is similar in the INRC 2000 class where young Karna Kadur (Nikhil Pai) is just three points ahead of Dr Bikku Babu (Milen George) while Jacob KJ (Manoj Manmohan) is comfortably placed in the FMSCI Cup category, having won all the previous three rounds.
In the IRC class, PG Abhilash (Srikanth Gowda) heads the championship following two wins, but he will be in a 2-wheel drive Cedia as his Mitsubishi Evo 8 could not be transported from Malaysia on time. He won two of the three rounds with a non-finish in the Delhi leg of the championship.
The APRC cars will cover a total distance of 519.02 Kms of which 225.26 Kms comprise 17 Special Stages while the National Championship vehicles will do 315.05 Kms with 102.14 Kms of Special Stages.
eom/AP Media Comm press release
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Mick Schumacher takes the lead with a double
Bahrain, 19 Nov 2016: German driver Mick Schumacher got his MRF Challenge 2016 off to the perfect start by winning two races and taking the championship lead after Round 1 in Bahrain. Schumacher finished ahead of Joey Mawson and Ralf Aron in Race 2. Aron struck back in Race 3 to win comfortably with Schumacher taking the win in Race 4. Schumacher leads the championship with 75 points ahead of Aron (72) and Mawson (61).
In Race 2 Schumacher started from the front row alongside Brazilian rookie Felipe Drugovich, who was on the reverse grid pole position. Schumacher had a great start and took the lead going into Turn 1, with Drugovich managing to hold off Race 1 winner Newey and Aussie driver Mawson. It was just a matter of time before both drivers passed Drugovich, while Aron recovered from a poor start to also quickly start catching the lead bunch of drivers. Schumacher pulled away while Newey had Mawson all over him and on Lap 3 the he passed him to move into 2nd place. Aron set some fast lap times to close in on Newey. Schumacher crossed the finish line comfortably in 1st place to take his maiden MRF Challenge win ahead of Mawson. Aron was on Newey’s tail and overtook him on the last lap to take the final podium spot, with the pair being separated by a mere 0.016s. Drugovich finished in 5th place ahead of Kimi Schramm and Dylan Young.
In Race 3 Pole-sitter Newey had a torrid start and got jumped by the chasing pack heading into the first corner. Mawson took the lead with Aron in 2nd and Schumacher 3rd. Schumacher pulled off a brilliant overtaking move into turn 9 to get past Aron but the latter struck back down the main straight to get back into 2nd place. Newey was forced to retire on lap 1 bringing out the Safety car for the first time this season. At the restart, Aron wasted no time in overtaking Mawson and then pulled away, winning by a margin of 6.566s. Schumacher came under late pressure from Drugovich, but the German managed to hold on to 3rd position by a mere 0.248s. Juri Vips took 5th place ahead of Pedro Cardoso and Schramm.
In Race 4 Schumacher got the jump on pole-sitter Cardoso to slot into second place behind Vips. It was turn 9 again that Schumacher pounced and got past Vips to take the lead and pull away. Behind, it was a battle between Joey Mawson and European F3 regular Ralf Aron for fourth and they were soon joined by Harrison Newey, who made up eight places to sixth in the opening few laps. Newey managed to go past Aron at Turn 1 on Lap 4 to move into the top five and later was gifted fourth after Mawson’s mistake. Schumacher crossed the line in 1st place ahead of first time podium winner Vips and Cardoso.
Mick Schumacher was happy to get his challenge off to to a great start. He said, “I am happy with the overall start to the championship. In the last race I felt it was important to get past Juri Vips soon in order to get the win. The circuit was enjoyable to drive on and I now look forward to the next race in Dubai.”
Ralf Aron was pleased to get his first win under his belt. He commented, “I managed to get a good start and then after that the car felt great. I am really happy to take my first win in the series. In Race 4 my tyres were old while the others had new ones so it was not as easy. Anyway to go away with three podiums is a good start.”
MRF Challenge 2016, Round 1, Bahrain, Race 2:
Pos Driver Name Total Time 1 Mick Schumacher 20:18.365 2 Joey Mawson 20:20.243 3 Ralf Aron 20:25.917 4 Harrison Newey 20:25.933 5 Felipe Drugovich 20:31.973 6 Kimi Schramm 20:36.912 7 Dylan Young 20:48.811 8 Bruna Tomaselli 20:50.304 9 Manuel Maldonado 20:51.572 10 Pavan Ravishanker 20:52.861 MRF Challenge 2016, Round 1, Bahrain, Race 3:
Pos Driver Name Total Time 1 Ralf Aron 21:09.925 2 Joey Mawson 21:16.493 3 Mick Schumacher 21:20.470 4 Felipe Drugovich 21:20.718 5 Juri Vips 21:23.848 6 Pedro Cardoso 21:24.067 7 Kimi Schramm 21:25.016 8 Dylan Young 21:29.378 9 Yoshiaki Katayama 21:30.515 10 Bruna Tomaselli 21:32.410 Mick Schumacher receiving the 1st place trophy from Arun Mammen, MD, MRF Tyres on Saturday. An MRF image MRF Challenge 2016, Round 1, Bahrain, Race 4:
Pos Driver Name Total Time 1 Mick Schumacher 20:20.843 2 Juri Vips 20:23.145 3 Pedro Cardoso 20:24.452 4 Harrison Newey 20:25.027 5 Ralf Aron 20:27.138 6 Joey Mawson 20:28.716 7 Kimi Schramm 20:29.246 8 Felipe Drugovich 20:30.369 9 Dylan Young 20:36.502 10 Yoshiaki Katayama 20:39.558 -
Harrison Newey wins opening race
Bahrain, 18 Nov 2016: Eighteen-year-old British driver Harrison Newey dominated qualifying and Race 1 of the MRF Challenge 2016 in Bahrain. Newey, son of legendary F1 designer Adrian Newey, was in a league of his own as he won comfortably ahead of Ralf Aron and Joey Mawson. Earlier in the day Newey set the fastest lap to qualify on pole position for the opening round of the championship.
It was qualifying that started the day off for the motorsport fans in Bahrain with all eyes on the MRF F2000 cars. As the times started to tumble Newey set a 2:00.316, the fastest time ever set by these cars at this circuit. Mawson, who led for more than half the session had no answer and settled for 2nd with a 2:00.628. Behind him on the grid were Aron, Mick Schumacher and Van Kalmthout.
As the drivers formed on the grid 5th placed Kalmthout encountered problems. When the lights went out Newey made the perfect start to lead comfortably into the first corner. Mawson managed to keep 2nd place ahead of a charging Schumacher and Aron. On lap 2 Aron passed Schumacher to move into 3rd place and then set his sights on catching Mawson. An interesting battle ensued with Mawson and Aron going side by side through corners 4, 5, 6, 7 before Aron finally got ahead. Behind them Juri Vips got past Schumacher but the German driver was trying everything possible to get back ahead. At the front Newey stretched out his lead to 5 seconds and was untroubled as he crossed the finish line to win the opening race of the season. Estonian driver Aron finished in 2nd place ahead of Mawson and Vips. Schumacher crossed the line in 5th place ahead of Felipe Drugovich.
Harrison Newey, who took a commanding win, was ecstatic with his start to the season. He commented, “I could not have hoped for a better start to the season. In qualifying the car was just great and I was able to extract maximum from it. I had the perfect getaway and after that it was all about controlling the pace. I hope I can carry this same form for the rest of the weekend.”
Ralf Aron, was pleased to finish second after what he called a disappointing qualifying session. He commented, “Am absolutely thrilled to finish in 2nd place after a great battle with Mawson. I did not have the best start but managed to pick off Vips and Schumacher in the 2nd lap. It was a clean fight with Mawson and I am happy to start the season with a podium. I should have been higher up in qualifying but I will take this result.”
MRF Challenge 2016, Round 1, Bahrain, Qualifying:
Pos Driver Name Total Time 1 Harrison Newey 2:00.316 2 Joey Mawson 2:00.628 3 Ralf Aron 2:00.944 4 Mick Schumacher 2:01.209 5 Van Kalmthout 2:01.339 MRF Challenge 2016, Round 1, Bahrain, Race 1:
Pos Driver Name Total Time 1 Harrison Newey 20:19.964 2 Ralf Aron 20:24.941 3 Joey Mawson 20:27.788 4 Juri Vips 20:33.106 5 Mick Schumacher 20:34.023 6 Felipe Drugovich 20:35.087 7 Pedro Cardoso 20:40.184 8 Kimi Schramm 20:46.008 9 Dylan Young 20:47.104 10 Yoshiaki Katayama 20:47.912 Newey leading the pack in Race 1. An MRF image MRF Challenge 2016, Round 1, Bahrain, Race 1:
Pos Driver Name Total Time 1 Harrison Newey 20:19.964 2 Ralf Aron 20:24.941 3 Joey Mawson 20:27.788 4 Juri Vips 20:33.106 5 Mick Schumacher 20:34.023 6 Felipe Drugovich 20:35.087 7 Pedro Cardoso 20:40.184 8 Kimi Schramm 20:46.008 9 Dylan Young 20:47.104 10 Yoshiaki Katayama 20:47.912 eom/MRF press release
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Mick Schumacher goes fastest in practice
Bahrain, 17 Nov 2016: Mick Schumacher topped the opening day of practice for the MRF Challenge 2016 season opener in Bahrain by setting the fastest time in Free Practice 2. The German driver clocked a 2:00.467 to go one tenth faster than German F4 Champion Joey Mawson. Earlier in the day Estonian driver Ralf Aron clocked the fastest time in Free Practice 1, ahead of Schumacher and Harrison Newey.
In the opening practice session of the weekend it was Newey who first went fastest as the other drivers spent time familiarizing themselves with the circuit. Halfway through the session Newey led with a 2:02.449 ahead of Mawson and Schumacher. The next 10 minutes saw Newey and Schumacher exchange fastest laps with latter setting a time of 2:01.370. Newey went one tenth faster with a 2:01.263 as the session was coming to an end only to be pipped by Italian F4 champion Ralf Aron on the last timed lap who did a 2:01.144. Juri Vips and Kimi Schramm completed the top 5.
Free practice 2 saw Mawson wasting no time in getting up to speed and went fastest with a 2:01.783. Behind him Newey and Aron also went fast but were couple of tenths off the pace. Schumacher then posted a 2:00.783 to be the first driver to dip into the 2min time. He went even faster to set a 2:00.467 to top the sheets. Mawson went 2nd with a 2:00.566 with Aron in 3rd with a 2:00.889. Van Kalmthout and Manuel Maldonado completed the top 5.
Mick Schumacher, commented, “It is my first time driving here so I spent the first few laps familiarizing myself with the circuit, which I really enjoyed driving at. The car is step forward from last year’s car and I felt comfortable straight away. I was happy with how today went but now it is time to focus on qualifying and the race for tomorrow.”
All drivers were using the updated MRF 2000, which features a new updated Mountune Engine amongst aerodynamic changes. The time set by Schumacher was a full 3 seconds faster than the time set by Alessio Picariello in qualifying for the event last year. The drivers were happy with the updated car and feel there is lot for potential yet to be unlocked by India’s fastest single seater race car.
Harrison Newey, who is only 1 of the 3 drivers to have driven last season was very happy with the updated new car. He commented, “The updated car is definitely a step forward. You can feel the engine and braking is much better. The car is also lighter so finding a right balance is easier. I am happy with practice today and look forward to getting up there in qualifying tomorrow.”
Qualifying will take place tomorrow along with Race 1&2.
MRF Challenge 2016, Round 1, Bahrain, Free Practice 1:
- Ralf Aron – 2:01.144
- Harrison Newey – 2:01.263
- Mick Schumacher – 2:01.370
- Juri Vips – 2:01.699
- Kimi Schramm – 2:01.738
MRF Challenge 2016, Round 1, Bahrain, Free Practice 2:
- Mick Schumacher – 2:00.467
- Joey Mawson – 2:00.566
- Ralf Aron – 2:00.889
- K Van Kalmthout – 2:01.225
- Manuel Maldonado – 2:01.717
Mick Schumacher in Bahrain on Thursday. An MRF image eom/MRF press release
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MRF Challenge 2016 to kick-off in Bahrain
Bahrain, 17 Nov 2016: The MRF Challenge 2016 season will kick-start this weekend with the first round taking place in Bahrain alongside the final round of the FIA World Endurance Championship. The FIA sanctioned MRF Challenge 2016 championship, which is the only Indian based motorsport series to continuously race internationally, will feature 4 rounds with 14 races in Bahrain, Dubai, New Delhi and Chennai. This will also mark the return to the Buddh International Circuit in New Delhi after a 3 year absence.
Arun Mammen, Managing Director, MRF Tyres, said: “After a thrilling 2015 season we are excited to launch the fifth season of the MRF Challenge. The MRF Challenge has been a great opportunity for young drivers to establish themselves, and give drivers the best chance to hone their skills on some of the world’s leading circuits. We continue to push the envelope on our R&D capabilities with significant upgrades to the car and huge improvement with the tyres for the season. It is heartening to see the top young drivers choosing to compete in the MRF Challenge 2016 and this year is no different with yet another exciting line-up. We are happy to announce that we will return to the Buddh International Circuit in New Delhi along with a return to Dubai and Chennai.”
This year the grid will have another promising line-up headed by the returning Harrison Newey, son of legendary F1 designer Adrian Newey, and Mick Schumacher, son of 7 time F1 champion Michael Schumacher. Joining them will be German F4 Champion Joey Mawson, 2015 Italian F4 Champion and F3 race winner Ralf Aron, Japanese F3 Champion Yoshiaki Katayama and Manuel Maldonado, cousin of former F1 race winner Pastor Maldonado. 17 year old French F4 runner up Gilles Magnus will also join the championship the average age being 18 for the MRF Challenge this year.
India’s first ever Formula One driver Narain Karthikeyan, who has played a key role in developing the car, was once again quick to praise MRF and the Challenge in its 5th year. He commented, “I have been working closely with MRF for many years and it is great to see their commitment for the sport only increase season by season. It’s a fantastic package for young drivers to really learn how a high-grip, high-downforce single-seater works and is surely unmatched in terms of the value and track time it offers for experienced drivers as well. A lot of development has been undertaken for the 2016 MRF Challenge with improved tyres and aero package that has made the car significantly quicker and better to drive.”
In its fifth year, the MRF Challenge will feature 17 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.
J Anand, Managing Director, JA Motorsports, is looking forward to yet another exciting season of racing ahead. He commented, “The great thing about this championship is that we are constantly trying to improve and better the car. This is a testament to the commitment from MRF Tyres to make this series one of the biggest in Asia. The 2016 MRF Challenge features an all-new car which is faster, more powerful and very exciting to race. We have made some upgrades to the car including a new Mountune engine and many aerodynamic changes. This year has been very intense as the race car will see its greatest evolution since the start of the championship 5 years ago. The MRF Challenge continues to establish itself as the premier series in Asia by attracting big names in the motorsport fraternity, from drivers to engineers. ”
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
Driver Line-up:
- Harrison Newey
- Juri Vips
- Mick Schumacher
- Dylan Young
- Kimi Schramm
- Manuel Maldonado
- Joey Mawson
- Ralf Aron
- Pavan Ravishanker
- Gilles Magnus
- Yoshiaki Katayama
- Moraes Cardoso
- Felipe Drugovich
- Rinus Van Kalmthout
- Bobby Eberle
- Bruna Tomaselli
- Christophe Mariot.
eom/MRF press release
File photo of Fittipaldi leading a race last year. An MRF image -
Jayaram’s `mantra’ brings a Reva to life in Drag Nationals
Bengaluru, 13 Nov 2016: Veteran Pratap Jayaram literally set the track on fire in a fully modified Reva as he won the Indian Open class for cars in the MMSC fmsci Indian National Drag Racing Championship at the Taneja Aerospace facility near here on Sunday while Mysuru’s Rizwan Khan took the honours in the Superbikes category (Unrestricted).
Jayaram, who last raced actively in 1995 and returned for one-off events in 2010, clocked a bewildering 11.055 seconds for the 400 metres dash. He wo
uld have clocked a faster time but for a seized engine some 50 metres before the finish.“There is very little original about this little Reva. I worked on it for nearly three months and brought it out for the championship. I would have gone under 11 seconds but the engine seized about 50 metres from the finish,” said “senior citizen” Jayaram.
True to his team’s name, Mantra, Jayaram performed a magic of sorts in the Reva which touched a top speed of 260Kmph while winning the Indian Open hands down while also being the quickest among cars across all classes.
Joel Joseph from Bengaluru won the title in the Unrestricted class clocking 11.992 seconds with Jayaram unable to enter the Reva which could not be repaired in time.
Pavan Rangaraj (Bengaluru, 1450cc), Dheeraj Manae (Bengaluru, 1450cc), Siddharth Sinh Jhala (Bengaluru, 2550cc), Vineet Abhiram (Bengaluru, 3050cc) and Vivek Ramachander (Bengaluru, 2050cc Diesel) topped their respective categories in the MMSC Drag Race series that doubled up as the support event for the National Championship.
Earlier, Rizwan Khan, a 29-year old orthopedic doctor from Mysuru, won the high-end Unrestricted class of the Superbikes category riding the BMW HP4 Competition, just fractions ahead of Hyderabad’s Md Riyaz, clocking 09.746 seconds.
“I could have gone a bit quicker, but the tyres were worn out a bit and so, I was a bit slow,” said Rizwan who divides time between his professional commitments as a doctor and his passion for bike racing.
Provisional results (National Championship):
CARS – Unrestricted: 1. Joel Joseph (Bengaluru) (11.992secs); Stephen Pachigalla (Vizag) (13.166); Jayant V (Bengaluru) (13.898).
Indian Open: 1. Pratap Jayaram (Bengaluru, Mantra Racing) (11.055); 2. Joel Joseph (Bengaluru) (12:042); 3. Jagadish Gowda (Bengaluru) (12.653).
MMSC Drag Race (Pro-Stock, winners only): Pavan Rangaraj (Bengaluru, 1450cc), Dheeraj Manae (Bengaluru, 1450cc), Siddharth Sinh Jhala (Bengaluru, 2550cc), Vineet Abhiram (Bengaluru, 3050cc), Vivek Ramachander (Bengaluru, 2050cc Diesel).
SUPERBIKES – Unrestricted: 1. Rizwan Khan (Mysuru) (09.746); 2. Md Riyaz (Hyderabad) (09.898); 3. Stephen Pachigalla (Vizag) (10.110).
Above 1050cc: 1. Zubair Ali Jung (Bengaluru) (10.647); 2. Mohammed Asif Ullah (Bengaluru) (10.812); 3. Naveen YA (Bengaluru) (11.133).
Up to 1050cc: 1. Rameez Khan (Mysuru) (09.820); 2. Md Riyaz (Hyderabad) (09.874); 3. Rizwan Khan (Mysuru) (09.942).
Up to 750cc: 1. Mohammed Asif Ullah (Bengaluru) (11.530); 2. Aftab Khan (Bengaluru) (11.714); 3. Zubair Ali Jung (Bengaluru) (11.735).
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eom/AP Media Communications release
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Double for Jagan Kumar, Sofyyan Ahamed
Bengaluru, 12 Nov 2006: Jagan Kumar from Chennai (TVS Racing) and Bengaluru’s Sofyyan Ahamed (Quick Shift Racing) achieved a double each in the first round of the MMSC fmsci Indian National Drag Racing Championship at the Taneja Aerospace facility near here on Saturday.
International rider Jagan Kumar from Chennai, astride the TVS RTR Apache, got into his stride by clocking 14.250 seconds for the 400-metre sprint in the Up to 165cc class.
Later, he took the honours in the Indian Open class with a time of 13.484 seconds which was the quickest in the National Championship category.
“I could have probably clocked a better timing had I reacted to the start lights faster. I am not used to having lights so low. So, my reaction time was a bit slow, and I also did a wheelie unintentionally, but it was a good run nevertheless,” said Jagan, the National track racing champion.
Emulating the double was Sofyyan Ahamed who topped in the 360cc and 225cc classes of the National Championship. “I was much quicker in a recent drag race here, but today, I had some issues with the clutch and hence was a bit slower. But I am happy to have won a double as the competition was stiff,” said Sofyyan.
Kalim Pasha (Bengaluru, Indian Open), Attaullah Baiq (Bengaluru, 350cc), Md Touheed (Bengaluru, 165cc) and Khalid Pasha (130cc) won in their respective classes in the the MMSC Drag Race series which doubled up as the support event.
The championship concludes on Sunday when the Superbikes and cars get into action that promises to be as close as it was today.
Provisional results (National Championship – all 4-Stroke):
Indian Open: 1. Jagan Kumar (Chennai) (13.484secs); 2. Ashwin Kumar (Chennai) (13.707); 3. Aiyaz (Bengaluru) (13.723).
Up to 550cc: 1. Zaker Baig (Mysuru) (13.689); 2. Aiyaz (Bengaluru) (13.725); Anantharaj (Chennai) (13.946).
Up to 360cc: 1. Sofyyan Ahamed (Bengaluru) (15.410); 2. Avinash R (Bengaluru) (15.944); 3. Abdul Hafeez (Bengaluru) (17.130).
Up to 225cc: 1. Sofyyan Ahamed (Bengaluru) (15.527); 2. Avinash R (15.831); 3. Harsha V (Bengaluru) (16.604).
Up to 165cc: 1. Jagan Kumar (Chennai) (14.250); 2. KY Ahmed (Chennai) (14.385); 3. Khalid Pasha (Bengaluru) (15.796).
MMSC Drag Races (2-Stroke – winners only): Kalim Pasha (Bengaluru, Indian Open), Attaullah Baiq (Bengaluru, 350cc), Md Touheed (Bengaluru, 165cc), Khalid Pasha (130cc).
eom/AP Media Communications press release
Jagan Kumar, on way to wining the 165cc class title (4-Stroke) on Nov 12, Saturday at the Taneja Aerodrome in Hosur. Image by Anand Philar -
Aishwarya, Shruthi for FIM Asia Cup in Taiwan
Chennai, 1 Nov 2016: Aishwarya Madhusudhan and Shruthi Nagarajan are about to make the country proud by representing FMSCI Team India in the 2016 FIM ASIACUP of Road Race in Taiwan, at the Penbay International Circuit, organised by CTMSA.
The race would take place between November 4th -6th and the race machine that is used for this race is YAMAHA Cygnus 125.The FIM Asia Cup of Road Racing is three-round championship to promote young and upcoming talent in the Asia region. In this championship the host nations provide the bikes and bring riders from Asian countries. India hosted a round of this Asia Cup of Road Racing in 2011 and 2013.
Shruthi Nagarajan, a 22year-old delicate-looking girl to the eyes, is a racer at heart. Learning to ride gear bikes at the ages of 12, Shruthi started out on her motorcycle enthusiasm as a writer for Bikes on road, moving on to racing in the year 2016 and has already emerged as one of the finest female racers in India. “This is like a dream. Representing the country, as a woman, is very special. There is lots of exposure in every other field. Women compete in various other sports internationally but not in motorsports. This is the first time women are competing at this level”.
Aishwarya Madhusudhan is the other female inspiration, who is a constant seeker of the “adrenaline rush” as she calls it. When asked if she had always wanted to race, she says she was more of a traveller but a “fast” one. When the racing spirit in this 21 year- old was getting too evident, she began her career at the month of May in 2016, and has sought podium finishes in various series. “I want to break the stereotype. There were many who told me this is not my cup of tea. But I say, follow your heart”.
Sujith Kumar, Chairman of 2w Racing Commission, expressed his happiness about the nominations and conveyed his wishes to these budding women racers. “We are very happy to nominate two female racers to participate in the ACCR. This is the first time in the history of FMSCI that two female riders are nominated. These two girls are very talented and this is a very big exposure for them to ride with some of the fastest young racers in Asia and I’m sure they would perform well too. We wish them the very best for the upcoming races”.
Zayn Khan, President of FMSCI, wished the lady participants the very best saying, “We are seeing a big jump in women participants in our motorsport events. This is a wonderful initiative by our two-wheeler racing commission”.
Gone are the days when motorsports was a man’s sport. These two stirring women are rewriting the story by breaking barriers and creating a path on their own.
eom/FMSCI press release
