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Category: Non-F1
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Sidvin commits long-term development deal with Pragathi-Trisha duo
Bengaluru, 7th April 2024: Pragathi Gowda, a rallyist from Bangalore, has signed a multi-year development deal with Sidvin, a globally renowned Oil and Gas Engineering services company specialising in Deep offshore Floating Production Systems, to help propel her career in the sport. The deal with Sidvin will enable Pragathi Gowda and co-driver Trisha Alonkar to make their mark on upcoming Rally Championships in Asia and Europe.
The 26-year-old Pragathi is a Junior Indian National Rally 2022 champion, winner of the Asia-Pacific Rally Star Cup in 2022, and was named the reserve driver for FIA Rally Star for JWRC in 2023.
As she gears up to set tracks on fire at the forthcoming Indian National Rally Championship and Asia Pacific Rally Championship, Sidvin’s multi-year deal comes as shot-in-the-arm for the racer whose career has been on a meteoric rise.
On signing the contract, Pragathi said, “I am beyond excited to announce that I am joining Sidvin and signing a contract for the next three years. The support, and passion within the team are truly inspiring, and I am honoured to be a part of it. Teaming up with Sidvin feels like a natural fit, and I am confident that together, we will achieve great things on and off the track.”
“I want to express my heartfelt thanks to the Managing Director of Sidvin, Mohan Nagarajan, a veteran rallyist himself, and the entire team for welcoming me and Trisha with open arms and for believing in our potential. I am eager to embark on this new chapter of my rally career with Sidvin by my side. Here’s to the hard work, determination, and victories together.”
Speaking on the association, co-driver Trisha Alonkar said, “I am thrilled to share that my rally journey, which began with Pragathi, has been a remarkable experience filled with growth and determination. Today, I am grateful to Sidvin for believing in us and taking the step to team up. This partnership marks a significant milestone in our rallying career, and we are eager to embark on this new chapter with Sidvin by our side. I want to express my gratitude to Pragathi for being an integral part of my journey so far and to Sidvin for their belief in our ability,”
Sidvin has backed prodigal motorsport athletes time and again. They were the first team to have had an Indian participation in the World Rally Championship way back in 2008. They have been associated with C.S. Santosh at the Dakar Rally and Ms. Aishwarya Pissay at the World Baja Championship, which she went on to win and become a world champion. Sidvin is also proud to be supporting Jeffery Emmanuel on his way now to the MotoGP. Now, as Pragathi and Sidvin join forces groundbreaking growth & development are expected to follow.
Speaking of the contract, Sidvin Chairman and Managing Director, Mr. Mohan Nagarajan said “Sidvin has always been at the forefront of encouraging and developing Indian talent on the world’s stage be it in engineering or sports and in empowering women athletes to achieve their best. Having worked with Pragathi and Trisha for the last year and a half I’m very confident that they will make our country proud in the world of rallying. Sidvin wishes the young athletes all the very best in the coming years.“
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Harkrishan-Kunal clinch the victory in APRC Asia Cup; claim INRC hattrick of wins
Chennai, 17 March 2024: On a day of drama, Delhi’s Harkrishan Wadia (co-driver Kunal Kashyap, Himachal) of Arka Motorsports emerged champions in the 47th MMSC South India Rally, the first round of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) Asia Cup round and the Indian National Rally Championship (INRC) here on Sunday.
Wadia and Kashyap, who won the last two rounds in the 2023 calendar, made it a hattrick of wins in the INRC and also won the prestigious APRC round even as several leading title contenders retired due to various issues with their vehicles.
Wadia not only topped the round of AVT Gold Cup FIA APRC-Asia Cup but also the season-opener of the Blueband Fmsci Indian National Rally Championship 2024 besides taking the P1 spot in the INRC 2 category for a triple crown.
His main rivals in Asia Cup, SIDVIN-MRF Tyres sponsored Bengaluru pair of Pragathi Gowda and co-driver Trisha Alonkar, in a Subaru Impreza 4-wheel drive car whose windshield was shattered when hit by a stone thrown by a miscreant in the penultimate Stage, failed to finish as they ran out of fuel two Kms from the finish of the three-day event’s last stage.
Consequently, second spot went to Hyderabad pair of Naveen Puligilla and co-driver Santosh Thomas with Coimbatore’s Ramcharan C (co-driver Jeevarathinam, Bengaluru) of Arka Motorsports completing the podium. Only three of the nine starters in the Asia Cup completed the event.
Former World Rally champion (Production Cars), Karamjit Singh from Malaysia who is training Pragathi, was a shattered man. “We lost P2 in the Asia Cup. We are still figuring out how they ran out of fuel, but on the positive side, I am happy at the progress Pragathi made in the past one week. She was stepping up the pace Stage by Stage and getting comfortable with the car. She has a lot of talent and potential,” said Karamjit.
In the National Championship, Wadia won the Overall and INRC 2 titles with overnight leader Himachal’s Aditya Thakur and co-driver Virender Kashyap (Chettinad Sporting) were docked a 30-second penalty for late check-in as they stopped to repair a damaged exhaust pipe after completing a Stage, and had to be content finishing second in INRC Overall and INRC 2 categories.
Earlier, overnight leader in the Asia Cup, Aroor Arjun Rao (co-driver Satish Rajagopal) of Mandovi Racing, packed up after the day’s first Stage when he lost power steering. Also retiring was Day-1 leader Dean Mascarenhas (co-driver Gagan Karumbaiah) of DB Motorsport due to a fuel pump issue in the day’s penultimate Stage.
Harkrishan, son of former Rally ace Anil Wadia, could barely stop smiling. “I pushed hard today as I had to make some time. The car was great and I am thankful to MRF Tyres for all the support. I made just one mistake when I overran a corner, but fortunately, it did not impact my position on the leaderboard. Overall, a good start to the season.”
A dejected Thakur rued that he slipped to second after looking primed to win. “We had an exhaust issue. So, after SS-11, we stopped on the transport section to carry out some running repairs. It cost us time and we had to take a 30-second penalty for check-in at the next Time Control. We are extremely disappointed but hope to do better in the next round,” said Thakur.
Kerala’s Vishak Balachandran (co-driver Anil Abbas), supported by MRF Tyres, took the honours in the INRC 3 while Shillong’s Phoebe Nongrum (co-driver Nash Ross, Hyderabad) of SNAP Racing, topped the Women INRC category with two front runners, Anushriya Gulati and Tarushi Vikram retired with mechanical problems. MRF Tyres-backed Arjun Rajiv from Bengaluru (co-driver Vinay Padmashali, Mysuru) of Chettinad Sporting drove well to clinch the title in the Junior INRC category.
Delhi’s Baljinder Singh Dhillon (co-driver CP Gautam, Chikkamagaluru) emerged on top in the Fmsci Challenge Gypsy Cup.
Of the 51 crews who started the Rally, 23 retired. The second round of the INRC is scheduled to be held in Nashik from May 31 to June 2.
Provisional final results:
FIA APRC-Asia Rally Cup:
1. Harkrishan Wadia (Delhi) / Kunal Kashyap (Himachal) (Arka Motorsports) (02Hrs, 04mins, 59.8secs); 2. Naveen Puligilla / Santosh Thomas (both Hyderabad) (Pvt.) (02:15:22.0); 3. Ramcharan C (Coimbatore) / Jeevarathinam (Bengaluru) (Arka Motorsports) (02:17:24.1).
Blueband Indian National Rally Championship:
INRC Overall: 1. Harkrishan Wadia (Delhi) / Kunal Kashyap (Himachal) (Arka Motorsports) (02:04:59.8); 2. Aditya Thakur / Virender Kashyap (both Himachal) (Chettinad Sporting) (02:05:05.0); 3. Vishak Balachandran (Thiruvananthapuram) / Anil Abbas (Ernakulam) (Chettinad Sporting) (02:10:02.6).
INRC 2: 1. Harkrishan Wadia / Kunal Kashyap (02:04:49.8); 2. Aditya Thakur / Virender Kashyap (02:05:05.0); 3. Naveen Puligilla / Santosh Thomas (02:15:22.0).
INRC 3: 1. Vishak Balachandran / Anil Abbas (02:10:02.6); 2. Daraious Shroff (Mumbai) / Srikanth Gowda (Chikkamagaluru) (Chettinad Sporting) (02:10:48.1); 3. Samrat Yadav (Chandigarh) / Arvind Dheerendra (Bengaluru) (Pvt.) (02:11:48.2).
Junior INRC (2 finishers): 1. Arjun Rajiv (Bengaluru) / Vinay Padmashali (Mysuru) (Chettinad Sporting) (02:13:47.9); 2. Ajay Shankar (Kollam)/ S Nitharshan (Kallakurichi) (Mandovi Racing) (02:14:00.0).
Women INRC (2 finishers): 1. Phoebe Nongrum (Shillong) / Nash Ross (Hyderabad) (Snap Racing) (02:28:27.4); 2. Harshitha Gowda (Bengaluru)/ Vignesh Mahalingam (Coimbatore) (Pvt.) (02:45:42.8).
Fmsci Gypsy Challenge: 1. Baljinder Singh Dhillon (Delhi) / Goutham CP (Chikkamagaluru) (Pvt.) (02:21:51.9); 2. Dr Akarsh Sundar (Chikkamagaluru)/ Ravi Kumar (Bengaluru) (Pvt.) (02:24:45.7); 3. Jayanth Somanathan / R Rajashekar (Both Bengaluru) (Pvt.) (02:24:51.9).
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Kelam coconut stage makes it tough for the drivers: A photo gallery
As the Indian National Rally Championship enters its 37th year, the South India Rally provides the season opening thrills by adding another car-breaking stage Kelam, that provided colour to the images with coconut trees everywhere. The bright and beautuful gypsies had their day while many took it easy in the new stage that promises to be better next year.
Here are some images from our celebrated motorsports photographers:
Srinivasa Krishnan Insta: @srinivasakrishnan
Adithya Thakur Anushriya Gulati. Photo by Srinivasa Krishnan Young turk Arjun Rajiv. Photo by Srinivasa Krishnan Defending champion Aroor Arjun Rao, who crashed out on Sunday. Photo by Srinivasa Krishnan Veteran evergreen driver Sanjay Agarwal thrills the sparce crowd with a brilliant jump. Photo by Srinivasa Krishnan Photos by Samuel Rajkumar, www.AceImages.in
Pre-event favourite Karna Kadur and Musa Sherif packed off on Day 2 due to gear box issues. Photo by Samuel Rajkumar Maninder Singh Prince, had his moments before lady luck deserted him. Photo by Samuel Rajkumar Dean Mascarenhas, who led the field after Day 1 displaying some stunning speed was hit with mechanical issues on Day 2. Photo by Samuel Rajkumar The Monster! The car built by APRC legend Possum Bourne and driven by World champion in Production cars Karamjit Singh of Malaysia, who is currently mentoring Pragathi Gowda and Trisha Alonkar in their Subaru Impreza #23 at MIC on Friday. Photo by Samuel Rajkumar Photos by Karan Ravi, the young motorsports photographer:
Arnav Pratap Singh and Rohit flying in the track stage on Saturday. Photo by Karan Ravi Arjun Rajiv, the youngest driver in the INRC kicks up dust at the MIC track stage. Photo by Karan Ravi Asia Pacific Rally Championship Asia Cup leg comes to India again. Photo by Karan Ravi Blueband Sports, the Promoters’ branding at the Track stage Starting point for the Track stage. Photo by Karan Ravi Aroor Vikram Rao. Photo by Karan Ravi Harkrishan Wadia, who won back to back rallies towards the end of 2023 is going great guns. Photo by Karan Ravi Clean and calm driving from the Polo Cup racing champ from Hyderabad. He could not resist jumping into the rally car after he drove the Zero car faster than the rest, at the sanghi stages last year… He is now gunning for a podium in his class INRC3. Photo by Karan Ravi Refuelling station all set for action on Day 2. Photo by Karan Ravi Baljinder Singh Dhillon and Goutham CP, the Delhi-Chikkamagaluru combo in a gypsy running for a podium finish. Photo by Karan Ravi With JK Tyre pulling out of full-time sponsorship of Rally cars, Maninder Singh Prince remains the lone warrior flying the yellow colours. Photo by Karan Ravi -
Aditya Thakur takes control of Day 2 INRC proceedings
Chennai, 16 March 2024: The Himachal pair of Aditya Thakur and co-driver Virender Kashyap gave themselves the best possible start for the 2024 season with a near-flawless drive to lead the timesheets in the 47th MMSC South India Rally, a round of the AVT Gold Cup FIA APRC-Asia Cup and the Blueband Fmsci Indian National Rally Championship near here on Saturday.
Meanwhile, in the Asia Cup, Mangaluru’s Aroor Arjun Rao along with Bengaluru-based co-driver Satish Rajagopal shrugged off a launch control issue with their Mandovi Racing’s Maruti Baleno to snatch a four-second lead over Delhi’s Harkrishan Wadia (co-driver Kunal Kashyap, Himachal) while the Bengaluru tandem of Pragathi Gowda and co-driver Trisha Alonkar, in a 4-wheel Drive Subaru Impreza were placed third.
The South India Rally concludes on Sunday when five more Stages will be run.
Winning four of the day’s six Stages, Thakur piloted his Chettinad Sporting-prepared Volkswagen Polo with aplomb to take a handy 9.2 seconds lead over overnight leader Dean Mascarenhas (co-driver Gagan Karumbaiah) who had to deal with a misfiring engine through the day. Incidentally, Thakur also leads in the INRC 2 category.
Bengaluru’s Arjun Rajiv (co-driver Vinay Padmashali, Mysuru) of Chettinad Sporting consolidated his overnight lead in the INRC and Junior INRC categories, as did Dehradun’s Anushriya Gulati (co-driver Karan Aukta) of Arka Motorsports in the Women INRC class.
“I had issues with the launch control and was losing precious seconds at the start itself. Not much we can do about it right now since it is an electrical issue. I guess, I have to push really hard tomorrow to make up for the time lost at the start,” said Aroor.
A beaming Thakur said: “After winning the National title in 2022, I had a very bad 2023 season when I was struggling to even finish a Rally. But I put in lot of hard work during the pre-season to get to where I am today. I think, the tyre choice really helped me today, opting for the correct compound. The MRF tyres worked really well and overall, I barely made a mistake today.” said Thakur.
For Karna Kadur (Arka Motorsports) who was among the title favourites, it was yet another disappointing run leading to retirement due to gearbox issues. A puncture in the day’s second Stage, besides gear stuck in fourth, cost him more time. “I am not sure if I can rejoin the Rally tomorrow since it depends on whether we will be able to fix the issue tonight,” said Kadur.
Pragathi Gowda, sponsored by SIDVIN and MRF Tyres, survived a close call on the day’s last Stage when she ignored a call by her co-driver Trisha Alonkar just after the start and slammed into a gate. “I made a mistake in not listening to Trisha’s call. I reversed and continued, but it cost me time. But otherwise, I am getting comfortable with the Subaru and improving my pace with each outing. Yes, I made 28 seconds on my own time during the second run of the AAVISA Stage. My learning continues.”
Partial unaudited classification (after Leg-1) End of Day 2:
FIA APRC-Asia Rally Cup: 1. Aroor Arjun Rao (Mangaluru) / Satish Rajagopal (Bengaluru) (Mandovi Racing) (01hr, 09mins, 39.8secs); 2. Harkrishan Wadia (Delhi) / Kunal Kashyap (Himachal) (Arka Motorsports) (01:09:53.5); 3. Pragathi Gowda / Trisha Alonkar (both Bengaluru) (Pvt.) (01:10:01.2).
Blueband Fmsci Indian National Rally Championship:
Overall: 1. Aditya Thakur / Virender Kashyap (both Himachal) (Chettinad Sporting) (01:08:46.0); 2. Dean Mascarenhas (Mangaluru) / Gagan Karumbaiah (Kodagu) (DB Motorsports) (01:09:24.5); 3. Aroor Arjun Rao / Satish Rajagopal (01:09:39.8).
INRC 2: 1. Aditya Thakur / Virender Kashyap (01:08:46.0); 2. Philippos Matthai (Delhi) / PV Srinivasa Murthy (Bengaluru) (Arka Motorsports) (01:09:49.0); 3. Aroor Vikram Rao (Mangaluru)/ AG Somayya (Kodagu) (Pvt.) (01:09:52.8).
INRC 3: 1. Arjun Rajiv (Bengaluru) / Vinay Padmashali (Mysuru) (Chettinad Sporting) (01:10:41.2); 2. Vishak Balachandran (Thiruvananthapuram) /Anil Abbas (Ernakulam) (Chettinad Sporting) (01:11:36.8); 3. Arnav Pratap Singh (Delhi) / Rohit N (Bengaluru) (SNAP Racing) (01:12:03.5).
Junior INRC: 1. Arjun Rajiv (Bengaluru) / Vinay Padmashali (Mysuru) (Chettinad Sporting) (01:10:41.2); 2. Arnav Pratap Singh (Delhi) / Rohit N (Bengaluru) (SNAP Racing) (01:12:03.5); 3. Ajay Shankar (Kollam) / S Nitharshan (Kallakurichi) (Mandovi Racing) (01:13:45.9).
Women INRC: 1. Anushriya Gulati (Dehradun) / Karan Aukta (Himachal) (Arka Motorsports) (01:02:36.1); 2. Phoebe Nongrum (Shillong) / Ross Nash (Hyderabad) (SNAP Racing) (01:07:42.7).
Fmsci Gypsy Challenge: 1. Sanjay Agarwal / Dheeraj Manae (both Bengaluru) (Pvt.) (01:05:44.5); 2. Baljinder Singh Dhillon / Goutham CP (Pvt.) (01:06:10.4); 3. Jayanth Somanathan / R Rajashekar (both Bengaluru) (Pvt.) (01:06:49.8).
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Dean Mascarenhas hogs limelight finishing fastest in Super Special Stage: INRC Ro1
Chennai, 15 March 2024: Mangaluru’s Dean Mascarenhas and co-driver Konganda Gagan Karumbaiah from Ammati, Kodagu, came up with a stunning drive to top the time sheets in the MMSC 47th South India Rally, the first round of the Blueband Sports fmsci Indian National Rally Championship 2024 (INRC), which saw the 51 competitors doing two loops of the 1.55-km Super Special Stage (SSS) at the Madras International Circuit near here on Friday.
While 30-year-old Mascarenhas (DB Motorsports) did the star turn in his Volkswagen Polo to emerge provisional leader, Bengaluru’s Karna Kadur combining with veteran co-driver Musa Sherif (Kasargod) for the first time, led the field in the AVT Gold Cup FIA APRC Asia Cup, but was only sixth fastest in the combined standings.
Further down the grid, Delhi’s Maninder Singh Prince (co-driver Arjun Dheerendra, Bengaluru) of SNAP Racing, topped in the INRC 2 class while Bengaluru’s Arjun Rajiv (co-driver Vinay Padmashali, Mysuru) took a slender leader in INRC 3 and Junior INRC, and Anushriya Gulati raced to a comfortable lead in the Women INRC categories.
Meanwhile, the Bengaluru pair of Pragathi Gowda and co-driver Trisha Alonkar, sponsored by SIDVIN and MRF Tyres, in an All-Wheel Drive Subaru Impreza for the first time, struggled a bit and was placed third in the Asia Cup, behind Kadur and Wadia.
Mascarenhas said: “I am driving the same car as last season which was a bit of up-and-down for me. But today, the car was great and we had no issues with it. Happy to finish the day as the Overall leader, though I am aware it’s still early days and plenty more Stages to negotiate over the next two days.”
The early leaders after Friday’s shootout when two cars raced on parallel tracks, face acid test over the next two days when the competitors head out to Special Stages in AAVISA and Kelam besides the Track.
Mangaluru’s Dean Mascarenhas (left) and co-driver Konganda Karumbaiah from Ammati, Kodagu, who clocked the fastest time in the Triple-S on Friday. Photo By Anand Philar Provisional (Unaudited) classification after Day 1 (Section 1, Leg 1):
FIA APRC-Asia Cup: 1. Karna Kadur (Bengaluru) / Musa Sherif (Kasargod) (Arka Motorsports) (02mins, 56.8secs); 2. Harkrishan Wadia (Delhi) / Kunal Kashyap (Himachal) (Arka Motorsports) (02:57.7); 3. Pragathi Gowda / Trisha Alonkar (Both Bengaluru) (Pvt.) (02:58.7).
Blueband Fmsci Indian National Rally Championship:
Overall: Dean Mascarenhas (Mangaluru) / Gagan Karumbaiah (Kodagu) (DB Motorsports) (02:53.8); Maninder Singh Prince (Delhi) / Arjun Dheerendra (Bengaluru) (SNAP Racing) (02:55.3); Younus Ilyas (Kollam) / Chandramouli M (Bengaluru) (SNAP Racing) (02:55.7).
INRC 2: Maninder Singh Prince / Arjun Dheerendra (02:55.3); Philippos Matthai (Delhi) / PV Srinivasa Murthy (Bengaluru) (Arka Motorsports) (02:55.7); 3. Aditya Thakur / Virender Kashyap (both Himachal) (Chettinad Sporting) (02:56.5).
INRC 3: Arjun Rajiv (Bengaluru) / Vinay Padmashali (Mysuru) (Chettinad Sporting) (02:58.6); 2. Sheshank Jamwal (Himachal) / Aseem Sharma (Chandigarh) (Arka Motorsports) (02:58.8); 2. Vishak Balachandran (Thiruvananthapuram) / Anil Abbas (Ernakulam) (Chettinad Sporting) (02:59.3).
Junior INRC: 1. Arjun Rajiv (Bengaluru) / Vinay Padmashali (Mysuru) (02:58.6); 2. Arnav Pratap Singh (Delhi) / Rohit N (Bengaluru) (SNAP Racing) (02:59.8); 3. Nikhil J (Bengaluru) / Raghuram Saminathan (Coimbatore) (Pvt.) (03:04.3);
Women INRC: 1. Anushriya Gulati (Dehradun) / Karan Aukta (Arka Motorsports) (03:06.0); 2. Tarushi Vikram / Sheraz Ahmed (both Chikkamagaluru) (Pvt.) (03:21.9); 3. Harshita Raj Gowda (Bengaluru) / Vignesh Mahalingam (Coimbatore) (Pvt.) (03:27.1);
Fmsci Challenge – Gypsy: 1. Dr Akarsh Sundar (Chikkamagaluru) / Ravikumar Reddy (Bengaluru) (Pvt.) (03:15.4); 2. Sanjay Agarwal / Dheeraj Manae (both Bengaluru) (Pvt.) (03:16.9); 3. Jayanth Somanathan / R Rajashekar (Pvt.) (03:18.8);
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47th edition of the famed South India Rally begins on Friday: INRC Round 1
Chennai, 13 March 2024: There is heightened expectations and excitement ahead of the 47th MMSC South India Rally to be run here from March 15 to 17 and which has attracted 52 entries.
The three-day event, organized by the Madras Motor Sports Club, and promoted by Blueband Sports, doubles up as the first round of AVT Gold Cup FIA APRC South India Rally – Asia Cup which has received 10 entries, all from India, and the Blueband fmsci Indian National Rally Championship (52 entries, including the 10 APRC contenders) to be contested over 137 Kms of 13 Special Stages and covering an overall distance of about 446 Kms.
The Madras International Circuit is the hub of most activity, including the Super Special and Track Stages. It will also house the Service Park, the Rally Headquarters and Media Centre.
The Asia Cup entry list is headlined by Mangalorean Aroor Arjun Rao (co-driver Satish Rajagopal), the 2023 Overall National champion, driving a Maruti Suzuki Baleno and representing Mandovi Racing. Rao also heads the INRC field which includes Delhi’s Harkrishan Wadia (co-driver Kunal Kashyap), the 2023 INRC 2 champion, and Chandigarh-based Jahaan Singh Gill (Suraj Keshav Prasad) of SNAP Racing who has moved up to INRC 2 after capturing the INRC 3 and JINRC titles last season.
A notable absentee is multiple APRC and INRC champion Gaurav Gill who had originally entered, but withdrew at the last minute due to delay in getting his Ford Fiesta shipped from Dubai in time for this weekend’s event.
The seven-round INRC comprises various classes that include Overall (INRC), INRC 2, INRC 3, Junior INRC (below 26 years of age) and Women, besides the FMSCI Challenge Cup, a non-championship category for Maruti Gypsy vehicles.
The weekend action will witness seven female competitors, including five drivers – Pragathi Gowda (Bengaluru), Harshitha Gowda (Bengaluru), Phoebe Nongrum (Arunachal Pradesh), Anushriya Gulati (Pune, 2023 women’s champion) and Tarushi Vikram (Chikkamagaluru), besides two co-drivers Trisha Alonkar (Bengaluru, 2023 National co-driver champion) and Shivani Parmar (Mumbai).
Pragathi, sponsored by SIDVIN, will be setting a milestone in Indian motorsport. She is poised to become the first female from India to pilot a four-wheel drive car, the 300bhp Subaru Impreza shod with MRF Tyres, with Malaysian Karamjit Singh, the former World Rally champion (Production Cars), tutoring her.
“I am very excited and looking forward to the South India Rally. I am even more grateful that a legend like Karamjit Singh has taken time out to train me to drive this powerful car and SIDVIN for supporting me. I haven’t had any seat time in this car, and it will be a learning curve for me,” said Pragathi who will be partnered by co-driver Trisha Alonkar.
FIA Observer, Dale Moscatt from Australia, was all praise for the organisers and the Special Stages. “I did a recce of the Kelam Stage yesterday. The organisers have done a great job in putting together so many kilometres into such a small place. It is fully fenced off area and so security and everything is fantastic in the Stage. It will be challenging to all competitors. Today, we went to the other Stages (Aavisa and Track) which are the same as last year. Lots of turns and bumps, and so, very challenging. The facility here at the race track (Madras International Circuit) is great.”
Taking an overview of the event, Clerk-of-the-Course (CoC) Manoj Dalal, who is also the secretary of MMSC, said: “You can expect an action-packed weekend as the field, rich in youth and experience, is extremely competitive. There are many familiar faces and a few relatively new entrants. As organisers, MMSC has taken every precaution and all permissions to ensure a safe and successful event which is a showpiece in the INRC calendar. We extend our thanks to all the sponsors, the promoters, the Media and, of course, the competitors, for their whole-hearted support and involvement.”
The competitors are scheduled to do a reconnaissance of all the Special Stages on Thursday and Friday morning. The competition will commence on Friday afternoon with the Spectator Special Stage at the Madras International Circuit. The following two days will witness the competitors negotiating the other Special Stages (Track, AAVISA and Kelam). The Rally will conclude on Sunday afternoon with prize-distribution ceremony at the MIC.
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Harith Noah gets fmsci special Motorsports athlete award for his Dakar exploits
Chennai, 21 February 2024: A franchise-based two-wheeler racing league is scheduled to be launched in India later this year, according to Akbar Ebrahim, President, Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India.
Speaking at the FMSCI Annual Awards function here today, Ebrahim said: “We have plans to launch a two-wheeler racing league this year. This will be in addition to the existing 2W Indian Supercross Racing League (ISRL) and Indian Racing League (4W). These franchise-based leagues will expand the Indian motorsport horizon.
“Last year, we conducted the FIM MotoGP which was appreciated throughout the World as we put together a fantastic event. We thank the UP government for its whole-hearted support. FMSCI thanks the volunteers, officials, marshals and those involved in the technical side of the sport. The eyes of the World are now on India as we occupy a special place in the global motorsport fraternity.”
Ebrahim stated that the night races in Chennai, as part of the Indian Racing League, have received the go-ahead following a High Court verdict. “We would like to thank the Tamil Nadu government for all the support extended in making it happen,” he said.
Special awards were presented to Kerala’s Harith Noah, the Class 2 winner and 11th Overall in the grueling Dakar 2024 Rally, and Prarthana Murugavel (Bengaluru), the gold medallist in Karting Slalom at the FIA Asia-Pacific Motorsport Championship.
Rivaan Dev Preetham, the 10-year-old Chennai lad, received a rousing reception for being the youngest awardee as he received the trophy for winning the Micro Max title in the MECO-FMSCI Rotax Max National Karting Championship.
In all, 105 champions across 11 disciplines, both two-wheelers and four-wheelers, apart from promoters and sponsors, were presented with the awards.
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CEAT Supercross league set for final showdown in Bengaluru
Bangalore, 21 February 2024: The CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League (ISRL) is gearing up for its grand finale, marking the culmination of a historic inaugural season at Bengaluru on Sunday.
The third and final round is set to take place in Bangalore on the 25th of February, that will conclude the first-ever franchise-based Supercross league in the world. The race will be held at the Open Grounds, Survey No. 95-110, Behind Floating Walls, opposite Dash Square, Airport Road, Chikkajala.
After the thrilling races in Pune and Ahmedabad, where the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex and EKA Arena witnessed high-octane action, the CEAT ISRL has left a mark on the motorsports landscape in India. The inaugural season has not only showcased the skill and prowess of the riders but has also established India as a global hub for Supercross.
The leading teams like Bigrock Motorsports, BB Racing and Mohite’s Racing Team, have battled it out in the first two rounds, and are ready for the final showdown. With six franchise teams and 48 riders from around the world, the competition is fierce, promising an exhilarating display of speed, skill, and determination. The categories are: 450cc international riders, 250cc international riders, 250cc India-Asia mix, and the highly competitive 85cc junior class.
Veer Patel, Co-founder and Director of the CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League, expressed his anticipation for the grand finale, stating, “As we approach the final round of our inaugural season in Bangalore, the journey of the CEAT ISRL has been nothing short of phenomenal. The passion, talent, and sportsmanship displayed by the riders in Pune and Ahmedabad have set the stage for an unforgettable finale. We have witnessed India emerge as a force in the world of Supercross, and the grand finale in Bangalore is poised to be a celebration of this remarkable journey.”
The league, accredited by the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI), has garnered global attention with its unique franchise-based format, attracting over 100 riders from different corners of the world. The CEAT ISRL has not only focused on delivering high-octane racing excitement but has also integrated star-studded music extravaganzas, creating a cultural phenomenon that extends beyond the racetrack.
The city of Bangalore, known for its vibrant culture and enthusiastic sporting community, is all set to host the grand finale with open arms and promises to be the perfect stage for the climax of the inaugural season.
As the CEAT ISRL gears up for the final showdown, it reaffirms its commitment to community engagement, talent development, and environmental sustainability. The league is not just about races; it’s a movement that aims to inspire and nurture the passion for Supercross in India.
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Jaden Pariat dominates the opening round of MMSC Car Racing Nationals; Triple for Abhay
Chennai, 18 February 2024: Teenager Jaden Rahaman Pariat of Shillong showcased his immense talent dishing out high speeds that touched 199 kmph dominated the opening round of the National races in the MRF Formula 2000 class. He won the final two races after losing an unexpected first race, which he was leading by over 18 seconds, but lost in the final lap with his engine playing a stop-start game. “I had to switch it on for at least eight times. But I am glad I could salvage the second place an the points,’” quipped the gentle giant who did a few races in the British F4 last year. “I feel this car is much faster and powerful than the ones at British F4,” he revealed.
Diana Pundole, the lady from Pune, bulldozed her way to two victories in the saloon class dominating a male field to begin the season on a promising note. Last year, she ended up second in many races and is raring to go for the champion ship this season.
Meanshile, Bengaluru’s Abhay Mohan, the youngest competitor at 15 years of age, in the MRF Formula 1600 category, swept to a triple crown while as the first round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Car Racing Championship 2024 concluded at the Madras International Circuit here on Sunday.
Diana Pundole flanked by second-placed Anirudha Arvind (left) and third-placed Jai Prashanth Venkat in Race-1 of MRF Saloons. Diana went on notch a double (Feb 18) Photo by Anand Philar Mumbai’s Biren Pithawalla (Team N1 Racing) crowned himself with a grand double in the Indian Touring Cars category as did Angad Matharoo (Buzzing Hornet Motorsport) from Chandigarh in the Super Stock class.
Also notching a double was Pune’s Diana Pundole, a mother of two, in the MRF Saloons (Toyota Etios) category besides one P3 finish, while DTS Racing dominated the Formula LGB 1300 triple-header, with a podium sweep as Nellore’s Viswas Vijayaraj won two races and team-mate Arya Singh, the other with Balaprasath finishing third in all three outings.
Jaden, the 17-year-old from Shillong, displayed impressive pace to win both the races today in the MRF F2000 category to make up for his P2 finish yesterday when he surrendered a massive lead in the last lap due to engine issues. Bengaluru’s Chetan Surineni, the Race-1 winner yesterday, came in second in both the outings today.
Reviewing his performance this weekend, Jaden said: “I did some preparation by watching my onboard videos from my December race. I realised there was plenty in the car. It was a question of putting things together which I did this weekend. I feel there is still a lot I can extract from this car. Of course, my stint in British Formula 4 helped, but the F2000 is far quicker and I felt very comfortable this weekend.”
Abhay Mohan, as in the first race yesterday, was in a league of his own in both the outings today to complete a triple crown and underline his talent and potential. “My only target for this round was to be on top, which I did. The car too was pretty good and so were the MRF tyres. My preparation was to get fit and learn from my Formula LGB 1300 outing last season. Yes, I feel good to have won all three races this weekend,” said Abhay.
Biren, having won a close Race-1 on Saturday, started P4 on the reverse grid in today’s 10-lap Race-2, but in the very first lap, seized the lead, hotly pursued by Ritesh Rai (Arka Motorsport) and, cousin and team-mate Ananth Pithawalla.
The trio quickly distanced themselves from the pack before both Rai and Ananth packed up with punctures. Rai rejoined after a visit to the pit, but it was too late. Ananth suffered yet another tyre-burst to finish the weekend without points. Meanwhile, Biren was in cruise mode and comfortably won the race ahead of pole-sitter Pratik Sonawane (Buzzing Hornet Motorsport) and Deepak Ravikumar (Team Performance Racing).
Down the combined grid, Srinivas Teja (Team Performance Racing) edged out Race-1 winner and team-mate Hatim Shabbir Jamnagarwala in the Indian Junior Touring Cars class, while Matharoo fought his way to his second win of the weekend with a late burst in the Super Stock category.
The results (Provisional):
MRF Formula 2000 (Race-2, 10 laps): 1. Jaden Rahman Pariat (Shillong) (15mins, 44.717secs); 2. Chetan Surineni (Bengaluru) (16:02.706). Tarun Muthaiah (Bengaluru) who finished third was disqualified for a black flag violation. Race-3 (8 laps): 1. Jaden Rahman Pariat (12:35.788); 2. Chetan Surineni (12:50.154); 3. Tarun Muthaiah (13:31.154).
MRF Formula 1600 (Race-2, 10 laps): 1. Abhay Mohan (Bengaluru) (17:14.365); 2. Zahan Commissariat (Mumbai) (17:26.618); 3. Monith Kumaran (Chennai) (15:47.911+1 lap). Race-3 (8 laps): 1. Abhay Mohan (13:51.711); 2. Zahan Commissariat (14:00.143); 3. Raaj Bakhru (Mumbai) (14:03.179).
Indian Touring Cars (Race-2, 10 laps): 1. Biren Pithawala (Mumbai, Team N1 Racing) (19:14.983); 2. Pratik Sonawane (Pune, Buzzing Hornet Motorsport) (19:35.983); 3. Deepak Ravikumar (Chennai, Performance Racing) (19:36.365).
Indian Junior Touring Cars (Race-2, 10 laps): 1. Srinivas Teja ((Chennai, Performance Racing) (19:43.845); 2. Hatim Shabbir Jamnagarwala (Chennai, Performance Racing) (19:44.608); 3. Yug Italiya (Mumbai, Team N1 Racing) (19:54.746).
Super Stock (Race-2, 10 laps): 1. Angad Matharoo (Chandigarh, Buzzing Hornet MS) (21:03.892); 2. Manan Patel (Mumbai, Redline Racing) (21:04.737); 3. Anirudha Arvind (Chennai, Redline Racing India) (21:13.128).
MRF Saloons (Toyota Etios) Race-2 (10 laps): 1. Anirudha Arvind (Chennai, Redline Racing) (20:47.868); 2. Jai Prashanth Venkat (Coimbatore, Redline Racing) (20:54.145); 3. Diana Pundole (Pune, Redline Racing) (20:54.735). Race-3 (8 laps): 1. Diana Pundole (16:31.795); 2. Anirudha Arvind (16:33.562); 3. Kesara Godage (Sri Lanka, Redline Racing) (16:43.645);
Formula LGB 1300 (Race-1, 8 laps): 1. Viswas Vijayaraj (Nellore, DTS Racing) (14:57.600); 2. Arya Singh (Kolkata, DTS Racing) (15:00.136); 3. Balaprasath (Coimbatore, DTS Racing) (15:14.379). Race-2 (8 laps): 1. Arya Singh (15:07.040); 2. Viswas Vijayaraj (15:11.098); 3. Balaprasath (15:15.423). Race-3 (8 laps): 1. Viswas Vijayaraj (14:56.286); 2. Arya Singh (15:01.417); 3. Balaprasath (15:06.693).
Feature photo caption: Jaden Rahman Pariat, who scored a double in the MRF F2000 category, has dominated the opening round of the 2024 season at MIC which concluded on 18 Feb 2024. Photo by Anand Philar
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CEAT Supercross league finale shifted to Bengaluru
Pune, 15 February 2024: Bengaluru will host the grand finale of the CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League (ISRL), India’s first franchise-based Supercross league on February 25 at the APMC ground in Byatarayanapura.
The organisers announced a change in venue for the highly-anticipated Season One finale on Thursday. Originally slated for Delhi, the event will now move to Bengaluru, a hot-bed of motorsports events and fans.
Due to unforeseen circumstances after authorities put in place some stringent resolutions that could potentially create logistical challenges, the organising committee made a conscious decision to relocate the event to Bengaluru. The decision is made to ensure the seamless execution of the season finale and to prioritise the safety of all involved.
The huage APMC ground located at Byatarayanapura, opposite to Pheonix Mall of Asia in Bangalore has been selected as the new venue for the third and final round. The first round was held in Pune on January 28 and the second round was hosted by Ahmedabad on Feb 11.
Veer Patel, Director and Co-Founder of Supercross India said: “We acknowledge the anticipation surrounding the Season One finale, and we extend our apologies for any inconvenience caused by this adjustment. However, after careful consideration of various factors, including the prevailing circumstances, we believe that relocating the event to Bengaluru, that is considered the epitome of motorcycle events, will bolster the confidence of our partners and draw exceptional crowds. We are confident that the culminating event will offer an exhilarating Supercross racing experience to its fans.”
The CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League remains steadfast in its commitment to delivering a world-class experience for fans and participants alike. The league looks forward to showcasing the excitement of Supercross in Bengaluru and creating lasting memories for all involved.
