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K-1000 winners from 1975: KMSC Hall of fame
By David Bodapati
Bengaluru, 16 November 2020: Karnataka is rich in its motorsport history. The state is not only home to many champions of the past but is a cradle of talent and contributed to the Indian motorsport history with many activities. K-1000 rally, the flagship event of the State is a popular and vibrant stage rally that is being organised from 1975. In 1988, it officially joined the calendar of the Indian National Rally Drivers and Co-drivers’ Championship and later, the Nationals were rechristened as Indian National Rally Championship under its current format. K-1000 for the first time shifted to the European Special Stage format in 1996 before which, the rallies were hardcore long-distance endurance events covering many states and usually more than 1000-mile long, and hence the name Karnataka-1000. It is one of the few events that were organised and run successfully by hardcore and passionate motorsports lovers and ran regularly. Some of the other rallies that had multiple editions are the Popular Rally in Kerala, the South India Rally in Chennai, the Charminar Challenge or the Deccan rally and the Coffee Day rally.
INDIAinF1.com has put together all the winners of the K-1000 from 1975, a compilation first undertaken in 2009 by the late Bharat Raj and Annabelle Manwaring, the promoters of INRC from 2009 to 2011. The last 11 years were added and some gaps were filled. The IMG-PSP duo also sourced historic images of Indian rallying and specially of K-1000 from many sources, with the major contribution coming from the Father of Indian Motorsport Photography, the late George Francis. A poster was released to commemorate the 35th K-1000 celebrations as KMSC completed 35 long years of dedicated service to motorsports, then. Now the club is getting ready to host both the 2w and 4w K-1000 rally once again for the 45th year.
Here is a list of the all the winners of K-1000, a jewel in the pride of Indian Rallying. Each round’s report will be added shortly. Or you can check the reports at INRC: Winners’ Hall of Fame here. Currently the list contains only the 4-wheel winners and the 2-w biker champions’ list is work in progress and will be updated soon.
Multiple Asia Pacific Rally champion Gaurav Gill tops the table with six K-1000 wins followed by 7-time INRC champion N Leelakrishnan who bagged the K-1000 five times followed by Naren Kumar, who won it for three times, along with Ravi Gupta, who also had three wins, but it appears he may have navigated for the inaugural edition winner DR Sivaram in 1980, for his second K1000 trophy. Kiran Mody, too had won the K1000 three times.
K-1000 Winners from 1975 No. Year Dates The man… Machine Surface 1 1975 DR Sivaram, D Vinod Sivappa, Feroze Asgar Ali & Shivprasad, Bangalore Ambassador 1850 km of mixed roads… gravel, kutcha, tarmac 2 1976 Ravi Gupta, Devendra Gupta, Bangalore FIAT 3 1977 Undecided 4 1978 Dayanand Mandre, Jagadish Reddy, Hyderabad FIAT 5 1979 Kiran Mody, Dr Rajesh Kakkadia, Hyderabad FIAT 6 1980 DR Sivaram, Kiran Mody, Bangalore/Hyderabad FIAT 7 1981 Arindam Ghosh, Saswati Ghosh, Sk Yeasin Ali, Nani Chanda, Kolkota FIAT 8 1982 BM Ravi, Noel Gojar, Bangalore FIAT 9 1983 Uday Eswaran, Dr Ravi Prakash, Bangalore FIAT 10 1984 Kiran Mody, Damaraju Kumar Rao (DK Rao), Hyderabad Dolphin 11 1985 Mohammed Harris, Deepak, UAE SUBARU* 12 1986 Subash Goel, Rajan Siyal, Chennai FIAT 13 1987 Aug Kamlesh Patel, KD Madan, Chennai 118 NE 14 1988 Kamlesh Patel, KD Madan, Chennai 118 NE 15 1989 Harish Samtani, Rajiv Chaudhary, Chennai Maruti Gypsy 16 1990 Leelakrishnan, Mahendran, Coimbatore Maruti Gypsy 17 1991 Aug 12-13 Leelakrishnan, Mahendran, Coimbatore Maruti Gypsy Gravel 18 1992 Leelakrishnan, Mahendran, Coimbatore Maruti Gypsy 19 1993 Aug 14-15 VInyl Varghese, Anil Devaraj, Team Paarel, Kerala Maruti Gypsy 20 1994 Leelakrishnan, Farooq Ahmed, Coimbatore/Chikmagalur Maruti Gypsy 21 1995 Aug 12-14 Naren Kumar, MK Chander, Coimbatore Esteem, Group N 22 1996 K1000 Ashphalt Samir Thaper, Koka Rao, Chandigarh /Hyderabad Esteem India Mines 23 1997 The Club K1000 Hari Singh, GS Mann, Delhi Esteem 24 1998 24th Castrol K1000 Leelakrishnan, Farooq Ahmed,
Coimbatore/ChikmagalurEsteem 25 1999 25th K1000 Hari Singh, GS Mann, Delhi Esteem 26 2000 MAI 26th K1000 TSD Rally – Not part of the National Championship round. 27 2001 Aug 10-12 Karandeep Singh, Jaidas Menon Baleno 28 2002 Oct 11-13 Naren Kumar, Doraikumar Ramkumar, Coimbatore Honda City Asphalt 29 2003 Nov 14-16 Karandip Singh, Jaidas Menon, Chandigarh/Bng Honda city Gravel 30 2004 Aug 6-8 Naren Kumar, Doraikumar Ramkumar, Coimbatore Baleno Asphalt 31 2005 Aug 12-14 Naren Kumar, D Ramkumar, Coimbatore Baleno Asphalt 32 2006 Aug 11-13 Gaurav Gill, Farooq Ahmed, Delhi/Chikmagalur Cedia Gravel 33 2007 Aug 17-19 Gaurav Gill, Musa Sherif, Delhi/ Mangalore (Kasargod) Cedia Asphalt 34 2008 Aug 8-10 Vikram Mathias, Srinivasa Murthy, Masinagudi (Karnataka) Cedia Asphalt 35 2009 Aug 21-23 Arjun Balu, Sujith Kumar BS, Coimbatore/ Bengaluru Cedia Gravel 36 2010 Dec 3 -5 Arjun Rao Aroor, Satish Rajagopal, Karnataka Cedia Gravel 37 2011 Aug 19-21 Gaurav Gill, Musa Sherif, Delhi/Kasargod Cedia Gravel 38 2012 Sept 21-23 Lohitt V Urs, Sujith Kumar BS, Mysore/ Bengaluru, Privateers Cedia Gravel 39 2013 Nov 9-10 Gaurav Gill, Musa Sherif, Delhi/Kasargod Mahindra XUV 500 Gravel 40 2014 Nov 21-23 Gaurav Gill, Musa Sherif, Delhi/Kasargod Mahindra XUV 500 Gravel 41 2015 Nov 20-22 Pallath Ganesh Abhilash, Anoop Kumar, Kerala/Bangalore Lancer Evo 8 Gravel 42 2016 Dec 17 -18 Amittrajit Ghosh, Ashwin Naik, Kolkata/ Mangalore Mahindra XUV 500 Gravel 43 2017 Jan 19-21, 2018 Gaurav Gill, Musa Sherif, Delhi/Kasargod Mahindra XUV 500 Gravel 2018 NOT HELD Promoters RRPM did not include the event in the Natioinal INRC calendar 44 2019 Nov 22-24 Chetan Shivaram, Dilip Sharan, Bengaluru VW Polo, Team Akshara Gravel 45 2020 -held 2021 Jan Feb 13-14, 2021 Cancelled Gravel *Corrected from BMW to Subaru, thanks to Zuhin, the 2012 IRC winner -
Jason-Srinivasa Murthy, Chandan-Musa shine at RAAT Thailand Rally Championship Round 2
Lopburi (Thailand), 26 May 2025: Indian rally driver Jason Saldanha and co-driver PVS Murthy clinched the RC2.1 class victory while Chandan Manchegowda and experienced co-driver Musa Sherif took a podium in RC2.2 class, in the second round of the RAAT Thailand Rally Championship, held in the picturesque Khok Samrong district of Lopburi on Sunday.
This event marked Chandan’s international rally debut, a significant milestone in his burgeoning motorsport career.
Piloting a Suzuki Swift Sport for Team Insight & Ally, the duo showcased exceptional skill and coordination, clocking a total time of 1 hour, 7 minutes, and 58 seconds. Their performance not only secured them the top spot in their Super 2500/1500 Turbo RC2.1 class but also earned them an impressive second place overall, finishing only behind the RC1 class winners, Mana Pornsiricherd and Kittisak Klinchan of the Fast Forward Sport team, who drove a powerful factory-developed Toyota CHR.
In another notable performance, the Indian duo of Chandan Manchegowda of Bengaluru and veteran co-driver Musa Sherif from Kasargod, representing Gen-R Rally Sport, secured third place in the RC2.2 (Super 2000) class, completing the rally in 1 hour, 26 minutes, and 20 seconds, and finishing 14th overall.
This victory adds to Saldanha’s growing list of achievements in the international rally scene. Earlier this year, he, alongside co-driver Thimmu Uddapanda, won the first round of the RAAT Thailand Rally Championship in Nakhon Ratchasima, marking their second consecutive victory in the series. The duo also made history in April 2023 by becoming the first Indians to win a title in their class in the Thailand Rally Nationals.
Back on home soil, Saldanha has demonstrated consistent performance in the Indian National Rally Championship (INRC). Notably, he secured a second-place overall finish and clinched first place in the INRC 2 class at the Blueband K1000 Rally in December 2024. His commendable performances at the Blueband Rally of Hyderabad and the Robusta Rally further underscore his prowess and dedication to the sport.
Musa Sherif, a stalwart in Indian rallying, boasts over three decades of experience, with more than 300 rallies under his belt, including 69 international events. A eight-time INRC champion, Sherif has been instrumental in mentoring emerging talents like Chandan, guiding them through the rigors of international competition.
With these commendable performances, Indian rally teams continue to make their mark on the international stage, showcasing skill, determination, and the spirit of competition. The next round of the RAAT Thailand Rally Championship is scheduled to take place in Sa Kaeo, Thesaban Mueang, from July 18 to 20.
Provisional Results (Round 2):
Overall 2WD winner: 1. Jason Deepak Saldanha – P.V. Srinivas Murthy;
RC2.1 (Super 2500/1500 Turbo): 1. Jason Deepak Saldanha – P.V. Srinivas Murthy (Team Insight & Ally – Suzuki Swift Sport) 1hr,07min, 58sec; 2. Natthapon Angrittanont – Ittipon Simaraks (Toyota Gazoo Racing Thailand – Toyota Yaris Cross) 1:20.17;
RC2.2 (Super 2000): 1. Surarat Prapussorn – Thadakorn Prapussorn (Gen-R Rally Sport – Toyota Yaris) 1:13.34; 2. Visarut Lorkham – Yuttachai Poomploy (Suzuki Ciaz) 1:20.47; 3. Chandan Manchegowda – Musa Sherif (Gen-R Rally Sport – Toyota Yaris) 1:26.20; 14th place overall;
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Marco Bezzecchi, who won the Indian GP in 2023, wins again at an epic Silverstone race: MotoGP
Silverstone, 25 May 2025: As they say, timing is everything in sport and for Aprilia Racing, Marco Bezzecchi’s victory at the Tissot Grand Prix of the United Kingdom couldn’t have come at a better time. The rider who last won at the Indian Grand Prix in 2023, took the victory again. In a drama-filled Sunday at Silverstone that saw Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team), Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) crash, and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) suffer a heartbreaking technical issue while leading, it was Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) who clinched a fantastic P2 finish behind the Italian. Meanwhile, Marc Marquez, following a red-flagged stoppage, was able to bounce back and pick up P3 in a podium fight then went down to the wire in an unforgettable Silverstone encounter.
In 2023, Bezzecchi took his first ever MotoGP win at the Argentine Republic Grand Prix in rainy conditions, and thus took the championship lead for the first time in the premier class. He won the 1000th MotoGP Grand Prix at the French Grand Prix, his second win of the season. A third win came in India, as he rounded out a breakthrough season in 3rd place.
DRAMA, DRAMA AND A BIT MORE DRAMA
Straight from lights out, drama unfolded. From the middle of the front row, Alex Marquez got a fantastic launch and led but once the front brake was applied heading into Turn 1, the front end folded without an ounce of warning. Like a flash, the #73 was down and out of the Grand Prix – or so we thought at the time – as Marc Marquez gained the lead ahead of Quartararo and Bagnaia.At the end of the first lap, Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and Aleix Espargaro (Honda HRC Test Team) crashed together at the Vale chicane, which would eventually bring out the red flags due to an oil spillage. But before we learned that, Grand Prix leader Marc Marquez was down at Turn 11! The top two in the World Championship both suffered crashes but because there hadn’t been three laps completed, all riders were eligible for the restart which would be a 19-lap Grand Prix. Was it a get out of jail free card for the Marquez brothers? Yes. But they’d both be starting on their not-so-preferred number two machines.
THE RESTART
Take two saw Bagnaia grab the holeshot into Turn 1 but at Turn 3, Quartararo struck to pounce into an early lead. Marc Marquez was passed Alex Marquez and then so was Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) at Brooklands.1.2s was Quartararo’s advantage at the end of Lap 1 and at Turn 3, Miller carved his way past Marc Marquez for P3 and then at Brooklands, we had a Yamaha 1-2. The Australian launched it up the inside of Bagnaia and then Marc Marquez ran wide at Copse, which dropped him behind Zarco.
2.4s was now Quartararo’s advantage and we then had Zarco pass Pecco for P3. And sniffing an opportunity, Marc Marquez was through too. Then, Copse caught out both factory Ducatis. Marquez and Pecco were wide after separate moments, and that saw them drop to P9 and P10. Work to do.
Things then went bad to worse for Pecco. Going through Luffield, the front end said no more and that was the Italian’s Grand Prix over. Meanwhile, Bezzecchi was now P3 ahead of Zarco, Alex Marquez was P5 while Quartararo held a 3.9s gap over Miller. What a Grand Prix this was.
One thing to note was this: the current front four – Quartararo, Miller, Bezzecchi and Zarco – were on the soft front Michelin tyre. A compound that hasn’t yet completed a race distance, so would it hold up?
On Lap 6 of 19, Bezzecchi and Zarco got the better of Miller as the latter dropped from P2 to P4 in a couple of seconds. Now, what kind of pace did Bezzecchi have up his sleeve? The gap to Quartararo was 5.3s. That was then five seconds flat as Bez shaved three tenths off the disadvantage in clean air.
Elsewhere, Marc Marquez was now right behind Alex Marquez – the top two were P6 and P7, behind Morbidelli and Miller, and just ahead of Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol). The #93 then sliced his way through on the #73 at Vale, and on the next lap, the Championship leader picked off Miller. On the same lap, Alex Marquez made a mistake at Vale and that cost him both time and a place – Mir was now ahead.
The fastest lap of the race, a 1:59.770, was slammed home by Bezzecchi as the Italian ate into Quartararo’s lead. On Lap 10 of 19, the gap was down to 4.7s and on the next lap, it was down to 4.4s. Elsewhere, Marc Marquez was now P4 ahead of Morbidelli and now had three seconds to make up to get onto the rear wheel of Zarco for the podium places.
QUARTARARO’S HEARTBREAK
Suddenly, we saw Quartararo with his arm raised. What had happened? It looked like a technical issue meant the rear ride height device was stuck and despite the efforts of trying to disengage it for more than half a lap, the YZR-M1 was having none of it. Heartbreak for Quartararo and Yamaha. A potential return to the top step snatched away in such cruel circumstances.However, Quartararo’s gut-wrenching end to the Grand Prix was Aprilia’s gain because that was the lead handed on a plate to Bezzecchi.
THE RACE TO THE CHEQUERED FLAG
The Italian was 2.9s up the road from Zarco, who in turn was two seconds clear of Marc Marquez. But it wasn’t a comfortable P3 for the title chase leader. Miller, Morbidelli, Marquez and Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) were all in with a shout of claiming a Silverstone podium with five laps to go.In that podium fight, Miller and Alex Marquez were treating us to a brilliant battle as Morbidelli tried to cling onto Marc Marquez who was now eight tenths clear of the chasing pack. At the front, Bezzecchi was four seconds clear as Zarco kept Marquez just over a second adrift.
Last lap time at Silverstone. Bezzecchi was 4.6s clear but plenty of focus was on the podium fight. Turn 3 saw Morbidelli pass Marquez but the latter bit straight back. Could Morbidelli respond? Yes he could. Copse corner was the chosen place, now the question was on Marc Marquez to have a say.
And he did. A great run out of Turn 14 allowed Marquez to get the inside line at Stowe – but it wasn’t over yet. Morbidelli slammed his Ducati down the inside at Vale, but running wide, his exit was compromised and Marquez managed to shove his way back through on the cutback to just, and we mean just, earn a P3 as Alex Marquez finished right behind his brother and Morbidelli in that fantastic fight.
Up the road though, elation for Bezzecchi and Aprilia. A debut win in Noale colours came for the Italian and after his French GP heroics, Zarco claimed another fantastic result in P2. Chapeaux to the top two.
Acosta delivered some cracking middle to late race pace to finish in P6 ahead of Miller, as Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) clinched an equal-best Honda result in P8 – but that was wiped away post-race due to a 16-second tyre pressure penalty. That meant Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP), Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and Mir rounded out the top 10, with Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3), Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team), Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and the penalised Marini the final points scorers in the UK.
NEXT UP: ARAGON
Wow. What a Sunday that turned out to be. Drama aplenty and a first victory for Aprilia in 2025—Silverstone, you delivered. Next, we head to MotorLand Aragon to do it all over again. What lies ahead in Spain? Who knows? That’s the beauty of this sport.For full results, click HERE!
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Lando Norris wins Monaco GP ahead of Leclerc and Piastri: Formula 1
Monaco, 25 May 2025: Lando Norris kept Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri at bay and negotiated the strategic conundrum of two mandatory pit stops to convert pole position into a first Monaco Grand Prix win.
The plan to bring tactical variation and therefore more excitement to the narrow streets of Monaco by requiring all driver to use three sets of tyres during the race yielded the expected variety in terms of when teams chose to pit their drivers, but ultimately a cagey approach led to little change in the top 10 order with only Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton picking up a place when he jumped Racing Bulls driver Isack Hadjar in the early stops and with the drivers behind gaining a spot when Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso retired midway through.
When the lights went out at the start, pole sitter Norris recovered from a Turn 1 lock-up to take the lead ahead of Leclerc, while behind them Piastri shrugged off a challenge from Max Verstappen to hold third place as they made their way up the hill to Casino Square.
At the exit of Portier, Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto was squeezed by Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli and the Brazilian nosed into the barriers. Bortoleto was able to continue but the incident resulted in a Virtual Safety Car being deployed.
Both Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly took the opportunity to pit under the VSC and the pair emerged in 17th and 18th places respectively. When the VSC ended, the field resumed in order, with Norris holding his lead ahead of Leclerc and Piastri and with Max in P5 ahead Racing Bull driver Isack Hadjar.
On lap eight, Gasly apparently suffered brake failure on the exit of the tunnel, and he slammed into the right rear wheel of Tsunoda’s Red Bull. The Japanese driver was able to continue, but Gasly, with broken front suspension, went skidding through the Nouvelle Chicane. The Frenchman was able to limp back to the pit lane and racing continued.
Hadjar was the first of the front runners to pit, on lap 15. That sparked a reaction from the drivers around him and on lap 19 Norris dived in for Hard tyres, ceding the lead to Leclerc. Attempting to undercut the Monegasque driver, McLaren then pitted Piastri, but Ferrari reacted, and Leclerc was able to pit on lap 22 and rejoin ahead of Piastri.
Delaying his pit stop, Verstappen moved into the lead, but the Red Bull driver soon reported that his starting tyres were beginning to suffer and on lap 29 he made his first stop. The Dutchman slotted back into fourth place, four seconds behind Piastri.
On lap 37, Alonso stopped at Rascasse. The Spanish driver’s Aston Martin was quickly recovered through a gap in the barriers, and any race neutralisation was avoided.
At half distance, Norris began to stretch away from the chasing pack and by lap 42 the McLaren driver had built a six-second gap back to Leclerc who was nine seconds ahead of Piastri who was struggling for grip.
McLaren brought Piastri in for his second stop on lap 49. Leclerc also pitted on the same lap and on lap 50 Norris made his final stop of the race. That pushed Verstappen back into the lead and the champion elected to stay on track, hoping for a late incident and potentially a red flag.
The Red Bull driver’s gamble meant he gradually backed Norris towards Leclerc and the Ferrari driver senses an opportunity. There was no way past, however. Norris kept his cool in the closing laps and when Verstappen finally made his second stop on the penultimate lap, the McLaren was freed to pull away, set the fastest lap of race and take a sixth career win ahead of the Ferrari man and Piastri.
Verstappen was left with his starting place of fourth, while fifth place went to the second Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton, who jumped Hadjar when the Racing Bulls driver made his two stops in quick succession early in the race. Behind the French driver, Haas’ Esteban Ocon took seventh place ahead of the second Racing Bull of Liam Lawson and the final two points positions went to the Williams pair of Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz.
For live scores click here: courtesy Flashscore.com
2025 FIA Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix – Race
1 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 78 1:40’33.843
2 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 78 1:40’36.974 3.131
3 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 78 1:40’37.501 3.658
4 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 78 1:40’54.415 20.572
5 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 78 1:41’25.230 51.387
6 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 77 1:41’38.925 1 lap /1’05.082
7 Esteban Ocon Haas/Ferrari 77 1:41’39.872 1 lap /1’06.029
8 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 77 1:41’40.589 1 lap /1’06.746
9 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 76 1:40’45.712 2 laps /11.869
10 Carlos Sainz Williams/Mercedes 76 1:40’49.075 2 laps /15.232
11 George Russell Mercedes 76 1:41’07.687 2 laps /33.844
12 Oliver Bearman Haas/Ferrari 76 1:41’28.536 2 laps /54.693
13 Franco Colapinto Alpine/Renault 76 1:41’30.957 2 laps /57.114
14 Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber/Ferrari 76 1:41’42.267 2 laps /1’08.424
15 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 76 1:41’44.238 2 laps /1’10.395
16 Nico Hülkenberg Sauber/Ferrari 76 1:41’45.387 2 laps /1’11.544
17 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull/Honda RBPT 76 1:41’45.692 2 laps /1’11.849
18 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 75 1:40’42.252 3 laps /8.409
Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 36 48’27.102 Retirement
Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 7 10’57.609 Retirement -
Rugved Barguje is Best Rider of Round 1: MRF MoGrip Supercross Nationals
Vadodara (Gujarat), 24 May 2025: Five-time Indian National champion Rugved Barguje of TVS Racing made a valiant comeback to take the Overall victory in the premier class and the Best Rider Trophy in the first round of the MRF MoGrip fmsci National Supercross Championship which kicked off the 2025 season here on Saturday.
The championship was promoted by GodSpeed Racing led by seven-time National champion Shyam Kothari. The 750-m track with sections of loose soil had seven jumps, a section of whoops, one table top, many bermed corners and was run in very hard and dry conditions.
A screen grab of Rugved Barguje, who won the Best Rider of the Day award at the MRF MoGrip Supercross Nationals first round in Vadodara on Saturaday. Pune’s Barguje, lost the first moto to an aggressive teammate, Ikshan Shanbag, but showed his resilience to take the second moto, where Shanbag could only finish third. That pushed the 2022 and 2023 back-to-back Overall Indian champion, to an Overall victory in the first round, as he begins the season with a bang after an injury-marred 2024, where he made a valiant effort to defend the title in vain. Defending champion Shlok Ghorpade missed the first round due to an injury he suffered last month in practice.
Earlier in Race 4, the first moto of Class 1: Group A, SX1 upto 500cc, Ikshan took the hole shot and stoutly defended Barguje till the third lap. But the Pune champ overtook him after a stunning manoeuvre and led all the way till the last lap and appeared to have the ‘win’ in his bag. But Ikshan, the Satara rider astride a TVS TR300X, made a huge jump, that was long enough to hoodwink Barguje, and took back the lead in the last lap. He held on to it, for the next two corners or so, and the double jumps, to emerge triumphant. The dramatic last lap saw the TVS teammates in a close finish at the chequered flag and Prajwal took the final spot on the podium for a TVS sweep.
On Saturday, the Motos began with Jinendra Sangave, taking the hole shot of the season and easily winning the Junior SX1 Moto 1. But Kochi’s Ector Ezak of Team Bandidos Motorsports won the second moto while Fayaz Sayyad of Pune took a second and third place, respectively. And soon Chaitanya Joshi and Vismay Ram, too won their motos in the Junior SX2 and SX3 classes, respectively. Both Chaitanya and Vismay, made it a double today winning the second moto too. Competing on equal footing with boys, Aleena M Shaikh hoisted the women in motorsports flag with two creditable podiums including a second, where she stubbornly kept her position till the flag. Vismay, who trained in US, said: “I had a fall but I am happy to win both the motos. I want to do well this season.”
TVS’ Banteilang Jyrwa of Shillong won the first moto of the Group B, Indian Experts upto 260cc class to begin the season on a positive note. “It is all glory to God and my thanks are to TVS Racing for giving me a wonderful bike,” he said. However, his teammate Imran Pasha from Mysore, the defending champion, took the victory in the second moto. Bengaluru’s Sachin Ignatius, another TVS star, won a double podium including a second in the second moto while Hero MotoSports Arun T of Hassan, who could only finish fourth in the first moto took the third place in the second.
STAR OF THE DAY: Aleena Mansoor Shaik, the lady rider, who gave a scare to the boys on Saturday. Photo by Siddharth Vismay Ram YR, Chaithanya Joshi and Amal Varghese won both the motos in their respective classes. Other winners include Meghalaya’s Jayden W Nongkhlaw and Jinendra Sanghave. Youngest girl in the fray, Rida F Sayyed, sister of Fayaz, won two third places in the Junior SX3 class.
Provisional Results (Round 1 Baroda):
Moto1: Class 1: Group A, SX1 upto 500cc:
1. #46 Ikshaan Shanbagh, Satara;
2. #9Rugved Barguje, Pune;
3. #32 Prajwal Vishwanath, Bengaluru; (All TVS, on TVS TR300X)
Moto2: Class 1: Group A, SX1 upto 500cc:
1. #9 Rugved Barguje;
2. #32 Prajwal Vishwanath;
3. #46 Ikshaan Shanbagh;
Moto1: Class 2: Group A, SX2 upto 500cc:
1. #65 Amal Varghese, Ernakulam; Kawasaki
2. #7 Basil Sunny, Ernakulam; Kawasaki
3. #52 Abdul Latheef, Pattambi; Suzuki 450
Moto2: Class 2: Group A, SX2 upto 500cc:
1. #65 Amal Varghese, Ernakulam; Kawasaki
2. #7 Basil Sunny, Ernakulam; Kawasaki
3. #85 Nithyan L, Coimbatore; Kawasaki
Class 3: Indian Novice:
1. #92 Jayden W Nongkhlaw, Shillong; TVS TR 200X
2. #100 Shailesh Kumar, ; TVS TR 200X
3. #69 Abhi S. Nath, Adat PO, Thrissur; Hero Impulse; Team Bandidos Motorsports
Moto1: Class 4: Group B, Indian Experts upto 260cc:
1. #27 Banteilang Jyrwa, Shillong;
2. #72 Imran Pasha, Mysore;
3. #40 Sachin D, Bengaluru; (All TVS on TVS TR 200X)
Moto2: Class 4: Group B, Indian Experts upto 260cc:
1. #72 Imran Pasha (TVS); TVS TR 200X
2. #40 Sachin D (TVS); TVS TR 200X
3. #37 Arun T (Hero MotoSports), Hassan;
Class 5: Indian Experts:
1. #69 Abhi S Nath, Adat PO; Hero Impulse; Team Bandidos Motorsports
2. #71 Arfaz Ahmed, Chamarajnagar (Karnataka); Hero Impulse
3. #16 Abishek J, Coimbatore; Hero Impulse
Moto 1: Class 6: Group A, Junior SX1 150 to 250cc:
1. #97 Jinendra K Sangave, Khalkaranji; Kawasaki
2. #38 Fayaz F Sayyad, Pune; KTM SX250
3.#23 Ector Ezak, Kochi; Kawasaki; Team Bandidos Motorsports
Moto 2: Class 6: Group A, Junior SX1 150 to 250cc:
1.#23 Ector Ezak, Kochi; Kawasaki; Team Bandidos Motorsports
2. #97 Jinendra K Sangave, Khalkaranji; Kawasaki
3. #38 Fayaz F Sayyad, Pune; KTM SX250
Moto1: Class 7: Group A, Junior SX2 Upto 85cc:
1. #74 Chaitanya Joshi; Gas Gas 85
2. #29 Sujan; KTM SX 85
3. #17 Aleena M Shaikh; Husqvarna
Moto2: Class 7: Group A, Junior SX2 Upto 85cc:
1. #74 Chaitanya Joshi; Gas Gas 85
2. #17 Aleena M Shaikh; Husqvarna
3. #29 Sujan; Chaitanya. KTM SX 85
Moto1: Class 8: Group A, Junior SX3 Upto 65cc:
1. 39 Vismay Ram YR; KTM SX 65
2. #82 Armaan Khan; Gas Gas 65
3. #3 Rida F Sayyed; KTM SX 65
Moto2: Class 8: Group A, Junior SX3 Upto 65cc:
1. #39 Vismay Ram YR, Bengaluru; KTM SX 65
2. #82 Armaan Khan, Mysore; Gas Gas 65
3. #3 Rida F Sayyed, Pune; KTM SX 65
(Competition/bike #number is given before the name)
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Lando Norris takes pole ahead of Leclerc at Monaco: Formula 1
Monaco, 24 May 2025: Lando Norris set a new track record lap to beat local hero Charles Leclerc by a tenth of a second at the end of a thrilling qualifying session for the 2025 FIA Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix. Third place went to championships leader Oscar Piastri.
At the start of Q1 it was Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen who set the early pace, with the Dutchman’s opening flyer of 1:11.920 taking him almost two tenths ahead of practice pacesetter Leclerc. However, both McLaren driver soon eclipsed that time, with Norris going four tenths quicker, while Piastri stopped the clock at 1:11.385 to take P1.
In the final runs it was Leclerc who took top spot, with the Monegasque driver posting a lap of 1:11.229 to finish just under eight hundredths of a second ahead of Norris with Piastri third ahead of Verstappen and Mercedes’ George Russell.
At the other end of the order, Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto was the first to be eliminated in P16, ahead of Haas’ Oliver Bearman, who will start last due to a 10-place grid penalty for ignoring red flags in FP2. Pierre Gasly qualified in P18 ahead of Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and the second Alpine of Franco Colapinto, though the Argentinian will move ahead of Stroll due to a one-place penalty for the Canadian.
The red flags came out at the end of the session when Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, who squeezed through in 15th, hit the barriers in the Nouvelle Chicane.
Norris led the way in the first runs of Q2, with the McLaren driver taking P1 on 1:10.959. Verstappen slotted into second place with 0.065s behind, while Leclerc, with Medium tyres on board, took third place two tenths further back.
However, moments later the red flags were thrown once more. Russell slowed through the hairpin and Portier before grinding to a halt in the tunnel. In the final runs, it was Norris who took control with a lap of 1:10.570,
Just 0.016s ahead of Leclerc and two tenths ahead of Williams’ Alex Albon.
Improvements in the final runs for Haas’ Esteban Ocon and Racing Bulls driver Isack Hadjar meant that Williams’ Carlos Sainz was bumped out of Q3 in P11, while Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda dropped out in P12 ahead of Sauber’s Nico Hülkenberg and the sidelined Mercedes cars.
In the opening runs of Q3, it was Norris who set the pace with a lap of 1:10.464, just under seven hundredths of a second ahead of Piastri and Leclerc.
McLaren opted for two final flying laps and Norris proved unbeatable. The Briton first dropped the provisional pole time to 1:10.125 and though Leclerc briefly moved ahead on 1:10.063, Norris found more time to take pole with a lap of 1:09.954, a new track record. Behind local hero Leclerc, Piastri finished third ahead of Hamilton. Verstappen couldn’t improve on his opening lap and at the end of the session the Dutchman took fifth place ahead of Hadjar, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, Ocon, the second Racing Bulls car of Liam Lawson and Albon.
2025 FIA Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix – Qualifying
1 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1’09.954 – –
2 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1’10.063 0.109 0.156
3 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1’10.129 0.175 0.250
4 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 1’10.382 0.428 0.612
5 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1’10.669 0.715 1.022
6 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 1’10.923 0.969 1.385
7 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1’10.924 0.970 1.387
8 Esteban Ocon Haas/Ferrari 1’10.942 0.988 1.412
9 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 1’11.129 1.175 1.680
10 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1’11.213 1.259 1.800
11 Carlos Sainz Williams/Mercedes 1’11.362 1.408 2.013
12 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1’11.415 1.461 2.089
13 Nico Hülkenberg Sauber/Ferrari 1’11.596 1.642 2.347
14 George Russell Mercedes – – –
15 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes – – –
16 Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber/Ferrari 1’11.902 1.948 2.785
17 Oliver Bearman Haas/Ferrari 1’11.979 2.025 2.895
18 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1’11.994 2.040 2.916
19 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1’12.563 2.609 3.730
20 Franco Colapinto Alpine/Renault 1’12.597 2.643 3.778 -
Kush Maini takes pole to flag victory in the Monaco Sprint race: F2
Monaco, 24 May 2025: Indian star Kush Maini secured victory in the Monte Carlo Sprint Race for DAMS Lucas Oil, converting pole position around the Principality in the FIA Formula 2 World Champioinships.
The Indian driver held off fellow Alpine Academy talent Gabriele Minì, who finished second for PREMA Racing. Luke Browning inherited third for Hitech TGR after a time penalty for Campos Racing’s Arvid Lindblad.
AS IT HAPPENED
Maini got the perfect start, but Luke Browning fell down the order to fifth by Turn 1. His poor getaway allowed Gabriele Minì to climb up to P2.
Into Mirabeau, Lindblad attempted a pass on Jak Crawford for third but contact between the two allowed Browning back past for fourth and ahead of the American. The Campos driver emerged from the tangle in third but was later handed a 10-second time penalty for causing a collision.
With DRS enabled, Minì was on the rear wing of the race leader, the gap hovering at 0.3s in the opening 10 laps while the pair pulled over eight seconds clear of Lindblad in third.
The gap was neutralised on Lap 12 when the Safety Car was deployed to recover Joshua Duerksen’s AIX Racing #20. The Paraguayan driver was left in the barriers ahead of Portier following contact with MP Motorsport’s Oliver Goethe out of Mirabeau that left the AIX with race-ending damage.
Back to racing conditions entering Lap 15, Maini escaped from DRS range to Minì behind while Lindblad had Browning right on his gearbox in the battle for third on the road.
Goethe was on the move again, sneaking his MP car up the inside of Victor Martins at La Rascasse to take P9 on the road. Contact between the pair though resulted in a 10-second time penalty for Goethe.
With 10 laps to go, Minì was back to within 0.2s of the race leader, while Lindblad had dropped back by over 10 seconds in order to set up a late-race charge to minimise his time penalty.
The Red Bull Junior Team driver was told to push on Lap 22, and he immediately upped his pace to put a buffer between himself and Browning.
By the final lap, he was on the rear wing of Minì in second with Maini a further couple of seconds up the road.
It allowed the DAMS driver to earn his second F2 victory ahead of Minì, who fended off Lindblad across the line.
With Lindblad’s time penalty applied, it gave Browning P3 and dropped the Campos driver to eighth position.
Crawford wound up fourth ahead of Richard Verschoor, Sebastián Montoya, Leonardo Fornaroli, as Lindblad completed the points in P8.
KEY QUOTE – Kush Maini, DAMS Lucas Oil
“P1, first Indian to win in Monaco too. It’s a great honour and a dream come true. I want to say thank you to DAMS and everyone who has supported me. We keep believing!”
THE CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Alexander Dunne remains P1 in the Drivers’ Championship on 65 points but Luke Browning moves to within one point of the leader, second on 64. Richard Verschoor is third on 59 points with Leonardo Fornaroli just behind him in fourth on 54. Arvid Lindblad rounds out the top five on 46 points.
Hitech TGR are the Teams’ Standings leaders on 93 points, with Campos Racing second on 87. MP Motorsport are third on 71 points, with Rodin Motorsport and Invicta Racing completing the top five on 65 and 63 points respectively.
UP NEXT
The Feature Race follows on Sunday morning, with Alexander Dunne going from Pole Position and Victor Martins alongside him on the front row. Lights out is scheduled for 09:40 local time.
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All eyes on Rugved Barguje as injured Shlok Ghorpade to miss Ro1: MRF Supercorss
Vadodara, 23 May 2025: With defending champion Shlok Ghorpade of KTM missing the first round, all eyes will be on former champion Rugved Barguje, the TVS prodigy, as the 2025 season of the MRF MoGrip fmsci National Supercross Championship promoted by Godspeed Racing begins here on Saturday.
Barguje will spearhead the TVS Racing team, which announced on Friday, eight riders across three categories for the 2025 Championship. A household name, TVS, which enjoyed dominance for several years now in all forms of two-wheeler Nationals, saw only a single championship title in 2024 where Imran Pasha won the title in the Class 5: Group B Indian Experts upto 260cc category. The riders are determined to change the scenario as the line up includes talented Ikshan Shanbaag from Satara, and star rider Parjwal Vishwanath of Bengaluru, who will join Barguje in the premier Group A Foreign Open SX 1 upto 500cc category astride the powerful TVS TR300X.
Shlok Ghorpade, 17, who won the National Supercross Championship title last year to annexe a maiden victory for KTM Factory Racing India on debut in Indian Nationals, finished his 12th Board exams and was eagerly looking forward and training for the 2025 season. But an unfortunate incident during training at his home track saw him crash in April. “I crashed and hurt myself, which forced me out of Round 1. As frustrating as it is, I am currently in rehabilitation and focusing on getting race ready for round 2 scheduled after the rains,” the 7-time National champion said. “I aim to get better each time I am on my bike. I intend to train abroad with KTM North America for a few weeks and participate in a couple of races there. I am also preparing for the ISRL season 2 scheduled in the last quarter of this year,” the James Stewart Jr fan, elaborated on his 2025 plans.
Defending champion Imran Pasha, Banteilang Jyrwa, and D Sachin, will compete in Group B Indian Expert category, on a TR200X. TVS also roped in Jayden Wandame Nongkhlaw of Meghalay, who showed much promise last year and newcomer Shailesh Kumar, who will compete in the Indian Novice Group B, also on a TR200X.
For the 2025 season, PETRONAS TVS Racing will field its upgraded TR 300X (Group A – up to 500cc) and TR 200X (Group B – up to 260cc) race machines. These bikes feature cutting-edge enhancements, including advanced camshaft and cylinder head designs for improved mid-range torque and high-RPM performance. With better suspension and optimized ergonomics, these machines are built to offer superior control, traction, and agility, giving TVS riders a distinct edge on the track.
The reigning champions Ryan Haig in Group A SX2 upto 500cc and Karan Kumar of Hero MotoSports in Novice upto 260cc besides Subramanya T in Private Experts upto 260cc are also eager to defend their titles. Other talented champions, who took home the crown in their respective classes, Jinendra Sangave, Akshat Hupale and Bairav C Gowda are all in fine fettle looking to up the speed this season.
Ryan Haig will lead Team Bandidos Motorsports which is all set for the new season after producing a champion in 2024. Besides title holder Haig, the team will have Abhi S Nath, Ector, Wilmer Valentino and Arfaz Hamid for the new season.
2024 Champions – MRF MOGRIP fmsci National Supercross Championship 2024 (2W)
1. Class 1: Group A, SX1 upto 500cc: Shlok Ghorpade;
2. Class 2: Group A, SX2 upto 500cc: Ryan Haig;
3. Class 3: Group B Novice upto 260cc: Karan Kumar;
4. Class 5: Group B, Indian Experts upto 260cc: Imran Pasha;
5. Class 6: Group B, Private Experts upto 260cc; Subramanya T.;
6. Class 7: Group A, Junior SX1 150 to 250cc: Jinendra Sangave;
7. Class 8: Group A, Junior SX2 Upto 85cc: Akshat Hupale;
8. Class 9: Group A, Junior SX3 Upto 65cc: Bhairav C Gowda.
PETRONAS TVS Racing team’s racer lineup for Indian Supercrosss Nationals 2025:
1. Rugved Barguje — Group A — Foreign Open SX 1 (up to 500cc) — TR300 X;
2. Ikshan Shanbhag— Group A — Foreign Open SX 1 (up to 500cc) — TR300 X;
3. Prajwal V— Group A — Foreign Open SX 1 (up to 500cc) — TR300 X;
4. Imran Pasha — Group B – Indian Expert (up to 260 cc) — TR200 X;
5. Banteilang Jyrwa — Group B – Indian Expert (up to 260 cc) — TR200 X;
6. D Sachin — Group B – Indian Expert (up to 260 cc) — TR200 X;
7. Jayden Wandame Nongkhlaw — Group B – Indian Novice (up to 260 cc) — TR200 X;
8. Shailesh Kumar — Group B – Indian Novice (up to 260 cc) — TR200 X;
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Charles Leclerc tops both practice sessions; Piastri and Hamilton follow Leclerc in FP2
Monaco, 23 May 2025: After topping the opening practice session for home grand prix, Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc made it a Friday clean sweep as he went quickest in the second practice session for Sunday’s 2025 FIA Formula 1 Monaco Grand, beating McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton to top spot in a session twice halted by red flags.
Earlier, Leclerc went quickest in the first free practice on the streets of his hometown as the 2025 FIA Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix got underway.
In FP1, Leclerc, topped the timesheet with a lap of 1:11.964 set close to the halfway mark of the one-hour session and though with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and McLaren’s Lando Norris got close the Ferrari driver’s time kept him in control until the chequered flag.
IN FP2: It was championship leader Piastri and McLaren team-mate Lando Norris who led the way early in the session before they were usurped by Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen. However, at the 10-minute mark the session was halted for the first time when Racing Bulls driver Isack Hadjar clipped the barrier at the Nouvelle Chicane.
The French rookie suffered a rear left puncture and stopped on track, bringing out the red flags. He was, however, able to limp back to the pit lane and one the brief stoppage had ended he was able to rejoin the action.
When the session resumed Piastri returned to the top of the order with a lap of 1:12.548, with Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli slotting into just 0.039s behind. Leclerc was going even quicker, however, and the local hero posted a lap of 1:12.103 to take top sport.
However, almost immediately after Leclerc’s heroics, Piastri brought out the red flags again. The Australian went straight on at Sainte Devote and broke his front wing. He too was able to continue and after returning to the pit lane under the caution and he was soon repaired and back out once the track went green again.
After the resumption, Aston’s Fernando Alonso and Hamilton traded the lead on hard Pirelli rubber before the field began to make the switch to the C6 Pirelli tyres for qualifying simulations.
And it was Leclerc who found the most time on the red-banded tyres. The Ferrari driver opened with a 1:11.414 before working his way down to 1:11.355 just after the halfway mark. The Monegasque driver might have gone even quicker but after a personal best opening sector he lost fractions of time across the rest of the lap.
Piastri got closest to the Ferrari star and his lap of 1:11.393 left him 0.038 off top spot and a little under seven hundredths clear of Hamilton who popped in a strong lap of 1:11.460 in the other Ferrari.
Lando Norris ended up in fourth place, 0.322 off Leclerc in the other McLaren, while Liam Lawson took a surprise fifth for Racing Bulls with a lap of 1:11.823, while team-mate Isack Hadjar recovered to finish sixth, just two hundredths of a second behind the New Zealander.
Alonso finished in P7 ahead of Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli, while Verstappen and Red Bull team-mate Yuki Tsunoda finished 10th and 11th respectively.
2025 FIA Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix – Free Practice 2
1 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:11.355 32 168.358
2 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1:11.393 0.038 28 168.268
3 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 1:11.460 0.105 30 168.110
4 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1:11.677 0.322 32 167.601
5 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 1:11.823 0.468 32 167.261
6 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 1:11.842 0.487 17 167.216
7 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:11.890 0.535 30 167.105
8 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1:11.918 0.563 34 167.040
9 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 1:12.002 0.647 32 166.845
10 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:12.068 0.713 29 166.692
11 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:12.072 0.717 30 166.683
12 George Russell Mercedes 1:12.092 0.737 32 166.637
13 Carlos Sainz Williams/Mercedes 1:12.151 0.796 32 166.500
14 Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber/Ferrari 1:12.234 0.879 29 166.309
15 Oliver Bearman Haas/Ferrari 1:12.259 0.904 33 166.251
16 Nico Hülkenberg Sauber/Ferrari 1:12.262 0.907 32 166.245
17 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1:12.404 1.049 34 165.919
18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:12.512 1.157 30 165.671
19 Esteban Ocon Haas/Ferrari 1:12.541 1.186 33 165.605
20 Franco Colapinto Alpine/Renault 1:13.415 2.060 31 163.634 -
Kush Maini ready to kickstart 2025 season with a win after taking reverse pole: FIA F2
Monaco, 23 May 2025: Indian star Kush Maini is hopeful that his reverse grid pole position in Monte Carlo will turn into a victory on Saturday in the Principality and give him and DAMS Lucas Oil a season-boosting result in the FIA Formula 2 World Championship.
So far in 2025, Maini confessed he has not had the season he envisaged since joining the French outfit but says there are positive signs even if there aren’t results to show that yet.
He also believes that a Sprint victory could be exactly what he and the team needs going into the rest of the European leg of the F2 season.
“Pace has never been a question mark. Jeddah, Imola – it’s always been there. Stuff hasn’t come together in a while now, but I hope this is the change for the better and I really enjoy working with my team. We get along really well. And I feel for sure like the best is yet to come.
“I think I just need to get my championship and kick-started and hopefully build from there. The last two years, I’ve always been in a very strong position early on and then fallen off so hopefully this year’s the opposite.”
Reflecting on the Qualifying session, Maini says that he felt he was able to get a clean run in and was thankful that traffic didn’t prevent preventing him from getting a laptime in.
The Alpine Academy driver says he handled the issue of clear air well with the team, enabling them to secure a top 10 start in both races.
“Honestly, last two years – 2023 actually, I was on for a really good lap, purple, and then traffic, and last year as well, I was outside the top 10. So it was scary going into qualifying, because there’s a lot of stuff that can be out of your control. But I think our session was very clean, and there were no real issues there.
“It was tricky overall. This time we were P5 but obviously with the groups split, P10 in the end. It’s not been the easiest start to the year. I feel Jeddah, we were very strong, and some things went out of our control, and then Imola, obviously my mistake. So it’s just nice to finally, finally, just be in the top 10 and really get our championship started.”
Looking ahead to the Sprint Race on Saturday, Maini will have a clear view into Turn 1, a coveted perspective around the streets of Monaco.
The Indian driver says he will be aiming to execute an error-free race, with overtaking opportunities so limited around the circuit.
“I think clean air in Monaco is king. You can really just enjoy driving and do a good race, manage everything. The main thing is now the start. Just get the start right and then focus on hitting your marks. It’s still a long way to go. I’m just happy and grateful that at least we’re in the top 10. Anything can happen in Monaco.
“No race is ever straightforward. There’s a lot of things that can happen, and we need to be on top of everything. Brake management and the start itself for example.
“It’s a very tight circuit, so being focused the whole time and taking nothing for granted, but it’s definitely one of the tracks where it’s tougher to overtake, so that is a positive.”
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Injured Harith Noah withdraws from South African Safari Rally: W2RC
Sun City (South Africa), 21 May 2025: Indian rally-raid rider Harith Noah was forced to withdraw from the South African Safari Rally, the Round 3 of 2025 FIA-FIM World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC), following a crash at the beginning of Stage 1 on Wednesday. Harith encountered a jackal that jumped in front of his bike and while attempting to brake and maneuver around the animal, he crashed, resulting in significant swelling in his right hand. He got up and showed resilience, riding 20 kilometers more before withdrawing due to loss of grip strength and pain from the fall.
Harith had made a good start to the rally, finishing 5th in Prologue Stage of Rally 2 with a timing of 7:44.1 s, marking his return to rally-raid after he had an injury-led exit at the Dakar Rally, earlier in January which required surgery to his wrist.
“Fortunately, it’s not the wrist that got injured this time. There was a lot of swelling in my right hand, and I just didn’t have the strength to hold the bike and ride, which forced me to stop,” said Harith from South Africa. “We don’t exactly know what the issue is yet, but nothing appears to be broken, which is a good sign. I’ll be getting an MRI today to check for any further damage”
Noah, who rides for the Sherco TVS Rally Factory team, is hopeful for a swift recovery and aims to return in time for the Baja España Aragón 2025 in Spain, scheduled from 25 to 27 July.
“The important thing is that we are safe. Even though it was just two days of riding, I learned a lot and feel like I have gained valuable experience. I definitely know what can be done and I know I will be back. Hopefully, this is just one step backward to take a bigger step forward,” ended Harith with confidence.
The 2025 W2RC season features five rounds across three continents, pushing riders through a wide spectrum of terrains and conditions. The year kicked off with the legendary Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia, followed by the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. Now, the championship heads into uncharted territory with the debut of the South African Safari Rally. The final two rounds will take riders to Portugal for the BP Ultimate Rally Raid in September, before culminating with the iconic Rallye du Maroc in October.
