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  • Loeb beats Vettel to be crowned Champion of Champions: RoC

    Loeb beats Vettel to be crowned Champion of Champions: RoC

    • Nine-time World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb has thrilled the fans braving heavy snow at Sweden’s Pite Havsbad by winning the Race Of Champions trophy for a record-equalling fourth time.
    • Loeb prevailed after defeating four-time F1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel by three heats to one in the Grand Final to take the ROC 2022 title ahead of a field featuring some of motorsport’s greatest ever drivers.
    • ‘Mr Le Mans’ Tom Kristensen and Sweden’s DTM and Rallycross ace Mattias Ekström reached the semi-finals at the first ever ROC event held on ice.
    • Yesterday’s ROC Nations Cup winners for Team Norway Petter and Oliver Solberg couldn’t repeat their heroics today, both knocked out by Loeb.
    • Seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson exited in the quarter-finals while double F1 world champion Mika Hakkinen lost in the Round of 16.

    Baltic Sea (Sweden) 6 Feb. 2022: France’s world rally legend Sébastien Loeb put in a stunning performance to eclipse 17 fellow superstars of motorsport and win the 2022 Race Of Champions – on a day of non-stop action on the frozen Baltic Sea at Sweden’s Pite Havsbad, just 60 miles from the Arctic Circle.

    Following Team Norway’s triumph in yesterday’s ROC Nations Cup, all cooperation went out of the window today. The individual Race Of Champions pitted some of the world’s greatest drivers head-to-head on ROC’s iconic parallel track, purpose built on ice for the first time. After an unprecedented tidal surge saw yesterday’s racing take place on just the inner half of the track, today the drivers could let rip on the full circuit featuring ROC’s famous crossover bridge.

    On an afternoon of heavy snow at Pite Havsbad, the Race Of Champions saw greats of global motorsport battling it out for glory in a mix of identical machinery – including the FIA RX2e electric rallycross car, Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport, off-road Polaris RZR PRO XP and the 100% fossil-free biofuel powered SuperCar Lites.

    In front of packed crowds of Swedish fans braving the cold, the best-of-five Grand Final boiled down to a duel between a pair of true legends: nine-time World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb and four-time F1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel.

    After a thrilling finale as both drivers pushed to the limit in the blizzard, Loeb saw off his German rival by three heats to one to be crowned ROC Champion of Champions for the fourth time. He thus equals the all-time record set by Didier Auriol, his partner for Team France in yesterday’s ROC Nations Cup.

    Loeb said: “It’s been a long time since I was last at the Race Of Champions, so I’m happy to find out that at 47 years of age I still have the pace! This adds to my good start to the season: second in the Dakar Rally, first in Monte Carlo and now a victory here at ROC. It wasn’t easy for us to go up against all the Swedish and Norwegian guys because they are more used to these conditions. I also knew it would be tough adapting between the Porsche, buggy and rallycross cars. But after I made it through against Petter Solberg I got more confidence with each run. It was a nice fight with Seb in the final and I had a good feeling – except for when I completely lost control of the car in the third heat! Now here we are, and it’s great to equal Didier’s record of four ROC Champion of Champions titles.

    “We also need to congratulate the Fredrik Johnsson and the ROC organisers who have done a great job all week in difficult circumstances. They had to deal with a practice track that sailed off towards Finland, a snowstorm during practice and a rising sea. But everyone kept up a great mood and a positive attitude, with no stress, always finding solutions. And they found it.”

    Vettel added: “Sébastien was just too fast today. The conditions were tricky out there and it was getting more and more slippery, which I guess is normal for snow and ice! I don’t have that much experience so it was a struggle to adapt; in my day job getting sideways is what we try to avoid. But I felt I was improving every time I drove. That’s a good sign, but also a sign that I still have a lot to learn. Yesterday was a short day because I let Team Germany down and we went out very quickly, but today I could get more into the groove. I knew the final was a big stretch and I maybe pushed too hard, but I knew I had to go for it to be close to Seb. l made mistakes here and there, so in these conditions I have a bit of catching up to do…

    “We’ve missed two years of the Race Of Champions so it’s great to be back and to have a sense of normality. I’ve really enjoyed coming here on a different surface too, and it’s special to be on Fredrik’s home soil. It’s great to have the fans back too and I’m impressed to see so many people in the crowds. I don’t know how they can stand the cold and the wind in their face, but they seemed happy and up for it! Now I hope we can come back to Sweden again.”

    To reach the Grand Final Loeb and Vettel had to see off a field featuring 18 of the world’s greatest drivers. Because the track conditions on snow and ice can change quickly depending on the weather, ROC’s traditional group stage did not take place. Instead this year’s Race Of Champions used a straight knockout system with the field split into two halves: one featured the international racing drivers while the other had the rally experts and those with more experience of off-road driving.

    At the best-of-three semi-final stage Vettel beat nine-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner Tom Kristensen 2-0 to take bragging rights in the racing drivers’ half of the draw, though the Dane was hampered by a mechanical problem in the first heat.

    On the rally side, Loeb finished on top of the pile having brought an end to a spirited run by double DTM Champion and FIA World Rallycross Champion Mattias Ekström, who was the last Swedish driver standing in front of his home fans. The match went to a deciding third heat, won by the Frenchman.

    The quarter-finals, which were decided over two heats, saw many big names bite the dust – not least seven-time NASCAR Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson, who lost to Kristensen. IndyCar’s youngest ever race winner Colton Herta was the other racing driver who went out, beaten by Vettel on countback of fastest times after a 1-1 tie.

    On the rally side Loeb saw off rising WRC star Oliver Solberg after a match in which one of their races finished in a dead heat, to the nearest thousandth of a second. The other driver exiting at this stage was four-time FIA World Rallycross Champion Johan Kristoffersson, who lost to Ekström despite winning their first race heat by just one hundredth of a second.

    The Round of 16 was another graveyard for motorsport’s superstars. In the racing half of the draw, double F1 World Champion Mika Hakkinen went out at the hands of Johnson while his long-time McLaren F1 team-mate David Coulthard was defeated by Kristensen. Double W Series Champion Jamie Chadwick and this year’s W Series runner-up Emma Kimilainen also left the competition at this stage, beaten by Herta and Vettel respectively.

    The rally side of the draw was just as brutal. FIA World Rally and World Rallycross Champion Petter Solberg couldn’t find a way past Loeb so there was to be no repeat of yesterday’s ROC Nations Cup glory. His fellow World Rallycross Champion Timmy Hansen had to accept defeat by Kristoffersson after crashing out, while four-time ROC Champion of Champions Didier Auriol fell to Ekström. Mexico’s reigning ROC Champion of Champions Benito Guerra was another of the early casualties after being beaten by Oliver Solberg.

    Kicking off the afternoon’s action, four of the racing drivers were matched up in pairs for two Round 1 play-offs. Germany’s FIA F2 and F3 Champion Mick Schumacher was defeated by Chadwick while four-time Indy 500 Winner Helio Castroneves also had to bid an early goodbye after falling to Herta. The Brazilian ace was later seen relaxing in style in the ROC Drivers’ Lounge after declaring he and snow ‘don’t mix’.

    Ahead of the main action, the home fans were given a treat as four sporting legends took place in a celebrity race in the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport. The field featured tennis great Jonas Björkman plus Olympic skiing gold medallists Ingemar Stenmark, Anja Pärson and Aksel Lund Svindal, who was the only Norwegian taking on three Swedes on their home turf. In the end it was Lund Svindal who came out on top, beating Stenmark in the final by just 0.8 seconds. The skiing great thus added to his home country’s amazing run of success here this weekend following Petter and Oliver Solberg’s triumph for Team Norway in the ROC Nations Cup yesterday.

    This year’s Race Of Champions has raised over 1 million SEK (€100,000) towards a selection of worthwhile charities. The key recipients have included German children’s charity Kinderlachen, the Zelmerlöw and Björkman Foundation’s school in Kenya, the ICM (institute for advanced research on brain and spinal cord injuries in Paris) plus a range of the drivers’ other favourite charities.

    Today’s action at Pite Havsbad marks the end of ROC Sweden for 2022. We hope you enjoyed this festival of motor sport and entertainment on the snow and ice, and we look forward to welcoming you back for our next event.

  • Seb Montoya wins as Mumbai Falcons take a rare 1-2-3: Asian Formula Regional

    Seb Montoya wins as Mumbai Falcons take a rare 1-2-3: Asian Formula Regional

    Dubai, 5 Feb. 2022: Historic day for Indian motorsport as team Mumbai Falcons locked out a 1-2-3 finish in Race 1 sweeping the podium at Round 3 of the Formula Regional Asian Championship in Dubai on Saturday.

    After another splendid performance by the team, it was the young Colombian star, Sebastian Montoya who lead the way to finish ahead of his teammates and Ferrari academy drivers, Arthur Leclerc and Dino Beganovic, taking the top three spots for the opening race of Round 3 in the Asian Formula Regional event.

    Montoya qualified again on pole for Race 1, making it three poles in a row, for the son of racing legend, Juan Pablo Montoya. Sebastian set a blistering pace and was well clear of his nearest rival, Isaac Hadjar, who qualified P2. Teammates, Dino Beganovic and Arthur Leclerc qualified P6 and P8 respectively.

    Hadjar, from second on the grid made a fantastic get-away at the start, to find himself alongside Montoya. However the Colombian youngster did not succumb to the pressure from the RedBull Junior driver, and held on to lead the pack into Turn 1. Further behind, Dino and Arthur found themselves climbing up the order, immediately and were into P4 and P6, respectively, by the end of Lap 1.

    While Montoya began to open a lead over Hadjar, Beganovic found himself fighting for a podium spot with Leonardo Fornaroli of team Hitech. The race was, however, Red-Flagged briefly to recover a stricken car.

    At the re-start, Hadjar began to pile-up the pressure on Montoya but was soon given a five-second penalty along with third-placed Fornaroli for a grid infringement. This opened the door for Leclerc and Beganovic to grab the remaining podium spots after fighting hard and making their way up the order.

    Moid Tungekar said: “What a fantastic day for the team and for India. We are extremely proud of the boys as well as the hard work put in by everyone over the last year. We would like to thank Rene Rosin and the entire Prema Team for working with us to make this possible. There’s a long way to go in this championship and our goal is to come out on top and to pave the way for all the youngsters watching us out there.”

    Sebastian Montoya said: “It was a long-and-hard race but I’m happy to win and, of course, very happy to see ourselves lock-out the top spots on the podium. We are looking forward to many more podiums.”

  • Bike racing stalwart Rajini Krishnan wins historic 10th National title

    Bike racing stalwart Rajini Krishnan wins historic 10th National title

    Irungattukottai (near Chennai), 5 Feb. 2022: Current Indian two-wheeler racing stalwart Rajini Krishnan scripted a piece of historic masterclass to create a milestone in the annals of Indian National Motorcylce Championship by winning a rare TENTH NATIONAL title on the concluding day of another season, of the MRF MMSC fmsci Motorcycle Racing Nationals at the 3.7-km MMRT track, here on Saturday.

    The 41-year old, Chennai-born star’s first National crown in 10 years. The last came in 2012, which was his 9th title after his debut crown in 2003. Rajini started his RACR, a racing academy in 2017 and with a focus to attract attention to his new venture, he realised he had to ride again. And what a success, as he struggled and overcame all odds, to win a National Championship again at the age of 41 years, almost winning his final race starting from P12.

    He took an unwarranted risk of going for a winning-end to his campaigan, and reached P2, but suffered a crash in the last lap. He was quick on his heels to pick-up his bike and rejoin the race to get on to the podium, lighting up the final few moments, but not before his fans skipped a beat or two, and the the fifth and final round of the Madras Motor Sports Club promoted Nationals came to a grand end.

    Castrol Power1 Ultimate in the hands of a Powerful champion as Rajini Krishnan celebrates with a new T-shirt that proclaims his 1`0 National title in a span of two decades from 2003 (his debut) to 2022, his 10th National title. Photo by Anand Philar

    Another biking stalwart, Jagan Kumar of TVS Racing, had assured himself of the National title, his 10th, on Friday, after finishing third in the Pro-Stock 165cc category. In the second race today, he cruised to fourth. KY Ahamed led a 1-2 finish for TVS Racing with Deepak Ravikumar second, while Rajiv Sethu (Idemitsu Honda SK69 Racing) came in third. Thus, the final round proved to be a good outing for the motorsport connossieur providing an op to witness two biking legends create history winning their 10th title each.

    2021 Bike Racing Champions: from left: Ajith Thomas, President, Madras Motor Sport Club (MMSC), Alwin Sundar (Novice Stock 165cc class), Jagan Kumar (Pro-stock 165), Ryhana Bee (Girls stock 165cc), Rajini Krishnan (Pro-Stock 301-400cc) and Vicky Chandhok, Vice-President MMSC at Madras Motorsports Race Track (MMRT) on 5 Feb. 2022.

    Rajini Krishnan finished third in the premier Pro-Stock 301-400cc category. Also annexing the National Championship title was 19-year old Chennai collegian Alwin Sundar of AS (Anand-Sindy) Motorsports in the Novice (Stock 165cc) category despite finishing second behind Allwin Xavier of Sparks Racing. He thus completed a triple crown.

    In the Girls category, Ryhana Bee (RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate), also from Chennai, marked her comeback season after a year’s absence in 2020 due to injury, by winning her fifth consecutive race. She had sealed the championship after Round 4, but ensured that she closed the season on a winning note. She swept all the rounds and kept her slate clean, a rare achievement on the track with high competition.

    Rajini Krishnan, who needed just four points to annex the championship going into the final round, had a roller-coaster weekend, marked by crashes in both the races. In the first outing yesterday, he crashed before finishing 12th, and earned no point (only the first ten riders score points).

    In the second race on Saturday, (Sunday’s races were advanced to Saturday due to COVID travel restrictions) starting from P12, he moved to second but hit an oil patch on the last lap. However, he jumped back on to the bike, to finish third behind Rahil Shetty of Gusto Racing and Anish Damodara Shetty of Race Concepts, to earn 15 valuable points. However, he needed just 4 points and an eight-place finish. Anish Shetty crossed the finish line first, but he dropped to second following a five-second penalty for an infringement, elevating Rahil to the top step of the podium.

    Rajini, who had made his National Championship debut in 2003, topped the leaderboard with 183 points and six wins, followed by Anish Shetty (164) and Rahil Shetty (156).

    Elsewhere, youngster Sarthak Chavan from Pune, dominated the NSF 250R category in the Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup with a double which followed four consecutive wins over the previous two rounds. However, he finished second in the championship, seven points behind Chennai youngster Kavin Quintal who had won the first four races of the season.

    Kozhikode’s Amarnath Menon took the title in the Open (Apache RR310) category of the TVS One-Make Championship with four wins from 10 starts.

    Provisional results (all 6 laps unless mentioned):

    [Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”14″ gal_title=”2021 Indian Bike Nationals Final day 5Feb2022″]

    Pro-Stock 301-400cc (Race-2, 8 laps): 1. Rahil Shetty (Gusto Racing, Hyderabad) (15mins, 12.661secs); 2. Anish Damodara Shetty (Race Concepts, Bengaluru) (15:17.595); 3. Rajini Krishnan (RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate, Chennai) (15:31.119). National champion: Rajini Krishnan. Team championship: TVS Racing. Manufacturer championship: KTM.

    Pro-Stock 165cc Open (Race-2, 8 laps): 1. KY Ahamed (TVS Racing, Chennai) (15:41.370); 2. Deepak Ravikumar (TVS Racing, Chennai) (15:41.461); 3. Rajiv Sethu (Idemitsu Honda SK69 Racing) (15:42.251). National champion: Jagan Kumar (TVS Racing, Chennai). Team championship: TVS Racing. Manufacturer championship: TVS.

    Novice (Stock 165cc) (Race-3): 1. Allwin Xavier (Sparks Racing, Thrissur) (12:53.797); 2. Alwin Sundar (AS Motorsports, Chennai) (12:54.438); 3. Jinendra Kiran Sangave (Sparks Racing, Kolhapur) (13:03.099). National champion: Alwin Sundar. Team Championship: Sparks Racing.

    Girls (Stock 165cc) 5 laps: 1. Ryhana Bee (RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate, Chennai) (10:53.980); 2. Lani Zena Fernandez (Speed Up Racing, Puducherry) (10:55.735); 3. Ann Jennifer (Sparks Racing, Chennai) (11:04.284). National champion: Ryhana Bee. Team Championship: RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate.

    TVS One-Make Championship – Open (Apache RR310) Race-1: 1. Jagadeesh N (Bengaluru) (11:46.912); 2. Navaneeth Kumar S (Puducherry) (11:48.365); 3. Amarnath Menon (Kozhikode) (11:49.054). Race-2: 1. Amarnath Menon (11:50.667); 2. Ananthraj P (Chennai) (11:50.961); 3. Manoj Yesuadiyan (Chennai) (11:51.838). Champion: Amarnath Menon.

    Rookie (Apache RTR 200) (Race-2): 1. Chiranth Viswanath (Bengaluru) (12:48.129); 2. Jinendra Kiran Sangave (Kolhapur) (12:48.443); 3. Shreyas Hareesh Cooparam (Bengaluru) (12:48.457). Race-3: 1. Chiranth Viswanath (12:42.924); 2. Jinendra Kiran Sangave (12:43.614); 3. KR Tamizhinian (Chennai) (12:44.221). Champion: Jinendra Kiran Sangave.

    Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup – NSF 250R (Race-2, 8 laps): 1. Sarthak Chavan (Pune) (14:45.513); 2. Kavin Quintal (Chennai) (14:54.015); 3. Mohsin Paramban (Valancherry) (14:55.452). Champion: Kavin Quintal.

    CBR 150 (Race-2): 1. Theopaul Leander (Chennai) (17:13.251); 2. Siddesh Sawant (Uttur) (17:13.492); 3. Raheesh Khatri (Mumbai) (17:14.100). Race-3: 1. Theopaul Leander (13:03.492); 2. Siddesh Sawant (13:04.026); 3. Vivek Gaurav (Patna) (13:04.517). Champion: Prakash Kamat (Bokaro Steel City).

    Hornet 2.0 (Support class, Race-3): 1. G Balaji (Chennai) (13:33.889); 2. Udayi Prakash (Coimbatore) (13:34.521); 3. Shankar Guru (Chennai) (13:38.138). Champion: Kevin Kannan (Chennai).

    TVS Media (Apache RTR 200, 5 laps): 1. Soham Thakur (11:46.045); 2. Manaal Mahatme (12:15.099); 3. Ajinkya Lad (12:16.537). Champion: Soham Thakur.

    About Madras Motor Sports Club

    Since its humble beginnings in 1953, the Madras Motor Sports Club has grown in stature as the hub of motorsport activity in India. Having moved its racing activities from Sholavaram to its present location, the MMRT circuit in Sriperumbudur in 1979, MMSC has kept pace with changing times by upgrading facilities. At a cost of about Rs 20 Crore, the MMSC built a pit complex comprising 20 garages, VIP hospitality suites and a viewing gallery, on the eastern side, apart from a second Paddock on the western side with its own short circuit. Parallelly, MMSC imported timing equipment specifically for Drag racing. The Control Room too was upgraded with state-of-the-art hardware while the track itself was improved to meet the exacting FIA standards for Grade-2 certification. MMSC also constructed a 500-capacity grand stand with provision for garages / storage below. In another upgrade, the MMSC purchased Digi flags from TAG Heuer Chronolec that will be positioned strategically around the track. The facilities are also extensively used by various vehicle manufacturers for testing their products, displays and corporate days.

  • Jagan Kumar of TVS wins historic 10th Indian National title: Bike racing

    Jagan Kumar of TVS wins historic 10th Indian National title: Bike racing

    Chennai, 4 Feb 2022: Road Racing champion and the most-decorated rider from the stables of TVS Racing, Jagan Kumar, 33, made a stunning statement in style conquering his tenth National crown with a race to spare in the fifth and final round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2021 at the MMRT, here on Friday.

    From cycling house to house as a newspaper boy to grabbing regular headlines in all the newspapers winning astride his TVS machine year after year, the humble genius achieved a racing milestone in the history of Indian motorsports. With a handsome lead in the championship table, he just needed 10 points and a third in the premier Pro-Stock 165cc race was more than enough as he fetched 15 points. TVS Racing teammates, the mechs, and all in the camp, were ready to receive him with brand new No.1 T-shirts that proclaimed and celebrated Jagan’s success.

    Earlier, Bengaluru-based Anish Damodara Shetty (Race Concepts), astride a KTM 390, shrugged off a hip injury that he suffered after a high-speed crash in the qualifying session a couple of hours earlier, to win a thrilling race in the Pro-Stock 301-400cc category that headlines the championship.

    Also hogging the limelight on the day was Thrissur’s Allwin Xavier (Sparks Racing) who won both the races in the Novice (Stock 165cc) category to move to third spot on the championship leaderboard. Alwin Sundar (AS Motorsports), with two second-place finishes today, took a 16-point lead over another Thrissur rider Anfal Akdhar (Rockstar Racing) to head the championship standings in this category with one more race to be run tomorrow (Saturday).  

    Keeping the title in sight, 33-year old Jagan rode a conservative race and was content to finish third behind winner and team-mate KY Ahamed who broke the Honda hearts by passing race leader Rajiv Sethu (Idemitsu Honda SK69 Racing) entering the start-finish straight on the final lap.

    An ecstatic Jagan, said: “The No.10 title was always my goal. In fact, after I won title No.5, I said I would like to double it, but people laughed. Anyway, I am extremely happy to have sealed the championship and it has been a long and difficult journey for me. Today, I did not really push in the race as I wanted to pick up the points I needed for the championship.”

    Jagan, who had started the season with a hat-trick of wins, moved to 174 points, well clear of Rajiv Sethu (134), Deepak Ravikumar (128) and Ahamed (124) with just one more race to be run tomorrow (Saturday) and a maximum of 25 points on offer.  

    Anish Shetty suffered a hit on the right side of the hip after a highspeed high-side crash during the qualifying session, but managed to scramble from a P3 start to the front after a battle with front-running pole-sitter Deepak Ravikumar (TVS Racing). Also in the mix was Rahil Shetty (Gusto Racing). As the six-lap race progressed, Ahamed made two places to tuck in behind Anish Shetty and Rahil as the trio crossed the finish line in that order.

    “It was a tough race to win especially after my crash earlier in the day. In the qualifying a couple of hours before the race, I had a high-side crash on the back sweep on just my second hot lap. I must have been doing about 135-140Kmph. I landed on the right side of the hip. Luckily, I didn’t suffer any other injuries, but the team did a fantastic job in getting the bike ready for the race. I had a twitch on the right side and so I couldn’t lean much on the right-hand turns,” said Anish who thus moved within 22 points of leader Rajini Krishnan (RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) for whom it was a disastrous outing as he crashed in the second lap and finished without a point in12th.  

    Provisional results (all 6 laps unless mentioned):

    Pro-Stock 301-400cc (Race-1): 1. Anish Damodara Shetty (Race Concepts, Bengaluru) (11mins,19.140secs); 2. Ahmed KY (TVS Racing, Chennai) (11:19.332); 3. Rahil Shetty (Gusto Racing, Hyderabad) (11:19.636).

    Pro-Stock 165cc (Race-1): 1. KY Ahmed (TVS Racing, Chennai) (11:45.710); 2. Rajiv Sethu (Idemitsu Honda, Chennai) (11:45.953); 3. Jagan Kumar (TVS Racing, Chennai) (11:48.726).

    Novice (Stock 165cc – Race 1): 1. Allwin Xavier (Sparks Racing, Thrissur) (12:54.639); 2. Alwin Sundar (AS Motorsports, Chennai) (12:54.845); 3. Samrul Zubair (Raceists, Hyderabad) (13:03.969). Race-2: 1. Allwin Xavier (12:57.130); 2. Alwin Sundar (12:57.484); 3. Jinendra Kiran Sangave (Sparks Racing, Kolhapur) (13:02.255).

    TVS One-Make Championship – Girls (Apache RTR 200) 5 laps: . Deepika Reddy (Hyderabad) (11:15.788); 2. Rakshita Dave (Chennai) (11:15.948); 3. Adlin Seles (Chennai) (11:18.401).

    Rookie (Apache RTR 200, Race-1): 1. Jinendra Kiran Sangave (Kolhapur) (12:52.657); 2. Chiranth Viswanath (Bengaluru) (12:52.784); 3. Abdul Bhasim (Chennai) (12:52.877).

    Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup – NSF 250 Open (Race-1, 4 laps): 1. Sarthak Chavan (Pune) (07:26.094); 2. Kavin Quintal (Chennai) (07:32.266); 3. Mohsin Paramban (Valancherry) (07:34.544).

    CBR 150 (Race-1): 1. Vivek Gaurav (13:04.401); 2 Siddesh Sawant (13:06.114); 3. Raheesh Khatri (13:06.157).

    Hornet 2.0 (Support class, Race-1): 1. Kevin Kannan (Chennai) (13:25.983); 2. G Balaji (Chennai) (13:26.336); 3. Ajai Xavier (Nagerkoil) (13:31.652).

    Race-2: 1. G Balaji (13:29.763); 2. Ajai Xavier (13:37.493); 3. Prabhu V (Chennai) (13:43.956).

  • The #SepangTest is about to begin as MotoGP warms up for 2022

    The #SepangTest is about to begin as MotoGP warms up for 2022

    Sepang, 4 Feb 2022: It’s time to get suited and booted for the first Official Test of 2022! Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia plays host, hot on the heels of the Shakedown Test that saw factory test riders and MotoGP rookies head out for their first few days of action. The official Sepang Test will now unleash the entire premier class grid – plus some test riders – for the first time this season as they take on the 5.5km venue. With its mix of medium and high-speed corners and two long straights, both of which are bookended by slow corners, Sepang is a good place to put a MotoGP machine through its paces.
    The test runs from 10:00 local time (GMT+8) until 18:00 on the 5th and 6th of February. Live Timing will be available throughout and can be found at motogp.com and on the official MotoGP app, as well as a range of updates, reports, highlights and more.

    MotoGP’s ‘After The Flag’ programme also returns for the Sepang Test, with a host of interviews, analysis, features and footage of the track action. After The Flag will be hosted by MotoGP’s Matt Birt and Louis Suddaby, with a live link up to Sepang for rider interviews and analysis, including insight from pitlane guru Simon Crafar on the ground in Malaysia. Coverage starts half an hour before the end of the test and continues for an hour after track action concludes.
    Saturday 5th February 
    Track open: 7.30am – 3.30pm
    After The Flag: 13.00pm – 4.30pm

    Sunday 6th February
    Track open: 7.30am – 3.30pm
    After The Flag: 13.00pm – 4.30pm

    What can we expect from the test?
    A glance through what we’ve seen from the factories so far, and what they’re looking to improve this season

    YAMAHA
    After a damp squib ending to 2020 for Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), the Frenchman shot out the blocks this season to take his first MotoGP™ World Championship, the first for Yamaha since 2015 and the first premier class crown for France. There were a number of big shuffles around him however, with Franco Morbidelli moving to become his teammate, MotoGP™ Legend Valentino Rossi retiring, and the return of Andrea Dovizioso to the Iwata marque. 

    For 2022, Quartararo and Morbidelli remain at Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™ and Dovizioso heads up the new WithU Yamaha RNF team alongside rookie Darryn Binder. At Jerez, Quartararo tested the same bike as the Misano Test earlier in 2021, a new swingarm and new anti-wheelie electronics. The Iwata marque also had updated front fairings and a new chassis was on show on Day 1, before a modified version on Day 2. Work also continued on the 2022 engine.

    The Shakedown saw Katsuyuki Nakasuga and Kohta Nozane share testing duties before a brief stint for Cal Crutchlow on Day 3 too, with the riders sharing T1- and T2-labelled machines. The Brit was recently announced as Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™ test rider for another two years, and is expected to return to the track at the Sepang Test too. What more will we see from Yamaha on Saturday and Sunday? Late last season, Quartararo was clear about his shopping list for 2022: better power, less wheelie and more rear grip.

    DUCATI
    The momentum only grew for Ducati throughout 2021, despite an entirely fresh factory team line-up. The Bologna factory sealed another constructors’ crown with a supreme run of podiums and wins for their machinery, Francesco Bagnaia put together an incredible campaign to challenge for the riders’ title, and teammate Jack Miller took victories and podiums to ensure Ducati Lenovo Team sealed the teams’ Championship. So far, that momentum has only grown since testing began – and Ducati now have eight Desmosedicis in their premier class arsenal.

    The engine was a big priority for the Bologna factory in the Jerez Test, with Bagnaia and Miller getting one each and Pramac Racing’s Johann Zarco and Jorge Martin sharing one. So far we’ve also seen a new, longer exhaust, different aero, a new air intake and plenty more, including an updated holeshot device. The work continued at the Shakedown in the hands of test rider Michele Pirro, with plenty of back to back testing.

    What more will we see at the Sepang Test as the recent masters of innovation head out for two more days of testing – and with a whole lot more riders out on track?

    SUZUKI
    2020 saw Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) take Suzuki’s first riders’ Championship since Kenny Roberts Jr in 2000, and Team Suzuki Ecstar also won the teams’ title – extra cause for celebration as 2020 also marked the 100th anniversary of Suzuki’s founding and 60 years since the Hamamatsu factory debuted in motorcycle racing. But then came a more difficult 2021, with six podiums for Mir and one for teammate Alex Rins – and neither taking a Grand Prix win.

    It was a generally tougher season, and Suzuki also introduced a rear ride-height device a little later than most. Can they make that step back to arguably the best-balanced bike on the grid? We’ve already seen some novelties in testing at both the Shakedown and in Jerez, including a carbon-reinforced chassis, a new swingarm, fuel tank cover, side fairings and more. With the 2022 engine also reportedly decided at or even before Jerez, the Sepang Test should be interesting as Suzuki continue the never-ending quest of the inline-four: finding more power without compromising the well-praised handling of the GSX-RR. 

    HONDA
    The return of record-breaking all-timer Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) took Honda back to the top step no less than three times in 2021, and in some style. That brought some welcome respite after a difficult 2020 without the number 93, which felt especially barren after the masterclass Marc Marquez and Honda painted together in 2019 – taking the riders’, constructors’ and teams’ titles, aka the coveted triple crown.

    However, some struggles for both Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) and Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) last season, as well as some first year tribulations for Pol Espargaro as he settled in at Repsol Honda, saw the factory put all hands on deck working towards an improved overall package for 2022.

    From what was seen on machinery fielded by HRC at the Shakedown Test and in Jerez, where Honda were the only manufacturer to break cover with a seemingly brand new bike before the winter break, the quest for improvement has resulted in a number of marked differences to the RC213V – from the tail unit and exhaust to the chassis, air intake and more. Tracking the evolution of the radically different bike won’t be the only big story at the Sepang Test for Honda either: it will also see the return of Marc Marquez, who has recovered from the diplopia that side-lined him from the last two Grands Prix of 2021.

    KTM
    KTM knocked it out the park in 2020. Rookie Brad Binder opened the Austrian factory’s win count as the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider demolished the opposition at Brno, and Miguel Oliveira, then at Tech 3, added his first win – and second – later in the year. KTM ended the year fourth in the constructors’ Championship, only four points off Yamaha in second and two points down on Suzuki in third, and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing were third in the fight for the teams’ title.

    2021 saw the Mattighofen contingent have a tougher time of it, and with the arrival of such incredible success came the departure of concessions, with a somewhat compounding effect. Both Oliveira and Binder still grabbed a win each and the RC16 took plenty of top six finishes last season, but the Austrian factory are looking for more in 2022.

    There were a couple of different aero options on show in the Jerez Test for Binder, Oliveira and test rider Mika Kallio. MotoGP™ Legend Dani Pedrosa was also out on track at the venue ahead of the rest for a private test. But overall it’s been a coy display so far, including at the Shakedown and including on the timesheets – with a new air intake and the new aero the most visible signs of change so far. We can likely expect to see plenty more on track at the Sepang Test, and we’ll also see a new face in the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing box as Francesco Guidotti arrives to take over as Team Manager. The impetus behind the change is reported as a new focus on the human side of the Austrian factory’s impressive MotoGP™ endeavours so far.

    APRILIA
    2021 was a milestone maker for Aprilia. After nearly two decades, the Noale factory took their first ever podium in the MotoGP™ era as Aleix Espargaro put in a stunner at Silverstone to stand on the rostrum. It wasn’t a one-off ride either, with Espargaro putting in some consistent top sixes and showing the serious progress made by the factory over the last couple of seasons.

    Mid-season, Aprilia also welcomed multiple Grand Prix winner Maverick Viñales. After a few races to get up to speed last year, the number 12 began 2022 with the only 1:58 of the Shakedown test – just ahead of his teammate as the two race riders took part thanks to the factory’s concessions. For the same reason, Aprilia also headed out at Sepang on Thursday the 3rd of February for a private test, with test rider Lorenzo Savadori testing back-to-back with the 2021 and 2022 machines, and Viñales working solely with the all-new 2022 bike.

    All-new really does mean all-new: engine, chassis, exhaust, aero, fuel tank cover, you name it. At Jerez, Aprilia also said the final package will only be finalised at the Mandalika test. The feedback and laptimes so far make for some good reading as the marque begin a new era as a standalone factory team though, so Sepang will likely see the Noale factory continuing to steal some headlines

  • Akbar Ebrahim, first Indian to head the International Karting governing body

    Akbar Ebrahim, first Indian to head the International Karting governing body

    Bengaluru, 3 Feb 2022: President of the Indian Motorsports Federation, fmsci, Akbar Ebrahim gained entry into the prestigious World Council of the FIA, according to news received here from the governing body of world motorsports, on Thursday.

    The former Indian Rally and Racing champion, is currently the head of Indian motorsports, the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (fmsci). He is now appointed as the head of CIK, which is the governing body karting all over the world under FIA.

    Ebrahim, popularly known as ‘Akku’, among his close associates will be sitting on the World Motor Sports Council which was earlier represented by Gautham Singhania, following the travel restrictions imposed on the elected member Vijay Mallya.

    He is the first Indian ever to be elevated to this prestigious position, said an fmsci release.

    ”I am aware that this is a huge responsibility and I shall strive to the best of my ability to do justice to the position, the CIK, the FIA and the global karting community,” Ebrahim said in a release.

    ”As a team, we will focus on further strengthening the top end of the karting pyramid and at the same time will lay a lot of emphasis on broad basing the sport at all regional, national and grass root levels.”The Commission Internationale de Karting ( CIK ) is the international sanctioning body for kart racing and consists of 37 members across the globe.

    UK’s John Ryan has also been nominated as the vice-president of the Commission. Many others were nominated to different other commissions. No other Indian names were considered. Aditya Patel’s name was doing the rounds for one of the Commissions but in the end his name did not appear in the final list. Earlier, Vicky Chandhok was in the Truck Racing Commission.

    The newly-elected President of the governing body of the International motorsports, Federation Internationale Automobile (FIA), Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who chaired the World Council meeting said: “A new era has begun for the FIA, through the creation of a governance framework founded on openness and global diversity. This is a key pillar of our strategy and I warmly thank the World Councils’ Members, who have approved the changes. Responsibility and authority of World Councils, which emanate from our Members, will be increased. A more effective oversight model will be designed, stakeholders’ priorities will be aligned, and a responsibly profitable FIA operation will be ensured. To reach these objectives, the Federation’s governing bodies and administration will work closely together to make the FIA the global voice of motor sport and mobility.”

  • KY Ahamed leads front row sweep for TVS Racing

    KY Ahamed leads front row sweep for TVS Racing

    Chennai, 3 Feb 2022: KY Ahamed led a front-row lockout for TVS Racing as he took pole position in the premier Pro-Stock 165cc Open category as the fifth and final round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2021 commenced at the MMRT, here on Thursday.

    Ahamed clocked 01 minute, 54.353 seconds while his team-mates Deepak Ravikumar (01:54.988) and championship leader Jagan Kumar (01:55.179) filled the front row. Incidentally, Jagan, a nine-times National champion, needs a total of 10 points in this weekend’s double-header to seal the title.

    Pacer Yamaha team, making a comeback to the championship after a dozen years, had two of their riders, Prabhu Arunagiri (P4) and Mithun Kumar (P6) in the second row along with Idemitsu Honda SK69 Racing’s Rajiv Sethu qualified P5.

    Earlier, Sparks Racing’s Allwin Xavier, a 22-year old engineering student from Thrissur, who is currently placed third on the leaderboard, grabbed the pole position, clocking 02:07.266.

    Championship co-leader Alwin Sundar (AS Motorsports) from Chennai (02:07.466) was second while Mysuru rider, Varun Nanjundegowda (Sparks Racing), completed the front row on the grid for tomorrow’s first of three races, with a hot lap of 02:08.474. Anfal Akdhar (Rockstar Racing), also from Thrissur, who is tied on points with Alwin Sundar, will start from P9, some two seconds off the pace.

    In the Girls (Stock 165cc) category, Lani Zena Fernandez (Speed Up Racing) from Puducherry qualified for pole position ahead of Ryhana Bee (RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) who has already clinched the title in this category, and last year’s champion Ann Jennifer (Sparks Racing).

    Lani Zena Fernandez (No.97), who qualified for pole position in the Girls (Stock 165cc) category on Feb 03, 2022. Photo by Anand Philar

    Meanwhile, Bengaluru’s Anish Damodara Shetty (Race Concepts), currently placed second in the championship behind veteran Rajini Krishnan (RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate), posted the quickest time during the free practice session in the Pro-Stock 301-400cc category, with a best lap of 01:50.614secs. TVS Racing’s Deepak Ravikumar (01:51.175) was the second quickest, ahead of Rajini (01:51.638).

    Provisional results (Qualifying – best laps):

    Pro-Stock 165cc: 1. KY Ahamed (TVS Racing, Chennai) (01min, 54.353secs); 2. Deepak Ravikumar (TVS Racing, Chennai) (01:54.988); 3. Jagan Kumar (TVS Racing, Chennai) (01:55.179).

    Novice (Stock 165cc): 1. Allwin Xavier (Sparks Racing, Thrissur) (02:07.266); 2. Alwin Sundar (AS Motorsports, Chennai) (02:07.466); 3. Varun Nanjundegowda (Sparks Racing, Mysuru) (02:08.474).

    Girls (Stock 165cc): 1. Lani Zena Fernandez (Speed Up Racing, Puducherry) (02:10.011); 2. Ryhana Bee (RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate, Chennai) (02:10.213); 3. Ann Jennifer (Sparks Racing, Chennai) (02:11.052).

    TVS One-Make Championship – Open (RR 310): 1. Ami Van (Auroville) (01:56.505); 2. Jagadeesh N (Bengaluru) (01:56.724); 3. Navaneeth Kumar (Puducherry) (01:56.836).

    Girls (Apache RTR 200): 1. Deepika Reddy (Hyderabad) (02:12.895); 2. Rakishitha Dave (Chennai) (02:15.137); 3. Adlin Seles (Chennai) (02:15.206).

    Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup – CBR 150: 1. Prakash Kamat (Bokaro Steel City) (02:08.265); 2. Vivek Gaurav (Patna) (02:08.559); 3. Theopaul Leander (Chennai) (02:09.128)

    Hornet 2.0 (Support class): 1. Kevin Kannan (Chennai) (02:11.712); 2. G Balaji (Chennai) (02:13.053); 3. Shankar Guru (Chennai) (02:14.264).

  • National 2W Championship poised for a grand climax

    National 2W Championship poised for a grand climax

    Chennai, 1 Feb 2022: The MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2021 reaches its grand climax this weekend when the fifth and final round, comprising 23 races, will be held at the MMRT over three days from Thursday, February 3.

    Promoters Madras Motor Sports Club, now in their 70th year, have scheduled a massive card that also includes 10 free practice and 11 qualifying sessions, besides the four races held over from previous round. Thus, it makes for a mega, action-packed weekend that will also herald freshly-crowned National champions for the 2021 season which spilled into 2022 due to Covid-19-related delays. As in the previous rounds, the number of entries has far exceeded 100 with country’s top manufacturers – Honda, TVS, Yamaha and KTM – also in the mix.

    While Ryhana Bee (RACR Castrol Power Ultimate) has already sealed the title in the Girls (Stock 165cc) category with a round to spare after winning all four out of four races for an unbeatable lead, two veterans, Rajini Krishnan, 41, and Jagan Kumar, 32, have one hand on the big trophy.

    Multiple National champion Rajini (RACR Castrol Power Ultimate Racing), needs a mere four points from the double-header to seal the championship in the premier Pro-Stock 301-400cc category where he has won six races from eight starts. Likewise, Jagan (TVS Racing), who has won three races from eight starts, is 10 points shy of claiming the title in the Pro-Stock 165cc category, and if he does so, it will be his 10th cumulative National crown since his first in 2009.

    In contrast, the situation in the Novice (Stock 165cc) category, has two riders, Thrissur’s Anfal Akdhar (Rockstar Racing, two wins) and local youngster Alwin Sundar (AS Motorsports, four wins) tied on 128 points. However, with three more races, including one held over from previous round, and a maximum of 75 points at stake, the National title in this category is up for grabs.

    The card also includes one-make championships organized by the MMSC – the Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup which has two categories in NSF 250 and CBR 150 besides a support class, the Hornet 2.0, and the TVS which comprises four classes in Open (Apache RR 310), Rookie, Girls and Media (all RTR 200) classes. The titles in all these categories is still to be decided, except in TVS Girls where local teenager Rakshita Dave has clinched the crown with a round to spare.

    “The 2021 season has been long and challenging, but now, we are into the final round this weekend that should witness tough battles for championship positions. We have had some exciting races through the season with increasing number of young aspirants taking part in the championship. Through the challenging times, our sponsors, MRF Tyres, have stood by us, as also the other stakeholders like the riders, manufacturers and of course, the Media who have consistently extended us generous coverage. We remain indebted to all of them,” said MMSC president Ajit Thomas.

    About Madras Motor Sports Club

    Since its humble beginnings in 1953, the Madras Motor Sports Club has grown in stature as the hub of motorsport activity in India. Having moved its racing activities from Sholavaram to its present location, the MMRT circuit in Sriperumbudur in 1979, MMSC has kept pace with changing times by upgrading facilities. At a cost of about Rs 20 Crore, the MMSC built a pit complex comprising 20 garages, VIP hospitality suites and a viewing gallery, on the eastern side, apart from a second Paddock on the western side with its own short circuit. Parallelly, MMSC imported timing equipment specifically for Drag racing. The Control Room too was upgraded with state-of-the-art hardware while the track itself was improved to meet the exacting FIA standards for Grade-2 certification. MMSC also constructed a 500-capacity grand stand with provision for garages / storage below. In another upgrade, the MMSC purchased Digi flags from TAG Heuer Chronolec that will be positioned strategically around the track. The facilities are also extensively used by various vehicle manufacturers for testing their products, displays and corporate days.

  • Qatar’s Nasser Al-Attiyah wins 7th Oman title with Spanish co-driver Alba Sánchez González

    Qatar’s Nasser Al-Attiyah wins 7th Oman title with Spanish co-driver Alba Sánchez González

    Muscat (Oman), 29 Jan 2022: Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and Spanish co-driver Alba Sánchez González managed their pace to perfection to seal an emphatic victory in Oman Rally Sohar International on Saturday.

    With the hard work done on Friday’s gravel stages, Al-Attiyah avoided risks over the closing half dozen speed tests to secure a seventh victory in Oman by the margin of 15min 13.8sec in his Autotek Volkswagen Polo GTI. It was the Qatari’s 79th career MERC win and gave him the perfect foundations on which to build a challenge for an 18th regional title.

    Sánchez González, who was standing-in for Mathieu Baumel as Al-Attiyah’s co-driver, became the first female to win a round of the MERC since Veronika Havelková partnered Vojtĕch Štajf to a one-off victory in Qatar in 2018. Sweden’s Tina Thörner had been the first female ever to win a round of the MERC alongside Al-Attiyah in Qatar in 2009.

    Left, Alba Sanchez and Nasser, celebrate after Oman Rally win on Saturday. Photo by ORS

    “It was important that we got off to a winning start here in Oman and I am very happy with this result,” said Al-Attiyah. “I was able to manage my pace today, avoid punctures and take no risks. Today was about preserving the car and protecting the lead.

    “The stages are fantastic with amazing landscapes. Alba stood in for Mathieu and did a fantastic job. I am delighted for her that she has a first win in the Middle East.”

    The man in form over the final day was a resurgent Hamed Al-Wahaibi, the Omani veteran bouncing back from turbo issues at the start of day one to win five stages on Saturday. That enabled Al-Wahaibi and Kiwi co-driver Tony Sircombe to finish in sixth place in their Motortune Škoda Fabia.

    “It was a good rally and we had a great run but had a puncture in the last one,” said Al-Wahaibi. “I really attacked this afternoon. I took it a bit easier in the morning and pressed hard this afternoon. We’ve certainly got the car set up for Qatar. I think we have found something very positive for there. All is good. Looking forward to the next one. I had a very fun day today and that’s what it’s all about.”

    Czech Petr Kačirek and co-driver Václav Kopáček were Al-Attiyah’s closest rivals in their Duck Racing Škoda Fabia. Competing in his first MERC rally, the Czech reached the finish in Nakhal 2min 58.3sec ahead of the third-placed crew of Qatar’s Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya and Italian co-driver Giovanni Bernacchini.

    Oman’s Zakariya and Mohammed Al-Aamri led the MERC2 category in a Subaru Impreza until mechanical issues forced them out of fourth overall on the penultimate stage. Jordan’s Issa Abu Jamous and Emad Juma duly moved up to fourth to win MERC2 and Ihab Al-Shorafa and Yousef Juma secured fifth place and second in the category.

    A team of mechanics worked hard on Friday afternoon to repair Abdullah Al-Rawahi’s damaged Škoda Fabia and the Omani repaid their efforts with a string of solid stage times over the final day. Like Al-Wahaibi, he had suffered hefty time penalties, restarted under Rally2 and reached the finish in seventh overall.

    “Yesterday was a disaster with the technical issue we had on SS3,” said Al-Rawahi. “We are running the new car with limited spare parts and we struggled a bit. The technical team did a great job. They managed to repair the car, not 100%, and that’s why we took it easy today.

    “We wanted to save the car and finish the rally to get the championship points. The stages were technical and we learned a lot. We also used the day to test Michelin and Pirelli tyres. It was more of a test and great experience for us. I am only 24-years-old and I am proud to be racing against the likes of Nasser and Hamed. I am learning all the time.”

    Al-Attiyah noticeably eased his pace to conserve the car and preserve his substantial overnight lead at the start of the final day. But both Al-Wahaibi and Abdullah Al-Rawahi were on a mission to make amends for their disappointing retirements on Friday.

    The duo were fastest and second quickest through each of the three stages on the morning loop, but were too far behind after time penalties to catch sixth-placed Ihab Al-Shorafa.

    Al-Attiyah duly reached the service point between the two loops of stages with a lead over Kačirek of 11min 15.5sec, although the Czech had strengthened his grip on second place to 2min 33.9sec from Al-Atya. Oman’s Jarah Al-Touqi did not start the second leg.

    Al-Wahaibi pressed on to win two of the afternoon’s three stages to secure sixth place, as Al-Attiyah coasted to the finish line with a fastest time on the last stage to confirm a seventh victory in the Sultanate and a first for his stand-in co-driver.

    Haitham Al-Soomar (Mitsubishi) won the Oman Rally Championship category from second-placed Lebanese driver Alain Nawfal (T3 Yamaha). Musab Al-Soomar came home in third place in a Kia, despite an accident that cost him over 20 minutes on the final stage. Oman’s Haitham Al-Hadidi retired his Mitsubishi at the start of the day.

    The 2022 FIA Middle East Rally Championship now heads to Qatar on February 10th-12th.

    2022 Oman Rally Sohar International – positions after SS13:

    1. Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Alba Sánchez González (ESP) Volkswagen Polo GTI; 2hr 25min 17.2sec;

    2. Petr Kačirek (CZE)/Václav Kopáček (CZE) Škoda Fabia; 2hr 40min 31.0sec;

    3. Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya (QAT)/Giovanni Bernacchini (ITA) Ford Fiesta; 2hr 43min 29.3sec;

    4. Issa Abu Jamous (JOR)/Emad Juma (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX; 3hr 05min 39.1sec;

    5. Ihab Al-Shorafa (JOR)/Yousef Juma (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX; 3hr 09min 21.8sec;

    6. Hamed Al-Wahaibi (OMN)/Tony Sircombe (NZL) Škoda Fabia; 3hr 13min 49.6sec;

    7. Abdullah Al-Rawahi (OMN)/Ata Al-Hmoud (JOR) Škoda Fabia; 3hr 14min 50.3sec;

    2022 Oman National Sohar Rally – positions after SS13:

    1. Haitham Al-Soomar (OMN)/Wael Al-Shabani (OMN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII; 2hr 58min 30.7sec;

    2. Alain Nawfal (LEB)/Bashar Qassimi (OMN) Yamaha YXZ 1000R; 3hr 27min 36.4sec;

    3. Musab Al-Soomar (OMN)/Bassam Al-Qasmi (OMN) Kia Rio; 4hr 33min 36.2sec;

  • Nyck de Vries begins Season 8 campaign in style: Formula E

    Nyck de Vries begins Season 8 campaign in style: Formula E

    Defending ABB FIA Formula E World Champion exploits an error by his Mercedes-EQ team-mate in Saudi Arabia to cement the first victory of Season Eight

    Diriyah (Saudi Arabia), 28 Jan 2022: Reigning ABB FIA Formula E World Champion Nyck De Vries got his title defence off to the perfect start in Saudi Arabia this evening (28 January), taking advantage of a missed ATTACK MODE for stablemate Stoffel Vandoorne to seize the initiative and replicate his curtain-raising triumph from last season.

    The Mercedes-EQ duo were on imperious form around the Riyadh Street Circuit, as the defending Teams’ title-holder sought to stamp its authority on proceedings right from the outset. From pole position – after prevailing in Formula E’s new Groups and head-to-head ‘knockout’ Duels qualifying format – Vandoorne looked to have matters under control early on as he held sway ahead of De Vries, who had leapfrogged front row sitter Jake Dennis (Avalanche Andretti) away from the lights.

    The momentum shifted, however, when Vandoorne initially failed to activate his second ATTACK MODE, meaning he had to try again a lap later – and the loss of time was sufficient to elevate his Dutch team-mate into the lead. Although the Belgian kept the pressure on, it would prove to be the pivotal moment of the race, opening the door for De Vries to seal the third victory of his burgeoning career in the all-electric single-seater series.

    The result represented a remarkable turnaround for the 26-year-old, whose weekend had begun with an impact with the wall on only the second lap of free practice, ruling him out of the remainder of the session. Fighting back to the top step of the podium proved that he will once more be a force to be reckoned with over the course of the campaign.

    If the Mercedes pair were unquestionably the class of the field in the desert kingdom, Dennis did his best to keep them honest over the first half of the Diriyah ePrix. Having slipped behind TAG Heuer Porsche’s André Lotterer during the second round of ATTACK MODES, last season’s standout rookie thereafter had to dig deep indeed to reclaim the position, finding his efforts repeatedly rebuffed by the experienced German until he finally succeeded in forcing his way past.

    The Briton duly secured the last spot on the rostrum, followed home by compatriot Sam Bird, a former winner in Saudi Arabia. The Jaguar TCS Racing driver was embroiled in an entertaining scrap throughout with 2016/17 champion Lucas Di Grassi – the Brazilian on characteristically fast and feisty form on his debut for ROKiT Venturi Racing.

    Both men overhauled the fading Lotterer in the closing stages – Di Grassi producing an eye-catching late dive into Turn One – to cement fourth and fifth places at the chequered flag. Behind them, Edoardo Mortara in the second Venturi entry battled up the order from 12th on the grid to snatch sixth on the final tour from series sophomore Nick Cassidy (Envision Racing), who nonetheless tallied an extra point for posting the race’s fastest lap.

    Two-time title-winner Jean-Éric Vergne finished eighth on a difficult day for DS Techeetah, as team-mate and 2019/20 champion António Félix da Costa retired on the opening lap due to suspension damage caused by contact.

    Avalanche Andretti newcomer Oliver Askew – the first American to compete in Formula E in almost seven years – wound up an excellent ninth on his series bow having started down in 17th, with Mitch Evans rounding out the points-scorers for Jaguar TCS Racing in tenth.

    After featuring up at the sharp end for much of the race and looking to be in contention for a podium position, Lotterer ultimately plummeted to 13th as Porsche struggled to maintain its early pace. Oliver Rowland’s first outing with Mahindra Racing, meanwhile, ended in the barriers following contact with Envision Racing rival Robin Frijns ten minutes in, bringing out the safety car and earning the Dutchman a drive-through penalty.

    The second Diriyah ePrix will get underway at 20:03 local time (18:03 CET) tomorrow (Saturday, 29 January).

    Nyck de Vries, Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team, #17, said:  “The result might be the same than last year, but the way we achieved it felt very different – obviously starting with yesterday tapping the wall in lap one didn’t help. It put myself and the team on the backfoot, then you have to rebuild your confidence and the conditions were very slippery, very different to last year. There is always a lot of track evolution, so you have to build it up in FP2 and then straight into qualifying. So I was actually very happy with what we achieved in qualifying, and then I knew we had a strong race car to capitalise on our qualifying position. We had great pace, the team did a great job and I was a bit fortunate with Stoff missing his ATTACK MODE, but at the end of the day it was faultless from our garage and we managed to win the first race. I am very pleased with the way we managed to win this race and start the season strong.”

    Stoffel Vandoorne, Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team, #5, said: “I’m a little bit disappointed, I think it’s not bad to be disappointed with the second place today. I was leading the race, everything was under control, we had really strong pace in the car today – but then I missed the loop on the second attack activation which handed the position to Nyck. We were pushing each other, cruising away from the others and had a one-two finish for the team. It’s been a great team result. I can’t be disappointed, qualifying on pole in the first new qualifying format – to finish second today is a good one and we have another opportunity tomorrow. You can never have relief in Formula E. The nature of the Championship is so close that the moment you give up a bit of performance, someone else is going to be there. It is not a guarantee that we win today we win tomorrow, but we are going to try and do everything to repeat the performance in qualifying, and from my side do a bit better in the race.”

    Jake Dennis, Avalanche Andretti, #27, said: “I felt quite comfortable behind the Mercedes, I think we were on the same strategy, things were looking quite good, but when the top four breakaway it isn’t the best being in third as it allows the car behind to have free attack zones. Andre (Lotterer) undercutting us ruined our race a bit, but I wanted a podium so bad today – we deserved it as a team. We tried it the first time, completely got it wrong, but the second time I learned from my mistakes and put it right, got the overtake done and then we pulled clear and tried to close down the Mercedes, but they were a little too quick in the end. We had a great race.”

    Round 1 results Final Classification