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Harith Noah excels at Rallye du Maroc in preparation for Dakar 2025
Ace Indian rider and Dakar class winner, Harith Noah of Kerala, who won the Rally2 class on Stage 4 yesterda, completed the rally and just finished outside the podium in the Rallye du Maroc on the final day.
The Sherco TVS Rally Factory team rider had a difficult Day 1 but recovered with admirable navigation and riding skills in the new sections to push himself to the forefront.
“It was fourth Overall and P1 in Rally2 class on Stage 4. It was almost a perfect day today, after 315 km, but just a few kilometers before the finish, I got lost and lost some time. Fortunately, Lorenzo Santolino, was there too and he found the right way and we rode to the finish together. The full stage was on fresh grounds which I enjoyed. Today was the first day I really felt good on the bike right from the start,” said Harith Noah after Stage 4.
Key points:
- In the cars, Nasser Al Attiyah took his seventh victory on the race. His team-mate Sébastien Loeb took second place today. The two stars hand the Dacia Sandrider a one-two finish for the brand’s first rally-raid outing. Guillaume de Mévius (X-raid Mini JCW) finished on the podium with his new team.
- In the Challenger class, Eryk Goczal (Energylandia Taurus Factory) won ahead of his father Marek with Dania Akeel (BBR) completing the podium. In the SSV class, Yasir Seaidan (MMP) wins the race and the championship. In the truck class, Martin Macik (MM Technology) scored a full house, winning every day of racing! In SSV Open Maroc Telecom, Ali Oubassidi wins for the Africa Rallye Team.
- In the RallyGP class, Daniel Sanders (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) won the race for the first time in his career ahead of Tosha Schareina (Monster Energy Honda) and fellow KTM factory rider Luciano Benavides. Ross Branch (Hero MotoSports) becomes 2024 World Champion.
- In Rally2, Bradley Cox (BAS World KTM Racing) repeated last year’s win and also took the World Cup for the category. In Rally3 Enduro Cup Afriquia, Souleymane Addahri (Africa Rallye Team) won by a landslide. In the quad category, Antanas Kanopkinas (CFMoto Thunder) won by a whisker.
ON TRACK
The final stage, a loop around Mengoub/Bouârfa, comprising of 273 kilometres of special stages finished just outside the bivouac (see Radio bivouac).
In the RallyGP category, Daniel Sanders won after a fierce battle with Tosha Schareina (+11’07’’). Luciano Benavides, back from his femur injury sustained in Argentina last June, took the final podium spot after a very solid performance (+21’03‘’). The two KTM factory riders, who arrived in Marrakech on a machine with a revamped chassis, left the rally having sent a clear message to their rivals for next January: the orange bike is ready to race. For ‘Chucky’, who won at his second attempt at the race, it was a good way of putting his past injuries behind him (see Quotes) and to succeed Toby Price (see Stat of the day).
Winner of stage 1 and sixth overall, Ross Branch was able to let his delight at becoming W2RC world champion explode at the end of the series’ five rounds.
In Rally2, Bradley Cox rode at RallyGP pace all week. The South African repeated last year’s Moroccan title and snatched victory in the Rally2 World Cup after a hard-fought season with Romain Dumontier (Honda Team). The Frenchman discovered a new machine this week. The BAS World KTM Racing team was on top form, with three of its riders finishing on the podium in the category, with young Edgar Canet and Michael Docherty flanking Alfie Cox‘s son. Harith Noah (Sherco TVS Rally Factory), winner of the category on the Dakar, finished just off the podium.
In the Rally3 Enduro Cup Afriquia, Souleymane Addahri produced the masterpiece that ART had been hoping for! Hats off to the Agadir-based rider, who scored a hat-trick for the Africa Rallye Team, the continental rider training programme supported by the Rallye du Maroc’s main partners, which has dominated the category since its inception in 2022.
In the quad category, Antanas Kanopkinas and Kamil Wisniewski (Orlen) battled it out throughout the week, with the Lithuanian coming out on top today.
In the car category, Nasser Al Attiyah debuted his Dacia in the best possible way. The Qatari increased his record of victories on the Rallye du Maroc to seven and while taking his third world championship title (see Quotes).Sébastien Loeb (The Dacia Sandriders) won the day’s stage, having already won the day before, overtaking the Mini of Guillaume de Mévius (see Quotes). The Frenchman finished 5’10’ behind his team-mate. Dacia scores a remarkable one-two finish for their competition debut.
Held up today by a stop-and-go out on the track, the Belgian finally finished third at 13’45’. This week, the man from Namur rediscovered the superb form of last January. His team-mate Guerlain Chicherit, who had been in the running all week, suffered his first blow today. The Frenchman lost out on the fourth place he’d been aiming at. Despite this, the two new Mini crews also proved that they were up to the job on their first outing. It was a similar story for Ford M-Sport. Carlos Sainz, competing in the Experimental category, scored one win, four podiums and a fifth place today. ‘ El Matador ‘ is ready to enter the arena next January (see Quotes).
Toyota took fourth place with Yazeed Al Rajhi (+23’30‘’). The Saudi driver (Overdrive Racing) retains his runner-up spot in the world championship. Seth Quintero (Toyota Gazoo Racing) rounded off the Top 5 (+29’31‘’).
In the Challenger class, the Goczal family made a spectacular return to competition. Between them, the Polish trio won every day since Marrakech. At the finish, Eryk was ahead of his father Marek (+9’51‘’). Michal is not on the podium following his DNF yesterday. Dania Akeel took third place in the race, reflecting her rise to prominence over the season.In SSV, the new Maverick Rs of the Can-Am Factory team and Manuel Andujar (South Racing) entered in the Experimental category were quick the whole week. Overall it is Yasir Seaidan who wins the race and the world cup. Alexandre Pinto (Old Friends Rally) finishes behind the Saudi driver and wins the Road to Dakar Challenge.
In the SSV Open Maroc Telecom, Bartlomiej Kotwica (PBI Rally) and Ali Oubassidi each won three days. In the end, it was the Moroccan and his compatriot co-driver who scored a double coup for the Africa Rallye Team, who’d already won the Rally3 Enduro Cup Afriquia bike category. Great result for the ART class of 2024!
In the truck category, Martin Macik won 6 out of 6! The Czech has won every special stage since Marrakech. His team-mate Kees Koolen came close to taking today off him… Overall Macik finished nearly an hour ahead of the Dutchman.
RADIO BIVOUAC :
As last year, the finish of the race was situated at the entrance of the bivouac. An innovation tested last year in Merzouga and repeated today in Mengoub/Bouârfa to allow competitors’ teams and their families to share this highlight of the race. The wife and father of Ross Branch, the RallyGP world champion, were able to kiss their Hero was he climbed off his bike! A leader in technological innovations, as was the case this week with the digital road book for 100% of the caravan, the Rallye du Maroc is also a pioneer when it comes to emotions.
STAT OF THE DAY: 17 and 10
Daniel Sanders became the 15th FIM motorcyclist to win the race, which was created in 2000. He is the 2nd Australian to achieve this feat after Toby Price. The last of his predecessor’s 3 victories came in 2023. ‘Chucky’ has now put Australia and KTM at the top of the results table for two consecutive years. The Orange team take their 17th victory.
By winning his 7th Moroccan FIA crown, Nasser Al Attiyah equalled the record of success set by navigator Mathieu Baumel, with whom he had won all his previous races. The Frenchman won before the Qatari, in 2011 with Bernhard Ten Brinke. Nasser also won with a3rd different brand, after Mini and Toyota. He adds Dacia to the Rallye du Maroc Hall of Fame, the 10th brand to win in the Kingdom of Morocco.26th EDITION: RENDEZ-VOUS FROM 10 TO 17 OCTOBER 2025
For the 17th time in its history, the Rally du Maroc 2025 will be a round of the FIM Rally-Raid World Championship. It has been the final round of the calendar since 2013, the only exception being 2022 when the Andalucía Rally was postponed. Morocco will be the bike riders final for the 11th time and the3rd consecutive time for the FIM and FIA international caravan, united by the W2RC since 2022.
QUOTES :
Daniel Sanders (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing): “It feels good. It’s been a long time since my last win and a lot has happened since then. I’m really happy to be back on top, to have the speed and a bike that is working well. It’s a really good thing before the Dakar. This race has everything going for it. They just keep improving it. The terrain here is unreal. Due to injuries, first the elbow and then the femur, I missed two Rallye du Maroc in a row. To come back after a difficult Dakar and Argentina is great. Hats off to the team for the quality of the bike.”
Bradley Cox (BAS World KTM Racing): “What a day! I didn’t think it would be possible when I came here. Romain (Dumontier) has been very strong all year. This week has been a dream. When I was a kid, I wrote in my school book: ‘one day, I’ll be world champion’ and I’ve made that dream come true today. It wasn’t an easy day. I crashed in the liaison and slid down the tarmac, then I had another big crash in the special stage. A big thank you to the team, the sponsors and all those who make it happen. Let’s hope 2025 will be as good a year!”
Nasser Al Attiyah (The Dacia Sandriders): “It’s great to win the Rallye du Maroc seven times and also the World Championship for a third time. And of course, I’m very happy to be winning for Dacia for the first time. It hasn’t been an easy year for us after we withdrew from the Dakar. Now, with the new car, we’re looking forward to the 2025 Dakar.”
Sébastien Loeb (The Dacia Sandriders) : “Overall, it has been a good rally. We finished first and second with Dacia, which shows that the car is really competitive and reliable. We broke a wishbone and a steering arm and it’s important to do a rally like this to see what breaks and what we need to improve for the Dakar. Of course, there are a few things we need to sort out, but overall, we’re very happy with the car. The battle is very close between the different cars, so I think it will be interesting for the Dakar.”
Guillaume de Mévius (X-raid Mini JCW): “For our first race with X-raid, we can be satisfied. We lost some time today and second place, but we’re still on the podium, so we’re very happy. For the Dakar, we’ll have the petrol engine and a few other improvements. From what we’ve seen this week, we should be ready to fight in January. We didn’t know that before we came here, so we’re very happy with the way things have gone.”
Carlos Sainz (Ford M-Sport): “Overall, I’m very satisfied. A completely new car, a new team, I’m happy. We have good speed. Apart from one day, the car worked well. It’s very emotional to win a stage with a new car. The Dakar is going to be interesting because Ford, Dacia, Mini and Toyota are all very close.” -
A triumph against the odds: Sarah Khan is 2024 vice champion in TVS ladies class
Bengaluru, 10 October 2024: In a brutal display of resilience and determination, Sarah Khan has secured the title of vice-champion in the prestigious TVS One-Make Championship braving odds head on. She clinched victory in the final round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship, a feat made remarkable as she competed with a fractured wrist.
Sarah Khan with her 2024 Trophy The 2024 season began on a high note for Sarah, with a decisive win in the first round. However, the journey to the championship podium was far from smooth. In Round 2, some technical issues hindered her performance where she finished in third position. Round 3 presented another setback, with Sarah starting from the last on the grid due to a penalty but finished a fighting fourth. Yet, it was in Round 4 that the greatest challenge arose. During the race, Sarah suffered a crash, resulting in a fractured wrist. Despite the injury, she refused to quit.
After the race was red-flagged, Sarah rejoined the competition, starting from the pitlane and defying the odds, he finished in P7. It was a gritty performance, one that showcased her unrelenting spirit. Even with the fractured wrist, she was determined to continue racing.
In the final round, Round 5, Sarah made a remarkable comeback. Despite struggling with her pace due to wrist pain, she qualified in P5. However, Sarah fought through the adversity and delivered a spectacular performance. In a hard-fought battle, she claimed victory in the race, securing enough points to finish the season as the vice-champion.
Sarah Khan with the machines that she raced in 2024 Reflecting on the season, Sarah acknowledges that none of it would have been possible without the unwavering support of her mom and brother. “I wasn’t even sure if I’d be able to race this season.” Sarah said. “But their support gave me the strength to keep going. It’s funny to think that there was a time when they were against me to become a motorcycle racer but now I’m happy they’re very proud.”
The season has been a journey of highs and lows, but through it all, Sarah demonstrated a remarkable ability to persevere in the face of adversity. With a vice-champion tag to her name and an inspiring story to match, Sarah Khan has scripted a remarkable journey in the 2024 TVS One-Make Championship.
Note: This article is part of Indian ‘Women in Motorpsots’ series which profiles the best performances of women riders and drivers of the 2024 season.
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Sidvin-supported Pragathi Gowda takes stunning victory in Rally4 class: French Rally Nationals
Sancey (France), 7 October 2024: Indian rallyist Pragathi Gowda continued her meteoric rise in the international rallying scene with a first-place finish in her class at the Rallye Montbéliard on Sunday. She progressed to a Rally 4 car in this rally after the team witnessed strong performances from her in the lesser-powered Rally 5 car. Pragathi clocked 24:36.5 to claim the top spot in Rally 4 class and finished 21st amongst 115 participants.
The Rallye Montbéliard comprised two stages – Stage 1 being 10 km long, Stage 2 being 3.3km long and Pragtahi had to navigate both stages three times each. The 26-year-old opened the first stage with a stunning time of 6 min 5 seconds and an average speed of 99.17 Kmph; surprising everyone on the grid.
“To prepare for the rally we worked extensively on the pace notes and referred to the onboard videos to make corrections and make sure the notes were bulletproof to ensure a good finish. I was confident after the first day of testing with my coach Alexandre Bengue, a former WRC driver with loads of experience,” Pragathi shed light on her preparations.
The Rallye Montbéliard, a chilly asphalt rally with temperatures ranging between 7-14 degrees, had technical stages in the mountain roads, something Pragathi had to face for the first time in her first tarmac rally, on the new Peugeot 208 – Rally 4 car.
“It was my first time driving a full-blown Rally 4 Peugeot factory-prepared car. The terrain was challenging for me as it was a bit damp. We welcomed the day with the sun but it got very cloudy later on, making the track in the mountains a bit moist. The grip kept changing as the cars passed by, creating black rubber residue on the heavy breaking sections, but the pace notes came in handy,” she shared.
This rally was part of the practice rallies for Pragathi to prepare for the World Motorsport Games to be held between the 23rd and 28th of October where she will be representing India in the Rally Category. Pragathi will participate in two more long rallies before the games; one more in France and the second would be a round of the Spanish gravel championship.
“The Rallye Montbéliard turned out to be an exceptional experience but the World Motorsport Games are almost upon us. I will aim to do even better in the remaining two rallies and get as many miles in as possible to be fully prepared for the World Motorsport Games,” she added.
Team Principal and MD of Sidvin, Mohan Nagarajan also weighed in saying, “Pragathi has been progressing well in her last few rallies. Her superb adaptability is one of the biggest factors that allows her to take on new challenges and still perform to her best. Hence, we thought the Rallye Montbéliard would be the perfect juncture to promote her to the Rally 4 class and she proved that it was the right decision. We now expect her to progress even further ahead of the World Motorsport Games.”
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Jagan bids adieu winning 11 Nationals; Maiden National title for Jagathishree
Chennai, 6 October 2024: Veteran Jagan Kumar (TVS Racing), the “King of 165”, bid adieu to his illustrious racing career after clinching his 11th National title to provide an emotional finish to the fifth and final round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2024 – Powered by STORM at the Madras International Circuit, here on Sunday.
Joining him on the National Championship rostrum were Sarthak Chavan (Pune, TVS Racing) in Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open; Abdul Basim (Chennai, Rockers Racing), Jagathishree Kumaresan (Chennai, One Racing), an archaeologist in the making, in the Girls, Stock 165cc, and Kaushik Subbiah Ganesan (Chennai, RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) in the Stock 301-400cc (Novice) category.
Jagan, the 36-year-old from Chennai, rolled back the years with a stunning last-corner overtake while winning the concluding Pro-Stock 165cc Open race that also saw his old mates, KY Ahamed and Deepak Ravikumar following him home, leaving the two next generation riders and team-mates, Sarthak Chavan and Chiranth Vishwanath to scrap for minor positions. The win, his third of the season, put him five points clear of Ahamed in the final championship standings.
“I am finished with my racing career. I have two young daughters, and they need all my attention now. I started this season with a dream of ending my career with a championship win and I am happy I was able to accomplish that. Now, it is time for the new generation, Sarthak and Chiranth, to step up,” said Jagan, who won the first of his 11 National titles in 2009.
Meanwhile, Sarthak lent credence to Jagan’s words by becoming only the second rider after Rajini Krishnan (2007) to win two titles in the same season – the Pro-Stock 301-400cc and the TVS RTE Electric. “It’s been a great year for me, and I look forward to more success in the coming seasons,” said the 17-year-old from Pune who scored an astonishing nine wins from 10 starts in the premier Pro-Stock 301-400cc category.
Among the performances of the day was that of Chennai’s Deepak Ravikumar (TVS Racing) who started last and finished third in the Pro-Stock 301-400cc race, behind team-mates Sarthak Chavan, who thus notched his ninth win in 10 starts, and Chiranth Vishwanath. Ravikumar, who missed Saturday’s race owing to the demise of his grandmother, roared through the high-quality grid today for a well-deserved podium finish.
Jagathishree (One Racing), the 20-year-old from Chennai who has chosen archaeology as a profession, and who scored a fortuitous win yesterday after two title contenders, Ryhana Bee and Rakshitha Dave, crashed. She too suffered a similar fate in Race-2 today but picked herself up to complete the race in sixth place and picked up 10 points that fetched her the championship.
Sarthak Chavan, at MIC on Sunday In front of her, Chennai school girl Rakshitha Dave (Castrol Power1 Ultimate) won the race untroubled with Bengaluru’s Shuria SP (One Racing) and Aisvariya V (One Racing) from Coimbatore finishing second and third, respectively. Ryhana Bee, nursing a wrist injury from yesterday’s crash, did not start the race. Jagathishree copped a Rs 2,000/- fine for crossing the cheqeuered flag twice, but retained her sixth spot that helped her win the title.
Mysuru’s Tasmai Cariappa (Motul Sparks Racing) won his second race of the season in the Novice (Stock 165cc) category after a tough fight. The result put him in second spot on the leaderboard behind Abdul Basim (Rockers Racing) who suffered a crash and finished 17th.
Later, Chennai’s 24-year-old Kaushik Subbiah Ganesan, who has roots in Kodagu, Karnataka, was content to finish third in the Stock 301-400cc (Novice) race which was sufficient for him to clinch the championship in this category. Bengaluru’s 17-year-old Savion Sabu (Mad Rabbit Racing) won a close race from experienced Raj Kumar (RDX Torque Racing).
Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup
Bengaluru teenager Savion Sabu finished the season in the NSF 250R category with his maiden win and occupied second in the championship behind Malappuram’s Mohsin Paramban. The eight-lap race saw Savion, studying online in 11th standard, take an early lead which he nursed to the finish while Mohsin came in second ahead of Hyderabad’s Rajender Beedani.
TVS India One-Make Championship
Senthilkumar C from Coimbatore snatched the title in the Open (Apache RR 310) category with a second-place finish in the concluding race which Chennai’s Manoj Yesuadian won. Another Chennai rider, Jayanth P took the third spot.
Bengaluru’s Harshith V Bogar took the title in the Rookie category though he finished second behind Akarsh Jangam. CS Kedarnath completed the podium.
Sarthak Chavan wrote another piece of history by becoming the first-ever Electric motorcycle racing champion as he finished unbeaten across five races in the TVS RTE Electric category.
The results (Provisional – all 6 laps unless mentioned):
National Championship – Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open (Race-2): 1. Sarthak Chavan (Pune, TVS Racing) (11mins, 06.720secs); 2. Chiranth Vishwanath (Bengaluru, TVS Racing) (11:08.130); 3. Deepak Ravikumar (Chennai, TVS Racing) (11:08.848). Rider Champion: Sarthak Chavan (Pune, TVS Racing). Champion Team: TVS Racing
Pro-Stock 165cc Open (Race-2): 1. Jagan Kumar (Chennai, TVS Racing) (11:40.405); 2. Deepak Ravikumar (Chennai, TVS Racing) (11:40.508); 3. KY Ahamad (Chennai, TVS Racing) (11:40.667). Rider Champion: Jagan Kumar (Chennai, TVS Racing). Champion Team: TVS Racing.
Stock 301-400cc (Novice) Race-2: 1. Savion Sabu (Bengaluru, Mad Rabbit Racing) (12:13.970); 2. Raj Kumar C (Coimbatore, RDX Torque Racing) (12:14.003); 3. Kaushik Subbiah Ganesan (Chennai, RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) (12:15.905). Rider Champion: Kaushik Subbiah Ganesan (Chennai, RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate). Champion Team: RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate.
Novice (Stock 165cc) Race-2: 1. Tasmai Cariappa (Mysuru, Motul Sparks Racing) (12:59.465); 2. Kamal Navas (Chennai, Rockers Racing) (13:00.752); 3. CS Kedarnath (Tirupati, Alpha Racing) (13:03.426). Rider Champion: Abdul Basim (Chennai, Rockers Racing). Champion Team: Rockers Racing.
Girls (Stock 165cc) Race-2 (5 laps): 1. Rakshitha Dave (Chennai, RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) (11:05.170); 2. Shuria SP (Bengaluru, One Racing) (11:17.947); 3. Aisvariya V (Coimbatore, Motul Sparks Racing) (11:20.239). Rider Champion: Jagathishree Kumaresan (Chennai, One Racing). Champion team: One Racing
Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup (NSF 250R) Race-2 (8 laps): 1. Savion Sabu (Bengaluru) (15:03.809); 2. Mohsin Paramban (Malappuram) (15:10.876); 3. Beedani Rajender (Hyderabad) (15:17.258). Rider Champion: Mohsin Paramban (Malappuram).
TVS Racing One-Make Championship – Open (Apache RR 310) Race-2: 1. Manoj Yesuadiyan (Chennai) (11:42.927); 2. Senthilkumar C (Coimbatore) (11:47.034); 3. Jayanth P (Chennai) (11:51.216). Rider Champion: Senthilkumar C (Coimbatore).
Rookie (Apache RTR 200) Race-2: 1. Akarsh Jangam (Vijayawada) (13:17.500); 2. Harshith V Bogar (Bengaluru) (13:17.929); 3. CS Kedarnadh (Tirupati) (13:18.113). Rider Champion: Harshith V Bogar (Bengaluru).
TVS RTE Electric (3 laps): 1. Sarthak Chavan (Pune) (05:22.071); 2. Alwin Sundar A (Chennai) (05:27.526); 3. Chiranth Vishwanath (Bengaluru) (05:34.935). Rider Champion: Sarthak Chavan (Pune).
Media (Apache RTR 200, 5 laps): 1. Praveen Kumar (Chennai) (11:22.005); 2. Charan Karthik G (Pune).
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Sarthak wins maiden National title; Jagathishree in line for title as Ryhana, Rakshitha log DNF
Chennai, October 5: Pune’s Sarthak Chavan (TVS Racing), enjoying the best season of his fledgling career yet, scripted history when he became the youngest ever at 17 years of age to seal the title in the premier Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open class as the fifth and final round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2024 – Powered by STORM headed towards a grand climax at the Madras International Circuit, here on Saturday.
Sarthak, who will turn 18 at the end of October, clinched the crown by winning Race-1 which put him beyond reach of his rivals in the points tally. Riding with great maturity, Sarthak tucked himself behind race leader and team-mate Chiranth Vishwanath, the 17-year-old from Bengaluru before making a move late in the six-lapper to notch his eighth win in nine races. Veteran Rajini Krishnan (RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) was placed third. The result put Sarthak 57 points ahead of Chiranth on the leaderboard.
Minutes after the victory, the team decked up Sarthak in champion livery at MIC on Saturday. Photo By Anand Philar. “It feels great to win my maiden National title. I have had a good season this year with five podium finishes at the Asian level. At the start of the season, I was focused on my riding and wanting to do well,” said Sarthak.
Later, Chiranth Vishwanath, the 17-year-old from Bengaluru, won the other premier class race, Pro-Stock 165cc Open, which went down to the wire after a few heart-stopping moments, as TVS Racing swept the podium spots with KY Ahamed and Sarthak Chavan finishing second and third, respectively. The six-lap race had three different leaders until Chiranth went past Sarthak and Ahamed with a daring move at the last corner as the trio finished within a second of each other.
The victory, though, kept Chiranth anchored in fourth spot on the leaderboard while Ahamed and his mentor and multiple National champion Jagan Kumar, who finished fourth today, and Sarthak are separated by only three points ahead of Sunday’s concluding race.
Meanwhile, the Girls (Stock 165cc) race threw up an unexpected result as the two championship contenders Ryhana Bee (One Racing) and Rakshitha Dave (RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) made contact and crashed in the third lap. Their retirement saw Jagathishree Kumaresan (One Racing) notch an easy win ahead of team-mate SP Shuria and Saimah Ajaz Baig (Motul Sparks Racing). With today’s win, Jagathishree moved to the top of the leaderboard with a 22-point advantage over Ryhana, going into Sunday’s concluding race.
Chennai’s Kaushik Subbiah Ganesan (RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) picked up crucial points after finishing third in the Stock 301-400cc (Novice) race behind Raj Kumar C (RDX Torque Racing) and Savion Sabu (Mad Rabbit Racing) to keep his top spot on the points table. He leads Raj Kumar by 17 points ahead of Sunday’s final race.
Abdul Basim (Rockers Racing) maintained his form and scored his eighth win in the Novice (Stock 165cc) category, having already sealed the championship in the previous round. He held off his close rival, Tasmai Cariappa (Motul Sparks Racing).
Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup
Scoring his sixth win in nine starts, Malappuram’s Mohsin Paramban only confirmed his title in the NSF 250R category. He had to fight hard for his today’s success as he crossed the finish line in a close formation with second-placed Siddesh Sawant (Kolhapur) and Bengaluru’s Savion Sabu.
TVS India One-Make Championship
Senthilkumar C (Coimbatore) chalked up his sixth win in the Open (RR 310) category to move 13 points clear of second-placed Manoj Yesuadian (Chennai) on the leaderboard to set up an exciting battle for the title on Sunday when Race-2 will be run. Senthil’s elder brother Raj Kumar came in third but is not in contention for the title.
Bengaluru’s 20-year-old Harshith V Bogar provisionally clinched the championship in the Rookie (Apache RTR 200) category despite finishing third behind Akarsh Jangam from Vijayawada and CS Kedarnath (Tirupati) in the six-lap race. Going into the concluding race to be run on Sunday, Harshith enjoys an insurmountable 44-point lead over Kedarnath.
Pune’s Saimah Ajaz Baig took the title in the Girls (Apache RTR 200) category by finishing second behind Sarah Khan (Mumbai) and ahead of Aisvariya V (Coimbatore). The 21 points that Saimah earned put her on top of the leaderboard at the conclusion of the championship in this category.
The results (Provisional – all 6 laps unless mentioned):
National Championship – Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open (Race-1): 1. Sarthak Chavan (Pune, TVS Racing) (11mins, 04.916secs); 2. Chiranth Vishwanath (Bengaluru, TVS Racing) (11:05.126); 3. Rajini Krishnan (Chennai, RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) (11:05.903).
Pro-Stock 165cc Open (Race-1): 1. Chiranth Vishwanath (Bengaluru, TVS Racing) (11:42.136); 2. KY Ahamed (Chennai, TVS Racing) (11:42.256); 3. Sarthak Chavan (Pune, TVS Racing) (11:42.581).
Stock 301-400cc (Novice) Race-1: 1. Raj Kumar (Coimbatore, RDX Torque Racing) (12:18.326); 2. Savion Sabu (Bengaluru, Mad Rabbit Racing) (12:18.504); 3. Kaushik Subbiah Ganesan (Chennai, RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) (12:18.668).
Novice (Stock 165cc) Race-1: 1. Abdul Basim RS (Chennai, Team Rockers Racing) (12:55.636); 2. Tasmai Cariappa (Mysuru, Motul Sparks Racing) (12:58.727); 3. Lal Nunsanga (Mizoram, Motul Sparks Racing) (12:59.713).
Girls (Stock 165cc) Race-1 (5 laps): 1. Jagathishree Kumaresan (Chennai, One Racing) (11:03.823); 2. SP Shuria (Bengaluru, One Racing) (11:29.946); 3. Saimah Ajaz Baig (Pune, Motul Sparks Racing) (11:39.598).
Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup (NSF 250R) Race-1: 1. Mohsin Paramban (Malappuram) (11:22.331); 2. Siddesh Sawant (Kolhapur) (11:22.425); 3. Savion Sabu (Bengaluru) (11:22.568).
TVS Racing One-Make Championship – Open (Apache RR 310) Race-1: 1. Senthilkumar C (Coimbatore) (11:44.902); 2. Manoj Yesuadiyan (Chennai) (11:47.405); 3. Raj Kumar C (Coimbatore) (11:48.223).
Rookie (Apache RTR 200) Race-1: 1. Akarsh Jangam (Vijayawada) (13:14.266); 2. CS Kedarnadh (Tirupati) (13:14.285); 3. Harshith V Bogar (Bengaluru) (13:14.662).
Girls (Apache RTR 200): 1. Sarah Khan (Mumbai) (13:24.959); 2. Saimah Ajaz Baig (Pune) (13:25.639); 3. Aisvariya V (Coimbatore) (13:27.976).
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Bagnaia capitalises as Acosta slides out and Bastianini duels Marquez at Motegi
The Italian wins an incredible Tissot Sprint ahead of a charging Bastianini and Marquez, cutting the points gap to 15 as Martin fails to take a podium.
Motegi (Japan), 5 October 2024: The gap in the Championship is back down to 15 points after a rollercoaster Tissot Sprint at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan. Reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) lands the spoils as he stayed flawless under pressure at the front, taking over after a heartbreaker crash out the lead for rookie and polesitter Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3).
The podium behind was then decided by a spectacular Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) vs Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) showdown, before the two then also homed in on Bagnaia for an incredibly close finish over the line. Championship leader Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) came home fourth, moving forward from a tough qualifying but unable to quite get into the rostrum fight.
Bagnaia got a scrappier start but was able to make it back, just getting it under control in the braking area to nab the holeshot from Acosta. Bastianini then briefly got ahead of Acosta in the early stages before the rookie hit back, and behind them Martin and Marquez had made big gains. After the first shuffle concluded, Bagnaia, Acosta, Bastianini and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was the leading quartet ahead of a small gap back to the #89-#93 duo in fifth and sixth.
The fireworks started there on Lap 2. Marquez went for it at T10 and got it done, but the two stayed close together in the race to catch the front four and Martin wasn’t ultimately able to reply. There were then more fireworks at the front as Acosta went for a late dive for the lead at Turn 5, likewise making that stick and forcing Bagnaia to tuck in behind. Bastianini remained close company too, before the three gained a little more time in their wake as Binder pulled off to the side of the track with a technical issue, leaving some space.
From there, Acosta was on a charge. The rookie held the reigning Champion at bay looking comfortable enough, but then it all came apart. Already with his head in his hands as he slid across the gravel, the mistake was made and the win gone. Bagnaia took over in the lead, with Bastianini and Marquez on the chase.
Initially, it looked comfortable enough, but there were spots of rain threatening and the #93’s reputation preceded him. All over the back of Bastianini, he went for the move but the ‘Beast’ wasn’t for turning. Marquez was briefly ahead, the two were side-by-side, and then the #23 Ducati was sailing back up the inside. Somehow, Bastianini got it stopped and was back into second – and then the two started eating into Bagnaia’s lead.
Metre by metre, the gap to the front disappeared as the grey skies threatened again. But half a second proved the limit for the duo on the chase, and the #1 crossed the line ahead by just over a tenth, with all three covered by 0.349 at the flag. Bagnaia’s win cuts the gap back down to 15 points as Martin came home fourth, unable to get in the podium fight on Saturday.
Bastianini’s second place, meanwhile, keeps him just ahead of Marquez in the Championship and the two completing the podium ensures they make a gain – however small – on Martin overall…
Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) finished P5, just able to stay ahead of Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) as his compatriot hounded him to the flag. In a big group battle behind, Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) just came out on top ahead of Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), with Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) taking the final Sprint point as Marco Bezzeccchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) just missed out.
There was some home heartbreak for Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) as some unfortunate contact from his CASTROL Honda LCR teammate ended his final home Sprint as a full time rider early. Zarco was given a Long Lap penalty for the incident after also having come together Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) earlier in the race and will be looking for some amends on Sunday.
Sunday will be a whole new challenge as the weather may change again, the grid remains the same interesting mash up, and now we’ve seen some of what they’ve got – but by no means all. Can Acosta hit back to become the second youngest premier class winner? Will Bagnaia reign supreme? Or do the likes of Bastianini, Marquez and Martin have more up their sleeves? We’ll find out tomorrow at 14:00 (UTC+9) – don’t miss it!
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Rivaan Dev Preetham retains Micro Max National title; Arafath wins maiden Jr. National title: Karting
Chennai, 29 Sept. 2024: Reigning National champion Rivaan Dev Preetham of MSport stamped his authority and showed maturity beyond his 11 years to let go the win in the Final to clinch a more important second National Championship title in the Micro Max category a winning the fifth and final round of the MECO-FMSCI National Karting Championship Rotax Max Classes 2024, jointly organized by the Madras Motor Sports Club, at the Madras International Karting Arena (MIKA), here on Sunday.
In the Senior Max class, Ruhaan Alva (MSport) emerged National champion while Pune’s 12-year-old Arafath Sheikh of Crest Motorsports annexed his maiden crown in the Junior Max category gathering just enough points even as Chennai’s Eshanth Vengatesan, also of MSport, won both the Pre-Finals and Finals. The Bishop School Pune student, Sheikh, was consistent through out the year and watched his win fade away in the final laps, but kept his cool, as he enjoyed a huge lead in the championship table.
The three National champions qualified to represent India in the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals in Sarno, Italy, from October 19 to 26.
On a day of exciting action, Rivaan, cheered on by his supporters, had to work hard for his victory in the Pre-Finals, but finished second behind Chennai’s Rehan Khan (MSPORT) in the Finals in a battle that went down to the wire. Rehan overtook Rivaan a couple of corners before the finish for a deserving win.
Competition in the Junior Max was razor sharp. Eshanth Vengatesan dominated the heats, Pre-Finals and Finals winning by the proverbial country mile starting from pole position. His efforts, though, were not enough to fetch him the championship. Arfath Sheikh had to contend with traffic and some stiff opposition behind the leader, but ultimately, he garnered enough points to clinch the championship.
Ruhaan Alva, the front-runner in the championship stakes in the Senior Max category, was unlucky not to win the Pre-Finals as he was twice shunted and finished seventh but gained enough points to stay on top of the leaderboard. Chennai’s Varun Hari Praveen led a 1-2 finish for Peregrine Racing with Bengaluru’s Ishaan Madesh.
In the Finals, Ruhan made a few spots to tuck himself behind leader, fellow-Bengalurean Rohaan Madesh (Peregrine Racing) and after a few failed attempts to overtake, he seemed content with a P2 finish with which he sealed the championship, his second after the maiden win in 2021.
The results (Provisional):
Senior Max (Finals – 15 laps): 1. Rohaan Madesh (Bengaluru, Peregrine Racing) (13:03.772); 2. Ruhaan Alva (Bengaluru, MSport) (13:03.909); 3. Ishaan Madesh (Bengaluru, Peregrine Racing) (13:04.295).
Pre-Finals (14 laps): 1. Varun Hari Praveen (Chennai, Peregrine Racing) (12:22.022); 2. Ishaan Madesh (Bengaluru, Peregrine Racing) (12:22.127): 3. Akshat Misra (Bengaluru, Crest Motorsports) (12:22.674).
National champion: Ruhaan Alva (Bengaluru, MSport).
Junior Max (Finals – 14 laps): 1. Eshanth Vengatesan (Chennai, MSport) (11:17.334); 2. Aahil Mecklai (Mumbai, Rayo Racing) (11:24.232); 3. Nikhilesh Raju (Bengaluru, Peregrine Racing) (11:25.318).
Pre-Finals (12 laps): 1. Eshanth Vengatesan (Chennai, MSport) (10:22.565); 2. Nikhilesh Raju (Bengaluru, Peregrine Racing) (10:27.010); 3. Aarav Dewan (Gurugram, Leapfrog Racing) (10:27.265).
National champion: Arafath Sheikh (Pune, Crest Motorsports).
Micro Max (Finals – 12 laps): 1. Rehan Khan R (Chennai, MSport) (11:08.858); 2. Rivaan Dev Preetham (Chennai, MSport) (11:09.788); 3. Danish Dalmiya (Pune, Rayo Racing) (11:10.120).
Pre-Finals (10 laps): 1. Rivaan Dev Preetham (Chennai, MSPORT) ((09:17.686); 2. Rehan Khan R (Chennai, MSPORT) (09:17.774); 3. Hamza Balasinorwala (Mumbai, Rayo Racing) (09:17.981).
National champion: Rivaan Dev Preetham (Chennai, MSport).
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Jorge Martin makes Sunday statement as Bagnaia’s late surge salvages podium
The #89 storms to victory on Sunday as Acosta returns to the podium, Bagnaia clinches third, Bastianini crashes out and Marquez suffers a technical issue in Indonesia.
Mandalika, 29 Sept. 2024: Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) stormed to glory at the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia, with the #89 taking his first Sunday win since the French GP. ‘The Martinator’ looked unstoppable, claiming his first victory at the Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit after crashing out of the GP in both 2022 and 2023, as well as in the Tissot Sprint this season. Martin took a valuable 25 points in his Championship charge, extending his advantage from 12 to 21 as key rival Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) came home third after a late charge.
Between the two, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) pushed Martin hard in the early stages before being forced to settle for second, nevertheless moving up to fifth overall.
At the start, Martin made the dream launch, earning himself clear track ahead with Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) in chase. Meanwhile, Bagnaia struggled on the opening lap, dropping to fourth before Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) found their way through – dropping the Italian to sixth.
Meanwhile, it was a dramatic first lap, with Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) and Luca Marini (Repsol Honda Team) crashing at Turn 3. The FIM MotoGP™ Stewards investigated the incident, with no further action taken.
Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) was unable to repeat his magical Sprint launch, but the #93 still made ground in the opening stages. Marc Marquez started in 12th and was soon in seventh – setting sights on Bagnaia.
At the front, Martin set a red-hot pace, setting the fastest lap of the Grand Prix and extending his gap to 1.333s. Meanwhile, Acosta was on the attack, leaping into second position ahead of a charging Morbidelli in an impressive move for the rookie.
Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) had an intense fight with Marc Marquez in the first nine laps. However, everything unfolded for the Italian, losing the front at the technical Turn 10 – dropping Di Giannantonio to 17th. Meanwhile, Marc Marquez’ Championship chances then suffered a huge blow, with technical issues dropping the #93 out of contention on Lap 12 as he pulled off, bike on fire.
Behind Martin and Acosta, the battle for the podium then really began with Morbidelli, Bastianini, Bezzecchi and Bagnaia locked together on the circuit. Bastianini tried to overtake on Lap 16 before the key move came on Lap 17 – promoting ‘The Beast’ to third. It was then some incredible pace unleashed from Bastianini, edging closer at every sector to the leaders.
Bastianini’s rhythm was sensational, but then it all came apart with a crash on the entry to Turn 1 on Lap 21 – rider OK. It was a massive blow for the #23, dropping over 70 points behind Martin in the Championship as just 12 riders remained in the Indonesian Grand Prix, only two of whom were top title contenders.
Bagnaia’s momentum built from there on out, picking off Bezzecchi on Lap 22 before the move came for third place on Lap 23 – demoting Morbidelli to fourth. Acosta was a further three seconds up the road, a tough task for even a two-time MotoGP™ World Champion.
In the closing stages, Martin had a two-second advantage, controlling the pace and the race at the front. The #89 was unstoppable on the final lap, leading the charge and storming to victory by 1.404s over rookie Acosta. Meanwhile, Bagnaia took a valuable third, bagging some points which could prove to be crucial.
Fourth place was taken by Morbidelli, with the Italian showing a continuing to his impressive form. The #21 claimed the bragging rights over Bezzecchi, who rounded out the top five spots as Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) crossed the line a further 4.558s behind in sixth and ended the day as the top Aprilia rider. Meanwhile, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) pulled off another stunning ride, finishing in seventh for the third GP in a row, beating Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) to the line.
Johann Zarco landed a ninth-place finish on an incredible day for the CASTROL Honda LCR squad, Honda’s best of the season so far. The Frenchman finished ahead of Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Racing), who took the final spot inside the top 10. Further back, Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) took 11th after an attritional day which saw Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) demoted to 12th after a 16 second penalty due to tyre pressure.
After an unbelievable weekend in Indonesia, we head to the iconic Mobility Resort Motegi for the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, and with the Championship battle in full flow. Is it now a two-horse chase or are there more twists and turns just around the corner? Make sure you join us as the world’s most exciting sport returns in just one week!
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MIKA to host final round of National Karting Championship
Irungattukottai (Chennai), 28 Sept. 2024: The Madras International Karting Arena (MIKA), inaugurated only last week, will host its maiden competitive event, the fifth and final round of the MECO-fmsci National Karting Championship Rotax Max Classes 2024 on Sunday.
With 54 entrants in the fray and titles up for grabs, the two-day event that started with qualifiers on Saturday, commencing on Saturday, September 28, is expected to dish out high octane action.
The big incentive for the participants is that the championship winners in each of the three categories – Micro Max, Junior Max and Senior Max – will represent India in the 24th Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals 2024 to be held at Sarno, Italy, from October 19 to 26.
Considering that it would be the first competitive outing at the MIKA track, not counting a three-day unofficial practice sessions previous weekend, it will be a fresh start for all the racers as they will have to learn and master the track layout in quick time.
The previous four rounds witnessed intense competition across all categories resulting in bunching up of title contenders on the leaderboard. With a maximum of 110 points (55 each for Pre-Finals and Finals) on offer in the concluding round of the season, the championship is wide open.
Chennai’s 11-year-old Rivaan Dev Preetham (MSPORT) leads the championship in the Micro Max, on the back of two dominating performances with a double by winning the Pre-Finals and Finals in Rounds 3 and 4, that helped him to open a 32-point lead over Hamza Balasinorwala (Rayo Racing) going into this weekend.
The title fight is much closer in the Junior Max with Pune’s Arafath Sheikh (Crest Motorsports) ahead of Aahil Mecklai of Rayo Racing from Mumbai, by just 17 points.
Former National champion Ruhaan Alva (MSPORT) from Bengaluru heads the Senior Max category with some strong results, notably in Round 2 where he topped both Pre-Finals and Finals. Consequently, he enjoys a 22-point advantage over Chennai’s Varun Hari Praveen (Peregrine Racing).
Ranged behind the front-runners in all the categories, are some equally talented racers capable of scripting surprise results.
The two-day card provides for official practice and Qualifying sessions besides Heats 1 and 2 for all categories on Saturday while Pre-Finals and Finals, both of which offer championship points, are scheduled for Sunday, followed by podium ceremonies.
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Bagnaia masters Mandalika as Martin’s mistake cuts title lead in half
Another huge twist in the Tissot Sprint sees Bagnaia, Bastianini AND Marquez close in after closest Saturday finish of the year.
Mandalika, 28 Sept. 2024: Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) returned to glory in the Tissot Sprint at the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia, remaining unflappable in the 13-lap shootout as Championship Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) had a shock crash out the lead to create yet another title fight twist. The 12 points for Bagnaia’s win cuts the gap between the top two in half ahead of a tantalising Grand Prix race.
On top of that drama, it was the closest Sprint finish of the season as Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) put in a serious late charge, coming home a mere 0.107s off his teammate after attacking and passing Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), who completed the podium. That makes it all three riders in those top echelons of the title fight making gains on Saturday as Martin looks to hit back on Sunday.
As the lights went out, Martin made a dream launch, charging to the front ahead of title rival Bagnaia, who braved the outside line on the run to Turn 1. The #89 pulled the pin on the opening lap, while Marc Marquez made ground at the start after qualifying from 12th on the grid – slicing up the inside with razorlike precision.
The drama hit early, however, with Martin suddenly crashing out of the lead at the tricky Turn 16 in a near carbon copy of Bastianini’s crash in qualifying. The Championship leader remounted, setting sights on recovering some points, but Bagnaia was left in the lead to make his play for that maximum score of 12.
The battle for the podium then began in earnest, with Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) getting the gloves off. The #93 soon made a move stick on Acosta on Lap 3, entering the top three as Acosta was next under threat from Bastianini. That made the rookie drop back to fifth.
There was then a huge heart in mouth moment for Bezzecchi as he chased down Bagnaia, with the #72 getting all crossed up and heading wide, avoiding contact with the reigning World Champion ahead by millimetres.
Meanwhile, Martin continued his recovering ride, launching into the top 15 and then the top 12, soon entering the top 10 after a move on Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). But after getting mired behind plenty of other riders looking to make progress, and getting some elbows form Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), the points were out of reach.
At the front, Bagnaia pounded on with just enough breathing space as Bastianini started to home in on Marc Marquez in the closing laps. Setting his sights on a move with three laps remaining, ‘the Beast’ looked for an opportunity on Lap 12 and made the move stick at Turn 10, job done. The Italian was up into second, with Bagnaia a further eight-tenths up the road.
It seemed like that would be more than enough but it got close. On the final lap, Bagnaia kept his cool but Bastianini was on a roll, closing on his teammate to cross the line just a tenth further back. A Ducati Lenovo Team 1-2, a 12-point gain for Bagnaia as well as a boost with that winning feeling… and a warning shot from Bastianini for his rivals on Sunday. Marc Marquez completed the podium, not quite able to hang with the #23’s pace.
Behind the leading trio was Bezzecchi, who had good pace but was just unable to recover that ground lost after his mistake. The #72 had a comfortable advantage over Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing), however, with the #21 able to leapfrog Acosta, who finished down in sixth. The rookie crossed the line with less than half a second advantage over Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing), too.
Meanwhile, CASTROL Honda LCR’s Johann Zarco secured a remarkable eighth place. It was a standout ride from the Frenchman, crossing the line in front of Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), who took the final point. Martin was unable to finish higher than 10th, walking away with no points and 9.104s away from victory.
Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), meanwhile, dropped from a second row start to outside the points after an elbows-out battle, but the Frenchman will be looking for more reward on Sunday for his solid pace.
Bagnaia back on top. Martin’s Championship advantage down to 12 points. Marquez in the mix… and Bastianini ready to unleash the Beast. You do not want to miss the Indonesian GP, so tune in on Sunday at 15:00 local time (UTC +8) to find out who will head into Japan on top!
