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  • We have the pace and I’m confident to fight through the field from P8 tomorrow: Jehan

    We have the pace and I’m confident to fight through the field from P8 tomorrow: Jehan

    Jehan Daruvala (centre) at the FIA press meet after winning the F3 race 1, the support race at French GP 22jun19. An FIA image

    FIA Formula 3 post-race Press Conference transcript:

    Thoughts from Daruvala, Shwartzman and Piquet, the top-3 today:

    FIA Formula 3: Hello and welcome to today’s FIA Formula 3 press conference following Race 1 at Paul Ricard. Joining us today, are the top three finishers from the opening race, in third place Pedro Piquet from Trident, in second place Robert Shwartzman of PREMA Racing, and your race winner Jehan Daruvala of PREMA Racing. Jehan, back-to-back wins for you now in Formula 3 and a really good charge to the front after reeling in Jake Hughes at the beginning. Can you just talk us through that fight with Jake?

    Jehan Daruvala: Like I said yesterday, I was pretty happy with how the weekend started. The car’s been good all weekend, so the main aim was to get off the line which actually didn’t go to plan. I lost a position to Pedro and I think I almost hit the back of him in Turn 1, I just missed him so that was lucky. After that it was all about managing the race. The car felt pretty good from the start. I didn’t have to over-push, I just tried to stay in the DRS of Pedro because he was not in the DRS of Jake [Hughes]. That was a big help for me. I got the pass done straight away on the first lap with DRS so I could go hunting for Jake. To be fair in the first few laps I was just chipping away a bit, a couple of tenths here and there, but wasn’t really making too many inroads. I just tried to keep the same pace and not try to push too much and I could see that started to show a little bit, especially in Sector 3. I was quite strong there compared to him. I just tried to stay there in Sector 1 and 2, and when the gap got to 1.4 seconds I knew that if I did a good Sector 3 I could get within the DRS. That’s what happened and I managed to do him before the last corner and then have the DRS on the main straight as well so that went to plan. I tried to break the DRS as fast as possible and after that the car was as good as it could be and I was just managing the pace until the end of the race.

    FIA Formula 3: We saw lots of drivers keeping within that DRS range and a lot of wheel-to-wheel fights, but you were one of the few who seemed able to pull clear quite quickly. Did you feel the pressure easing as you pulled further and further ahead?

    Jehan: I think throughout the weekend so far I’ve been really strong in Sector 3, so I knew that if I just held him off until the chicane and really push for one final sector then I break the DRS. That went to plan, and after I was in the lead by about two seconds I was just trying to manage the gap just in case of a safety car or something, I still had tyres to go for the end.

    FIA Formula 3: Congratulations. Robert moving on to you. A decent recovery after a bit of a sluggish start. Could you talk us through your race?

    Robert Shwartzman: The start didn’t go well for me, I nearly stalled. It was a really risky moment there because I was really, really close to stalling. At the last second I managed to pull back the clutch and at least move from the position. I lost a lot of places, I’m not sure how many, but I think I was in about eighth or ninth position at that time. There was a big mess and fight coming into Turn 1 and 2 and there was quite a close situation, I don’t remember which driver, but I managed to survive that and gain a few positions in the first lap. I think was P6 if I’m not wrong. Then I caught [Bent] Viscaal, he made a mistake in Turn 5 so I used that to my advantage and overtook straight away so as not to lose any time. Basically then I was trying to catch up with the boys in front. I caught Pedro who was fighting with Marcus [Armstrong] and then at some point I got past Pedro and was behind Marcus, but at that time I started to feel the degradation was coming because I think I’d pushed a bit too much at the beginning. After that I was struggling quite a lot with the tyres and it was a really tough race, but I’m happy because we did quite a good recovery after. We had a good battle between me, Jake and Marcus. Unfortunately they collided right in front of me and then in the last laps Pedro was quite close to me, but I think we were all sliding quite a lot because of tyre degradation. I knew that he could make a move but I would have defended it and try to protect my position. At the end of the day we finished where we did. I’m quite happy, after a really bad start I had quite a good recovery, and generally I’m really happy with how the team worked. They gave me some good advice over the radio and also, even though I made a mistake with the tyre management, the car was still really good. That was really important.

    FIA Formula 3: That battle with Jake and Marcus was really exciting, and as you said the two collided. What was your reaction when you saw that happen? Did you feel quite lucky to have avoided being caught up in that?

    Robert: Yeah. I was really surprised because when I exited Turn 6 they were not really close to me. The DRS really works here a lot, and basically I started to defend from Jake because I saw him in my left mirror, so I started to protect my position. Then I saw Marcus round the outside so they basically both came past me side-by-side. Then they both braked really late because they knew I was there as well. I knew that three cars would not fit in that corner so I backed off to try to and regain the position later. Then I saw Jake locking up and I knew something was going to happen. When I saw them collide I just backed off, waited, got past them and that’s it.

    FIA Formula 3: Well done on your result. Pedro moving on to you now. Really quick start and very far up the order throughout the race. Could you talk us through your race today?

    Pedro Piquet: I had a really good start. We were P2 in the beginning, but we were struggling a bit to find the pace. The first few laps I was a bit slow. I tried to fight Jehan, but after that I knew that if I’d tried to defend from everybody I would have finished my tyres. I knew Robert was close, he was in DRS range, so I knew he was going to be a test. After he passed me the car started to improve a bit. I had really good pace throughout the middle of the race, but unfortunately there was always a train of cars and a car with DRS in front of me so it was hard to do something. I tried to do a bit of tyre saving in the middle when I saw all the guys fighting. After Jake and Marcus crashed I tried to follow Robert but the tyres were finished. From my view it was a good race. We were a bit down on the performance level to them, but we’ll work hard to improve the car for the next race and the next event.

    FIA Formula 3: You were running fifth before the clash between Marcus and Jake, to obviously then rise up on to the podium. What was your reaction when you saw that unfolding ahead of you?

    Pedro: It’s not nice for them. You never want to destroy someone’s race but of course you gain positions in the end. If it happens and it helps you it’s better [laughs]. I saw them spinning, braked early, and just tried to avoid them because I knew that maybe a car was going to have spun in the middle of the chicane. After that [Jüri] Vips was quite fast as well. I think he did the whole race in open air, which helps a lot because when you drive behind someone it’s much worse at the end of the race. You get a lot of dirty air. On the last lap I had to do some defending but in the end it was a pretty decent result.

    FIA Formula 3: Well done. Jehan moving back on to you now. We’ve seen lots of fights through the field so far this weekend, Robert proving that. Starting eighth tomorrow on the reverse grid, how are you feeling about your chances of fighting your way up the order?

    Jehan: I think the main thing is to get through the first lap and not to do anything stupid. If I have the same pace as today then I’m pretty confident that I can fight through the field, but I expect all the guys in the top eight still to be pretty quick. It’s not going to be easy but like I said, the main thing is to have a clean first lap and then I think if I have good pace it will be a good race just to have some fun as well. Like Pedro said it helped having clean air today so I could manage my tyres quite easily, but if you’re fighting through the field like Robert had to you get to a stage where you run out of tyres. I expect to have good pace but also not for it to be too easy.

     

  • Dhruv Mohite leads 1-2 for VW Motorsport in ITC race; Bengaluru racers sweep Super Stock podium

    Coimbatore, June 22: Kolhapur’s Dhruv Shivaji Mohite led a 1-2 grandstand finish for Volkswagen Motorsport as he scored a commanding win in the premium Indian Touring Cars class in the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Car Racing Championship 2019 at the Kari Motor Speedway here on Saturday.

    The day’s schedule was cut short due to heavy showers that led to the cancellation of Formula LGB 1300 races, just after Bengaluru-based Race Concepts team made a clean sweep in the Super Stock race with Rithvik Thomas, Prateek Benya and R Rajashekar finishing in that order. Incidentally, the three podium finishers are all from Bengaluru.

    Mohite, 21, who has graduated from Karting and winner of the Ameo Cup last year, marked his debut in the ITC category in the Volkswagen Vento with a comfortable start-to-finish win ahead of team-mate Karthik Tharani while veteran Arjun Balu (Race Concepts) completed podium.

    While Mohite, starting from pole position, was quick off the blocks at the start of the 15-lap race, Balu, from second position, dropped two positions as he missed a gear when the lights went out. But the Coimbatore racer gathered himself to move into third after a couple of laps, easing past Dodhiwala. Thereafter, Mohite, Tharani and Balu were content to nurse their track positions to finish in that order.

    “This is my first season in the ITC and I am happy to win my debut race. I had a good start and after opening up a good lead, I held my position as I had a team-mate (Tharani) behind me rather than a competitor,” said Mohite.

    For Balu, who is expected to be a top contender for the championship, it was a disappointing outing. “I missed a gear at the start and in the latter half of the race, I didn’t have brakes and I had to use the handbrake. With a lot to make up and a good lead over Ishaan, it was pointless to push. My car is still a work in progress and we have to work on a bit to make it more competitive,” said Balu.

    Earlier, Hyderabad’s Jeet Jhabakh chalked up a fluent lights-to-flag victory after starting from pole position, in the Volkswagen Ameo Class race, holding off Anmol Singh Sahil (Delhi) and Saurav Bandyopadhyay (Mumbai). The race was run in tricky conditions. A wet and slippery track following a drizzle besides strong winds, were not ideal for racing on slick tyres, but Jhabakh handled the situation with aplomb while behind him, Sahil, having started fourth on the grid, fought his way to second spot, pipping Bandyopadhyay.

    Bangladesh’s Aiman Sadat topped the Junior category ahead of Nashik’s Viraj Jairaj Jhala and Bengaluru’s Chetan Surineni.

    The results (Provisional – all 15 laps unless mentioned):

    Indian Touring Cars (Race 1): 1. Dhruv Shivaji Mohite (VW Motorsport) (17mins, 20.105secs); 2. Karthik Tharani (VW Motorsport) (17:27.062); 3. Arjun Balu (Race Concepts) (17:44.280).

    Volkswagen Ameo Class (Race 1): 1. Jeet Jhabakh (Hyderabad) (17:48.937); 2. Anmol Singh Sahil (Delhi) (17:52.579); 3. Saurav Bandyopadhyay (Mumbai) (17:55.182). Junior: 1. Aiman Sadat (Bangladesh) (18:14.077); 2. Viraj Jairaj Jhala (Nashik) (18:15.882); 3. Chetan Surineni (Bengaluru) (18:04.139, 14 laps).

    Super Stock (Race 1): 1. Rithvik Thomas (Race Concepts) (22:21.408); 2. Prateek Benya (Race Concepts) (22:23.462); 3. R Rajashekar (Race Concepts) (22:24.390).

  • Daruvala seals back-to-back wins in France

    Daruvala seals back-to-back wins in France

    Jehan Daruvala gets back to back wins in France. An FIA image

    Jehan Daruvala made it back-to-back FIA Formula 3 race wins and three in a row for PREMA Racing, as he came from second to win in Le Castellet, France. There was heartbreak for polesitter Jake Hughes, who lost P1 to the Indian, before making contact with Marcus Armstrong whilst battling for position and dropping to the back of the grid. Robert Shwartzman took advantage of the turmoil to claim P2, with Pedro Piquet completing the podium.

    Hughes made the perfect getaway when the lights went out, standing firm in first and setting the fastest lap. Shwartzman suffered contrasting fortunes and dropped back to 6th, behind his PREMA teammates, as well as Piquet and Bent Viscaal.
    Daruvala had briefly lost second to Piquet with a slow start of his own, but soon reclaimed the position with a move that seemed to take an age. Armstrong and Shwartzman followed their teammate a lap later down the mistral straight, as the Brazilian’s strong start quickly unravelled. Further back, Jüri Vips had been optimistic with an overtake on Alex Peroni and looked to have moved too early, but he earned himself a second shot and made it count for P6.
    Daruvala’s slow start became a distant memory and he started pilling the pressure onto the experienced Brit in front of him, quickly coming into DRS range. The Indian made his pace advantage count and rattled past Hughes in an all too easy move when the Briton ached around a corner too slowly.
    With anger seeping through him, Hughes hurtled back onto the tail of the new race leader, but skidded off track and nearly lost second to Armstrong, who could see his opportunity opening. The Kiwi muscled his way past shortly after, through the tightest of gaps.
    As opposed to ending the battle between them, this only proved to intensify it. Hughes kept his emotions in check to shrewdly slide back into second a lap later, with the aid of DRS. Shwartzman added a third name to the bout as he closed in on the Kiwi, before the duo took advantage of an uncharacteristic wobble from the English driver and both surged past after he went wide.
    Now out of the podium places, the former poleman suffered a bout of red mist in his fury to recover. Shwartzman overtook Armstrong, and Hughes eyed an all too tight gap around the chicane. He attempted the manoeuvre, but lost the rear around Turn 8 and clipped the back of the New Zealand driver, sending them both into a spin. Armstrong managed to recover for fifth, but the HWA RACELAB man plummeted to the back of the grid and offered a heart-breaking apology to his team.
    With bedlam playing out behind him, Daruvala built up a steady 3s lead out in front and seemed assured of the race win heading towards the final lap. Now up to third, a three-way tussle between Shwartzman, Piquet and Vips commenced with little time left. The gap between them was microscopic, but with just a lap to go, there was little time to be gained and the trio retained their positions come the chequered flag.
    Daruvala was first through to secure his second win of the campaign, while Shwartzman followed for a PREMA one-two, with Piquet in third. Vips , Bent Viscaal, Armstrong, Yuki Tsunoda, Peroni, Liam Lawson and David Beckmann followed.
    Campos Racing’s Peroni will start Race 2 in reverse grid pole tomorrow as the F3 grid turn up in the heat in France, at 9.55am local time.
    DRIVER
    TEAM
    1
    Jehan Daruvala
    PREMA Racing
    2
    Robert Shwartzman
    PREMA Racing
    3
    Pedro Piquet
    Trident
    4
    Juri Vips
    Hitech Grand Prix
    5
    Bent Viscaal
    HWA RACELAB
    6
    Marcus Armstrong
    PREMA Racing
    7
    Yuki Tsunoda
    Jenzer Motorsport
    8
    Alex Peroni
    Campos Racing
    9
    Liam Lawson
    MP Motorsport
    10
    David Beckmann
    ART Grand Prix
    11
    Andreas Estner
    Jenzer Motorsport
    12
    Logan Sargeant
    Carlin Buzz Racing
    13
    Ye Yifei
    Hitech Grand Prix
    14
    Richard Verschoor
    MP Motorsport
    15
    Fabio Scherer
    Sauber Junior Team by Charouz
    16
    Alessio Deledda
    Campos Racing
    17
    Raoul Hyman
    Sauber Junior Team by Charouz
    18
    Niko Kari
    Trident
    19
    Felipe Drugovich
    Carlin Buzz Racing
    20
    Simo Laaksonen
    MP Motorsport
    21
    Devlin DeFrancesco
    Trident
    NOT CLASSIFIED
    Jake Hughes
    HWA RACELAB
    Sebastian Fernandez
    Campos Racing
    Max Fewtrell
    ART Grand Prix
    Lirim Zendeli
    Sauber Junior Team by Charouz
    Teppei Natori
    Carlin Buzz Racing
    Leonardo Pulcini
    Hitech Grand Prix
    Christian Lundgaard
    ART Grand Prix
    Keyvan Andres
    HWA RACELAB
    OVERALL FASTEST LAP
    Felipe Drugovich (Carlin Buzz Racing) – 1:52.358 on Lap 19
    FASTEST LAP ELIGIBLE FOR POINTS
    Yuki Tsunoda (Jenzer Motorsport) – 1:53.134 on Lap 17
  • We have the pace to go for the win tomorrow, says Jehan Daruvala

    We have the pace to go for the win tomorrow, says Jehan Daruvala

    Jehan Daruvala (left) at the post-qualifying press conference on Friday. An FIA image

    FIA Formula 3 post qualyfying press conference transcript:

    FIA Formula 3: Hello and welcome to today’s FIA Formula 3 press conference following Qualifying here at Paul Ricard. Joining us today we have our top three drivers from that session. On pole position Jake Hughes of HWA RACELAB, in second place Jehan Daruvala of PREMA Racing and in third place Robert Shwartzman of PREMA Racing. Jake if we can start with you, HWA’s first pole position at this level and it was a really mighty final lap for you to grab pole position. Could you talk us through that lap?

    Jake Hughes: For sure the last lap was really good, without a mistake and as close to the limit as I felt like I could get away with. To be honest though I think we had a good car the whole session. The first lap on the last set was just a compromise because of a lot of traffic in the last corner. Sector 1 especially was just cold tyres. I think I found myself mid-pack after the first lap on the last set. We remained confident, the car was good for the whole session as I said, and I didn’t know I was on pole when I crossed the line. I knew after the first lap that the fastest lap was a .6, so I saw .5 on the dash and thought maybe I had a chance but it wasn’t until I was in Sector 3 that I found out. I’m really happy, and it’s only HWA’s second race in FIA F3 so to get their pole I’m really proud of them and so a big thank you.

    FIA Formula 3: And it’s a really positive way to bounce back from quite a difficult weekend in Barcelona at the start of the season. You must be delighted?

    Jake: Yeah we didn’t score any points. It was a big shame that we had the problem that we did in Qualifying in Barcelona. I think we were fighting for the top five there as well. Obviously we don’t expect to be on pole at every race but fighting for it at least, and it seemed like we could do that even through testing. I’m happy to confirm that let’s say.

    FIA Formula 3: Congratulations. Jehan moving on to you now. You led the majority of the session and had quite a big margin at one point. You didn’t manage to improve on the final lap but you must still be pretty pleased with P2 on the grid?

    Jehan Daruvala: Yeah. To be honest I’m pretty pleased with how the session went in general. Every lap I did I kept improving my driving, and the car was good the whole session. I’m pretty happy with my lap, Jake just did a better job. P2 is still a good place to start tomorrow. Like I said, the car’s strong. We have three cars in the top five clearly we have the pace to go for the win tomorrow.

    FIA Formula 3: It must be really good momentum for yourself as well, following on from the Sunday victory in Spain, to carry this on through to Paul Ricard, so you must be pleased?

    Jehan: I’m pleased. Also we had a decent qualifying session in Barcelona. In Race 1 I had a bad start but that got resolved in Race 2. My main goal tomorrow is to be good off the line and I think we have a good enough car to win the race.

    FIA Formula 3: Thank you. Robert, moving on to you now. Pole position in Spain, P3 here, did you feel that pole was within your reach today? You were always kind of in the mix at the front.

    Robert Shwartzman: Yeah we were quite close. There were a few things that we should have improved, especially me and my driving, but still we were always there. I’m quite happy with P3. It’s a position where we can fight for the win tomorrow. The main job should be tomorrow and we need to push. Big congratulations to Jake because he did a really good job, and also to Jehan. Tomorrow I hope is going to be fair and nice fighting for the win.

    FIA Formula 3: Picking up on what Jehan said about the team performance to start the season, how much of a boost is it for you to see so many PREMA cars so far up the order?

    Robert: It’s really, really good. For PREMA it’s the first year in this championship with this car. We are really competitive. The car feels really good and the team is working really well, so big thanks to them. I worked with them last year and I really enjoyed it, and I’m enjoying working with them even more this year. Everything is going like we’ve planned so we just need to improve a few things, but that’s it.

    FIA Formula 3: Well done. Jake back to you. What are your feelings going into tomorrow’s race and that run down to a quite complex first set of corners? How do you think you’re going to approach that?

    Jake: Well, have a good start obviously [laughs]. I was pretty confident with our starts through testing and in Barcelona, so hopefully that repeats itself. We have good tyres for the race tomorrow. We saved a set in practice so that should help – well, it’s not a disadvantage obviously though it’s not a certainty. The PREMA guys especially had a very good weekend in Barcelona with tyre life, so I’m not expecting an easy race for sure. Hopefully we lead into Turn 1 and, as Robert says, we have a clean fight from there.

  • Jehan Daruvala misses pole by a whisker: F3 qualifying session

    Jehan Daruvala misses pole by a whisker: F3 qualifying session

    Jehan Daruvala

    Le Castellet (France), 21 June 2019: Jake Hughes pulled off the ultimate final lap to steal pole position at the death in FIA Formula 3 qualifying here on Friday. Indian racer Jehan Daruvala thought he had sealed the spot, but the Briton seared around the track on his final attempt to leap up the grid and earn HWA RACELAB their first ever F3 pole, with Robert Shwartzman in third.

    Temperatures had cooled slightly since the morning session and Max Fewtrell was the first out onto the Circuit Paul Ricard, but it was PREMA who once again set the tone with Daruvala and Shwartzman topping the early timesheets.
    Niko Kari had led Free Practice this morning, but his first time was only good enough for seventh. His second shot was more fruitful and he joined the PREMA duo in third. Daruvala was proving stern in first place and Christian Lundgaard twice saw attempts on the position fail, forcing him to settle for second at the midway point.
    Shwartzman had a second attempt on his teammate’s time, as did Leonardo Pulcini, but once again the duo came up short behind the inspired Indian. Despite his domination out in front, it was proving incredibly tight further behind, with less than a second separating the top seventeen.
    Having improved upon his own lap, Daruvala appeared confident out in front when the chequered flag was waved, after his Russian teammate had once again failed to lap quicker. With most of the cars having already passed the line, Hughes quietly went about his business and achieved a feat the others had not, by beating the Indian in every sector to earn his first pole position of the season.
    Hughes and Daruvala finished ahead of Shwartzman, Pedro Piquet, Marcus Armstrong, Leonardo Pulcini, Jüri Vips, Bent Viscaal, Kari and Alex Peroni.
    2019 FIA Formula 3 – Round 2 Qualifying
    DRIVER
    TEAM
    LAPTIME
    LAPS
    1
    Jake Hughes
    HWA RACELAB
    1:49.519
    13
    2
    Jehan Daruvala
    PREMA Racing
    1:49.606
    12
    3
    Robert Shwartzman
    PREMA Racing
    1:49.758
    12
    4
    Pedro Piquet
    Trident
    1:49.944
    13
    5
    Marcus Armstrong
    PREMA Racing
    1:50.066
    12
    6
    Leonardo Pulcini
    Hitech Grand Prix
    1:50.095
    13
    7
    Juri Vips
    Hitech Grand Prix
    1:50.128
    13
    8
    Bent Viscaal
    HWA RACELAB
    1:50.192
    13
    9
    Niko Kari
    Trident
    1:50.253
    12
    10
    Alex Peroni
    Campos Racing
    1:50.316
    14
    11
    Logan Sargeant
    Carlin Buzz Racing
    1:50.345
    12
    12
    Christian Lundgaard
    ART Grand Prix
    1:50.378
    12
    13
    Richard Verschoor
    MP Motorsport
    1:50.451
    12
    14
    Max Fewtrell
    ART Grand Prix
    1:50.456
    13
    15
    Liam Lawson
    MP Motorsport
    1:50.468
    14
    16
    Ye Yifei
    Hitech Grand Prix
    1:50.491
    13
    17
    Lirim Zendeli
    Sauber Junior Team by Charouz
    1:50.510
    14
    18
    Felipe Drugovich
    Carlin Buzz Racing
    1:50.549
    11
    19
    Devlin DeFrancesco
    Trident
    1:50.566
    13
    20
    Simo Laaksonen
    MP Motorsport
    1:50.585
    12
    21
    Teppei Natori
    Carlin Buzz Racing
    1:50.673
    12
    22
    David Beckmann
    ART Grand Prix
    1:50.716
    13
    23
    Fabio Scherer
    Sauber Junior Team by Charouz
    1:50.749
    13
    24
    Raoul Hyman
    Sauber Junior Team by Charouz
    1:50.791
    12
    25
    Keyvan Andres
    HWA RACELAB
    1:51.068
    13
    26
    Sebastian Fernandez
    Campos Racing
    1:51.272
    14
    27
    Yuki Tsunoda
    Jenzer Motorsport
    1:51.987
    12
    28
    Andreas Estner
    Jenzer Motorsport
    1:52.066
    14
    29
    Alessio Deledda
    Campos Racing
    1:54.226
    13
  • After 12 years, Gaurav Gill leaves MRF and returns to JK Tyre fold; 3 WRC2 rounds in the offing

    After 12 years, Gaurav Gill leaves MRF and returns to JK Tyre fold; 3 WRC2 rounds in the offing

    Sanjay Sharma Head- Motorsport, JK Tyre (L) with Gaurav Gill at New Delhi on Friday. A JK Tyre image

    New Delhi, 21 June 2019: In a stunning move that jolted the motorsport fraternity of India, celebrated Indian rally driver Gaurav Gill returned to the JK Tyre fold after 12 long years with MRF and breathed a fresh life into his dream… to continue the quest for a full run in the World Rally Champioship.

    JK Tyre announced here on Friday that the 37-year old speed merchant will be their primary force and face behind JK Tyre’s all-new rallying programme. More importantly, Gill is expected to take part in at least three rounds of WRC2 this year.

    The three-time Asia Pacific and six times Indian National Rally champion, who began his sparkling career as a JK Tyre Go-karting prodigy almost two decades ago, will return to lead Team JK Tyre Rallying’s charge in all national and various international events, making it a true homecoming for the prodigal star after 12-long years. He joined MRF in January 2007 and his last rally for the red-outfit was Rally Finland 2018.

    The Delhi-based Speed Master got into motorsport making his debut on bikes in the National Motocross Championship in 1999. He then moved to 4-wheel racing and soon also started to take part in rallies and endurance races. He was runner-up in the National Road Racing Championship in 2003 and won the title in the following year. He finished the 2006 season, second overall.

     “I am thrilled to be back with JK Tyre under whose guidance and inspiration I learnt everything about this beautiful sport,” Gaurav said during an interaction with senior journalists.

    The star will embark on a bold new journey later this month, starting with the Champions Yacht Club Indian National Rally Championship in Chennai. At the same time, a much bigger and more exciting plan has been laid out for him, which will etch the champion’s legacy in the annals of motorsports forever.

    “We are delighted to have one of the world’s finest rallying talent with us,” Sanjay Sharma, Head- Motorsport, JK Tyre, said. “He will not only strengthen our immediate rallying thrust but more excitingly will work with us to develop the next generation of drivers. Gaurav’s experience and expertise will also come in handy for the brand in testing and developing even more robust tyres,” he added.

    Gaurav, who is easily at the peak of his driving as also his fitness, will make a fresh assault on key international events, with his eyes firmly locked on the European Rally Championship, to begin with. He will continue to pursue his long-cherished dream of making his presence felt in the World Rally 2 Championship too, taking part in at least some of its events.

    The fearless and nearly invincible rallyist will play multiple roles during his new stint, with the JK Tyre powered Gaurav Gill Rallying Academy soon becoming the hub for all off-roading activities. He and the team’s array of experts will work in tandem to develop a new breed of drivers in his own mould.

    The immediate goal is to zero in on young talented drivers from the existing grid, sharpen them and absorb them for bigger things if they show the aptitude for it. A full-fledged JK Tyre Rallying team too will soon be launched even as international FIA- R2 spec cars of various Indian manufacturers are being developed with collaborations and inputs from world-class tuners and teams by JK Tyre.

    A clear and logical progression ladder will be put in place for all worthies, with even cross-karts powered by 600cc superbike engines to be simultaneously introduced for beginners.

    “The sport has given me everything that I have today. I want to give something back to it, even as I chase my other goals in motorsport. JK is the perfect platform for both. Their programme has been designed to help new talent be on par with international counterparts, honing their skills in the most conducive environment and ambience,” Gaurav Gill said.

  • Kari Motor Speedway set for MRF MMSC fmsci Car Racing Nationals 2019

    Kari Motor Speedway set for MRF MMSC fmsci Car Racing Nationals 2019

    Action from the 2018 National Championship. File photo by Anand Philar.

    Coimbatore, 19 June 2019: The eagerly-awaited MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Car Racing Championship 2019 resumes at the Kari Motor Speedway here on Friday, June 21, in a new avatar following a rejig of regulations designed to make racing more competitive and exciting than ever before. The weekend card will see 59 entrants, from across India, competing in 11 races.

    In a significant development, the Volkswagen Ameo Cup has received the status of National Championship and rechristened as the Ameo Class. The eventual winners (Pro and Rookie categories) after four rounds and 10 races spread across four race weekends, will be declared National champions. Volkswagen Motorsport India had launched their one-make series in 2010 through the Polo Cup before progressing to the Vento and now the Ameo.

    Apart from the Ameo Class races, the weekend will witness competitions in the popular and premium Indian Touring Cars (ITC), the Super Stock and the entry-level Formula LGB 1300 which has attracted the most number of entries of 19 young aspirants. However, the MRF 1600 races are expected to start only from the next round in Chennai.

    MMSC Vice-President and Chairman of the Meet Vicky Chandhok said: “At the outset, MMSC would like to acknowledge and appreciate MRF’s unstinted commitment and active involvement in the National Championship, be it two-wheeler or four-wheeler races. In fact, MRF has been the backbone of motorsport in India due to the support they have extended and continue to do so, for all formats of the sport. With MRF’s support, MMSC has been able to take racing a notch higher with every season. This year, we welcome Volkswagen Motorsport into our National Championship by way of the Ameo Class which we expect to be as competitive as before when it was called the Ameo Cup.”

    For the Super Stock and the Formula LGB 1300 categories, this weekend’s outing will be Round 2 after the season-opener in February at the MMRT, Chennai, when they were run on the same card as the MRF Challenge international series, while the other classes join the National Championship.

    There will be three races each for the ITC, Ameo Class and the Formula LGB categories, and two in the Super Stock class.

    The weekend action commences on Friday which is entirely devoted to Free Practice sessions, while qualifying and five races are scheduled for Saturday, followed by six more races on Sunday.

    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 from Sholavaram to its present location 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. 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. The facilities are also extensively used by various vehicle manufacturers for testing their products, displays and corporate days.

  • Marquez wins, Quartararo soars and chaos reigns at Catalunya: MotoGP Round 7

    Marquez wins, Quartararo soars and chaos reigns at Catalunya: MotoGP Round 7

    The reigning Champion extends his lead, the rookie’s luck turns and a multiple-rider crash makes waves

    Marquez wins the Catalan GP on Sunday. A Michelin image

    Barcelona, 16 June 2019: Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) took an impressive win in the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya, the 7th round of the MotoGP World Championship, on an expensive day for his key Championship rivals, with a dramatic multiple-rider crash near the start of the race creating some serious chaos. Marquez escaped that and in the aftermath it was Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) who emerged as his closest challenger, with the polesitter and French rookie cutting down the gap in the latter laps as he seared away from those on the chase. His second place makes him the second-youngest podium finisher in the MotoGP™ era, behind only Marquez, and he managed to pull two seconds clear of Mugello winner Danilo Petrucci (Mission Winnow Ducati) to do it.

    It was Andrea Dovizioso (Mission Winnow Ducati) who took the holeshot with another stunning start, this time from the second row, with Marquez pushed back into second and Quartararo then trying to send it around the outside of the reigning Champion. But he couldn’t quite make that stick and Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) capitalised to sweep through soon after. The number 12 then attacked Marquez to take over in second, with Jorge Lorenzo (Repsol Honda Team) making some serious ground up into fourth to fight for the podium.

    Marquez hit back against Viñales on Lap 2 and it was shaping up to be a serious fight at the front, but that’s when the drama hit. Lorenzo went to attack Viñales just as Marquez attacked Dovizioso, and the number 99 then lost the front as the space ahead diminished. That set off a huge incident as the number 99 took down Dovizioso, then Viñales, and then Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) got caught too – with all four out the race. Marquez was clear of it, with Petrucci the man left in second, escaping the drama after having been passed by Rossi at the best time for one of them and the worst for the other.

    Marquez was then able to pull the pin and extend the gap but the fight behind was on fire: Petrucci vs Alex Rins  (Team Suzuki Ecstar) vs Quartararo. First it was a duel behind the Italian before Rins then started looking for a way past Petrucci, attacking into Turn 1 and the Ducati defending to perfection in Turn 2. A couple of laps later it was a Rins and repeat, but the Suzuki man couldn’t make it stick.

    He kept trying, but the next attempt was more costly. Running on and left heading over the Long Lap Penalty after dropping anchor to avoid Petrucci in Turn 1, the number 42 lost out and rejoined in sixth, behind his rookie teammate Joan Mir. That left him fighting to try and get back through, and left Quartararo with only one man in between himself and Marquez’ trail.

    It didn’t take long; the Frenchman sliding up the inside of the Ducati to take over in second soon after. And then, he was in the same position as his fateful race in Jerez and wishing for more luck. Barcelona brought just that, with the number 20 then able to unleash his pace and push on after Marquez, immediately starting to cut the gap.

    In the end, there weren’t enough laps left for a charge at the win, but the Frenchman made a little history regardless and a first rostrum finish is good payback for his incredible pace so far. Petrucci was around two seconds behind him but scored big for Ducati once again, with Rins taking fourth after managing to pass first Mir and then Jack Miller (Pramac Racing).

    Miller was only two tenths behind him over the line, however, and the Australian’s P5 puts him back in the lead of the Independent Team standings. Behind them? Another small gap back to Joan Mir, who took sixth and his best rookie result yet, two better than his season opening P8 in Qatar.

    Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) continues his consistency in seventh and took more solid points, ahead of Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu). Tito Rabat (Reale Avintia Racing) took P9 and his best of 2019 so far, as Johann Zarco (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) did the same and completed the top ten.

    Andrea Iannone (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini), Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) and Suzuki test rider Sylvain Guintoli (Team Suzuki Ecstar) were the remaining finishers in a serious race of attrition, with fallers outside the huge incident near the start including Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol), Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT), Francesco Bagnaia) and Bradley Smith (Aprilia Racing Team), who made contact with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) on Lap 1 and both crashed out.

    It was a near-perfect day for Marquez’ Championship hopes in Montmelo, and the reigning Champion heads into the next race with a serious buffer of 37 points at the top of the table. Dovizioso remains second, Rins couldn’t capitalise too much in third…but next up it’s the Dutch TT, and that’s the perfect place for Yamaha, especially, to strike back. Rossi was back in the mix in Barcelona, Viñales had made an awesome start…what will the classic TT Circuit Assen bring? Don’t miss it as MotoGP™ gets back in action in two weeks.

    MotoGP Top-3 results:

    1 – Marc Marquez (SPA – Honda) 40’31.175
    2 – Fabio Quartararo* (FRA – Yamaha) +2.660
    2 – Danilo Petrucci (ITA – Ducati) +4.537

    *Independent Team rider

    Catalan Grand Prix Full Results

    Pos. Rider Num Nation Points Team Time/Gap
    1 MARQUEZ Marc 93 SPA 25 Repsol Honda Team 40’31.175
    2 QUARTARARO Fabio 20 FRA 20 Petronas Yamaha SRT 2.660
    3 PETRUCCI Danilo 9 ITA 16 Mission Winnow Ducati 4.537
    4 RINS Alex 42 SPA 13 Team Suzuki Ecstar 6.602
    5 MILLER Jack 43 AUS 11 Pramac Racing 6.870
    6 MIR Joan 36 SPA 10 Team Suzuki Ecstar 7.040
    7 ESPARGARO Pol 44 SPA 9 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 16.144
    8 NAKAGAMI Takaaki 30 JPN 8 LCR Honda 17.969
    9 RABAT Tito 53 SPA 7 Reale Avintia Racing 22.661
    10 ZARCO Johann 5 FRA 6 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 26.228
    11 IANNONE Andrea 29 ITA 5 Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 32.036
    12 OLIVEIRA Miguel 88 POR 4 Red Bull KTM Tech 3 44.666
    13 GUINTOLI Sylvain 50 FRA 3 Team Suzuki Ecstar 51.363
    14 CRUTCHLOW Cal 35 GBR 0 LCR Honda DNF
    15 MORBIDELLI Franco 21 ITA 0 Petronas Yamaha SRT DNF
    16 BAGNAIA Francesco 63 ITA 0 Pramac Racing DNF
    17 SYAHRIN Hafizh 55 MAL 0 Red Bull KTM Tech 3 DNF
    18 ROSSI Valentino 46
  • Alex Marquez takes third win in a row: Moto2; 7th different winner in Moto3

    Alex Marquez takes third win in a row: Moto2; 7th different winner in Moto3

    Marcos Ramirez wins Moto3 at Barcelona on 16 June 2019. A MotoGP image

    Barcelona,16 June 2019: Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) took a third magnificent win in a row in the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya, moving through from sixth on the grid to unleash his pace at the front and pull clear in another dominant performance. It’s the first time the number 73 has ever taken three successive victories and after a crash in Barcelona for former points leader Lorenzo Baldassarri (Flexbox HP 40) as well, Marquez now heads the standings by seven points. The man trailing him is Tom Lüthi (Dynavolt Intact GP), who took another podium and valuable 20 points to move back into second in the Championship, with Jorge Navarro (HDR Heidrun Speed Up) back on the podium in third.

    Lüthi took the holeshot as the veteran screamed away from the line, with Marquez almost running into trouble in the early stages and remaining sixth. Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team), Fabio Di Giannanontio (HDR Heidrun Speed Up), Sam Lowes (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2), polesitter Augusto Fernandez (Flexbox HP 40) and Lüthi were the men in between him and the lead, and in the first few laps at least, Lüthi and Fernandez were pushing hard to make a gap at the front.

    First the number 73 took Bastianini, then Di Giannantonio, and then Lowes as ‘Diggia’ followed him through as well. Next up was the task of cutting down the gap to the front, and the 2014 Moto3™ Champion set about doing that. Fernandez then attacked Lüthi for the lead, and that brought Marquez right into play in the front trio.

    Lüthi took it back soon as he attacked into Turn 1 and the three stayed close, but it wasn’t long after that that drama hit further back as Baldassarri binned it at Turn 10, making the fight for the win the fight for the Championship lead. Lüthi tried to pull away, but Marquez then saw the Swiss rider struggling and made his move.

    Once past, the Spaniard wasn’t able to immediately pull away but little by little he was able to extend the gap and make it his race to lose. Pitch perfect from then on, Marquez made zero mistakes and heads home with a seven point lead. Lüthi was his trademark consistent self to take 20 more points and move back into second overall, staying out the clutches of Navarro.

    After a tougher round at Mugello, Speed Up rider Navarro was back on top form in Catalunya, unleashing more of his now-trademark late race pace as he was able to get past Fernandez. But the polesitter nevertheless impressed with his P4, making a good dent in the frontrunners once again.

    Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team) was top rookie once again in P5, another race to remember for the Italian. Compatriot Di Giannantonio, after his early pace, crashed out. Behind Bastianini’s rather lonely ride, Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46) won a battle royal to take P6, ahead of Marcel Schrotter (Dynavolt Intact GP), Xavi Vierge (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) and Sam Lowes in P9. Tetsuta Nagashima (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) had a top finish a little further back in P10.

    Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) beat Andrea Locatelli (Italtrans Racing Team) to the line by hundredths, with Nicolo Bulega (Sky Racing Team VR46), Simone Corsi (Tasca Racing Scuderia Moto2) and Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completing the points.

    That’s it from Catalunya and next up it’s another track where Alex Marquez has shone in the past. Now seven points clear, will that extend in the Netherlands? Or can the field hit back? Find out in two weeks’ time as we race around the classic TT Circuit Assen.

    Moto2 top-3 results:

    1 – Alex Marquez (SPA – Kalex) 38’25.678
    2 – Tom Lüthi (SWI – Kalex) +1.989
    3 – Jorge Navarro (SPA – Speed Up) +2.532
    Ramirez makes it a magnificent seven different history-makers in a row
    Spaniard escapes the chaos to make it 12 different winners in a row and seven in the opening seven races of the season for the first time ever

    Marcos Ramirez (Leopard Racing) made sure more history was made in the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya, with the Spaniard escaping from a dramatic and chaotic fight to win his first race and make it 12 different winners in a row. It’s also therefore seven different winners in a row this season, and the first time that’s ever happened in the first seven races of the lightweight class. Aron Canet (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) took a valuable second place to extend his Championship lead, with impressive rookie Celestino Vietti (Sky Racing Team VR46) taking some tips from the boss to secure third with a stunning, Rossi-esque final corner move.

    Tony Arbolino (VNE Snipers) took the holeshot from third on the grid, but fast-starting Canet shot through from fifth on the grid to attack quickly for the lead – and Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Leopard Racing) soon followed suit. Polesitter Gabriel Rodrigo (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) dropped to seventh as the field shuffled through the first lap, and the first man to lose out in what would go on to be a race of attrition was Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) as the Japanese rider went down early.

    The race was a classic Moto3™ melee, but in the early stages it was Dalla Porta in charge at the front of the big group. The Italian looked like a serious threat until heartbreak suddenly hit with 18 laps to go as the number 48 suffered a mechanical problem around Turn 13, forced to pull off and losing some serious ground in the Championship.

    Marcos Ramirez was the new man in the lead, but there was more drama just around the corner. Can Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) triggered a multiple-rider incident at Turn 4, with Albert Arenas (Sama Qatar Angel Nieto Team), teammate Raul Fernandez, Sergio Garcia (Estrella Galicia 0,0), Vicente Perez (Reale Avintia Arizona 77) and Filip Salac (Redox Pruestel GP) all caught up in it and out of the race.

    There had been a group of seven riders in the lead group with 15 laps to go, but the group got bigger over the next few laps until the top 15 were back in a freight train. And it soon lost another member, with Arbolino, incredibly, also suffering a mechanical problem and the Mugello winner dropping back and then heading back into pitlane. The top 18 were within an awesome 2.7 seconds as the last laps appeared on the horizon, but there was more drama to come. Next it was Jaume Masia (Bester Capital Dubai) crashing out with eight laps to go, and then it was polesitter Rodrigo a few laps later – with Darryn Binder (CIP – Green Power) going down with him.

    That left Kaito Toba (Honda Team Asia) leading the battle for supremacy, with the Qatar GP winner having put in a stunner to slice through the chaos from P24 on the grid. He managed to stay there too, and was the man with the target on his back heading onto the last lap. Canet and Lopez made for close company however, and as Canet then went for a move to attack at Turn 10, Toba suddenly slid out in another bout of heartbreaking drama.

    Canet went a little wide, Lopez did the same, and Ramirez took his opportunity almost immediately. Cutting past into the lead, the Spaniard just had a few corners to go to win his first ever Grand Prix. Into the final corner though it looked like Canet was going to try and recreate the famous Valentino Rossi move from a decade ago, but he thought better of it and slotted back in behind Ramirez. Just behind them, however, Vietti went for it.

    As Ramirez blasted clear of Canet towards his first win, the Sky Racing Team VR46 rider just behind them kept it pinned on the inside and managed to pull it off with serious style, taking his third podium and second of the season…from 21st on the grid!

    Behind Lopez, Dennis Foggia (Sky Racing Team VR46) completed the top five, ahead of Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia) taking his best ever finish in P6 after his stellar qualifying. Romano Fenati (VNE Snipers) finished seventh, with Ayumu Sasaki (Petronas Sprinta Racing) heading compatriot Ryusei Yamanaka (Estrella Galicia 0,0) just behind. Jakub Kornfeil (Redox PruestelGP) completed the top ten.

    Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) scored some valuable points in P11 after starting near the back following a penalty, and the Italian had even fought for the lead before running wide with a few laps to go. Wildcard Carlos Tatay (Fundacion Andreas Perez 77) took points in P12, just ahead of John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing).

    The Scot fought at the front throughout and in the podium battle until Turn 10 on the final lap, when he suffered a highside…and then a miracle save. Somehow staying on, it was an incredible sight and feat. Tom Booth-Amos (CIP – Green Power) scored his first points in P14, ahead of teammate Darryn Binder after the South African rejoined.

    A true melee in stunning Moto3™ style, the chaos of the Catalan GP leaves Canet a valuable 23 points clear at the top of the standings heading into Assen. Will the Spaniard pull off more top tactics there? Find out in two weeks.

    Moto3 top-3 results:

    1 – Marcos Ramirez (SPA – Honda) 38’36.156
    2 – Aron Canet (SPA – KTM) +0.119
    3 – Celestino Vietti (ITA – KTM) +0.146

  • Jan Solans-Mauro Barreiro become third different winners in FIA Junior WRC

    Alghero, Sardinia (Italy), 16 June 2019: Jan Solans and Mauro Barreiro claimed their first FIA Junior WRC victory of the 2019 season on Rally d’Italia following a hard-fought battle with Dennis Rådström and Johan Johansson that went down to the wire.

    Solans and Rådström were a cut above the rest of the FIA Junior WRC field sharing all of the 17 possible stage wins between them with twelve and five respectively.

    Solans has now taken the championship lead with 71 points, it is largely thanks to his impressive haul of stage win points which comes to a total of 19 – the most of any other driver this season. Rally Sweden winner Tom Kristensson sits second with 62 points and Rådström remains in third with 55 points.

    The FIA Junior WRC field has been in impressive form all weekend as each crew demonstrated well thought out and mature drives on Rally d’Italia. It resulted in nine out of eleven EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta R2 Junior WRC cars crossing the ceremonial finish in Alghero – an achievement that underlines the depth of talent in the 2019 FIA Junior WRC Championship.

    Solans won the opening Super Special Stage at the Ittiri Arena on Thursday evening, edging Rådström by just 0.1 seconds, however Friday was Rådström’s day. He was able to rely on his experience and asserted his dominance, ending Friday 16.8 seconds ahead of fellow Swede Tom Kristensson. The opening full day of rallying did not start according to plan for Solans after a series of mistakes across stages three and four saw him 29.5s off the lead at the start of SS7.

    In stark contrast to Friday, Solans pushed hard from the get-go on Saturday morning, delivering five stage wins in a row, closing down the gap to Rådström from 17.4s to 1.2s by the conclusion of SS14. Rådström denied Solans of a perfect streak and claimed the final stage win of the day, extending his lead to 4.4s.

    Sunday saw Solans regroup and repeat his Saturday form in the morning loop, adding another pair of stage wins to his name to claim the rally lead by just 1.3s. It set FIA Junior WRC up for a nail-biting conclusion in the Sardinian sun as the duelling duo headed into the final two stages of the rally.

    Solans added another two seconds to his lead after SS18, starting the Wolf Power Stage with a 3.3s cushion to Rådström. In a final display of talent and speed Solans pushed through the last stage of the day, beat Rådström by 11.5 seconds to win the rally by 14.9s.

    FIA Junior WRC Championship Manager, Maciej Woda, said:
    “First of all, I would like to express my sincere condolences to Krisjanis Caune whose father sadly passed away on Saturday. Krisjanis made the decision to continue the rally today and for that I have the upmost admiration and respect for him as it required true bravery and determination.

    So“This rally is an incredibly demanding and tough one. I don’t think anybody imagined that nine out of 11 Junior WRC crews would finish, especially when you consider previous rough rallies in Junior WRC! It is an amazing accomplishment for every crew and we have been very impressed by the level of maturity everybody has demonstrated. The battle for the lead has been a classic and very enjoyable to follow as Jan and Dennis have been on another level. Dennis’s experience has helped him to keep cool in certain moments which allowed him to deliver a very consistent and impressive pace to maintain his lead throughout Saturday even though he won only one stage. Considering Jan was almost 30 seconds behind at one point on Friday, he has certainly raised a few eye brows by delivering so many stage wins while staying on the road and his victory is fully deserved.”

    RALLY D’ITALIA SARDEGNA CLASSIFICATION AND DRIVER QUOTES:

    1. Jan Solans / Mauro Barreiro 4h02m36.2s

    “Amazing weekend, seriously, we have been on the limit on every stage since Friday after we had our problems. We decided to push on every stage and in the end, we achieved victory, so we are really happy and very proud. There’s a little bit of pressure now, I didn’t expect it to be leading the championship after this rally. Next up is Finland so it will be really difficult for us because it will be my first time there on fast roads so it’s time to work and prepare for that rally.”

    1. Dennis Rådström / Johan Johansson + 00:14.9

    “For sure it’s a little bit sad but we had strong competition from Jan this time. Jan did a really great job, we really pushed on the penultimate stage today and he beat us. We should be proud to be here without any problems in Sardinia.”

    1. Tom Kristensson / Henrik Appelskog + 03:27.2

    “I didn’t imagine that we would have finished this rally without any mistakes, punctures or major issues so I am extremely happy with that. Of course, there was more performance available on the stages but I really need to focus on the championship and that is what I am doing. You can lose too much time taking these kinds of risks.”

    1. Raul Badiu / Gabriel Lazar + 04:37.5

    “I’m feeling relieved now after a tough rally, I really enjoyed the car on the gravel. I was perhaps a little too cautious on the rough sections, but it doesn’t matter as we finished the rally, finally without any issues at all.”

    1. Martins Sesks / Krisjanis Caune + 05:34.9

    “We need to analyse this rally and see what to do next. After two big disasters on the previous two rallies this one was a finish which is good but it is not what I am aiming for.”

    1. Julius Tannert / Jurgen Heigl + 06:41.8

    “For sure it was a difficult weekend for us, especially in the beginning, we lost a lot of time. On Saturday morning we had to fix a leaking radiator and lost more time by arriving late to the next stage. In the end we are sixth overall which is not the result we wanted.”

    1. Fabrizio Zaldivar / Fernando Mussano + 08:58.9

    “I’m really happy, we came here, and we wanted a good result so seventh place is great for my first year in the championship. It’s completely different on these European stages, here there are a lot of mountains, in my home country it is just a flat surface.”

    1. Enrico Oldrati / Elia de Guio + 17:44.6

    “It was a very unlucky rally for us but it’s ok as we finished the rally without making too many mistakes. I am really tired but also happy to be here and finish the rally, let’s look forward to Finland.”

    1. Nico Knacker / Michael Wenzel +19:53.9 

    “We learned so much, it was a really difficult rally. We are happy to finish, it was really hard, the stages were so difficult. The last stage time was encouraging for us and we are happy.”

    RETIRED:  Tom Williams / Phil Hall

    “Rally Sardinia’s not gone well for us, it has been a really tough weekend. We learned a huge amount, but we broke the sump on the very last stage and we had to retire on the final road section. This will be a rally to forget for us but we will be pushing stronger in Finland.”

    Sean Johnston / Alex Kihurani

    “It’s definitely been a character-building rally with the incident on Friday. We’ve had lots of good learning experiences and today we had a big compression on the first run of the power stage and when were swapping wheels we noticed an oil leak so called it a day.”