INDIA in F1

Blog

  • Triumphant Harkrishan, Kunal clinch iconic K1000 Rally for second Overall win

    Triumphant Harkrishan, Kunal clinch iconic K1000 Rally for second Overall win

    Tumakuru, 23 Dec. 2023: Delhi’s Harkrishan Wadia and co-driver Kunal Kashyap turned their overnight lead into a memorable victory at the iconic Blueband K1000 Rally, and won the 2023 INRC2 title bagging full 40 points in the sixth and final round of the Blueband Sports fmsci Indian National Rally Championship (INRC) for four-wheelers, which concluded near Gubbi, here on Saturday.

    The Mangaluru-Bengaluru pair of Aroor Arjun Rao and co-driver Satish Rajagopal has already won the Blueband Indian National Rally Championship 2023 Overall title winning the first three rounds and took a 45-point unbeatable lead going into K1000. Wadia and Kashyap of Himachal, after their maiden win at the Blueband Robusta Rally of Kodagu last month, took their second straight Overall victory at K1000 to comfortably clinch the title in their class, the INRC2. “I am delighted with the back-to-back wins and the title is a bonus. I am grateful to my father and I thank all my team, especially Leela sir, Karna, Phil and all the boys. But for them, this would not have been possible,” said the 25-year Harkrishan, the 2020 Junior INRC champ and son of former rally star Anil Wadia.

    Harkrishan Wadia, left, and Kunal Kashyap, winners of the Blueband 47th K1000 Rally at Tumakuru on Saturday. An INDIAinF1 image

    Mangaluru’s Dean Mascarenhas along with co-driver Gagan Karumbaiah, who were lying in Overall third overnight, finished Overall second ahead of the Snap Racing pair, Younus Ilyas (co-driver Nitin Jacob). Behind Arka Motorsports’ Wadia (co-driver Kashyap), who was driving an INRC2 spec Volkswagen Polo 1.6, it was 2019 champion Chetan Shivram and co-driver E Shivprakash, who took the second place in the INRC2 class. Ritesh Guttedar and Chetan M finished third.

    In the INRC3 class, Jason Saldanha and co-driver Thimmanna Uddapanda, fresh from their exploits in this year’s Malaysian Rally Championship, emerged as winners of K1000 in this class. Jahaan Singh Gill and co-driver Suraj Keshav Prasad finished second, which was enough for them to clinch the INRC3 2023 championship. Daraius Shroff and Shahid Salman, who were in title contention till Hyderabad, lost the plot in the last two rounds. They finished third in their class today.

    Jahaan Singh, who won the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) Junior title last month in Indonesia, also won the Junior INRC title.

    Ammyfied Rallying pair Abhin Rai and co-driver Rohit Gowda won the K1000 on way to their maiden INRC4 title. Kothamangalam privateers Athul Thomas and Sajil V Saji came second and Praveen Dwarakanath and co-driver Kariyappa KB finished third.

    In the Gypsy class, Ammyfied Rallying made a clean sweep of the podium led by Samrat Yadav and Arvind Dheerendra. Darshan Nachappa and co-driver Abhinav Ganapathy were second and that was enough for them to clinch the 2023 FMSCI Gypsy Cup. Dr Akarsh Sunder and V Sekar, who finished third amassed more points but lost on “N minus one’ rule, where drivers can discard one round.

    Anushriya Gulati, who won the K1000 Rally, also clinched the Ladies Class championship for 2023.

    Of the 59 entries, only 30 cars finished. Six cars on Day 1 and 21 cars on Day 2 did not finish.

    Final Provisional Results:

    Overall: 1. Harkrishan Wadia/ Kunal Kashyap (Arka Motorsports) (01hr, 26min, 53.5seconds); 2. Dean Mascarenhas/ Gagan Karumbaiah (Pvt.) (01:27:57:2); 3. Younus Ilyas/ Nitin Jacob (Snap Racing) (01:28:06.1);

    INRC2: 1. Harkrishan Wadia/ Kunal Kashyap (Arka Motorsports) (01:26:53.5); 2. Chetan Shivram/ E Shivaprakash (Jo1 Rallying) (01:30:34.4); 3. Ritesh Guttedar M/ Suraj M (Pvt.) (01:32:27.5);

    INRC3: 1. Jason Saldanha/ Thimmanna Uddapanda (Dark Don Racing) (01:29:39.0); 2. Jahaan Singh Gill/ Suraj Keshav Prasad (Snap Racing) (01:29:49.6); 3. Daraius Shroff/ Shahid Salman (Chettinad Sporting) (01:30:02.0);

    INRC4: 1. Abhin Rai/ Rohit Gowda (Ammyfied Rallying) (01:36:25.2); 2. Athul Thomas /Sajil V Saji (Pvt.) (01:47:34.0); 3. Praveen Dwarakanath / Kariyappa KB (Pvt.) (01:51:05.2):

    Gypsy: 1. Samrat Yadav/ Arvind Dheerendra (Ammyfied Rallying) (01:40:02.9); 2. Darshan Nachappa/ Abhinav Ganapathy (Ammyfied) (01:43:29.6); 3. Dr Akarsh Sunder/ V Seker (Ammyfied Rallying) (01:44:03.3);

    Junior INRC: 1. Jahaan Singh Gill/ Suraj Keshav Prasad (Snap Racing) (01:29:49.6); 2. Arjun Rajiv/ Milen George (Ammyfied) (01:33:14.2); 3. Abhin Rai/ Rohit Gowda (Ammyfied Rallying) (01:34:45.2);

    Ladies Class: 1. Anushriya Gulati/ Sherwin Dalmeida (Dark Don Racing) (01:51:35.1);

    INRC Champions for 2023:

    Overall 2023 Rally champion: Aroor Arjun Rao/ Satish Rajagopal;

    INRC2: Harkrishan Wadia/ Kunal Kashyap (Arka Motorsports);

    INRC3: Jahaan Singh Gill/ Suraj Keshav Prasad (Snap Racing);

    INRC4: Abin Rai/ Rohit Gowda;

    Ladies Class: Anushriya Gulati;

    Junior INRC: Jahaan Singh Gill;

    Gypsy Cup: Darshan Nachappa/ Abhinav Ganapathy;

  • Harkrishan, Kunal duo leads Day 1 again at the iconic K1000 Rally: INRC

    Harkrishan, Kunal duo leads Day 1 again at the iconic K1000 Rally: INRC

    Tumakuru, 22 Dec. 2023: Delhi daredevil and Arjuna Awardee Gaurav Gill, began with a bang and clocked the fastest stage times in the first two special stages but it was his compatriot young gun Harkrishan Wadia, also from Delhi, who stole the limelight beating the best in the next two stages to emerge as the Overall leader at the end of Day 1 in the iconic Blueband K1000 Rally, the sixth and final round of the Blueband Sports fmsci Indian National Rally Championship (INRC) for four-wheelers, near Gubbi, on Friday. In the previous Kodagu Rally also, the duo took the lead on Day 1 and went on to win the Overall title the next day.

    The popular Blueband K1000 Rally, organised by Karnataka Motor Sports Club (KMSC), is the oldest running rally in India and threw more surprises as Wadia, along with Kunal Kashyap of Himachal Pradesh, fresh from their maiden Overall victory at the Kodagu Rally, dominated the proceedings with a late charge and the multiple-champion Gill, who won K1000 many times is trailing in the fifth position, about 84 seconds behind the leaders. Championship leaders Aroor Arjun Rao and Satish Rajagopal, continued to suffer hiccups, but the duo have already clinched their maiden INRC title, with a round to spare.

    Arka Motorsports’ Harkrishan Wadia (co-driver Kashyap), driving an INRC2 spec Volkswagen Polo 1.6 did a commendable job to finish the Leg 1 on top on Day 1 but they need to sustain the tempo for a flourish on the last day of the season tomorrow. The duo also topped their INRC2 class. Younus Ilyas and co-driver Nitin Jacob emerged Day 1 in second followed by Mangaluru’s speed merchant Dean Mascarenhas and Gagan Karumbaiah in third.

    In INRC2, former champions Philippos Matthai and co-driver PVS Murthy are following Wadia in second and 2019 champion Chetan Shivram is in third along with his navigator E Shivaprakash.

    Shivani Parmar (co-ddriver Arjun Dheerendra) leads the Ladies Class after Day 1 at the K1000 Rally near Gubbi on Friday. Due to Christmas, the K1000 Rally finishes on Saturday, instead of the traditional Sunday.

    In the INRC3 class, Jason Saldanha and co-driver Thimmanna Uddapanda, who did well in this year’s Malaysian Rally Championship, emerged as leaders with a late kick pushing behind Shashank Jamwal and Aseem Sharma to second. Talented Jahaan Singh Gill of Chandigarh along with Bengaluru co-driver Suraj Keshav Prasad of Snap Racing, who already clinched the Junior INRC title for 2023, is in third place. They are table leaders before going into K1000.

     “I have a comfortable margin of over 40 seconds, but I am not going to relax. We will carry the tempo and go for it on the final day of the season. It felt good in the last two stages and I want to keep up the momentum,” said the day’s leader, Harkishan Wadia, who came into prominence in the Asia Pacific Rally Star event at Chennai last year.

    Abhin Rai is leading INRC4 class along with co-driver Rohit Gowda, and the Ammyfied Rallying team is looking for a strong finish tomorrow. In the Gypsy Class, another Ammyfied team of Samrat Yadav and Arvind Dheerendra are in P1 looking to sustain the good run on Saturday.

    Provisional Results after Day 1:

    Overall: 1. Harkrishan Wadia/ Kunal Kashyap (Arka Motorsports) (00hrs, 58min, 26.2seconds); 2. Younus Ilyas/ Nitin Jacob (Pvt.) (00:59:11.7); 3. Dean Mascarenhas/ Gagan Karumbaiah (Pvt.) (00:59:14:4);

    INRC2: 1. Harkrishan Wadia/ Kunal Kashyap (Arka Motorsports) (00:58:26.2); 2. Philippos Matthai/ PV Srinivasa Murthy (Arka Motorsports) (00:59:27.2): 3. Chetan Shivram/ E Shivaprakash (Jo1 Rallying) (01:00:44.0);

    INRC3: 1. Jason Saldanha/ Thimmanna Uddapanda (Dark Don Racing) (01:00:09.7); 2. Jahaan Singh Gill/ Suraj Keshav Prasad (Snap Racing) (01:00:31.1); 3. Daraius Shroff/ Shahid Salman (Chettinad Sporting) (01:00:38.0).

    INRC4: 1. Abhin Rai/ Rohit Gowda (Ammyfied Rallying) (01:03:27.9); 2. Athul Thomas /Sajil V Saji (Pvt.) (01:10:39.5); 3. Praveen Dwarakanath / Kariyappa KB (Pvt.) (01:12:48.3):

    Gypsy: 1. Samrat Yadav/ Arvind Dheerendra (Ammyfied Rallying) (01:04;58.5); 2. Darshan Nachappa/ Abhinav Ganapathy (Ammyfied) (01:09:11.6); 3. Dr Akarsh Sunder/ V Seker (Ammyfied Rallying) (01:09:24.8);

    Ladies Class: 1. Shivani Parmar/ Arjun Dheerendra (Chettinadu Sporting) (01:03:43.0); 2. Nikeetaa Takkale/ Raghuram Saminathan (Snap Racing) (01:03:55.8); 3. Anushriya Gulati/ Sherwin Dalmeida (Dark Don Racing) (01:04:25.0).

    Junior INRC: 1. Jahaan Singh Gill/ Suraj Keshav Prasad (Snap Racing) (01:00:31.1); 2. Abhin Rai/ Rohit Gowda (Ammyfied Rallying) (01:03:27.9); 3. Arjun Rajiv/ Milen George (Ammyfied) (01:03:41.5).

  • Rakshith Dave misses Malaysian SBK Championship title by a whisker

    Rakshith Dave misses Malaysian SBK Championship title by a whisker

    Sepang, 19 December 2023: Indian teenager Rakshith Dave bagged two podium places in the third and final round to clinch a creditable runners-up spot, in his debut season, in the Malaysian Superbike Championship 2023, which concluded here at the Sepang International Circuit.

    Rakshith, who made his international debut in Round 1 with a stunning double victory in his class went on to bag the second place in the highly-competitive Championship in Malaysia.

    In Round 3, Rakshith won two podiums, a second and a third place in the MSBK 250 B Race category but had to be content with the second in the overall standings of his class for the championship. In the in the 8-lap Race 1, he timed 20min, 53.558sec and later clocked 20:41.903 for a second place in Race 2.

    Earlier, astride a Honda CBR250RR, Rakshith won both the Round 1 races in his class in the Malaysia SBK 250cc category (B category), at the famed MotoGP circuit, the Sepang International Circuit, Kuala Lumpur. Rakshith bagged the ‘Week-end Warrior Trophy’ in the first round.

    Rakshith Dave in action at Sepang in the first round in August 2023. INDIAinF1 image

    Chennai’s Rakshith, 15, a Class X student of Lady Andal, said: “I am very happy to take a second place in the prestigious Malaysian Super Bike Championship. I am really elated and this gives me a push to continue my dreams. I thank my family, my team and crew who have worked really hard for this season and I hope to launch a new and better season soon.”

    Rakshith made his debut at the Madras International circuit in 2020 after he was selected for the Honda India Talent Cup and took a podium in his very first race. In the next two years, he scored many victories and podiums and graduated to NSF 250 class and went on to take part in the inaugural MiniGP India series in 2022. In 2023, he not only won the second place in the Idemitsu Honda 2023 Championship but also won the overall title in the teenage class of the MMSC Sprint Rally.

    The highlight of 2023 for Rakshith came when he was selected to represent India in the Asia Talent Cup 2024 to be held over six rounds across as many countries. He was one among the 10 riders to be selected from the Asia Pacific Region.

    The MSBK championship consisted of six races over three rounds at the same venue in Sepang. After winning both the races in Round 1, he came back strongly to win the second race in Round 2 after some technical issues with the bike prevented him from starting Race 1. In Round 3, he achieved another two podiums to finish the season on a bright note with 111 points, just 4 points behind Muhd Izrul Huzaimie Amran who won the 250B class title.

  • Diljith TS bags 2 titles; Deepak Ravikumar is FLGB 2023 champion

    Diljith TS bags 2 titles; Deepak Ravikumar is FLGB 2023 champion

    Chennai, 17 Dec 2023: On a day over-run with emotions, Chennai’s Sandeep Kumar and Bengaluru youngster Chetan Surnineni won the titles in the showpiece MRF Formula 2000 and 1600 categories, respectively, as the curtains came down on the fourth and final round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Car Racing Championship 2023 at the Madras International Circuit, here on Sunday.

    Also picking up the National titles in their respective categories were Gurunath Meiyappan (Race Concepts, Indian Touring Cars), Deepak Ravikumar (Performance Racing, Indian Junior Touring Cars) and Diljith TS (DTS Racing, Super Stock and Formula LGB 1300).

    The Championship battle in the MRF Formula 2000 went right down to the wire. Sandeep Kumar did just enough to pick up crucial points and pip Kolkata’s Arya Singh by just three points to claim the championship. Incidentally, both the MRF F2000 races were won by Bengaluru’s Aditya Swaminathan.

    Likewise, Chetan Surineni won Race-1 and finished second in Race-2 behind Viswas Vijayaraj to claim the championship in the MRF F1600 category.

    For 48-year-old Meiyappan, who made a comeback to racing after a break of 20 years last season, it was an emotional moment. Needing just five points going into Round 4, he finished Race-1 in fourth and Race-2 in third to seal the title with a tally of 171 points. Meanwhile, Chennai’s 41-year-old Ritesh Rai (Arka Motorsports) scored a double in the ITC category in front of his family to cap a memorable weekend as he finished second in the championship, ahead of Mumbai’s Biren Pitawalla (Team N1 Racing).

    “I am totally exhausted but very satisfied to win my first-ever National championship. I missed the qualifying session yesterday as I was racing in Dubai (Porsche Cup) and returned home early this morning. After a two-hour sleep, I was at the track for the races. The feeling is still to sink in as I am just too tired mentally,” said Meiyappan.

    Another Chennai driver, Deepak Ravikumar edged out his Performance Racing team-mate Akkineni Anand Prasad for the title in the IJTC class by winning both the races today for a double while 30-year-old Diljith, who had effectively sealed the championship with a round to spare, only confirmed the title in the Super Stock category.

    However, Diljith had to fight hard for the Formula LGB 1300 crown that was decided only on conclusion of the final race in this class. He finished second in Race-1 behind team-mate Viswas Vijayaraj (Nellore) and third in Race-2 to annex the title. The Race-2 was won by 16-year-old Bengaluru schoolboy Dhruvh Goswami (MSport) from pole position in the reverse grid.

    The results (Provisional – all 8 laps unless mentioned):

    MRF F2000 (Race-2, 10 laps): 1. Aditya Swaminathan (Bengaluru) (15:59.086); 2. Arya Singh (Kolkata) (15:59.657); 3. Jaden Rahman Pariat (Shillong) (16:09.957). Race-3: 1. Aditya Swaminathan (15:54.237); 2. Jaden Rahman Pariat (15:54.507); 3. Arya Singh (16:00.352).

    MRF Formula 1600 (Race-2, 10 laps): 1. Chetan Sureneni (Bengaluru) (17:12.071); 2. Viswas Vijayaraj (Nellore) (17:16.562); 3. Aman Nagdev (Noida) (17:19.278). Race-3: 1. Viswas Vijayaraj (16:39.489); 2. Chetan Surineni (16:39.738); 3. Veer Sheth (Mumbai) (16:47.179).

    Indian Touring Cars (Race-1): 1. Ritesh Rai (Chennai, Arka Motorsports) (15:01.439); 2. Biren Pithawalla (Mumbai, Team N1) (15:08.362); 3. Arjun Balu (Coimbatore, Race Concepts) (15:08.858). Race-2 (10 laps): 1. Ritesh Rai (22:08.620); 2. Biren Pithawalla (22:12.222); 3. Gurunath Meiyappan (Chennai, Race Concepts) (22:23.804).

    Indian Junior Touring Cars (Race-1): 1. Deepak Ravikumar (Chennai, Team Performance Racing) (15:27.357); 2. Akkineni Anand Prasad (Chennai, Team Performance Racing) (15:31.118); 3. Haktim Shabbir Jamnagarwala Chennai, Team Performance Racing) (15:37.365). Race-2 (10 laps): 1. Deepak Ravikumar (22:34.641); 2. Akkineni Anand Prasad (22:37.484); 3. Haktim Shabbir Jamnagarwala (Chennai, Team Performance Racing) (22:37.919).

    Super Stock (Race-1): 1. Zahan Commissariat (Mumbai, Pvt.) (16:37.212); 2. Dilijith TS (Thrissur, DTS Racing) (16:37.615); 3. Justin Singh (Gurgram, Redline Racing) (16: 40.756); Race-2 (10 laps): 1. Dilijith TS (23:40.218); 2. Zahan Commissariat (Mumbai, Pvt.) (23.41.591); 3. Jarshan Anand (Chennai, DB Motorsport) (23:54.807).

    Formula LGB 1300 (Race-1): 1. Viswas Vijayaraj (Nellore, DTS Racing) (14:53.894); 2. Diljith TS (Thrissur, DTS Racing) (14:54.251); 3. Bala Prasath (Coimbatore, DTS Racing) (15:10.025). Race-2: 1. Dhruvh Goswami (Bengaluru, MSport) (25:18.849); 2. Abhay M (Bengaluru, MSport) (25:19.081); 3. Diljith TS (Thrissur, DTS Racing) (25:23.650).

  • Cooper Webster is first Indian F4 champion; Rishon wins a race

    Cooper Webster is first Indian F4 champion; Rishon wins a race

    Irungattukottai (Tamil Nadu), 17 Dec 2023: Cooper Webster has added to Australia’s growing list of international titles after securing the Indian F4 Championship on the weekend.
     
    In what has been a highly-impressive 2023 campaign for Webster, the Victorian managed to wrap up the Indian championship midway through the final round of the season at the Madras International Circuit, near Chennai, adding to his runner-up GB4 Championship finish earlier in the year.
     
    Webster didn’t need to do much to win the title having built up a solid lead in the previous four rounds, but the 20-year-old chose to finish on a high and started off with a perfect outing on Saturday with pole position in both qualifying sessions.
     
    Webster then converted his pole position to a Race 1 victory thanks to a dominant performance where he led from lights to flag and crossed the line 11 seconds ahead of Akshay Bohra.
     
    On Sunday morning, Webster dropped to third in the second race, as 2023 Ferrari Driver Academy Asia Pacific and Oceania Selection Programme participant Rishon Rajeev of Bengaluru picked up his first race win of the year.
     
    The Australian didn’t have to wait very long to get back onto the top step of the podium though after another solid outing in the event’s third race saw him record his eighth win of the year and seal the title with an unassailable lead.
     
    Rajeev did manage to get a minor consolation prize of a podium in the final race, as Webster finished couple of places behind in fifth – ultimately ending the year with 282.5 points – more than 60 points ahead of the second placed Rajeev on the standings.  
     
    The Aussie also managed to clock up the fastest lap in three of the four races in the final round, taking his total to seven fastest laps for the season, while also scoring five pole positions.
     
    A Motorsports Australia post said: In addition to Webster, young driver Jack Taylor continued his first ever open wheel season with three top 10 finishes out of four races – his best result being the final race of the year where he finished seventh.
     
    In addition to his impressive seventh place finish, Taylor also finished eighth and ninth respectively throughout the round, while being forced to retire in the round’s second race.

  • ReiseMotoSports, sixth and final team in ISRL

    ReiseMotoSports, sixth and final team in ISRL

    Pune, 15 Dec 2023: The CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League (ISRL) continues its momentum as it proudly announces the inclusion of ReiseMotoSports, the sixth formidable team, in its much-anticipated inaugural season. Owned byReiseMoto, ReiseMotoSports is set to add a new dimension to the high-octane world of Indian Supercross.

    Launched under brand name “Reise” in November 2022, ReiseMoto (owned by Mahansaria Group) has rapidly emerged as a game-changer in the Indian performance two-wheeler market. The company prides itself on introducing cutting-edge European technology and performance to the Indian landscape, setting new standards in the industry.

    ReiseMoto’s initial success with high-performance tyres, through their JV with Mitas, has paved the way for a broader product range. Reise Moto will soon be introducingrange of riding gear, accessories & apparelsfrom leading European brands for the Indiantwo-wheeler enthusiasts. This ensures riders across the country experience the perfect mix of style, safety, and performance.

    Sharing his enthusiasm for the venture, Yogesh Mahansaria, MD of Reise Moto & Mahansaria Group said, “Since its inception, Reise has been an active participant and supporter of motorsports. In the last one year, we have participated with a pool of 50+ racers in 20races and have achieved over 125+podium finishes. The decision to launch our own racing team is the next logical step and aligns with our vision of fostering a deeper connection with the vibrant community of riders and enthusiasts.

    Veer Patel, Director & Co-Founder at Supercross India Pvt Ltd., welcomed ReiseMotoSports, stating, “The addition of ReiseMotoSports brings another layer of excitement and expertise to our league. Reise Moto’s passion and dedication to motorsports align seamlessly with our mission to elevate the Indian Supercross Racing scene. We look forward to witnessing their contribution to the league’s success.”

    With ReiseMotoSports joining the league, the CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League now boasts six dynamic teams, setting the stage for a thrilling inaugural season starting in January 2024. Fans can expect a fierce competition that promises to redefine the motorsports experience in India.

  • Team Mohite Racing, fifth franchise team in ISRL

    Team Mohite Racing, fifth franchise team in ISRL

    Pune, 8 Dec 2023: Team Mohite Racing, led by passionate motorsports enthusiast Abhishek Mohite will be the fifth franchise team in the CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League (ISRL), which is reshaping the motorsports landscape in India. With this addition, the league takes a significant stride towards elevating the standards of motorsport in the country. The team will be based out of Kolhapur.

    Mohite Group, is a pioneering force in the construction industry, with a rich legacy spanning several decades. Specializing in the construction of dams, buildings, mining, and earthworks further diversifying to Textiles, Automobiles, Education, hydro power and energy sector.

    Beyond Construction, the company proudly runs the Mohite’s Racing Academy which has India’s biggest Go-Karting track since 2006. This initiative reflects the company’s commitment to community engagement, youth development, and fostering a culture of excellence beyond the boardroom.

    Mohite Group stands as a dynamic and multifaceted organization, integrating construction prowess with a commitment to energy sustainability, sports and a future-focused vision.

    Abhishek Mohite, Team Mohite Racing, expressed his excitement about this new partnership: “Joining the CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League with Team Mohite Racing is an incredible achievement and a true milestone for me. I am extremely excited to be part of this innovative approach to motorsports, which aligns perfectly with my passion for racing. Through this partnership, we are committed to inspiring and nurturing young talent in the field and develop Indian motorsport landscape.

    Veer Patel, Director & Co-Founder at Supercross India Pvt Ltd., extended his warm welcome to Team Mohite Racing, stating, we are incredibly proud to welcome such a talented team to our league. Their knowledge and dedication to motorsport perfectly align with our mission to revolutionise the motorsports scene in India. Our goal is to provide the best entertainment and quality in motorsports for fans nationwide, and together, we will make this a reality.

    With the addition of Team Mohite Racing, the CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League has announced Five teams, with more exciting announcements on the horizon. The league is set to raise the bar for motorsport in India, promising a season filled with exhilarating experiences for fans and participants alike.

    For further details on rider registration, the Player Auction, and the ISRL Season 1 schedule, please visit the official SXI website at https://indiansupercrossleague.com/

    ABOUT THE PROMOTERS:

    Team Supercross India (SXI), the parent company of CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League, is at the helm of a groundbreaking initiative led by former international racers, Veer Patel (a two-time national SX Champion), Eeshan Lokhande and Aashwin Lokhande. Drawing upon their extensive personal experience and unwavering passion for the sport, they have meticulously conceptualized, identified crucial gaps, and delivered a League that is set to redefine Supercross racing on a global scale. With their deep understanding of the sport and relentless pursuit of excellence, they are paving the way for a new era of Supercross that will captivate audiences worldwide.

    ABOUT CEAT INDIAN SUPERCROSS RACING LEAGUE:

    The CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League (CEAT ISRL) is the world’s first franchise-based Supercross league. This groundbreaking initiative is set to revolutionize the way sports are perceived in India. It is here to create a global extravaganza, an awe-inspiring spectacle that will captivate Indian spectators like never before. CEAT ISRL have signed up with athletes around the world to compete in a variety of formats and categories, pushing the limits of their skills and inspiring Indian riders to reach new heights. Prepare to be amazed as our stage performers break records with their charismatic engagement, adding an extra layer of excitement to this premier motorsport event. The league is committed to providing a safe and competitive environment for riders of all ages and skill levels. The league also believes in giving back to the community and partnering with local organizations to promote youth development and environmental sustainability.

  • Hemanth Muddappa fastest rider; Shahrukh bags a triple

    Hemanth Muddappa fastest rider; Shahrukh bags a triple

    Bengaluru, 26 Nov. 2023: Ten-time National champion Hemanth Muddappa of Mantra Racing bagged a grand triple in the top-two premier classes of the 9th edition of the Vroom Drag meet, an fmsci-licensed event at the Taneja Aerospace strip, near here, on Sunday. The event was held for both cars and bikes but only the bike details are reported here. The 8th edition was also held here in Feb 2023.

    Shweta Chithrode keeps the women in motorsport flag flying.

    Another Mantra rider, Shahrukh Hikmat Ali Khan of Mumbai also won a triple winning the E2, C4 and B2 classes while two lady riders, Shweta Chithrode and Sarah Khan excelled in their classes taking a podium each.

    Organised by Vroom Motorsports, Speed, the High Performance Petrol by Bharat Petroleum presented Vroom Drag Meet was powered by Hero MotoCorp, Electric performance partner Ultraviolette, Safety Car Partner Lexus Bangalore, and was supported by School of India. The pulsating weekend showcased 600 entries, with more than 280 participants. A crowd of over 10,000 witnessed the high-octane event, one of top drag meets in the country.

    Bengaluru’s Muddappa, the Drag King of India, also clocked the fastest time of the event winning the 1051 to 1650cc class astride a Suzuki Hayabusa beating Shweta Chithrode, a lady rider, who competed on equal footing with men and did a creditable job. Mujahid Pasha came third. Muddappa congratulated Shweta on her good run. Muddappa also won the 851 to 1050cc class beating Sugan Prasad by a huge margin. Khaja Awais Ahmed came third.

    Hemanth Muddappa also won the 551cc and above class to make it a grand triple. Alimon Saidalvi from Mumbai won the 1651 and above class with a timing of 10.184sec as a lone warrior.

    Hemanth Muddappa (centre) bagged a triple. INDIAinF1 photo courtesy Muddappa.

    “By God’s grace, I am very happy that I dominated all the three classes I took part in and to top it got the fastest time of the event too. My hearty thanks are to Team Mantra Racing and all credit to Sharan Jayram and the whole team for tirelessly working as always,” said Hemanth Muddappa.

    “I am thrilled to get my first podium in the D2 class. From a journey of 11.545s to 9.980s in just a year, it’s been a rollercoaster. Achieving my goal to stand on the podium among men in the Busa class exceeded my expectations,” said a visibly pleased Shweta, the fastest female rider of the event.

    Zubair Ali Jung won the F2 Naked Open while Aiyaz topped the 4stroke upto 500cc beating Mubarak Pasha and Sara Khan of Mumbai, another lady rider, took a third place.

    Alimon Saidalvi, who won the premier class, 1651 cc and above class.

    Baba Blaze, also from Mantra Racing, astride a Kawasaki Ninja 6R, won the 551 to 850cc class defeating Altaf Khan and Mirza Jahangir to second and third respectively.

    “Congratulations to Hemanth and Sharan, take a bow guys! An awesome weekend of drag racing for the Mantra team with all the machines entered securing a P1,” said Pratap Jayaram, the legend and creator of many a speed machine.

    C6 winner S Nishanth, centre, Annish, 2nd and Mohsin Shareef, 3rd, right. Mohsin also won the A2 class at the Vroom 9th Edition on Nov 26 at Taneja airstrip, Hosur.

    Results for Quarter Mile (Taneja Airstrip, Hosur):

    1. D3 1651cc and Above: 1. Alimon Saidalvi 10.184;

    2. D1 851 to 1050cc: 1. Hemanth Muddappa (Mantra Racing) 9.637; 2. Sugan Prasad SP 10.063; 3. Khaja Awais Ahmed 10.125;

    3. D2 1051 to 1650cc: 1. Hemanth Muddappa (Mantra Racing) 9.564; 2. Shweta Chithrode 9.980; 3. Mujahid Pasha 10.012;

    4. F1 Wheelie Class for Indian/ Superbikes: NOT HELD due to High Winds for safety reasons.

    5. F2 Naked Open: 1. Zubair Ali Jung 10.882; 2. Aamir 11.007; 3. Junaid 11.286;

    6. F3 4Stroke Open upto 500cc: 1. Aiyaz 12.526; 2. Mubarak Pasha Rem 12.801; 3. Sara Khan 13.214;

    7. F4 2Stroke Jawa Yezdi Open: 1. Yacoob Shafiek 15.559; 2. Suprit S Kumar 17.392; 3. Abdul Hafeez 18.611;

    8. E1 Upto 395cc: 1. Salman Khan A 12.303; 2. Sumit Salvi 12.589; 3. Attaulla Baig 12/624’

    9. E2 396 to 550cc: 1. Shahrukh Khan 12.028; Aymaan Baig 12.369; 3. Aiyaz 12.471;

    10. E3 551cc and Above: 1. Hemanth Muddappa 9.743; 2. Sugan Prasad SP 9.974; 3. Mujahid Pasha 10.072;

    11. C1 Upto 165cc: 1. Mustafa Siraj Khan 14.975; 2. Faraaz Akhter 15.287; 3. Sunil Kumar 15.473;

    12. C2: 166 to 225cc: 1. Balasubramanian 14.347; 2. Badhusha 14.874; 3. Aiyaz 15.013;

    13. C3 226 to 360cc: 1. Shankar Guru Arumugam 13.308; 2. Mohammed Arfath 13.399; 3. Mohammed Fazal 13.765;

    14. C4 361 to 550cc: 1. Shahrukh Khan 12.286; 2. Aiyaz 12.515; 3. Ayman Baig 12.685;

    15. C5 551 to 850cc: 1. Baba Blaze (Mantra Racing) 10.668; 2. Altaf Khan 11.443; 3. Mirza Jahangir Baig 11.583;

    16. C6 551 to 750cc: 1.  S Nishanth 13.151; 2. Annish 14.478; 3. Mohsin Shareef 15.176;

    17. C7 751cc: 1. Chiranth Kumar 11.051; 2. Tasmai PC 11.333; 3. Vishwajeet 11.899;

    17. B1 Upto 130cc: 1. Aravind 14.137; 2. Mohammed Rafiq 14.242; 3. Abdul Shaikh Gi 14.300;

     18. B2 131 to 165cc: 1. Shahrukh Khan 13.490; 2. Mohammed Rafiq 13.658; 3. Shashi Kiran V 13.681;

    19. B3 350cc and Above:  1. Salman Khan A 11.979; 2. Attaulla Baig 12.203; 3. Shahrukh Khan 13.210;

    20. A4 161cc and Above: 1. Santosh 17.419; 2. Prashanth 17.815; 3. Sadiq Pasha 18.669;

    21. EV1 Electric Vehicle Open: 1. Shuheb A 18.756; 2. Shashi Kiran V 18.937; 3. Aamir Suheal 19.125;

    22. EX1 Electric Vehicle: 1. Iqhlas Ameen 15.311; 2. Mohammed Afaqh Ameen 15.467;

    22. A3 111 to 160cc: 1. Aiyaz 22.247; 2. David Babu 23.256; 3. Abrar Pasha 1:20.388;

    23. A2 81 to 110cc: 1. Mohsin Shareef 20.898; 2. Mohammed Hidayath 23.002; 3. Daulath Khan 25.621;

    24. A1 upto 80cc: 1. Daulath Khan 31.049; 2. Javeed 35.190;

  • Francesco ‘Pecco’ Bagnaia crowned MotoGP 2023 champion; Martin crashes

    Francesco ‘Pecco’ Bagnaia crowned MotoGP 2023 champion; Martin crashes

    Tension, drama, heartbreak, glory, history, and happiness: Valencia delivers a season finale to remember.

    Valencia, 26 Nov. 2023: Following a highly dramatic Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana, the 2023 MotoGP World Champion is Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) after Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) crashed out of the race following an incident at Turn 4 with Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team). Pecco went on to claim victory as a phenomenal fight for P1 played out, with Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) and Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) locked onto the Italian’s rear wheel. ‘Diggia’ crossed the line in 2nd with Zarco 3rd. However, a post-race sanction for Di Giannantonio due to wrong pressures demoted the Italian to P4 with Zarco being promoted to P2 and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) inheriting the final podium position.

    Because of a Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) three-place grid penalty for ignoring the black and orange flags in Warm Up, Pecco was promoted to pole position for the final showdown, with Martin still launching from P6.

    For the final and most important time in 2023 it was time to race. Bagnaia got the dream getaway from pole to grab a crucial holeshot, with Martin also making a fantastic launch to grab an early P2. Pecco P1, Martin P2 – that’s how it was after the opening lap, with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing pair of Binder and Jack Miller P3 and P4.

    Between the title fighting duo, it was as you were after the second lap but a monumental moment then took place at Turn 1 at the start of Lap 3. Martin was right in the slipstream of Pecco and as the duo chucked the anchors on into Turn 1, Martin got sucked in and made slight contact with Pecco. Martin was wide – well wide – and dropped to P8, with Pecco unhindered by the incident. Huge drama early on.

    The fightback began on Lap 4 for Martin. P8 became P7 as the Spaniard got the better of Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™). Martin tried to do the same to Viñales a lap later but the latter bit straight back – and a repeat played out at Turn 11.

    Up front, Binder was crawling all over the back of Pecco but focus was elsewhere. A battle was raging between Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing), with that enabling Viñales and Martin to close right in.

    What happened next ultimately decided the Championship. Martin was getting visibly frustrated and on Lap 6, having finally got through on Viñales, Marc Marquez was next in line. At Turn 4, Martin lunged up the inside of the eight-time World Champion but contact was made. So much so, the pair were tangled together. Martin ran straight into the gravel as Marquez was thrown into a vicious highside, as two of the home crowd favourites were down and out. Marquez’s final race with Honda ended in huge disappointment, with Martin’s title hopes vanishing. A painful end to a wonderful campaign for the Prima Pramac star.

    With Martin out, no matter what Bagnaia did, he would be the 2023 MotoGP™ World Champion. ‘MARTIN OUT’ was signalled on his pit board as the two KTMs of Binder and Miller were now first and second, with Zarco and Viñales chasing Pecco.

    With 12 laps to go though, Binder made a mistake. A big one too. Just as he did in the Tissot Sprint, the South African was wide at Turn 11, and that dropped him from P1 to P6. Miller now led Pecco by just over a second.

    Binder’s comeback began with an aggressive move on Alex Marquez at Turn 4, and it was one that saw him handed a drop one position penalty. With nine laps left, Miller’s race then ended. The Aussie crashed at Turn 10 which handed the lead back to Bagnaia, who had Zarco just 0.3s behind him. A disastrous few laps for KTM.

    The Championship might have been decided, but the race certainly wasn’t. Binder was just 1.5s away from the lead again and Diggia tagged himself onto the rear wheel of the KTM. Soon, the Italian was into P3 with five laps to go.

    With three laps left, 0.3s was still the gap between Pecco and Zarco. But cue the jaws music – Di Giannantonio was on a mission. On Lap 25 of 27, the top trio were split by 0.3s over the line. At Turn 4, Di Giannantonio shoved his Ducati up the inside of Zarco’s and made a move stick for P2. Next: the World Champion elect.

    LAST LAP OF THE SEASON: Three riders, only one could win. Would Bagnaia claim the title with a win or would it be Di Giannantonio or Zarco standing on the top step? Halfway around the lap, there was no way through. A head shake from Di Giannantonio told us frustrations were there, but Pecco rode superbly to fend off both his compatriot and Zarco to win the World Championship in the best way possible: victory. A classy ride from your top three. The podium result would later change however with Di Giannantonio’s three-second penalty demoting him to P4 and promoting Binder onto the podium. 

    Raul Fernandez (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) earned his best result of the season with a fantastic P5. Alex Marquez was P6 with Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) capping off his Yamaha career with a solid P7, as Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), Luca Marini in his final Mooney VR46 Racing Team appearance and Viñales rounded out the top 10.

    An unwell Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) finished P11 after feeling ill, with Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu), Lorenzo Savadori (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) and Pol Espargaro (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) the other finishers, as the latter ends his full-time MotoGP™ career – for now – in P14 after a crash and remount.

    Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) and Alex Rins (LCR Honda Castrol) were the other riders to DNF, Bezzecchi after an early race crash with Marc Marquez.

    And just like that, 2023 draws to a dramatic close. Bagnaia is now a three-time World Champion as Martin gets set to come back even stronger in 2024. What a season it’s been. Now, full focus turns to Tuesday’s Valencia Test – 2024 starts very soon…

  • Bagnaia second, Martin sixth as Viñales sets stunning new lap record for pole

    Bagnaia second, Martin sixth as Viñales sets stunning new lap record for pole

    Bagnaia keeps his cool in Q1, Martin loses out on the front row… and Viñales steals the Q2 show for a first pole position with Aprilia.

    Valencia, 25 Nov 2023: The grid is decided as we prepare to crown the 2023 MotoGP™ World Champion at the Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana, and it sets the stage for quite a showdown – or two. Despite a trip through Q1, Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) kept cool grab the upper hand on the grid, and he’ll line up second with a clean line of sight down to Turn 1.

    After some serious speed but a dash of drama, rolling out of his final attempt after a second moment of Q2, Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) will line up in P6 on the outside of the second row. 

    Between the two, Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing duo Jack Miller and Brad Binder head into the race with likely very different targets… and ahead of them all, Friday’s fastest Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) took a stunning first pole position since the 2021 Dutch TT. 

    Here’s how the final qualifying of the year unfolded!

    Q1
    After the first runs, Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) led the way from Bagnaia, but when the field headed back out for a final crack at it, the #1 was setting red sectors to take over on top with just over four minutes remaining, beating the previous benchmark by three tenths.

    Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) had been on to challenge Alex Marquez but wasn’t able to best Bagnaia’s new best effort, but next time around the Frenchman was close again.

    Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team), meanwhile, was sat behind Bagnaia. But the number 23 wasn’t seriously threatening the top on first time of asking. Were there team instructions? Would there be should the ‘Beast’ take over in P1? Red sectors with two minutes to go made that question relevant, but the lap went away from him just enough for Bastianini to cross the line and take fourth.

    And then Bagnaia pitted. With just over a minute still left on the clock, it was a confident move. Would it pay off? Alex Marquez didn’t seem to have anything left in the locker to improve, Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) slotted into third… and it all came down to Bastianini. But a red first sector went grey in the second on the timing screens, and Bagnaia headed through on top, joined in Q2 by Alex Marquez.

    Q2
    In Q2, Bagnaia’s first lap put him sixth over the line and then 11th by the time the field pitted. And when they did, it was Binder on provisional pole with Martin missing out by hundredths. But then the reigning Champion headed back out… and took over on top. 

    The next one was a fast one too, and Bagnaia shaved a tenth and a half off his own best. Next it was Martin’s turn to light up the timing screens, however, and with some company from Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team). There was an absolute heart in mouth moment not long after too: Martin headed wide and the open door was most definitely a tempting one, with Marquez setting red sectors behind the number 89. The two came very, very close to contact but there was none made as Marquez slotted back in behind the Ducati, and both finished the lap – with Marquez improving his time enough, still, to take P8.

    Meanwhile, Viñales was on the move. Amongst the drama of the title contenders’ quite contrasting Saturday mornings, the Aprilia Racing rider pulled a stunner out of the hat. He was fastest on Friday and did it again to take a first pole with Aprilia and first since Assen in 2021, beating Bagnaia to it by 0.092.

    Zarco slotted into third, Miller was able to leapfrog that former fastest effort from teammate Binder, and Martin now completes the second row after his one final shot at the top ended with a wobble.
    THE GRID
    Viñales heads Bagnaia as the reigning Champion stayed overwhelmingly cool despite the pressure, with Martin’s teammate Zarco an interesting presence alongside on the front row.

    Miller and Binder, holeshot kings earlier in the season, are also quite a threat in fourth and fifth – adding a bit of an extra hurdle for Martin. For his part, the number 89 will want to make sure he has two very different starts to the one he suffered under the floodlights on Sunday at Lusail.

    Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46) lines up in P7 ahead of Q1 graduate Alex Marquez, with Marc Marquez bumped down to P9 by the end of play – crashing out of his final effort at Turn 2, rider ok.

    Raul Fernandez (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) completes the top ten ahead of Qatar GP winner Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) last in Q2.

    The stage is set for a first match point for Bagnaia, and after on Friday it seemed it was advantage Martin – on track, at least – it looks a little different heading into the Tissot Sprint. Can Martin hit back once the lights go out? He’ll need to, as Bagnaia needs to gain just four points on him to take the crown, with the #1 21 ahead on the way in. The magic number for Bagnaia to wrap it up is a gap of 25 or more…