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Young guns to challenge established stars: MMSC 2w Nationals Round 2
Chennai, July 6, 2023: The possibility of a new generation of riders continuing to push the seniors, like they did in the season-opener at Coimbatore last month, heightens the expectations of stirring duels in the second round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2023 which gets underway at the Madras International Circuit here on Friday with over 150 entries in the fray.
The three-day event with 15 races besides practice and qualifying sessions, brings together country’s top riders and bike manufacturers – Honda, TVS, Yamaha and KTM – to contest in four National championship categories – Pro-Stock 301-400cc, Pro-Stock 165cc, Novice (Stock 165cc) and Girls (Stock 165cc), apart from a support race in the 301-400cc (Novice) class.
The card also includes the Petronas TVS One-Make Championship comprising three categories, the Open (Apache RR 310), Rookie (RTR 200) and Girls (RTR 200), while Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup will have a double-header in the NSF 250 class.
At the tight and twisty Kari Motor Speedway in Coimbatore last month, established stars had to constantly look over their shoulders as a new generation of racers announced its arrival with podium and top-10 finishes. However, the very technical MIC would be a different challenge for the young guns when they go up against their experienced peers. In this context, there is much to look forward to in the races this weekend.
Rajiv Sethu (RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) and Mathana Kumar (Pacer Yamaha) started the season with a double apiece in the two premium Pro-Stock categories, 310-400cc and 165cc, respectively, in Coimbatore, but both were tested by a pair of Petronas TVS Racing’s new recruits, Sarthak Chavan from Pune and Bengaluru’s Chiranth Vishwanath. Another teenager, Shreyas Hareesh (Rockers Racing) from Bengaluru impressed with two top-10 finishes in the Pro-Stock 165cc category.
In contrast, Hyderabad teenager Vignesh Goud (Race’ists Motorcycle Club) also notched a double in the Novice class quite comfortably while the ever-improving Lani Fernandez (RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) from Puducherry won the highly competitive Girls’ race.
Both the One-Make Championships also witnessed young riders excel. Chennai’s Kavin Quintal (NSF 250), Alwin Sundar (Petronas TVS Open) and Shreyas Hareesh (Petronas TVS Rookie) dominated their respective categories with a double each while Bengaluru’s Nithila Das impressed while winning the Petronas TVS Girls’ race. It will be no surprise if the quartet extend their winning run at the MIC this weekend.
MMSC president Ajit Thomas said: “The Coimbatore round presented a happy scenario with many young riders making a mark in various categories, and it certainly augurs well for the future. We look forward to the trend continuing in the remaining rounds at the MIC. Once again, we are grateful to our sponsors MRF Tyres, the manufacturers, the growing number of competitors and the Media who all have contributed to the success of the championship.”
There will be live streaming of the races on various social media platforms.
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Panchshil Racing becomes first team franchise: Ceat Indian Supercross League
Pune, July 5, 2023: Panchshil Racing became the first team franchise of CEAT Indian Supercross League which is expected to begins its inaugural season later this year. Instead of city-based teams, the League will have brand-based teams.
Former Indian Motocross champion and Chairman of Panchshil Realty, Atul Chordia, has reestablished his commitment to the sport by the acquisition of this team. Pune will be the team’s home base and the mecca of Supercross in India is expected to fire the aspirations of Panchshil Racing.
The inaugural league is expected to have eight brand-based teams with each team fielding two riders per category. There will be four categories. Teams will also have one reserve rider for the Indian category. The top class, the 450cc Category, will have only international riders for the first year. The second category, the 250cc class will be for international riders and the third (also 250cc) for Indian and Asian riders. The final 85cc class will be for the riders between the age of 11 and 14 years.
Chordia achieved remarkable success in various national races and won the National Championship in 1986. Panchshil Realty, has established a formidable reputation in the real estate industry with a remarkable portfolio of pioneering projects. Panchshil also brought world-class hospitality to Pune through venerated properties such as The Ritz Carlton Pune, J.W. Marriott, Marriott Suites, Doubletree by Hilton, Oakwood Residences and has now forayed overseas to build Amari Raaya in the Maldives.
Through its portfolio spanning residential to office parks, and retail to hospitality, Panchshil has been instrumental in reshaping Pune city’s landscape and has now ventured across the country.
Atul Chordia, Chairman of Panchshil Realty, said: “At Panchshil Racing, we are thrilled to be the pioneering team joining the CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League. With my experience as an athlete and the deep-rooted passion for sports, we recognize the immense potential of Supercross in India. The CEAT ISRL provides us with an exceptional platform to display our commitment to the sport’s development in the country. Based in Pune, our full-fledged Supercross Race team will be managed with utmost professionalism, adhering to the highest standards of the sport. We are determined to deliver thrilling and high-quality racing that will captivate Supercross enthusiasts nationwide. I extend my best wishes to ISRL as it sets a new benchmark in global Supercross events.”
Eeshan Lokhande, Co-founder and Director of Supercross India said: “We are thrilled to welcome Mr. Chordia and Panchshil Realty as the first franchisee owner to the CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League. A well-known and respected name in India, we are confident that they will be a great addition to the league. Furthermore, the association with Panchshil Racing and the league perfectly aligns with the shared vision and mission. Atul’s rich experience and acumen in the sport will surely help the team and the league reach new heights. We take great pride in having Mr. Atul Chordia as the inaugural team owner, given his unwavering passion and patronage for Supercross over the years.”
Sujith Kumar, Chairman of the Supercross Racing Commission of the FMSCI said: “I am confident that Panchshil Racing will be a force to be reckoned with in the years to come. Led by the remarkable Mr. Atul Chordia, their team is set to etch their names in the annals of Supercross history as true trailblazers in India. With Mr. Chordia’s extensive involvement in the sport, he has not only left an indelible mark but has also paved the way for other teams and riders to follow. It fills me with immense pride to witness their unwavering support for the sport, and I eagerly await the exhilarating feats they will accomplish in the days to come.”
The CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League, in collaboration with the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI), is a groundbreaking, World’s first-ever franchise-based Supercross Racing League, bringing together riders from all over the world to compete in various formats and categories. The league is all set to revolutionize the world of motorsports in the country, bringing together adrenaline-pumping action, entertainment, glamour, and fierce competition.
The inaugural season will commence at the iconic Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in the national capital, New Delhi, in October 2023, followed by thrilling events in prominent metro cities. From October to December 2023, fans across these cities will witness the breathtaking displays of skills, daring maneuvers, and high-speed action that will redefine Supercross racing.
Tentative dates for the Supercross League:
Round 1: October 28 to 29 – Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi,
Round 2: November 25 to 26 – Trans Stadia, The Arena, Ahmedabad,
Round 3 : December – 16 to 17 – To be announced. (Likely to be in PUNE).
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Alvaro Bautista holds off Razgatlioglu for victory: WorldSBK Ro6
Donington (UK), 2 July 2023: An action-packed event, WorldSBK Race 2 at Donington Park started with a red flag due to a crash involving Tom Sykes, Michael Ruben Rinaldi, and Loris Baz*. The Round 6, Race 2 was won by Alvaro Bautista on Sunday.
After the restart, Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team) battled fiercely with Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) for the lead. Bautista eventually emerged victorious, securing a second feature race win at Donington Park. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) claimed his maiden WorldSBK podium with a strong third-place finish. Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) achieved his best result of the season, finishing in fourth place after a late fight with Rea and Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), who finished fifth and sixth respectively.
Bautista celebrates after winning Race 2 on Sunday. A WorldSBK image *Sykes was diagnosed with a thoracic injury, rib fractures on his right-hand side and a left ankle injury; he was transported to Queen’s Medical Centre for further assessment. Rinaldi was diagnosed with a mild concussion and a right ankle injury.
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Max Verstappen wins Austrian GP ahead of Leclerc and Perez
Spielberg, 2 July 2023: Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took an emphatic Austrian Grand Prix victory, carving out a large enough gap to Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to pit for new tyres, take the point for fastest lap, and still take the flag five seconds clear of the Monegasque driver. Sergio Pérez delivered a superb recovery in the second Red Bull to claim the final podium position after starting in 15th place.
At the start, Verstappen got away well from pole position and took the lead ahead of Leclerc as the grid streamed towards Turn 1. Behind them, Sainz held third but fourth-place starter Lando Norris was beaten off the line by Lewis Hamilton.
Further back, AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda, starting 16th, tangled with one of the Alpines and damaged his front wing and with debris on the track the Safety Car was released and the race was neutralised.
The hazard was soon cleared and when running resumed Verstappen controlled the restart perfectly ahead of Lelcerc and Sainz, with Hamilton still fourth ahead of Norris and the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso.
In 13th place Pérez went on the attack and he was soon able to get past Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, Mercedes’ George Russell and then Williams’ Alex Albon.
Haas’ Nico Hülkenberg then pulled over with technical issues and that led to the Virtual Safety Car being deployed. A host of drivers pitted for new tyres. However, Verstappen and Pérez stayed out and when the track went green again Verstappen led Leclerc by 17.7s, with Pérez ion P3. Sainz held fourth ahead of Hamilton, with Norris in sixth ahead of Alonso, Gasly, Tsunoda and Russell. The Red Bulls were now the only cars in the top 10 still on their starting tyres and they began to lose ground to those who had pitted and on lap 21 Sainz passed Pérez to take back third place.
Verstappen made his first regulation pit stop of the race on lap 25 and he moved to Hard compound tyres in a 2.3 second halt. That allowed Leclerc to sweep through into the lead and as Verstappen trundled out of the pit lane he was also passed by Sainz to put Ferrari 1-2 in the order. Verstappen soon closed up to the Ferrari and on lap 26, the Dutchman got a better exit out of Turn 3 and used DRS to outdrag the Spaniard on the run to Turn 4.
Pérez made his first tyre change on lap 26 and after taking on another set of Medium tyres he rejoined in tenth place. He was soon on the move, however, and he quickly made his way past Albon and Russell to rise to eighth place behind Pierre Gasly.
At the front, Verstappen was steadily reeling in Leclerc and on lap 35 he dived down the inside of the Ferrari in Turn 3 to reclaim the lead. He then began to carve out a gap and on lap 41 he was seven seconds clear.
Pérez, too, was advancing, and after overtaking Gasly in Turn 3, he chased down Alonso and breezed past the Aston Martin driver in the same corner to rise to fourth place as other drivers pitted.
On lap 46 Sainz made his second stop for new tyres and to serve a five-second penalty for exceeding track limits, and that allowed Pérez to sweep past into third place. Leclerc stopped two laps later and Pérez was boosted to P2, though the Mexican would need a final pit stop.
Verstappen made his second stop on lap 50 and after fitting a set of medium tyres and he emerged in the lead, six seconds ahead of his team-mate. Pérez then pitted on the following lap and after taking a set of Hard tyres he rejoined in fifth place, four seconds behind Norris and on fresher tyres. The gap was erased in just five laps and on lap 56 he powered past the McLaren on the run to Turn 4.
Sainz was now just a second ahead and Pérez went on the attack. And after an epic battle Pérez at last got DRS out of Turn 3 and roared past through Turn 4 to take P3.
At the front, Verstappen was in imperious form and in the closing stages he extended his lead over Leclerc to a mammoth 24 seconds. On lap 70, he pitted for Soft tyres and set a blistering final lap of 1:07.012 to take the win and the bonus point.
Leclerc crossed the line five seconds adrift and 12 seconds later Pérez took the flag to complete a stellar recovery and to seal a double podium for the team. Fourth place went to Sainz with Norris fifth ahead of Alonso. Hamilton and Russell took seventh and eighth places respectively for Mercedes, while Gasly was ninth for Alpine and the final point went to Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll.
2023 FIA Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix – Race
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 71 –
2 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 71 5.155
3 Sergio Pérez Red Bull Racing 71 17.188
4 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 71 21.377
5 Lando Norris McLaren 71 26.327
6 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 71 30.317
7 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 71 39.196
8 George Russell Mercedes 71 48.403
9 Pierre Gasly Alpine 71 57.667
10 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 71 59.043
11 Alexander Albon Williams 71 1’09.767
12 Esteban Ocon Alpine 70 – 1 lap
13 Logan Sargeant Williams 70 – 1 lap
14 Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo 70 – 1 lap
15 Nyck de Vries AlphaTauri 70 – 1 lap
16 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo 70 – 1 lap
17 Oscar Piastri McLaren 70 – 1 lap
18 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 70 – 1 lap
19 Kevin Magnussen Haas 70 – 1 lap
Nico Hülkenberg Haas 12 – Retirement -
Max Verstappen wins Sprint; Perez takes 2nd to lock out front row for Red Bull
Spielberg, 1 July 2023: Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez handed Red Bull Racing a front-row lockout for the Sprint at the 2023 FIA Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix, with championship leader Verstappen beating his team-mate by almost half a second as Lando Norris took third place in the Shootout for McLaren.
After heavy rain in the morning, the conditions improved in the run-up to the Sprint Shootout, and with the track drying rapidly, Verstappen emerged on a set of Medium tyres. His first attempt was deleted for a track limits infringement and a second banker of 1:08.645 put him comfortably in the top 10.
He then claimed P1 on 1:07.214 before he was ousted by team-mate Pérez who posted a time of 1:07.085. Haas’ Nico Hülkenberg then split the Red Bull pair before Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton took P1 with a lap of 1:06.624.
Verstappen switched to soft tyres in the final minutes and jumped back to P1 with a lap of 1:06.223. He was pipped for top spot, however, by Carlos Sainz. The Ferrari driver recovered from early brake issues to take P1 with a lap of 1:06.187.
There was no place in the second segment, however, for Alfa Romeo’s p16 driver Zhou Guanyu, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in P17 or for 18th-placed Hamilton, who had a lap deleted for exceeding track limits at Turn 10 and then caught traffic on his final run. Behind him, Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas and Williams’ Logan Sargeant also exited the session.
Verstappen was first on track in SQ2 and he took P1 with a lap of 1:05.624. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso slotted into P2 with McLaren’s Lando Norris in third. After a cautious opening lap, Peerez then jumped to P2 on 1:05.836, a little under five hundredths of a second ahead of Sainz who had moved past Alonso.
With two minutes left, Alpine’s Esteban Ocon claimed top spot, two hundredths clear of Verstappen, but the Dutchman had pace in hand and he reclaimed P1 with a best lap of 1:05.371. Sainz moved up to second ahead of Ocon, while Charles Leclerc, in the other Ferrari, claimed fourth place with his final flying lap.
Eliminated at the end of SQ2 were Williams’ Alex Albon in P11 followed by Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, the AlphaTauri cars of Yuki Tsunoda and Nyck de Vries and Mercedes’ George Russell who was sidelined by a hydraulic issue.
Verzstappen set the early SQ3 target at 1:04.613. Pérez gthen took P2, just under four tenths off that pace, but the Mexican was soon bumped to P3 by Norris who went just seven hundredths of a second faster.
But in the final runs there was no denying the Red Bull pair. Verstappen shaved almost two tenths of a second off his opener to claim top spot on the grid for the Sprint with a lap of 1:04.440, while Pérez leapfrogged Norris to seal a front row lockout for the Bulls with a final flyer of 1:04.933. With Norris third, Hülkenberg claimed a surprise fourth place ahead of Sainz and Leclerc, while Alonso took seventh ahead of Stroll, Ocon and Magnussen.
2023 FIA Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix – Sprint Shootout
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1:04.440
2 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 1:04.933 0.493
3 Lando Norris McLaren 1:05.010 0.570
4 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 1:05.084 0.644
5 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:05.136 0.696
6 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:05.245 0.805
7 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 1:05.258 0.818
8 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 1:05.347 0.907
9 Esteban Ocon Alpine 1:05.366 0.926
10 Kevin Magnussen Haas 1:05.912 1.472
11 Alex Albon Williams 1:06.152 1.712
12 Pierre Gasly Alpine 1:06.360 1.920
13 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 1:06.369 1.929
14 Nyck de Vries AlphaTauri 1:06.593 2.153
15 George Russell Mercedes
16 Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo 1:07.062 2.622
17 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:07.106 2.666
18 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:07.282 2.842
19 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo 1:07.291 2.851
20 Logan Sargeant Williams 1:07.426 2.986 -
Jak Crawford claims maiden F2 win; Maini 12th, Daruvala DNF
Jak Crawford claimed his first FIA Formula 2 victory in the Spielberg Sprint Race. Starting on the slick tyres in changeable conditions, the Hitech Pulse-Eight driver lost out at the start but looked untroubled once he returned to the front of the field on Lap 6.
Victor Martins made his way through the pack from 10th on the grid to take second, as Clément Novalak turned a P20 start into his first podium of the 2023 season.
Indian driver Kush Maini of Campos Racing finished outside the points in 12th while Jehan Daruvala, the other Indian had a DNF. “The race result is irrelevant today. Absolutely gutted to hear about the tragic passing of Dilano, one of our own at MP. My thoughts are with his family, friends, and everyone at Spa. #RIP,” said Daruvala, as MP Motorsports, his team paid condolences to Dilano.
“MP Motorsport is deeply saddened to confirm that our driver, Dilano van ’t Hoff has passed away as a result of a crash during the second race of the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine at Spa Francorchamps.”
“Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine sadly announces the death of MP Motorsport driver Dilano Van ‘t Hoff,” a statement from the championship read.
AS IT HAPPENED
Light rain ahead of the race meant half the field opted to start on the wet tyres. Utilising the dry soft tyres, reverse polesitter Crawford held the lead through the opening corners but it was Arthur Leclerc who made the most of his choice to start on wets. The DAMS driver went from third to the lead of the race by Turn 4 after the Hitech Pulse-Eight ran wide.
Jehan Daruvala spinning off into the gravel at Turn 7 brought out an early Safety Car at the start of Lap 2. This gave the wet tyre runners a chance to switch to slicks, with Théo Pourchaire, Frederik Vesti and Dennis Hauger all stopping, having run inside the top five.
Out front, Leclerc opted to stay out held the lead at the restart on Lap 4. Second-place Richard Verschoor dropped a wheel over the sausage kerb and spun off at the exit of Turn 1, necessitating another Safety Car. Leclerc chose to pit, handing the lead back to Crawford ahead of Juan Manuel Correa.
Back to racing on Lap 8, Kush Maini, Zane Maloney and Enzo Fittipaldi went three-wide up the hill into Turn 3. Diving to the inside, Maloney was through on both, but soon dropped down the order as the track dried and softs became the tyre of choice.
Their battle allowed Martins through into third and he quickly closed on Correa. Late on the brakes, the ART Grand Prix driver went up the inside of Turn 3 to pass the #23 Van Amersfoort Racing car.
Another beneficiary of the soft tyres, Novalak had already made up 16 places after dispatching Isack Hadjar for fourth and soon caught Correa. On Lap 18, the Trident driver was through on the inside to take third, allowing Hadjar the room to follow his compatriot through to take fourth.
A spin for Fittipaldi between Turns 3 and 4 after catching the grass led to the Virtual Safety Car being deployed for two laps.
Having fought his way back up into the points, Oliver Bearman couldn’t hold onto a scoring finish. After overtaking Hauger earlier in the race, the MP Motorsport driver repaid the favour to take eighth. With the benefit of the switchback, the Norwegian was then able to get the run on Jack Doohan to take seventh on the final lap.
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Max Verstappen pips Charles Leclerc to take pole for Sprint race
Spielberg, 30 June 2023: Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took his sixth pole position of the 2023 F1 season just 0.048s ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc with Carlos Sainz third in a tight Qualifying session at the Red Bull Ring in which track limits violations played a major role, with Sergio Pérez being ruled out in Q2 after exceeding the limits on all three of his flying laps.
At the start of Q1 Verstappen took an early P1 with a lap of 1:05.190, seven tenths of a second ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, and Pérez slotting into third. With a little under 12 minutes remaining the session was red-flagged when Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas spun at the exit of Turn 1.
The Finn eventually got restarted and headed back to the pit lane. During the stoppage, Verstappen’s initial lap was deleted for exceeding track limits at Turn 10. After a six-minute delay, running resumed and Verstappen moved back to P1 with a lap of 1:05.116. That put him a little over two tenths clear of Carlos Sainz, with the Spaniard’s Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc 0.461 off the Dutchman in P3.
Pérez, who had stayed in his garage, dropped to P13 `but with a little under three minutes left he emerged from the pit lane and he vaulted to P2 on the timesheet with a lap of 1:05.177, 0.061s behind his team-mate and almost two tenths ahead of Sainz, with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly in P4 ahead of Leclerc.
At the other end of the timesheet and ruled out after the first segment were 16th-placed AlphaTauri drover Yuki Tsunoda followed by Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu, Williams’ Logan Sargeant, Haas’ Kevin Magnussen, and Nyck de Vries in the second AlphaTauri.
At the start of Q2 Verstappen again set the early pace with a lap of 1:04.955. Pérez took P2, just under a tenth off his team-mate, but moments later both Red Bull drivers had their times deleted for exceeding track limits at Turn 9. It meant that McLaren’s Lando Norris took over at the top of the timesheet with a lap of 1:05.038.
Verstappen jumped back to P1 with his next lap of 1:04.51, ahead of Sainz and Norris. Pérez then climbed to fourth place with a lap of 1:05.235 but after slipping to P6 Pérez then dropped back to P15 when his second flyer was deleted. Both Aston Martin drivers and Mercedes’ George Russell also fell foul of the white lines.
Pérez was quickly back on track for his final flyer and he jumped to P2 with a lap of 1:04.990. It looked like he was safe but within seconds his final flyer was deleted and for exceeding the limits in Turn 10. The Mexican plummeted back to P15 and elimination.
Verstappen eased through in P1 ahead of Sainz, Norris and Leclerc, bt the drivers ruled out of Q3 were Russell in P11, followed by Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, Piastri, Bottas, whose final lap was deleted, and the unfortunate Pérez.
At the start of the top 10 shoot-out, Williams’ Alex Albon set the first time with a lap of 1:05.823, but Verstappen took provisional pole with a strong lap of 1:04.503. Leclerc slotted into P2, 0.206s behind the Dutchman, with Sainz in third place ahead of Norris.
And in the final runs, the battle for pole on the short, high-speed Red Bull Ring was incredibly tight. Verstappen improved to 1:04.391. He had a nervous wait, however, as Leclerc was matching his sector times. But though the Ferrari driver got close, the Dutchman’s pace proved to be simply irresistible and he claimed his sixth pole of the season 0.048s ahead of the Ferrari driver with Sainz in third place.
2023 FIA Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix – Qualifying
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1:04.391
2 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:04.439 0.048
3 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:04.581 0.190
4 Lando Norris McLaren 1:04.658 0.267
5 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:04.819 0.428
6 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 1:04.893 0.502
7 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 1:04.911 0.520
8 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 1:05.090 0.699
9 Pierre Gasly Alpine 1:05.170 0.779
10 Alex Albon Williams 1:05.823 1.432
11 George Russell Mercedes 1:05.428 1.037
12 Esteban Ocon Alpine 1:05.453 1.062
13 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:05.605 1.214
14 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo 1:05.680 1.289
15 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 2’06.688 1:02.297
16 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 1:05.784 1.393
17 Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo 1:05.818 1.427
18 Logan Sargeant Williams 1:05.948 1.557
19 Kevin Magnussen Haas 1:05.971 1.580
20 Nyck de Vries AlphaTauri 1:05.974 1.583 -
Mumbai’s 11-year-old Hamza takes 2nd in Asia’s X30 at Sepang
Sepang (Malaysia), June 27, 2023: Eleven-year-old Indian kart racer Hamza Balasinorwala impressed with his racing skills as he fought his way to a second place in the 4th Round of the IAME Asia Series, Asia’s most prestigious X30 Championship, in Sepang, on Sunday.
An international podium is a rare thing for an Indian and after quite a while an Indian youngster has a podium in an Asian Championship,” said Rayo Banajee, a celebrated racer who has groomed many an youngster both in karting and road racing. He now runs the Volkswagen team in the Indian National Racing Championship.
The Grade 6 student of Podar International School, Mumbai improved with every practice session but was hit by bad luck in the crucial qualifying round to take the twelfth position on the Cadet class grid.
As if that was not enough, Hamza suffered another setback in Heat 1, pulling out of the race – eventually won by Esteban Freihuber from the Philippines — in the first lap itself.
Undeterred, the Rayo Racing prodigy made a strong comeback in Heat 2, overtaking several experienced racers from around Asia to finish an impressive fourth. Singapore’s Aaron Mehta won this race, ahead of Thai racer Kamolphu Anuchatkul and Freihuber.
Hamza’s resilience continued in the pre-finals, where he expertly manoeuvred through the field from a 10th-place starting position, to finish an admirable fifth place. Mehta notched up his second consecutive win while Anuchatkul and Freihuber once again took the other two places on the podium.
As the finishing order of the pre-final decides the start order for the final, the Indian began from fifth on the grid. Getting off to a good start, Hamza soon found his way past Singapore’s Maximilian Schilling only to be passed by another Singaporean — Michael Lederer.
Hamza exhibited exceptional skill, maintaining a consistent and impressive pace throughout and went along with Lederer up the field. The duo got past Freihuber, Mehta and Anuchatkul.
Lederer eventually took the win 2 seconds ahead of Hamza. The Indian racer’s fantastic effort saw him seal the second position, ahead of Freihuber of Philippines.
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Sachin double at MMSC Sprint rally; Rehana bags Ladies class
Chennai, June 25, 2023: Bengaluru’s Sachin D capped himself with glory by winning titles in two categories as riders from Karnataka dominated with a haul of six in the MMSC Two-Wheeler Sprint Rally Series 2003 Powered by Vamcy Merla which concluded at the Madras International Circuit here today.
Sachin took the honours in Group B (Up to 260cc) winning all four rounds that were held over two consecutive weekends and the Open (Up to 750cc) with two wins and as many podiums.
The organisers, Madras Motor Sports Club, ran the event on a dirt track specially prepared for the event and measuring about six Kms. While Round 1 was held on June 17, the remaining three rounds were run on June 24-25.
Former National racing champion Rehana Reya from Chennai, astride an Xpulse for the first time, remained unbeaten over four rounds to claim the title in the Women’s class.
“The terrain was fast in the last round after a slushy third round and I enjoyed the dry run. It was fun to race on such a speedy terrain. MMRT looked very different for me this time as I am riding for the first time on the unique rally track and not on the Tarmac. The organisers never disappoint the riders as they provided a challenging terrain with a portion of Tarmac where I was able to gain much traction. The experience helped me to clock a better timing of 4min 57sec. I am also happy to be in the top-10 with the boys in the Overall classification,” said Rehana Reya. She also thanked Vamcy Merla and MMSC for providing a good platform for the riders to experience more seat time in the Sprint rally format.
I put my hands on newly set up machine for this race, I never rode a Xpulse before this was a good opportunity to give it a try riding my race spec bike on this track , I felt I’m learning to improve and getting better on the bike , all thanks to my tuner VINODH and team 56 racing for good work ..
mostly I want to thank vamcy Merla sir for giving us such a great platform for all the good riders in our motorsport community with all the trust and confidence .Iam very happy I’m able to represent VM foundation.
Looking forward for my next race to perform better ..The competition in the Teenagers Class produced a nail-biting finish with Chennai’s Rakshit S Dave topping the category despite finishing fourth in the final round which his closest rival, Shreyas Hareesh (Bengaluru) won. Rakshit finished with 70 points to Shreyas’ 68.
Chikmagaluru’s Asad Khan (Group D, up to 260cc) and Abrar Pasha from Shivamogga (Group B, up to 165cc) also won all four rounds in their respective categories to emerge champions.
Suhail Ahmed from Bengaluru topped the Group A (up to 750cc) category winning two rounds over the weekend while Uttarkhand’s Akhand Pratap Singh pouched the title in the Group B up to 400cc class with an all-win record.
Notching three wins in four rounds, Bengaluru’s Naresh VS bagged the series title in the Royal Enfield category.
MMSC Vice-President Vicky Chandhok said: “MMSC is grateful to Vamcy Marla for sponsoring the event that was held over two weekends. We also thank all the competitors for their involvement.”
The Series champions:
Open (Up to 750cc): Sachin D (Bengaluru)
Group A (up to 500cc): Suhail Ahmed (Bengaluru, Alisha Racing).
Group B (up to 165cc): Abrar Pasha (Shivamogga).
Group B (260cc):D Sachin (Bengaluru).
Group B (400cc): Akhand Pratap Singh (Uttarkhand).
Group D (260cc): Asad Khan (Chikmgaluru).
Royal Enfield: Naresh VS (Bengaluru).
Teenagers: Rakshit S Dave (Chennai).
Women: Rehana Reya (Chennai).
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Bezzecchi hits back in the title fight with stunning first Tissot Sprint win
Bez is back! The number 72 keeps the roll going to deny Bagnaia as Quartararo takes third following a late penalty for Binder.
Assen, 24 June 2023: Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) is back on top! The Italian took the Tissot Sprint win at the Motul TT Assen in some style, outpacing title rival and reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) to gain some precious points back on his compatriot. Third place saw Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) come home for his first Sprint rostrum, but after a slightly controversial penalty for Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)…
It was a manic start and none more so than Binder as the South African shot to the inside line and was immediately up into third behind Bagnaia and Bezzecchi. The number 33 didn’t wait long to attack either, slicing through into second and left with a small gap to Pecco in the lead ahead of him. But neither did Bezzecchi waste any time, pouncing immediately once he was back on the back of the 33 and then setting off in pursuit of Bagnaia. That mission didn’t take long either. By 10 to go, he was through and putting the hammer down.
Bagnaia followed by Binder followed by Quartararo and then Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), up from 10th on the grid, was the group on the chase behind the number 72. Soon enough, Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) joined the party too, with Luca Marini the big loser off the line as the Mooney VR46 Racing Team rider dropped from the front row to seventh once the shuffle calmed down.
As Bezzecchi eked out a tenth here and a hundredth there, the first key move was Aleix Espargaro getting past a slightly scrappy Martin, and as the laps ticked down Quartararo started to home in on Binder. The gap from Binder to Bagnaia ahead was around a second, but from Bagnaia to Bezzecchi? Now, it was coming down. With three to go, the reigning Champion took nearly four tenths out of the lead, just as Aleix Espargaro joined the party in the fight for third.
Bezzecchi, however, wasn’t going to let that happen. The hammer went down again and he was able to hold onto an impressive and convincing win, setting himself up for an assault on the top on Sunday.
Just behind him, onto the last lap it first looked as though Quartararo was going to make a move on Binder, but then the South African was the rider on the move. Homing in on Bagnaia in the fight for second, he was close but not quite close enough to make a final chicane dive… but the drama wasn’t over. After a track limits warning earlier in the Sprint, the number 33 was given a Long Lap just at the flag after heading onto the green one too many times, which becomes a three-second penalty. And that, therefore, makes it a pitch perfect Sprint for Bezzecchi, a solid second for Bagnaia, and the first podium on Saturday for Quartararo after the Frenchman only previously scored a single point over the first seven Sprints.
Aleix Espargaro is therefore fourth, ahead of Binder demoted to fifth by that penalty. Martin takes sixth for some damage limitation after his P10 in qualifying, but he’ll want a lot more on Sunday. Likewise Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing), who took seventh from seventh on the grid.
Enea Bastianini (Ducato Lenovo Team) was next up as he made some serious progress when the lights went out despite a tough qualifying, and he was the protagonist of a moment at the final chicane with Marini as he attacked and the Mooney VR46 rider straight-lined the chicane. It wasn’t quite the gravel trip of 2015, but in 2023 it saw the number 10 get a time penalty that drops him to tenth behind Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™).
Next: Grand Prix Sunday!
Bezzecchi looks surpreme, Quartararo has form, Bagnaia remains a threat as ever… and Binder wants revenge. That’s not even half the storylines we’ve got to look forward to on Sunday, so make sure to tune into the MotoGP™ race at 14:00 local time (GMT+2) for another stunning showdown.
