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Tag: APRC
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Karna Kadur takes control of APRC with a comfortable lead: South India Rally
Chennai, 26 April 2025: Bengaluru ace Karna Kadur came up with a mature drive to open a sizable lead in the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship promoted by Vamcy Merla which is part of the Indu Chandhok Memorial 48th South India Rally, here on Saturday. With only four Special Stages to be run on the morrow, Kadur and his co-driver Musa Sherif have victory in their sights.
Kadur leads his Arka Motorsports team-mate and the Delhi-Himachal Pradesh combination of Harkrishan Wadia and Kunal Kashyap by over a minute. In third place is their team-mate and former National champion Amittrajit Ghosh (Ashwin Naik) who nursed his patched-up Volkswagen Polo, a late replacement for his Mahindra XUV 300 which blew its engine during a test run a few days before the event.
In the INRC category of the Blueband Fmsci Indian National Rally Championship Round-1 powered by Vamcy Merla, Kadur leads Ghosh with Suhem Kabeer (Vinay Padmashali) in third spot.
About his performance today, Kadur said: “I was a bit conservative in the first loop, especially the first Special Stage (AAVISA) which had some small rocks on the road. In the second run, I did not hold back since I knew the terrain would have been swept clean by the cars. So, I was able to make over a minute on my own time. Tomorrow is another day, but I will try to hold position and push only if I must. The main goal is to bring the car home in one piece.”
Two of the front-runners in the APRC, Jason Saldanha and Chetan Shivram had issues with their respective cars and lost time that saw them drop down the order. The other big disappointment was the retirement of Hyundai i20 which is making its debut in the Indian motorsports scene with Hyderabad’s Jeet Jhabakh packing up with a driveshaft problem but he is likely to rejoin the rally on Sunday, if the car is fully repaired.
Meanwhile, the competition in the National championship was as razor sharp as ever with positions changing by the minute while Bengaluru-based Tarushi Vikram displayed impressive pace to lead the Women INRC class.
Provisional, unaudited classifications (After Leg-1):
FIA-APRC/Overall: 1. Karna Kadur / Musa Sherif (Arka Motorsports) (01 hr, 05 min, 25.4 secs); 2. Harkrishan Wadia / Kunal Kashyap (Arka Motorsports) (01:06:34.2); 3. Amittrajit Ghosh / Ashwin Naik (Arka Motorsports) (01:06:39.8).
INRC: 1. Kadur / Sherif; 2. Ghosh / Naik; 3. Suhem Kabir / Vinay Padmashali (Pvt.) (01:09:03.9).
INRC2: 1. Wadia / Kashyap; 2. Philippos Matthai / Harish KN (Arka Motorsports) (01:06:51.3); 3. Fabid Ahmer / Milen George (Chettinad Sporting) (01:06:56.1).
INRC3: 1. Arnav Pratap Singh / Rohit N (SNAP Racing) (01:07:37.8); 2. Vishak B / Chiranth Jain (Chettinad Sporting) (01:07:52.8); 3. Abin Rai / Moideen Jasheer KM (Pvt.) (01:08:34.1).
INRC 3T (Turbo): 1. C Ramcharan / Vignesh Mahalingam (01:14:40.1).
Women INRC: 1. Tarushi Vikram / Vybhav Mukund Rao (01:11:51.0).
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Harkrishan-Kunal clinch the victory in APRC Asia Cup; claim INRC hattrick of wins
Chennai, 17 March 2024: On a day of drama, Delhi’s Harkrishan Wadia (co-driver Kunal Kashyap, Himachal) of Arka Motorsports emerged champions in the 47th MMSC South India Rally, the first round of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) Asia Cup round and the Indian National Rally Championship (INRC) here on Sunday.
Wadia and Kashyap, who won the last two rounds in the 2023 calendar, made it a hattrick of wins in the INRC and also won the prestigious APRC round even as several leading title contenders retired due to various issues with their vehicles.
Wadia not only topped the round of AVT Gold Cup FIA APRC-Asia Cup but also the season-opener of the Blueband Fmsci Indian National Rally Championship 2024 besides taking the P1 spot in the INRC 2 category for a triple crown.
His main rivals in Asia Cup, SIDVIN-MRF Tyres sponsored Bengaluru pair of Pragathi Gowda and co-driver Trisha Alonkar, in a Subaru Impreza 4-wheel drive car whose windshield was shattered when hit by a stone thrown by a miscreant in the penultimate Stage, failed to finish as they ran out of fuel two Kms from the finish of the three-day event’s last stage.
Consequently, second spot went to Hyderabad pair of Naveen Puligilla and co-driver Santosh Thomas with Coimbatore’s Ramcharan C (co-driver Jeevarathinam, Bengaluru) of Arka Motorsports completing the podium. Only three of the nine starters in the Asia Cup completed the event.
Former World Rally champion (Production Cars), Karamjit Singh from Malaysia who is training Pragathi, was a shattered man. “We lost P2 in the Asia Cup. We are still figuring out how they ran out of fuel, but on the positive side, I am happy at the progress Pragathi made in the past one week. She was stepping up the pace Stage by Stage and getting comfortable with the car. She has a lot of talent and potential,” said Karamjit.
In the National Championship, Wadia won the Overall and INRC 2 titles with overnight leader Himachal’s Aditya Thakur and co-driver Virender Kashyap (Chettinad Sporting) were docked a 30-second penalty for late check-in as they stopped to repair a damaged exhaust pipe after completing a Stage, and had to be content finishing second in INRC Overall and INRC 2 categories.
Earlier, overnight leader in the Asia Cup, Aroor Arjun Rao (co-driver Satish Rajagopal) of Mandovi Racing, packed up after the day’s first Stage when he lost power steering. Also retiring was Day-1 leader Dean Mascarenhas (co-driver Gagan Karumbaiah) of DB Motorsport due to a fuel pump issue in the day’s penultimate Stage.
Harkrishan, son of former Rally ace Anil Wadia, could barely stop smiling. “I pushed hard today as I had to make some time. The car was great and I am thankful to MRF Tyres for all the support. I made just one mistake when I overran a corner, but fortunately, it did not impact my position on the leaderboard. Overall, a good start to the season.”
A dejected Thakur rued that he slipped to second after looking primed to win. “We had an exhaust issue. So, after SS-11, we stopped on the transport section to carry out some running repairs. It cost us time and we had to take a 30-second penalty for check-in at the next Time Control. We are extremely disappointed but hope to do better in the next round,” said Thakur.
Kerala’s Vishak Balachandran (co-driver Anil Abbas), supported by MRF Tyres, took the honours in the INRC 3 while Shillong’s Phoebe Nongrum (co-driver Nash Ross, Hyderabad) of SNAP Racing, topped the Women INRC category with two front runners, Anushriya Gulati and Tarushi Vikram retired with mechanical problems. MRF Tyres-backed Arjun Rajiv from Bengaluru (co-driver Vinay Padmashali, Mysuru) of Chettinad Sporting drove well to clinch the title in the Junior INRC category.
Delhi’s Baljinder Singh Dhillon (co-driver CP Gautam, Chikkamagaluru) emerged on top in the Fmsci Challenge Gypsy Cup.
Of the 51 crews who started the Rally, 23 retired. The second round of the INRC is scheduled to be held in Nashik from May 31 to June 2.
Provisional final results:
FIA APRC-Asia Rally Cup:
1. Harkrishan Wadia (Delhi) / Kunal Kashyap (Himachal) (Arka Motorsports) (02Hrs, 04mins, 59.8secs); 2. Naveen Puligilla / Santosh Thomas (both Hyderabad) (Pvt.) (02:15:22.0); 3. Ramcharan C (Coimbatore) / Jeevarathinam (Bengaluru) (Arka Motorsports) (02:17:24.1).
Blueband Indian National Rally Championship:
INRC Overall: 1. Harkrishan Wadia (Delhi) / Kunal Kashyap (Himachal) (Arka Motorsports) (02:04:59.8); 2. Aditya Thakur / Virender Kashyap (both Himachal) (Chettinad Sporting) (02:05:05.0); 3. Vishak Balachandran (Thiruvananthapuram) / Anil Abbas (Ernakulam) (Chettinad Sporting) (02:10:02.6).
INRC 2: 1. Harkrishan Wadia / Kunal Kashyap (02:04:49.8); 2. Aditya Thakur / Virender Kashyap (02:05:05.0); 3. Naveen Puligilla / Santosh Thomas (02:15:22.0).
INRC 3: 1. Vishak Balachandran / Anil Abbas (02:10:02.6); 2. Daraious Shroff (Mumbai) / Srikanth Gowda (Chikkamagaluru) (Chettinad Sporting) (02:10:48.1); 3. Samrat Yadav (Chandigarh) / Arvind Dheerendra (Bengaluru) (Pvt.) (02:11:48.2).
Junior INRC (2 finishers): 1. Arjun Rajiv (Bengaluru) / Vinay Padmashali (Mysuru) (Chettinad Sporting) (02:13:47.9); 2. Ajay Shankar (Kollam)/ S Nitharshan (Kallakurichi) (Mandovi Racing) (02:14:00.0).
Women INRC (2 finishers): 1. Phoebe Nongrum (Shillong) / Nash Ross (Hyderabad) (Snap Racing) (02:28:27.4); 2. Harshitha Gowda (Bengaluru)/ Vignesh Mahalingam (Coimbatore) (Pvt.) (02:45:42.8).
Fmsci Gypsy Challenge: 1. Baljinder Singh Dhillon (Delhi) / Goutham CP (Chikkamagaluru) (Pvt.) (02:21:51.9); 2. Dr Akarsh Sundar (Chikkamagaluru)/ Ravi Kumar (Bengaluru) (Pvt.) (02:24:45.7); 3. Jayanth Somanathan / R Rajashekar (Both Bengaluru) (Pvt.) (02:24:51.9).
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Vamcy Merla is now the Promoter of Otago Rally APRC 2024
Otago (New Zealand) 4 March 2024: Prominent Indian businessman, Vamcy Merla, is now the promoter of the Otago Rally’s Asia-Pacific Rally Championship Pacific Cup. He will provide significant support, including through his business Maitri Estates.
His support of the rally will be a huge boom for competitors in the APRC component of the event, with prizemoney of $5,000, $3,000 and $2,000 for the first three placegetters.
Merla and his business, Maitri Estates, is a long time supporter of Indian motorsport in many forms, and 2024 will be his second year involved with the APRC.
Vamsi Merla, the APRC Otago Rally Promoter “I have always been passionate about promoting rallying in India and in the Asia-Pacific region,” Merla said.
“I am delighted to be the promoter of the Otago Rally APRC Pacific Cup, and supporting both the competitors and organisers makes the sport stronger. The Otago Rally has a big reputation for providing an outstanding event.”
Rally promotions manager, Roger Oakley, added:
“Vamcy Merla’s support is hugely appreciated. The prizemoney is a significant incentive for competitors and we encourage all those who are eligible to register for the Asia-Pacific Championship component of the event.”
The Central Machine Hire Otago Rally is the first round of the Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship and also includes the famed Otago International Classic Rally.
The rally is the second of six rounds of the 2024 Asia-Pacific Rally Championship, with the series ‘grand finale’ to be held at the Rally of Whangarei in the North Island in early November.
The Otago Rally gratefully acknowledges the Premier Event grant support of the Dunedin City Council.
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Vamcy Merla backs Rally of Whangarei, Pacific Cup winners: APRC
Whangarei (New Zealand), 11 May 2023: The 12-14 May running of the 2023 International Rally of Whangarei is underway with teams now doing pre-event reconnaissance.
“There is prize money of NZ$3,000 for the winning APRC entrant, $2,000 for second and $1,000 for third, provided by Indian businessman and promoter Vamcy Merla,” said the organisers about the contribution of Merla, who is taking forward the legacy of his later father, Merla Chandrasekhar Rao of Kalyani Group in Andhra Pradesh.
Preparation for the return of the international level to the Whangārei region comes after numerous weather events and successive years hiatus through COVID-19 restrictions.
Organisers are now looking ahead following Tuesday’s rain downpour – focussing on delivering the event as planned, with currently only one minor alteration to the timetable.
Scheduled to be contested over 18 special sections of closed road, that has now been reduced to 16.
“On the Sunday we’ve removed the Tangihua road from the timetable – which was to be used twice,” said Mr Steve Foster, chairman of the organising committee.
“Following the weather front that passed through we’ve had to ask and been asked the question as to the usability of some roads. Inspection has confirmed It only affected one section of road where there have been slips that are yet to be cleared. While it’s expected to be open again this afternoon we’ve opted to remove it from our schedule.”
At 14.40km long it will reduce the overall competitive distance from 254.60km to 225.80km.
Foster says Pohe Island is now the current focus. The William Fraser Memorial Park is to host Saturday’s publicity section: “Current conditions make it marginal for hospitality to setup at Pohe Island – we’re working on an alternate option while remaining optimistic the clearer weather mean we can run as planned.”
With light rain expected during the Thursday, weather for the next few days is clear.
“It’s possible a few showers could pass through later on Sunday however that’s a few days out and unlikely to affect anything,” added Foster.
The event brings 48 teams to the region – 11 of them contesting the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) category. Top-seed drivers include Hayden Paddon and Shane van Gisbergen.
Seven cars are offshore entries, including the Cusco Toyota C-HR of Michael Young. Others include Eugene Creugent and Pierre-Henri Brunet from New Caledonia, Julien Lenglet and Nelson Law from Vanuatu, Stewart Reid and Glen Alcorn from Australia.
Activity starts from 1pm Friday with shakedown testing at William Fraser Memorial Park’s Pohe Island. Drivers will then be at the Cameron St Mall from 4:45pm for a signing session ahead of the 5:30pm ceremonial start.
The competitive section begins Saturday morning with four special stage tests to the north of Whangārei. They return from 11:42am for a service stop before repeating the journey in the afternoon. The day concludes with a double run of the Pohe Island 1.15km spectator stage.
Sunday uses four road stage sections to the south – repeated after the 10:39am service break. The remaining teams return for the ceremonial finish at the Pūtahi Park – Town Basin, Whangārei, from 3pm.
Spectator tickets start at $10 for the rural stages for the Saturday or Sunday, or $20 for the Pohe Island stage. Full ticketing information can be found on the website. https://www.rallywhangarei.co.nz/spectators/
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MMSC geares up for APRC, Asia Cup, INRC
Chennai, 23 March 2022: In what promises to be an action-packed weekend, the 44th South India Rally, which doubles up as a round of the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship 2022, and the final round of The FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship 2021 with MRF Tyres as the Associate Sponsor, will be held in Sriperumbudur, about 40 Kms from here, on March 25-27.
Organised by the Madras Motor Sports Club, celebrating its 70th anniversary, the events will be anchored to the iconic MMRT circuit which will be the venue for start and finish of the event besides the Spectator Special Stage (tarmac) and the 12.9 Kms long Special Stage (dirt) bordering the race track. Another Special Stage (17.78 Kms), is located about 23 Kms from the MMRT. Both Stages will be run four times – twice in forward direction (Saturday) and twice in reverse direction (Sunday) while the Spectator Special Stage once on each day. On Friday, March 25, the competitors will do a reconnaissance of the Stages.
While four entries have been received for the APRC (Asia Cup) round, which returns to India after a four-year gap, the INRC has attracted 44. Three times APRC champion Gaurav Gill (co-driver Musa Sherif), Karna Kadur (Nikhil Pai) of Arka Motorsports, Amittrajit Ghosh (Ashwin Naik) and Younus Ilyas (Anirudha Ranganekar) of Race Concepts will take part in the APRC and also headline the INRC entry list.
In an initiative to encourage Indian participation in the APRC event, MMSC have offered subsidies in various forms – FIA-approved fuel tank casing; entry fee for the APRC segment, Rs 70,000/- to be returned as start money; Trophies for top three finishers irrespective of the class entered and placing in the INRC.
APRC Working Group chief and Chairman of South India Rally, Vicky Chandhok said: “The South India Rally is not just another rally but a part of the Indian Rallying Heritage. Running the 44th edition of the event speaks volumes of the standards of National rallying. We have worked hard to offer an event of value to all the stakeholders, and, on behalf of the organisers, the Madras Motor Sports Club, it gives me great pleasure in welcoming the rallying fraternity to the event.
“Further, the MMSC in its constant support to motorsport, has taken a decision for the FIA APRC South India Rally to encourage competitors and support them, by way of subsidies, in entering an International Event on home soil and the chance to earn a FIA trophy for their shelves.”
The FMSCI president Akbar Ebrahim said: “It is a matter of pride and privilege that India is hosting a round of the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship after a gap of several years, and concurrently with the third and final round of the FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship 2021 with MRF Tyres as the Associate Sponsor. All of us have been through some challenging times due to the pandemic and I am happy that the 2021 INRC got underway, though it spilled over into 2022. Once again, on behalf of the FMSCI, I thank our Associate Sponsor MRF Tyres, the competitors, the organizing clubs, officials and the Media for their support. To reiterate, we hope to put together a bigger INRC, with more rounds, in the season ahead.”
The competition in The FMSC-promoted INRC segment is expected to be fierce since titles in all categories are up for grabs. Aditya Singh Thakur (Virender Kashyap) of Chettinad Sporting leads the Overall standings with 54 points, just one ahead of Fabid Ahmer (Sanath G). Considering that a maximum of 40 points are on offer and the top five competitors, including seven times National champion Gill, are separated by just 16 points, the Overall championship is wide open.
The top two in other categories after two rounds are:
INRC-2: Fabid Ahmer (76) and Sahil Khanna (61); INRC-3: Aditya Singh Thakur (78) and Kuber Sharma (56); INRC-4: Deepak Chandra (61) and Mujeeb Rehman (44); Junior INRC: Raghunath Saminathan (78) and Shivani Pruthvi (60); FMSCI Gypsy Cup: Rupender Sheoran (71) and Venkatapathy MR (55).
Due to the unpredictability of the sport, as could be gauged from the results of the previous two rounds – the Rally of Coimbatore and the Karnataka-1000 – success is not guaranteed. The uncertainty factor, thus, makes this weekend’s action a pot-boiler.
About the FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship 2021
The Indian National Rally Championship 2021, promoted by The Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India with MRF Tyres as the Associate Sponsor, comprises three rounds – Rally of Coimbatore (Feb 25-27), Karnataka-1000 (March 11-13) and the South India Rally (Chennai, March 25-27). The grid is segregated into five categories based on various specifications – the INRC, INRC-2, INRC-3, INRC-4 and Junior INRC (26 years and below, and without a win). Competitors are eligible for Overall classification and also separately in their respective categories. The top 15 finishers are eligible for points ranging from 30 to 1. The five quickest on each of the two days (Leg-1 and Leg-2) and in each category receive bonus points (5 to 1) in the respective Legs provided they complete the Rally. The maximum points that can be won in each round is 40. A stand-alone sixth category, the FMSCI Gypsy Challenge, restricted to Maruti Gypsy, and not eligible for championship points or classification, completes the grid.
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Gaurav Gill guns for APRC title again as season begins with South India Rally: April 23-25
Paris, 5 March 2021: The World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) has finalised different calendars for various motorsports disciplines and one that India will be most-interested is the revised date for Asia Pacific Rally Championship 2021 (APRC) which will kick-start the five-round season with the first round at Chennai from April 23 to 25, simultaneously run with Asia Zone and INRC events.
The Madras Motor Sports Club will host the South India Rally Championship on these dates and simultaneously run the APRC opening round to become a new venue for the FIA continental championship in India. India last hosted the APRC in Chikmagalur in 2017. Three-times APRC champion and Arjuna Awardee, Gaurav Gill, will be aiming for a fourth title as he rejoins the APRC campaign, albeit in Yellow colours, this time as a brand ambassador for JK Tyre. Gill joined the elite Indian club by winning his 7th INRC title to become the highest decorated rally driver along with Naren Kumar.
The FIA President reminded council members that in the 12-months since the last physically-attended WMSC meeting in March 2020, the FIA has maintained a strong level of governance across all disciplines and all regions despite these unprecedented times.
The FIA President led a one-minute silence which was observed by members in memory of all those from the global motor sport community who have fallen victim to the COVID-19 pandemic. He also paid tribute to the Finnish rally driver Hannu Mikkola who passed away recently. The President said: “Hannu was a great champion and a gentleman. I’ve had the privilege of being his co-driver many years ago. My thoughts are with his loved ones and the families of the members of the FIA community who passed away due to the pandemic.”
The following is a summary of the decisions taken during the meeting:
FIA Formula One World Championship
The World Council has agreed to grant a one-year extension to the existing exclusive tyre supply contract with Pirelli to reflect the original intention of the 2018 tyre tender and remain within the overall technical framework in the best interests of all relevant stakeholders. The COVID-19 pandemic obliged the FIA and Formula 1 to implement emergency measures that included the cancellation of tyre development tests last year and the postponement of planned new technical regulations – which included 18-inch tyres – from 2021 to 2022. As a result, 13-inch tyres will be used during the 2021 season, with a move to 18-inch tyres in 2022.
The FIA Safety Department presented the findings of the investigation into the incident involving Romain Grosjean at the 2020 FIA Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix – further details of which can be found here.
Following the confirmation of Portugal as the venue for round three, the revised 2021 FIA Formula One World Championship calendar is as follows:
Formula 1 – 2021 Calendar
GP # Date Venue- Country Track 1 28 March 2021 Bahrain Sakhir 2 18 April Italy Imola 3 2 May Portugal Portimao 4 9 May Spain Barcelona 5 23 May Monaco Monaco 6 6 June Azerbaijan Baku 7 13 June Canada Montreal 8 27 June France Le Castellet 9 4 July Austria Spielberg 10 18 July Great Britain Silverstone 11 1 August Hungary Budapest 12 29 August Belgium Spa-Francorchamps 13 5 September Netherlands Zandvoort 14 12 September Italy Monza 15 26 September Russia Sochi 16 3 October Singapore Singapore 17 10 October Japan Suzuka 18 24 October USA Austin 19 31 October Mexico Mexico City 20 7 November Brazil São Paulo 21 21 November Australia Melbourne 22 5 December Saudi Arabia Jeddah* 23 12 December Abu Dhabi Yas Marina *Subject to circuit homologation FIA World Rally Championship
The Council approved the final Rally1 technical regulations, including an update of the 1.6 turbo engine details.
FIA Rally – 2022 WRC and ERC Sporting Pyramid
The principles of a Rally Sporting Pyramid, to be implemented for the FIA World Rally Championship with complementary details for the FIA European Rally Championship, have been approved. The ambition of this new structure is to align the championships names with the car categories names (e.g. Rally2 cars compete in WRC2), to identify a common theme of Open and Junior categories between the series, and to reinforce the positioning of the FIA European Rally Championship both as a feeder series for the WRC and a goal in itself by creating a clear pathway.
In application of these principles, the WRC2 classification, open to the Rally2 category, will feature an Open Championship and a Junior Championship for drivers under 30. The WRC3 classification, open to the Rally3 class, will also feature an Open Championship and a Junior Championship for drivers under 29.
Similarly, the ERC3 classification, open to the Rally3 category, will feature an Open Championship and a Junior Championship for drivers under 28, while the ERC4 classification, open to the Rally4 and Rally5 classes, will equally have an Open Championship and a Junior Championship for drivers under 27.
In addition to age limits, experience restrictions will be implemented in the Junior Championships. As a result, former champions will not be allowed to put their titles back into play.
For both the WRC and ERC classifications, awards for Rookies, with less than three participations before the start of the season, and Masters, for drivers over 40 years old not included on the FIA Regional Priority List, will be created.
As a next step, details will be defined to reflect these principles in the sporting regulations.
FIA World Endurance Championship
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation, it was necessary to revise the 2021 calendar. A revised calendar has been approved as follows:
26-27 April Belgium Official Prologue – Spa-Francorchamps* 1 May Belgium TOTAL 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps 13 June Portugal 8 Hours of Portimão* 18 July Italy 6 Hours of Monza 21-22 August France 24 Hours of Le Mans* 26 September Japan 6 Hours of Fuji 20 November Bahrain 8 Hours of Bahrain *new dates FIA Women in Motorsport Commission
The final phase of the 2020 FIA Girls on Track – Rising Stars programme came to a successful conclusion at the Ferrari Driver Academy in Maranello, Italy. Postponed from November 2020 to January, due to the pandemic, the five-day assessment was the final step for the four finalists after nearly a year of selection and evaluation. During a live broadcast on the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission’s Facebook page, Dutch/Belgian born Maya Weug was announced as the winner and became the first-ever female driver to become a student of the Academy. Weug will also contest a 2021 Formula 4 championship certified by the FIA. The three other finalists, Doriane Pin, Antonella Bassani and Julia Ayoub, were each awarded by Ferrari a test session in a 488 Challenge EVO.
The FIA Girls on Track – Rising Stars is a four-year programme and 2021 will host a second call for talent among the FIA ASNs and the same process will result in a second female driver potentially becoming part of the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2022.
Michèle Mouton, the Commission President, received widespread praise from council members for her vision and leadership of the Girls on Track project.
FIA Digital Motorsport Commission
The Commission President Anna Nordkvist, of Sweden, was introduced to WMSC members. The task of the new Commission is to grow participation at grassroots level and position the FIA as a key stakeholder in the Digital and Esports industry. It was also agreed that one of the aims of the Commission should be to encourage participation among female Esports competitors.
FIA Karting Championships
Approval was given for the re-scheduling of two events on the 2021 calendar.
The FIA Karting European Championship event (OK & OK-JUNIOR) on the Circuito Internacional Zuera (Spain), originally scheduled for 15-18 April 2021 has been rearranged for 22-25 July 2021.
The FIA Karting European Championship event (KZ & KZ2) and FIA Karting Academy Trophy on the Adria Karting Raceway (Italy), originally scheduled for 29 April-2 May 2021, has been rearranged for 12-15 August 2021.
The revised 2021 calendars are as follows:
FIA Karting World Championship – OK 28-31 October Brazil Birigui FIA Karting World Championship – Junior 28-31 October Brazil Birigui FIA Karting World Championship – KZ 02-05 September Sweden Kristianstad FIA Karting European Championship – OK 13-16 May Belgium Genk 27-30 May France Aunay-Les-Bois* 08-11 July Italy Sarno 22-25 July Spain Zuera FIA Karting European Championship – Junior 13-16 May Belgium Genk 27-30 May France Aunay-Les-Bois* 08-11 July Italy Sarno 22-25 July Spain Zuera FIA Karting European Championship – KZ 17-20 June Germany Wackersdorf 12-15 August Italy Adria FIA Karting European Championship – KZ2 17-20 June Germany Wackersdorf 12-15 August Italy Adria FIA Karting European Championship – Superkart 22-24 October France Le Mans – Bugatti* FIA Karting International Super Cup – KZ2 02-05 September Sweden Kristianstad FIA Karting Academy Trophy 17-20 June Germany Wackersdorf 12-15 August Italy Adria 02-05 September Sweden Kristianstad *subject to track homologation or re-homologation FIA WTCR – World Touring Car Cup
There are several minor updates to the WTCR Sporting Regulations, including an extension to the registration deadline for full season entries as a result of the later start to the season previously announced. The new deadline is May 2, 2021.
FIA World Cup for Cross-Country – Rallies and Bajas
Date changes to the 2021 calendars were approved. The BP Ultimate Portugal Cross-Country Rally, previously the opening round of the World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies, will now take place from 16-21 September due to the implementation of further COVID-19 restrictions in the country.
The Hungarian Baja, a qualifying round of the World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas and the newly introduced European Cup for Cross-Country Bajas, has been moved to 5-8 August for operational reasons.
FIA Single-Seater Commission
FIA Formula 3 World Cup
The FIA Formula 3 World Cup has been confirmed on the International Sporting Calendar and is scheduled to take place on 21 November 2021 in Macau, China (subject to contract with the promoter).
Formula 4
Sporting and Technical Regulations for the Formula 4 element of the 2021 FIA Motorsport Games were approved.FIA Rally Commission
In the FIA Regional Rally Championships, changes to the following 2021 calendars due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have been approved:
FIA European Rally Championship
06-08 May (initially 25-27 March) Portugal Azores Rallye 18-20 June Poland 78 Rally Poland1 01-03 July Latvia Rally Liepaja1 23-25 July Italy Rally di Roma Capitale1 27-29 August Czech Rep. Barum Czech Rally Zlin1 24-26 September (initially 12-14 March) Portugal Rallye Fafe 22-24 October Hungary Rally Hungary1 18-20 November (initially 06-08 May) Spain Rally Islas Canarias1 1 Round of the FIA ERC Junior Championships
FIA European Rally Trophy – Benelux Rally Trophy09-10 July Luxembourg Rallye Lëtzebuerg 28-29 August Belgium Aarova Rally 05-07 November Belgium Rallye du Condroz
FIA European Rally Trophy – Celtic Rally Trophy18-20 June Ireland Donegal International Rally 25-26 September Ireland Cork 20 International Rally 19-20 November (initially 20-21 August) Great Britain Ulster International Rally
FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship – Asia Cup23-25 April (initially 26-28 March) India South Inda Rally 10-12 September Japan Rally Hokkaido 22-24 October China Rally Longyou
FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship – Pacific Cup15-17 October Australia Adelaide Hills Rally 27-28 November (initially 20-21 Nov.) Australia Coffs Harbour Rally
FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship – Final27-28 November (initially 20-21 Nov.) Australia Coffs Harbour Rally
FIA Middle East Rally Championship28-30 January Qatar Manateq Qatar International Rally 20-22 May Jordan Jordan Rally 03-05 September Lebanon Rally of Lebanon 24-26 September Cyprus Cyprus Rally 04-06 November Kuwait Rally of Kuwait TBA (initially 18-20 February) Oman Rally of Oman
FIA African Rally Championship23-25 April Kenya Equator Rally Kenya 25-26 July Tanzania Rally of Tanzania 20-22 August Uganda Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally 24-26 September Zambia Zambia International Rally 05-06 November South Africa Rally of South Africa TBA (initially 19-21 March) Rwanda Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally
FIA NACAM Rally Championship19-20 March (initially 12-13 March) Mexico Rally Colima 02-04 July Canada Rallye Int. Baie des Chaleurs 13-14 August Mexico Rally Guanajuato 03-04 September (initially 26-28 August) Mexico Rally Sierra Juarez 25-26 September (initially 28-30 May) Barbados Rally Barbados 27-28 November Mexico Rally Montanas
FIA RGT Cup21-24 January Monaco Rallye Monte-Carlo 07-09 May France Rallye Ain Jura 23-25 July Italy Rally di Roma Capitale 13-15 August (initially 25-26 June) Belgium Ypres Rally 14-17 October Spain RallyRACC Catalunya Note: The other FIA Regional Rally Championship calendars remain unchanged.
FIA GT CommissionFor a new competition designed for electric-powered GT cars, the council has selected the Promoter and will work towards concluding the next steps as soon as possible.
Council has chosen the exclusive battery cell supplier.Sporting regulations have been approved for both GT3 competitions scheduled for this year’s FIA Motorsport Games, the GT Cup for Silver/Bronze driver pairings and the GT Sprint Cup for a single driver of any ranking.
FIA Touring Car Commission
For a new competition designed for electric-powered Touring Cars, the council has selected the Promoter and will work towards concluding the next steps as soon as possible.
Sporting regulations have been approved for the FIA Motorsport Games: Touring Car Cup.
FIA Off-Road Commission
Amendments to the Technical Regulations for the FIA RX2e Championship, the first-ever FIA electric rallycross championship, which starts in 2021, were approved. Six race weekends are planned for the inaugural RX2e season, running alongside FIA World RX.
FIA Hill Climb Commission
An amendment to the FIA Hill Climb Regulations (Championship, Cup and Masters) was approved. The change allows FIA technical delegates to install randomly data loggers on cars to check the engine RPM during the competition. For Category 1 cars, this will allow crosschecking the RPM values submitted by competitors when registering their car in the “Performance Factor” system that decides in which Group the car is classified. In Category 2, checking RPM values is part of the on-going process of performance analysis of the cars.
The following calendar changes for the FIA European Hill Climb Championship for 2021 have been approved.
2021 FIA European Hill Climb Championship (updated)
07-09 May Portugal Rampa da Boticas 14-16 May Spain Subida Internacional al Fito 28-30 May Czech Republic Ecce Homo Sternberk (1) 11-13 June Germany Glasbachrennen 25-27 June Italy Coppa Paolino Teodori (1) 16-18 July Slovakia Dobšinský kopec (1) 23-25 July Poland Limanowa 13-15 August Switzerland St. Ursanne – Les Rangiers 27-29 August Slovenia GHD Petrol Ilirska Bistrica 17-19 September Croatia Buzetski dani (1) Subject to obtaining guarantees from the organisers via their ASN regarding the organisational and/or safety improvements.
FIA Historic Motor Sport CommissionThe following calendar changes for FIA Historic Championships in 2021 have been approved.
2021 FIA European Historic Sporting Rally Championship calendar (updated)09-11 April Italy 36° Sanremo Rally Storico 06-08 May Czech Republic 30. Historic Vltava Rally 24-26 June Hungary 54. Mecsek Rallye 15-17 July Austria Rally Weiz 13-14 August Finland Lahti Historic Rally 02-04 September Spain Rally Asturias Historico 23-25 September Italy 33° Rally Elba Storico 21-23 October Switzerland Rallye International du Valais 19-20 November Spain 69 Rally Costa Brava 2021 FIA Historic Hill Climb Championship calendar (updated)
28-30 May Czech Republic Ecce Homo Sternberk 18-20 June Slovenia GHD Gorjanci 02-04 July Italy Trento Bondone 09-11 July Italy Cesana Sestriere 27-29 August Slovenia GHD Petrol Ilirska Bistrica 17-19 September Croatia Buzetski Dani 24-26 September Italy Coppa Chianti Classico
2021 FIA Trophy for Historic Regularity Rallies (updated)11-13 November Poland 10th Rally Poland Historic 2021 FIA Historic Formula 3 European Cup
16-18 July Netherlands Zandvoort FIA Truck Racing Commission
Following a successful tender process, an exclusive supplier of biofuel for the FIA European Truck Racing Championship, covering the term from 2021-2023, has been selected, making FIA ETRC the first FIA-regulated competition to switch to a fuel fully originated from renewable sources (HVO biofuel). The announcement will be made in due course.
FIA Drag Racing Commission
In order to standarise class structure and regulations across national drag racing competitions, amended Technical Regulations and Race Procedures for FIA Drag Racing have been approved, with the addition of new “Sportsman” and “Grassroots” categories. The aim of this work is to support ASNs by:
- Enabling national level competitors to be able to compete across borders more easily, increasing entry numbers for all events
- Assisting national level technical officials to maintain a higher safety and regulatory standard
- Minimising the resources that an ASN must invest in Drag Racing by having the regulations instead maintained by the FIA, and
- Increasing the resale value of competition cars by making them eligible to compete in more markets.
FIA Drifting Commission
Sporting regulations have been approved for both the FIA Intercontinental Drifting Cup and the FIA Motorsport Games: Drifting Cup.
Sport Clubs Development Programme
The WMSC members were informed that applications had opened for the Sport Clubs Development Programme (SCDP) – an FIA Innovation Fund (FIF) initiative which provides support for the management and development of motor sport activities through an intensive, two-year mentoring process from FIA Experts. The closing date for applications is March 31.
Upcoming World Motor Sport Council Meetings
Dates of the FIA World Motor Sport Council meetings in 2021 are as follows:
09 July Monaco, on the occasion of the FIA Sport and Mobility Conference 15 October Paris 15 December Paris, on the occasion of the FIA Annual General Assembly -
ŠKODA privateer Yuya Sumiyama from Japan wins FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship 2018
Yuya Sumiyama blasting his way to victory in China Rally. Photo: Skoda Motorsport Longyou, 21 October 2018: Scoring victories on all five rounds, ŠKODA driver Yuya Sumiyama together with navigator Takahiro Yasui emerged champion in the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) 2018 as the pair registered a dominant win the final round, the China Rally Longyou, here on Sunday.
With a convincing performance, Sumiyama, driving a Team Cusco entered ŠKODA FABIA R5, opened up an additional chapter of one of the most successful seasons for ŠKODA Motorsport.
“Congratulations to Yuya Sumiyama, Takahiro Yasui and all at Team Cusco for continuing ŠKODA’s winning streak in the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship,” said ŠKODA Motorsport boss Michal Hrabánek. “This new success again shows the strength of our customer program.”
Actually Team Cusco in itself is special amongst the ŠKODA customer teams worldwide – right now its ŠKODA FABIA R5 is the first and only imported ŠKODA to Japan. As a reward, Team Cusco won the FIA Asia-Pacific Championship Teams Award 2018.
Winning the 2018 APRC driver title is Sumiyama’s biggest success so far. Competing in rallies since 2002, the 42-year old is one of the most experienced drivers from Japan. He had previously won the APRC-integrated Asia Cup in 2012 and 2014. In 2004 he celebrated his debut in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) when he competed at Rally Japan, at that time part of the WRC calendar. Since 2008, Sumiyama is part of Team Cusco, driving a ŠKODA FABIA R5 for the first time full season during the 2018 APRC.
Yuya Sumiyama and Takahiro Yasui on the podium along with APRC president Vicky Chandhok (third from left). Photo: Skoda Motorsport Having scored already four victories this season, Sumiyama started the final round of the championship, as the new champion. Nevertheless, he opened proceedings with the second fastest time in the first special stage. He was fastest of the APRC competitors ahead of the more powerful rally cars of the national Chinese Rally Championship’s own categories. But two stages later, the Team Cusco driver had to survive a heart-stopping moment.
“I entered one corner a little bit too fast and hit something with the left rear side of my car,” Sumiyama confessed. Although the suspension was bent, he managed to return to service, where Team Cusco’s mechanics fixed the car. The time loss made him drop significantly in the general classification. But when his opponent for the APRC category win, New Zealand driver Mike Young, had to retire due to a broken engine and Sumiyama reached the finish line as APRC winner.
On the podium, the winning pair and the whole Team Cusco were greeted by a cheering crowd, amongst them Dr. Ralf Hanschen, President ŠKODA China.
Final standings FIA APRC (after five rounds, one round cancelled):
- Yuya Sumiyama (JPN), ŠKODA FABIA R5, 193 points
- Fabio Frisiero (ITA), Peugeot 208 AP4, 79 points
- Michael Young (NZL), Toyota Vitz AP4, 37 points
FIA APRC Cup for Manufacturers (after five rounds, one round cancelled):
- ŠKODA, 193 points
- Peugeot, 79 points
- Subaru, 38 points
FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) – ŠKODA’s titles:
2018 Sumiyama/Yasui (JPN/JPN) ŠKODA FABIA R5
2017 Gill/Prévot (IND/BEL) ŠKODA FABIA R5
2016 Gill/Macneall (IND/NZL) ŠKODA FABIA R5
2015 Tidemand/Axelsson (SWE/SWE) ŠKODA FABIA R5/ŠKODA FABIA S2000
2014 Kopecký/Dresler (CZE/CZE) ŠKODA FABIA S2000
2013 Gill/Macneall (IND/NZL) ŠKODA FABIA S2000
2012 Atkinson/ Prévot (NZL/BEL) ŠKODA FABIA S2000
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Team MRF and Gaurav Gill head to WRC 2; quit APRC after 16 seasons and nine titles
Gaurav Gill (right) and co-driver Stephane Prevot with the 2017 FIA APRC trophy. Photo: Anand Philar By Anand Philar
Bengaluru, April 16: In a major motorsport move, India’s leading tyre manufacturer MRF Tyres on Monday announced their entry into the FIA World Rally Championship 2 category with Gaurav Gill at the wheels, thus ending their 16-season campaign in the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship which they had dominated with nine titles.
In a rather cryptic official press release today, Chennai-based MRF Tyres said: “Team MRF, having successfully won 9 APRC titles over the last many years, is now foraying into the WRC 2 with Gaurav Gill at the wheel. Further details will be shared shortly.”
INDIAinF1.com first broke this story in January 2018.
Gill, who is all set to launch his Advanced Driving Academy in his hometown Delhi shortly, said: “I am obviously thrilled. It is a dream come true for me. In the APRC, I had competed and beaten some of the best drivers from Europe and now, it is time for me to compete with them in their territory. Read my piece on his training sessions at Coimbatore here.
“This year, it is all about learning for both me and MRF. We will be participating in limited number of WRC 2 rounds, gathering a lot of data for tyre development etc. So, I do not expect any big results. As of now, we haven’t decided on the car I will be driving and also other details are being worked out. The picture will be clear in the coming weeks.”
The move up to WRC 2 was on the cards pending confirmation from MRF with Gill often expressing his desire to compete on the World stage after winning three APRC titles in 2013, 2016 and 2017.
For both MRF and Gill, it is a huge step forward, though it is more than likely that the team will use the 2018 WRC 2 season, which has seen four of the 13 scheduled rounds already completed, as a dip-stick prior to doing the full championship next year. It is not known which round MRF and Gill will enter this season with Round 5 to be held in Argentina (April 26-29), followed by Portugal (May 17-20).
Since MRF and Gill are not registered for 2018 WRC 2 championship, they will not be eligible for any points as per FIA regulations regardless of where they finish in the rounds they will be participating.
It is also to be confirmed whether MRF will continue their association with Czech car manufacturer Skoda or go with another make of car in the WRC 2.
File picture of Gaurav Gill in action. Photo: Anand Philar Skoda and MRF first partnered in the 2012 APRC season with the S2000 before the Czech manufacturer moving to the Skoda Fabia R5 in 2016. The MRF-Skoda partnership dominated the APRC by winning six championships on the trot between 2012 and 2017.
MRF made their APRC entry in 2002 with India’s top drivers at the time, Naren Kumar and Arjun Balu before opting for more experienced European crews in 2003 beginning with Germany’s Armin Kremer who won the championship on debut.
As for Gill, his long-cherished dream of competing at the World-level is about to become reality. The 36-year old Delhi-based ace, since his APRC debut in 2007, has evolved from a driver with raw speed to a mature pilot capable of competing with the best in the World. While winning three APRC titles, Gill time and again defeated Skoda’s factory-supported drivers to emphasise the point that he belongs to World level of rallying.
Gill is not new to the WRC scene. Backed by a Bengaluru-based company Sidvin, he participated in PWRC rounds in 2008 (Wales) and 2009 (Portugal and Cyprus), while becoming the first and only Indian to score points when he finished seventh in Portugal.
Gaurav Gill’s APRC record:
Starts: 57. Wins: 17. Podium: 12. Championship titles: 3 (2013, 2016 and 2017). Debut: 2007 in Mitsubishi Evo IX. First win: 2008, Indonesia in Mitsubishi IX. Last win: 2017, India (Coffee Day India Rally, Chikmagalur) in Skoda Fabia R5.
Team MRF’s Scroll of Honour in FIA APRC:
2003 – Armin Kremer / Fred Bressen (Germany) – Mitsubishi Evo VII
2005 – Jussi Valimaki / Jarko Kalliolepo (Finland) – Mitsubishi Evo VIII
2010 – Katsuhiko Taguchi (Japan) / Mark Stacey (Australia) – Mitsubishi Evo X
2012 – Chris Atkinson (Australia) / Stephane Prevot (Belgium) – Skoda Fabia S2000
2013 – Gaurav Gill (India) / Glenn Macneall (Australia) – Skoda Fabia S2000
2014 – Jan Kopecky / Pavel Dressler (Czech Republic) – Skoda Fabia S2000
2015 – Pontus Tidemand / Emil Axelsson (Sweden) – Skoda Fabia S2000
2016 – Gaurav Gill (India) / Glenn Macneall (Australia) – Skoda Fabia R5
2017 – Gaurav Gill (India) / Stephane Prevot (Belgium) – Skoda Fabia R5
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Gaurav Gill brings home third APRC title, says Indians too can do it on the World stage
Gaurav Gill obliges many of his little fans after defending his APRC title in Chikmagalur on Sunday. Photo by Srinivasa Krishnan India’s Gaurav Gill (right) and co-driver Stephane Prevot from Belgium with the FIA APRC trophy on 26 Nov 2017. Image by Anand Philar Chikkamagaluru, 26 Nov 2017: India’s Gaurav Gill came up with another mature drive to retain the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship title, his third since 2013, as he led another 1-2 Team MRF sweep in the Coffee Day India Rally 2017 ahead of team-mate Ole Christian Veiby from Norway, here on Sunday, by 17 minutes, 38.4 seconds.
Going into the Coffee Day India Rally, organized by Motor Sports Club of Chikmagalur, and which doubled up as the fifth and concluding round of the 2017 APRC, 35-year old Gill and co-driver Stephane Prevot of Belgium led Veiby (Stig Rune Skjarmoen) by six points with both requiring a win to clinch the title. With the 21-year old Norwegian suffering mechanical problems yesterday and losing time, Gill cruised to another fine win.
The victory was worth 38 points which took Gill’s tally to 174 while Veiby finished on 160. While the Indian ace won three of the five rounds, Veiby triumphed in the other two as MRF Tyres bag team championship while Skoda yet again took the manufacturer’s trophy. It was also Gill’s 17th win in APRC since his debut in 2008.
Enjoying a commanding 15-minute lead overnight, Gill did not feel the need to push hard and yet he won one of the day’s four Special Stages while Veiby continued his charge to move from third to the second spot.
Meanwhile, Abhilash PG, having completed all the Stages in third place today, retired during the transport run due to mechanical problems to the finish fourth, thus promoting Sri Lankan Shafraz Junaid (Akhry Ameer) to third.
Reflecting on his victory and the third APRC title, Gill said: “Obviously, I am extremely pleased to win such a hard-fought championship. My satisfaction lies in the fact that I beat my team-mate OC (Veiby) who is a World Championship driver and even won the round in Poland. More importantly, this victory is for Indian motorsport and it showed that India is capable of competing with the best talent in the World.
“For me personally, it satisfying to win three APRC titles despite the fact that I get to drive just five or six rounds in a year and not as much seat time in the rally car as my team-mate. OC, for instance, is a factory test driver for Skoda and also participates in the World Championship besides other rallies. So, for me to beat him despite the odds I face, is especially satisfying.
“Looking ahead, I think I have done enough to show that I have the pace and ability to compete at the World-level as my first APRC title in 2013 was against my then team-mate Esapekka Lappi from Finland who today is a regular in the World championship with several wins. At the moment, I accept what is on offer without thinking too much about what is in store for me in my rallying career.”
For APRC debutant Veiby, it was disappointing outing here and felt that he could have done much better than finishing second in the championship, but said he benefitted by competing against Gill.
“Yeah, for sure, I could have had better results on my debut in APRC this year. I had mechanical issues with my car in three of the five rounds. However, it was fun competing with Gaurav and I think I learnt a lot. Overall, it was a great experience, driving in different conditions, terrain and countries,” said Veiby.
Provisional results: APRC: 1. Gaurav Gill / Stephane Prevot (Team MRF, Skoda Fabia R5) (03hrs, 20mins, 19.8secs); 2. Ole Christian Veiby / Stig Rune Skjarmoen (Team MRF, Skoda Fabia R5) (03:37:58.2); 3. Shafraz Junaid / Akhry (Volkswagen Polo) (04:10:17.4).
eom/press release
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Gill unleashes fireworks and the crowd erupts into a thunderous applause: Coffee Day India Rally
Gaurav Gill weaves his magic to thrill the crowd at the Amber Valley School on Friday. Image by Anand Philar Chikkamagaluru, 24 November 2017: With a deep penchant for raw speed, Gaurav Gill has proved beyond doubt that he is the Master of the Game. Considered as the best rally driver India has ever produced, Gaurav Gill, the defending champion and the current leader of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship, set the tone for the sixth and final round at the Amber Valley School here on Friday.
He shook the earth and raised the dust, literally, and the 10,000-odd joyous crowd (approximate estimates) loved every second and every inch of it, and erupted into a thunderous applause. The man-made dirt track sprang to life and the crowd stood up in awe. Be it the speed or the drifting moves, the corners and the hand-brake manoeuvres, the daring and passionate champion provided seat-edged thrills in the Super Special Stage which is fashioned to provide the die-hard fan a real close-up treat. And Mr Gaurav Gill did not disappoint them today!
It lasted just, 2 minutes and 17.7 seconds, but with the start order being in reverse direction, the 38 INRC cars had to go through their laps before the faster APRC cars, six of them, arrived. But the crowd which gathered much before the scheduled 1.30pm had their fill. And the hours of wait, for over three hours, was worth the while, as Gill’s teammate Ole Christian Veiby clocked a blistering 2:17.9 and the crowd cheered him all the way. And it was, as if he is laying a red-carpet for his teammate, to take over the job of entertaining the fans. And then came the king of Indian motorsports, who unleashed his magic and the fireworks in ample measure. Then the ground was covered in thick, brown dust, and when it settled down, it was all over.
But those two minutes showcased THE MAN, THE SPEED, THE SKILL… It was just two minutes of an experience but those are the moments that we carry in our memories, for many years, maybe for life time. Thank you, Gill!
A difference of just 0.2 seconds, many thought was a minimal difference. But Gill beat OC (as the Norwegian is fondly called) by a substantial margin, as explained by a veteran motorsports journalist. For a SSS distance of 2.12 km, a difference of 0.2 seconds means, the gap would have been 2 seconds for 10 km and the first day’s stage distance is 143.42. So for a day, that margin of 0.2 seconds may not be 28-second gap in real terms but it gives a fair idea and puts in right perspective the difference between the Young Turk, who is well on his way to greater speeds, and the veteran warrior who loves to exhibit his passion and brute speed, and the inborn talent, on a larger stage, a la WRC2 or even an Euro Championship, where his teammate is currently on. And that’s the only logical conclusion onc can provide, for all his hard work, dedication and commitment for over a decade.
Is MRF listening? Only time will tell!
Super Special Stage report:
Gill (co-driver Stephane Prevot), the defending champion, clocked a blistering 02 minutes, 17.7 seconds over the 2.1 Kms circuit while APRC debutant Veiby (Stig Rune Skjarmoen) returned 02:17.9, both giving a thrilling exhibition of controlled aggression in their respective Race Torque-prepared Skoda Fabia R5 cars much to the delight of thousands of spectators.
Finishing a distant third behind the leading duo was PG Abhilash (Srikant Gowda) of Team R3A PGA Motorsports in a Subaru Impreza WRX Sti who timed 02:30.5, but ahead of New Zealand’s Mike Young (Malcolm Read), Sumit Panjabi (Nitin Jacob) and Sri Lanka’s Shafraz Junaid (Akhry Ameer).
Gill, who leads Veiby by six points in the winner-takes-all APRC title stakes, was last on the track and rode on the wave of popular support with a drive that would be long remembered after the 21-year old Norwegian, a regular in the WRC-2, posted a seemingly quickest time.
With so little separating them, Gill and Veiby are thus set for a battle royale over the next two days as the APRC caravan heads out to the estates of title sponsors Coffee Day Global for the Special Stages.
Earlier in the day, Veiby was the quickest in the shakedown clocking 01:23.3 as against Gill’s 01:25.0 as the pair had the first feel of the Skoda R5 this week, but the true test
“The stages are lot more open and wider than last year. So, the average speeds will be much higher. However, given the twisty route, I feel there will be a lot of stress on the car,” said Gill soon after the shakedown and during the pre-event FIA press conference when asked about his thoughts on the Stages following Thursday’s reconnaissance run.
Veiby said: “This event is nicknamed as “Rally of 1000 corners”, but it looks more like a million corners. The Stages are quite fast and I have never driven on such terrain. So, it is all about having a good feel of the car.”
In the MRF FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship that is being run concurrently and also organized by the Motor Sports Club of Chikmagalur, Younis Ilyas (Harish Kumar) was the quickest overall (02:35.7) followed by Arjun Rao (Satish Rajagopal) and Amittrajit Ghosh (Ashwin Naik) of Team Mahindra Adventure.
Provisional results (Super Special Stage – 2.1 Kms):
FIA APRC: 1. Gaurav Gill / Stephane Prevot (Team MRF, Skoda Fabia R5) (02mins, 17.7secs); 2. Ole Christian Veiby / Stig Rune Skjarmoen (Team MRF, Skoda Fabia R5) (02mins, 17.9secs); 3. PG Abhilash / Srikant Gowda (Team R3A PGA Motorsports, Subaru Impreza WRX Sti) (02:30.5).
MRF FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship (Overall): 1. Younis Ilyas / Harish Kumar (02:35.7); 2. 2. Arjun Rao / Satish Rajagopal (Volkswagen Polo R2) (02:36.2); 3. Amittrajit Ghosh / Ashwin Naik (Mahindra Adventure, XUV 500) (02:36.6).
eom/inputs from press release
