INDIA in F1

Tag: Aravind KP

  • Toby Price wins Stage 13; CS Santosh 33rd, Walkner still in overall lead: Penultimate stage Dakar 2018

    Toby Price wins Stage 13; CS Santosh 33rd, Walkner still in overall lead: Penultimate stage Dakar 2018

    Dakar Rally 2018 – Stage 13
    Toby Price has won the penultimate stage of the 2018 Dakar Rally. His victory ensures he maintains his third-place position in the provisional overall standings, just over five minutes behind the runner-up. Third on today’s stage, Antoine Meo moves up to fourth overall. Matthias Walkner, who rode to a safe fourth place today, retains his lead in the overall rankings.

    The lone Indian campaign spearheaded by Chunchunguppe S Santosh (CS Santosh) continued to flourish for Hero MotoSports Rally team as he finished the penultimate stage in a well-fought 33rd position. The other Indian of Sherco TVS team has pulled out after a nasty fall in the earlier stages. J Pedrero Garcia of Sherco TVS has taken a commendable fifth place in the stage while the other Indian team member of Hero O Mena gatecrashed into the top ten with an admirable performance finishing the stage successfully in 8th position.

    Adil Darukhanawala, Automotive author & historian, Editor-in-Chief for Fast Bikes India & editor-at-large Evo India, commented about O Mena on twitter: “What a fine run from Oriol Mena! He is now ranked 10th overall n could have been higher still but for stopping to help Honda’s Kevin Benavides. With 4 more days to go he could climb even higher up the leaderboard!” But after Stage 13, Mena is in overall 8th position with a total time of 43H 57′ 11”.  Juan Pedrero Garcia of Sherco TVS Rally Factory team is in 11th overall position with a time of 44H 14′ 25″.
    The longest of the rally, stage 13 proved a real test for the competitors. Comprising 483km of liaison with a two-part 424km timed special, the day required supreme endurance from the riders in order to get to the finish both quickly and safely. With the route including a difficult mixture of terrain, riders had to decide whether to push or play it safe.One rider who had little choice but to push was Toby Price. After losing time on stage 10 through a navigation error, Price had to take every opportunity he could to make up time on the leaders. With today’s win, Price closes in on second-placed Kevin Benavides, but still trails his team-mate and leader of the rally Matthias Walkner by over 27 minutes with one stage remaining.

    Toby Price: “That was a great stage, I was leading from the front and it was really good fun. The tracks were fast, and rough in places so I pushed on as much as I could in those sections. Navigation wasn’t too difficult today, I made a couple of mistakes along the way but nothing huge. There were a lot of speed zones so you had to be careful not to overdo it there, but I did what I set out to do and won the stage. It would have been nice to take a little bit more time off Kevin (Benavides) in front, but there’s still one day left. If you’d told me six weeks ago I’d be here fighting for the podium I would have laughed at you. I’m really happy with how things have gone so far and I’ll see what I can do tomorrow.”

    After leading the stage early on, Antoine Meo was in a close battle for the runner-up position for the rest of the stage. Finally crossing the line in third place, Meo was pleased with his result. The Frenchman now moves up to fourth in the provisional standings, 50 minutes down on the leader.

    Antoine Meo: “Today’s stage was good fun. I tried everything I could to catch Toby, but he was on the gas today. The last part of the stage was really fast and I eased off a little because a mistake there could have been very scary. I’m happy with how the day went, the result moves me up to fourth in the standings and that is what I was aiming for today. Now we just have one more day to ride so I’ll do my best and hopefully get a good, safe finish.”

    Matthias Walkner continues to ride in the style that has placed him in a commanding lead at the top of the standings – fast, consistent and with the minimum of mistakes. Walkner’s performance throughout the rally has been superb. Taking his time and concentrating on navigation, his fourth-place result from today sees the Austrian go into tomorrow’s final stage with a 22-minute lead over second placed Benavides. The former MX3 World Champion is now within sight of his first Dakar win.

    Matthias Walkner: “That was a really long day today. The guys at the front are pushing really hard and I’m feeling a little nervous so my aim is just to take things steady and get to the line safely. It was a really fast stage and just a small mistake could cause a big crash. I have got a 20-minute gap over the guys behind but even that amount of time can disappear easily if you get lost or have a problem with the bike. Tomorrow we still have 120km to race and anything can happen. I’ll start thinking about the win when I eventually cross the finish line tomorrow.”

    Setting off 18th this morning, Laia Sanz immediately fought her way up to 13th place at the first waypoint. Laia carried that position right to the end of the 424km special and by doing so also improved her ranking in the overall to 12th. With just one stage left to ride, Laia is head and shoulders above the rest of the female competitors and will be trying her best to claim a top-10 position overall.

    Laia Sanz: “I had a good day today. The start of the stage was really tough, the sand was extremely soft and there were a lot of whoops – I found that really hard on my body, especially after having a couple of crashes recently. The second half of the day was a lot better, it was very fast but easier to push so I kept to a good safe pace and made it to the finish without any mistakes. Tomorrow I will try to stay safe and hopefully enjoy the final stage of the rally.”

    Tomorrow’s stage 14 marks the end of the 2018 Dakar Rally. Although short at only 286km in total, the stage will still prove difficult for competitors. With a technical timed special crossing approximately 30 rivers on route, the stage could still turn in a few surprises for the top runners. Riders will have to focus right till the finish line if they are to successfully complete this 40th edition of the rally.

    Provisional Results Stage 13 – 2018 Dakar Rally

    1. Toby Price (AUT), KTM, 4:48:33
    2. Kevin Benavides (ARG), Honda, 4:50:36 +2:03
    3. Antoine Meo (FRA), KTM, 4:51:17 +2:44 
    4. Matthias Walkner (AUT), 5:00:05 +11:32
    5. Juan Pedrero Garcia (ESP), Sherco, 5:03:45 +15:12
    Other KTM
    7. Armand Monleon (ESP), KTM, 5:10:04 +21:31
    10. Gerard Farres (ESP), KTM, 5:12:07 +23:34
    13. Laia Sanz (ESP), KTM, 5:16:12 +27:39 

    Provisional Standings after Stage 13 – 2018 Dakar Rally

    1. Matthias Walkner (AUT), KTM, 41:33:42
    2. Kevin Benavides (ARG), Honda, 41:56:13 +22:31
    3. Toby Price (AUT), KTM, 42:01:27 +27:45 
    4. Antoine Meo (FRA), KTM, 42:23:59 +50:17 
    5. Gerard Farres (ESP), KTM, 42:35:01 +1:01:19 
    Other KTM
    9. Daniel Oliveras Carreras (ESP), KTM, 44:13:15 +2:39:33
    12. Laia Sanz (ESP), KTM, 44:24:19 +2:50:37

    www.dakar.com
  • Aravind KP’s ankle injury halts his Dakar 2018

    Aravind KP’s ankle injury halts his Dakar 2018

    By David Bodapati

    Arequipa, 11 January 2018: Aravind KP’s dream of finishing The Dakar Rally ended with an ankle injury in the fifth stage of the Dakar 2018 here on Thursday.

    Talking to INDIAinF1.com, Aravind said that he is overwhelmed by the love and support shown by the fans in India. He said he though he was disappointed with his premature end to the second season’s campaign, he felt good and encouraged by the huge demonstration of support from India. “After yesterday’s crash, I am feeling better now after getting medical attention. I would like to thank all my fans and well-wishers for their love and support all through Dakar. The doctors in Lima have informed me that I will require surgery once back in India…,” qupped the only rider among the two Indians who have ever competed in the Dakar Rally along with Santosh CS of Hero MotoSports. When it comes to injuries in workplace one can opt for legal experts for workers comp and occupational diseases in Florida.

    “So I am focused on staying positive and recovering quickly so that I can get back on the bike quickly,” he concluded and also thanked TVS Racing in a 2-part tweet, who were there brain behind promoting

    Arvind KP posts a picture of his ankle in bandage on twitter on Thursday. Image by Aravind KP

    an Indian champion to a World Stage for the second year running. He also thanked other TVS partners, who supported in his campaign. The auto accidents attorneys are the ones you can contact to get legal help. Unlike Gaurav Gill, the kind of Indian Motorsports, who is languishing for lack of a sponsor, Aravind feels grateful to the company, that has been a constant and consistent encouragement and backbone for his racing activities. The personal injury lawyers from Woburn area is whom you can consult in case there is need for legal aid.

    The Sherco TVS Factory Rally team traversed across a challenging trail between San Juan De Marcona and the city of Arequipa in Peru with lead rider Joan Pedrero taking a solid 18th position. The 764-km stage featured a 268-km ‘special’ where the riders had to ride through a difficult terrain of sand and dust. When it comes to injuries In Riverside area based auto accident lawyers can help providing proper legal aid.

    Aravind KP had an crash and injured his ankle to bring his second sojourn in the Dakar Rally to a premature end. He is undergoing medical treatment in Lima, Peru.

    Pedrero said: “I am happy to have arrived and to have been able to keep my bike intact.  It was a very difficult stage as the dunes are very tough and the course was very difficult to negotiate.”

    Team Manager David Casteu said: “It is a very difficult Dakar. The whole team is thinking about Aravind KP and wishes him speedy recovery.”

    The sixth stage of Dakar 2018, will witness extreme climatic conditions as the riders move from the confines of the deserts of Peru to the pristine landscape of Bolivia.  The riders expected to go past the shorelines of salt-water lakes before taking on the Bolivian Altiplano where mountain ranges cover altitudes of over 2500 kms.

    eom/TVS Sherco press release

  • Aravind KP part of Sherco TVS team for Dakar 2018

    Bangalore, 31 October 2017: Top Indian rider Aravind KP is nominated along with two others for the Sherco TVS Factory Rally Team for the daunting Dakar Rally. Joan Pedrero from Spain will be leading the squad which also has Adrien Metge from France . The Sherco TVS Factory Rally Team has been performing strongly in all the international rallies and is aiming for a top-10 finish at Dakar 2018.

    Dakar 2018 is the 40th edition of the annual International Rally-Raid, and Sherco TVS Factory Rally Team will be participating in the event for the fourth consecutive year. The Rally will be held from January 6, to January 20, 2018. This year, the Rally will cover three countries, beginning in Lima, Peru, and passing through La Paz, Bolivia, before finally culminating in Córdoba, Argentina, after having traversed a total distance of over 9000 km.

    This will be the second time that Aravind KP will participate in Dakar Rally. Joan Pedrero will be participating at Dakar Rally for the tenth consecutive time and this will be the 3rdDakar Rally for Adrien Metge.

    Vinay Harne, President – New Product Development, TVS Motor Company says, “Our partnership with Sherco for Dakar has been a hugely rewarding experience for our racing team. We have supported Indian riders and engineers in competing in international events and that has resulted in immense learning for both the partners. We wish the Sherco TVS Factory Rally Team the very best.”

    The Sherco TVS Factory Rally team participated in 4 international rally-raids this year – Baja Aragon, Merzouga Rally, PanAfrica Rally and 2017 OiLibya Rally of Morocco – with strong finishes in each.

    Thomas Teissier, General Manager, Sherco Motorcycles said, “This is the fourth year of our partnership, and with each passing year our preparation for Dakar has become more focused and fierce. We have a strong relationship with TVS Racing, and we have worked together on the existing team structure. We are excited to have Aravind KP in our team again. The preparation has been good so far, and I have full faith in the abilities of our team for Dakar 2018. The preparation in the last two months before the race will be very crucial, and I am sure that the team will perform to the best of their ability.”

    Arun Siddharth, Vice President Marketing – Premium Two Wheelers, International Business & TVS Racing, said, “TVS was the first Indian manufacturer to participate at Dakar and this year we have stepped up our participation in, and preparation for, international rally raids. Races such as PanAfrica Rally, Merzouga Rally and OiLibya Rally have helped get more exposure, thus helping us improve our readiness for Dakar.Based on our performance at the other rally-raids this year, we are aiming for a Top 10 finish at the Dakar 2018.”

    About TVS Racing: The journey of TVS Racing began 35 years back when Sundaram Clayton Limited (ATVS Group Company) introduced its 50 cc mopeds in the arena of road racing. Since then TVS Racing has been actively participating on and off-road racing events such as road racing, Super-cross and Motocross, Dirt Tracks, Rally etc. TVS Racing is the only factory team in India to have any woman rider as a part of their team. In early 2015, TVSRacing became the first Indian factory team to take part in Dakar Rally, which is the longest and toughest rally in the world. TVS Racing won eleven championships across all forms of two-wheeler motorsport events Supercross, Rallies and Road racing last year.

    About Dakar 2018: Dakar is the biggest rally-raid in the world. The rally had attracted more than 4 million spectators on the road in 2017. This is the 40th edition of Dakar. The rally will traverse through Peru, Bolivia and Argentina this year and will cover 15 days of racing. There are more than 500 competitors from 60 countries.

    eom/press conference in Bangalore

     

  • TVS Racing’s Aravind KP wins MRF National Supercross Championship

    Bengaluru, 21 Nov 2013: Aravind K P of TVS Racing, romped home in his own true style, winning the second moto of the fifth and final leg of the MRF FMSCI MOGRIP National Supercross Championship, which was held over the weekend at the makeshift CODISSIA track in Coimbatore.

    Having already notched up a comfortable lead of 31 points in the championship over his nearest rival, Javed Shaikh, a privateer from Goa, Aravind needed to win at least one moto to clinch the title. An eager Aravind however pushed a bit too hard in the first Moto and ended up finishing third and adding only 16 points to his kitty.

    His TVS Racing teammate Harith Noah took the first place while privateer C D Jinan from Kerala came second. The thirst for victory brought out a completely different rider in him in Moto 2.

    Despite stiff competition from Jinan, a determined Aravind K P rode head down in a steady line, with clean and confident jumps to emerge the clear winner. He finished with 173 points, claiming the trophy in the Foreign Open Class (250 – 500cc).

  • MAK K1000 INRC bike rally on Sunday

    Bangalore, 20 August 2010: Bangalore : The Karnataka-1000, the second round of the MAK Indian National Rally Championship (INRC) for two-wheelers will be held Sunday at Siddhalaghatta, near here.

    After a successful season opener at Coimbatore, which saw a record entries of over 40 bikes, the Bangalore leg too is bound to provide exciting thrills as the ‘Big Daddies’ are set to make their mark in K-1000.

    “Some Bullet fans have approached us showing interest to rally these big bikes and we are expecting to make arrangements and five of these biggie would be seen in action,” said Praneeth Perumal, who set the technically daunting but fast track, about 140 km, from the city.

    The second of the five rounds of the MAK INRC for Motorcycles will be organised by the Karnataka Motor Sports Club (KMSC) under the aegis of Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI), the governing body for the sport in the country.

    Riders from Team TVS Racing, who have dominated the two-wheeler section for long will continue to be strong contenders. Reigning National champion Arvind KP, along with the Pramod Joshua, who began the season with a bang, winning the Coimbatore leg, will be among the top contenders.

    The rally will have two Special Stages of 10.92 km and 8.95 km, and they will be run four times each in the same direction with service breaks in between. The total distance of Special Stage rallying will be 79.48 km.