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Tag: FMSCI
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Rajini Krishnan, Sarvesh Balappa keen to keep slate clean
Chennai, 4 August 2022: Experienced Indian racing ace Rajini Krishnan and Hubbali’s youngster Sarvesh Balappa who won all the four races in their respective classes will look to keep their slate clean as Round 3 begins here at the rechristened Madras International Circuit, which will open it newly-built Grand Stand for the Public for the first time. The facility could not be opened till now due Covid-19.
The MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2022 enters its crucial phase this weekend with the front-runners on the leaderboard keen to consolidate their positions by achieving a fine balance between outright aggression and smart riding.
While veteran Rajini Krishnan (RACR Castrol Power1), bidding for his 11th National title, has dominated the premier Pro-Stock 301-400cc category with four wins from as many starts, the situation in the popular Pro-Stock 165cc class is intriguing, though Pacer Yamaha’s Mathana Kumar enjoys a 35-point advantage. His arch-rivals, Rajiv Sethu (Idemitsu Honda SK69 Racing), and the Petronas TVS Racing pair of Deepak Ravikumar and KY Ahamed, showed signs of resurgence in Round-2 last month after a washout in the season-opener at Coimbatore in June. Thus, the expectations are high of close battles this weekend.
Hubballi’s Sarvesh Balappa (Axor Sparks Racing), with four wins out of four, is comfortably placed in the Novice category (Stock 165cc) that attracts a grid of some 40 riders. In the Girls category (Stock 165cc), just 10 points separate the top four – Aditi Krishnan (Bengaluru, Winverve Apex Racing Academy), Ann Jennifer (Chennai, Axor Sparks Racing), Jagruti Penkar (Mumbai, Axor Sparks Racing) and last year’s champion Ryhana Bee (Chennai, Pacer Yamaha), in that order.
The Petronas TVS One-Make Championship has seen some hectic action. In the Open category, there have been four different winners, while Bengaluru schoolboy Chiranth Vishwanath has won all four races in the Rookie class and Aditi Krishnan remains unbeaten after two outings in the Girls category.
Pune teenager Sarthak Shrikant Chavan, with a clean sweep of all four races, heads the NSF 250R class in the Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup as also Mumbai’s Raheesh Mudassar Khatri in the Novice (CBR 150) category.
The 20-race card will get rolling tomorrow (Friday) with Free Practice and qualifying sessions ahead of the races over the following two days which could see some exciting competition as was the case in the previous round last month.
While almost 200 entrants fight it out on the track, promoters Madras Motor Sports Club have thrown open the 600-seater grandstand along the main straight to the public and fans. Spectators can avail of refreshments and snacks besides watching the live streaming of the races on several 55-inch television monitors in the stands.
“The two rounds so far have witnessed some thrilling action and extremely close races, and this weekend, we are sure, it will be no different. We are hoping that the fans will turn out in good numbers to witness the action. We have opened the grandstand to the public for the first time since it was built in 2020, but could not be utilised due to the pandemic. A special award will be presented to a rider / team with the biggest cheering squad in the grandstand,” said MMSC vice-president Vicky Chandhok.
On the track, the National Championship will see double-headers in the two premier Pro-stock categories – 301-400cc Open and 165cc Open – besides the Novice (Stock 165cc) class, while one race is slated for the Girls (Stock 165cc) and the Stock 301-400cc, introduced as a support event this season.
The Petronas TVS One-Make Championship organised by MMSC – Open (Apache 310RR), and Rookie, Girls and Media (all Apache RTR200) – and the Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup – NSF 250R, Novice (CBR 150) and Hornet 2.0 (Support race) – make up rest of the weekend programme.
About Madras Motor Sports Club
Since its humble beginnings in 1953, the Madras Motor Sports Club has grown in stature as the hub of motorsport activity in India. Having moved its racing activities from Sholavaram to its present location, the Madras International Circuit (earlier MMRT), in Sriperumbudur in 1979, MMSC has kept pace with changing times by upgrading facilities. At a cost of about Rs 20 Crore, the MMSC built a pit complex comprising 20 garages, VIP hospitality suites and a viewing gallery, on the eastern side, apart from a second Paddock on the western side with its own short circuit. Parallelly, MMSC imported timing equipment specifically for Drag racing. The Control Room too was upgraded with state-of-the-art hardware while the track itself was improved to meet the exacting FIA standards for Grade-2 certification. MMSC also constructed a 500-capacity grand stand with provision for garages / storage below. In another upgrade, the MMSC installed Digi flags from TAG Heuer Chronolec that will be positioned strategically around the track. The facilities are also extensively used by various vehicle manufacturers for testing their products, displays and corporate days.
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Hemanth Muddappa begins campaign with a triple; Alimon bags Unrestricted class
Chennai, 24 July 2022: Multiple Indian National champion Bengaluru’s Hemanth Muddappa (Mantra Racing) continued his domination in the MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Drag Racing Championship with a triple crown in the season-opener which concluded at the Madras International Circuit, here on Sunday.
Muddappa, the nine-times National champion, participating in four different categories, emerged triumphant in three (one of them a support race), but his exploits notwithstanding, it was Alimon Saidalvi (Bengaluru) who was the quickest rider over the weekend as he topped the Unrestricted category, clocking a blistering 07.775 seconds for the 302-metre dash on a Kawasaki Ninja.
Muddappa, astride a Suzuki Hayabusa, topped in the Super Sport 1051-1650cc category in which he has remained unbeaten over the past few years. Earlier, riding a BMW S1000RR, Muddappa was the quickest in the Super Sport 551-850cc category after winning in the Super Sport 851-1050cc support race atop a Kawasaki ZX6R machine.
Mumbai’s Hussain Khan won in the Super Sport Indian 361-550cc category ahead of Aiyaz from Bengaluru and local rider Bharath Raj.
The results (all 4-Stroke):
National Championship – Unrestricted: 1. Alimon Saidalvi (Bengaluru) (07.775secs); 2. Attaullah Baig (Bengaluru) (08.090s); 3. Siddharth Ratan Parmar (Mumbai) (08.254s).
Super Sport 1051-1650cc: 1. Hemanth Muddappa (Bengaluru, Mantra Racing) (08.228s); 2. Vignesh Purushotham (Bengaluru) (08.309s); 3. Hafizullah Khan (Bengaluru) (08.398s).
Super Sport 551-850cc: 1. Hemanth Muddappa (Bengaluru, Mantra Racing) (08.614s); 2. Siddharth Ratan Parmar (Mumbai) (08.788s); 3. Saurabh Parab (Mumbai) (09.086s).
Super Sport Indian 361-550cc: 1. Hussain Khan (Mumbai) (12.247s); 2. Aiyaz (Bengaluru) (12.350s); 3. Bharath Raj (Chennai) (12.691s).
Support race – Super Sport 851-1050cc: 1. Hemanth Muddappa (Bengaluru, Mantra Racing) (08.013s); 2. Khaja Awais Ahmed (Hyderabad) (08.281s); 3. Saurabh Parab (Mumbai) (08.325).
Support race – Super Sport 166-225cc: 1. Badhusha M (Chennai) (13.639s); 2. Srikkanth P (Bengaluru) (14.054s); 3. Karthik M (Chennai) (15.324s).
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Sindy hoists AS Motorsports flag high; Aiyaz, Chandra, Madhan win
Chennai, 23 July 2022: Active motorsports couple Soundari ‘Sindy’ and her tuner Ananthraj ‘Andy’ combined successfully to hoist the AS Motorsports flag high taking the honours in the Girls ‘Stock up to 165cc’ category in the first round of the MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Drag Racing Championship 2022 which commenced at the rechristened Madras International Circuit (MIC) here on Saturday. Bengaluru’s Chandra Shekar N topped in the Super Sport Indian up to 165cc while local rider Madhan Kumar and Aiyaz of Bengaluru also won their respective classes.
Ananthraj and Soundari, the proud motorsports couple! “This win is awesome and it is an unforgettable moment for me as a rider. It is also special for me because, as a rider I won and got my husband his first tuner trophy. As a couple it is a historic day for us. Today the bike setup is perfect and competing with competitive young girls as a mom, makes that feeling great,” said Sindy, who also volunteers as an active official for many motorsports events.
The Drag Nationals promoted by Madras Motor Sports Club (MMSC) under the aegis of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (fmsci) has attracted a record 145 entries as the 2022 season got off to a bright start with Soundari, popular known as Sindy, edging out Puducherry’s Lani Zena Fernandez of RACR Castrol Power 1, in a close battle with a tenth of a second separating the two. Mumbai’s Sarah Khan of Axor Sparks Racing completed the podium.
Chandra Shekar was in his elements in winning from Bharath Raj of Rockers Racing from Chennai with another Bengalurean, Gowtham R finishing third fastest in the Super Sport Indian upto 165cc class.
Bengaluru’s Aiyaz wins 2-stroke Super Sport (131-165cc) class.
All photos by Srinivasa Krishnan/INDIAinF1Aiyaz from Bengaluru emerged a comfortable winner in the 2-stroke Super Sport (131-165cc) category ahead of Madhan Kumar R of Chennai and Abudul Shaikh, also from Bengaluru, finished third.
Madhan Kumar, however, came up trumps in the 2-stroke Super Sport (up to 130cc) category with local rider Aravind Ganesh of AP Motorsports taking second ahead of Abdul Shaikh of Bengaluru in third.
The two-day event concludes on Sunday, July 24, which will see races in six more categories, including the high-end Above 1000cc class and the Unrestricted Open where 9-time National Champion, Hemanth Muddappa, is set to begin his campaign in four different classes.
The (Provisional) results :
4-Stroke – Girls (Stock Up to 165cc): 1. Soundari Ananthraj (Chennai, AS Motorsports) (16.491secs); 2. Lani Zena Fernandez (Puducherry, RACR Castrol Power 1) (16.571s); 3. Sarah Khan (Mumbai, Axor Sparks Racing) (17.023s).
Super Sport Indian (up to 165cc): 1. Chandra Shekar N (Bengaluru) (13.989s); 2. Bharath Raj (Chennai, Rockers Racing) (14.292s); 3. Gowtham R (Bengaluru) (14.469s).
2-Stroke – Super Sport Up to 130cc: 1. Madhan Kumar R (Chennai) (13.449s); 2. Aravind Ganesh (Chennai, AP Motorsports) (13.582s); 3. Abdul Shaikh (Bengaluru) (13.777s).
Super Sport 131-165cc: 1. Aiyaz (Bengaluru) (12.845s); 2. Madhan Kumar R (Chennai) (13.310s); 3. Abdul Shaikh (Bengaluru) (13.313s).
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2022 2w Road Racing National attracts over 200 bikers
Coimbatore, 9 June 2022: The MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship returns to the refurbished Kari Motor Speedway here after a three-year interval for the Rolon Round which commences on Friday, June 10.
The five-round 2022 championship, like the previous edition, promises to be another thriller as the country’s top riders, several of them with international credentials, and two-wheeler manufacturers like TVS, Honda, KTM and Yamaha, vie for honours. The number of entries, as in the previous seasons, has crossed the 200-mark.
The weekend card includes the National Championship comprising four categories – Pro-Stock 301-400cc and 165cc, Novice (Stock 165cc) and Girls (Stock 165cc) – while Petronas TVS One-Make Championship (301-400cc Open, Rookie, Girls and Media) and Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup (NSF 250R, CBR 150 and Hornet 2.0) are also part of the programme. A new addition is the Stock 301-400cc category which will be run as a support race.
The overall response from the riders has been overwhelming. The promoters, Madras Motor Sports Club, celebrating their 70th anniversary, closed the entries for the Novice (Stock 165cc) category within five days after opening.
MMSC president Ajit Thomas said: “It is great to be back at the Kari Motor Speedway after a three-year break due to the pandemic. We are overwhelmed by the tremendous response for the Rolon Round this weekend that should dish out high quality and exciting races. While we welcome and thank the riders and manufacturers for their participation, MMSC remains grateful to MRF Tyres for their continued involvement in the championship.”
The two Pro-Stock categories will headline the weekend card as both grids are brimming with riders with proven credentials and international experience. Topping the line-ups are Rajini Krishnan (301-400cc, RACR Castrol Power) and Jagan Kumar (165cc, Petronas TVS Racing). Both notched their 10th National titles last season.
Similarly, Ryhana Bee, who has moved to the Pacer Yamaha team, would be the rider to beat in the Girls section. She clinched the title last year, winning all five rounds.
The Novice category (under-23), which boasts of a massive grid of 32 riders selected from 35 entrants, will throw up a new champion who, though, will have to earn the title considering the highly competitive field comprising riders who are keen to annex their maiden National crown.
The two One-Make Championships by Honda and TVS have never failed to produce close races in all their categories in the seasons gone by and it is unlikely to be any different this year.
While Friday is set aside for Free Practice and a few qualifying sessions, 20 races will be gone through over the next two days.
About Madras Motor Sports Club
Since its humble beginnings in 1953, the Madras Motor Sports Club has grown in stature as the hub of motorsport activity in India. Having moved its racing activities from Sholavaram to its present location, the Madras International Circuit (earlier MMRT), in Sriperumbudur in 1979, MMSC has kept pace with changing times by upgrading facilities. At a cost of about Rs 20 Crore, the MMSC built a pit complex comprising 20 garages, VIP hospitality suites and a viewing gallery, on the eastern side, apart from a second Paddock on the western side with its own short circuit. Parallelly, MMSC imported timing equipment specifically for Drag racing. The Control Room too was upgraded with state-of-the-art hardware while the track itself was improved to meet the exacting FIA standards for Grade-2 certification. MMSC also constructed a 500-capacity grand stand with provision for garages / storage below. In another upgrade, the MMSC installed Digi flags from TAG Heuer Chronolec that will be positioned strategically around the track. The facilities are also extensively used by various vehicle manufacturers for testing their products, displays and corporate days.
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Revised calendar for FIM India Mini-GP
Bengaluru, 2 June 2022: FIM and Dorna Sports, the promoters of MotoGP and FIM MiniGP world series have changed the calendar of the India events for the 10 to 14 year riders in India as they are clashing with the other two-wheeler Racing Nationals.
In what could be a game-changer for two-wheeler racing in the country, India has been included in the FIM MiniGP World Series 2022 with a five-round competition under the aegis of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI). The India series, comprising 10 races, will be held in Bengaluru and Hyderabad, from July.
FIM, the World governing body for two-wheeler racing, in conjunction with Dorna Sports, promoters of the FIM MotoGP, launched the MiniGP Series in 2021, as part of the Road To MotoGP programme, aiming to create an equal platform for young riders around the World to begin their motorcycle racing careers. The Series is restricted to riders in the 10-14 years age-group.
The FIM MiniGP World Series India 2022 kicks-off with selection trials in Bengaluru on July 2-3 at Meco Kartopia. The first of the five rounds will also be held at Meco Kartopia, on July 23-24, before moving to Hyderabad for the next two rounds and then returning to Bengaluru for the final two rounds. Each round will comprise two races.
The selected riders will compete on equal Ohvale GP-0 160 machinery (Mini bikes) while Pirelli is the official single tyre supplier for all the FIM MiniGP World Series with a standard tyre allocation given per event. All the five rounds (10 races) will be run on karting tracks that meet minimum standards set by the FIM or the national federation.
The uniqueness of the India series is that the reputed Italian manufacturer Ohvale will provide mini bikes and full racing kit besides service at no cost to the competitor. KYT will provide helmets while Videm, Ohvale India and RMS Motorsport are the main sponsors.
India, along with Australia, Austria, Indonesia, Japan and Qatar are the new additions to the Series that already includes 10 other countries – France, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, the Netherlands, North America, Portugal, Spain, the UK and Alpe-Adria.
fmsci president Akbar Ebrahim said: “We welcome the FIM MiniGP World Series to India. It is a big step forward in our efforts to identify, nurture and promote young talent in our country. The Series also presents a massive platform for talented youngsters to showcase their skills and pursue their racing dreams. It is a great initiative on part of Ohvale to provide the machines and riding gear without charge and hopefully, this incentive will encourage and inspire more youngsters to take to the sport.”
Marco Rossetto, Product Manager, Ohvale India, said: “The FIM MiniGP World Series India is a fruition of the groundwork we did in the past few years. India is a logical choice considering the two-wheeler population. We plan to tap and harness the abundant racing talent, and hopefully, India will produce a MotoGP rider in the near future. The response thus far has been tremendous and we are grateful to the FMSCI for granting us permission besides actively involving in the programme.”
The 2022 Calendar
July 2-3: Tryouts and selections, Kartopia circuit, Bengaluru
July 23-24: Round 1, Meco Kartopia circuit, Bengaluru
August 20-21: Round 2, Chicane circuit, Hyderabad
August 27-28: Round 3, Chicane circuit, Hyderabad
Sept 10-11: Round 4, Meco Kartopia circuit, Bengaluru
Sept 24-25: Round 5, Meco Kartopia circuit, Bengaluru
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National 2W Championship poised for a grand climax
Chennai, 1 Feb 2022: The MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2021 reaches its grand climax this weekend when the fifth and final round, comprising 23 races, will be held at the MMRT over three days from Thursday, February 3.
Promoters Madras Motor Sports Club, now in their 70th year, have scheduled a massive card that also includes 10 free practice and 11 qualifying sessions, besides the four races held over from previous round. Thus, it makes for a mega, action-packed weekend that will also herald freshly-crowned National champions for the 2021 season which spilled into 2022 due to Covid-19-related delays. As in the previous rounds, the number of entries has far exceeded 100 with country’s top manufacturers – Honda, TVS, Yamaha and KTM – also in the mix.
While Ryhana Bee (RACR Castrol Power Ultimate) has already sealed the title in the Girls (Stock 165cc) category with a round to spare after winning all four out of four races for an unbeatable lead, two veterans, Rajini Krishnan, 41, and Jagan Kumar, 32, have one hand on the big trophy.
Multiple National champion Rajini (RACR Castrol Power Ultimate Racing), needs a mere four points from the double-header to seal the championship in the premier Pro-Stock 301-400cc category where he has won six races from eight starts. Likewise, Jagan (TVS Racing), who has won three races from eight starts, is 10 points shy of claiming the title in the Pro-Stock 165cc category, and if he does so, it will be his 10th cumulative National crown since his first in 2009.
In contrast, the situation in the Novice (Stock 165cc) category, has two riders, Thrissur’s Anfal Akdhar (Rockstar Racing, two wins) and local youngster Alwin Sundar (AS Motorsports, four wins) tied on 128 points. However, with three more races, including one held over from previous round, and a maximum of 75 points at stake, the National title in this category is up for grabs.
The card also includes one-make championships organized by the MMSC – the Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup which has two categories in NSF 250 and CBR 150 besides a support class, the Hornet 2.0, and the TVS which comprises four classes in Open (Apache RR 310), Rookie, Girls and Media (all RTR 200) classes. The titles in all these categories is still to be decided, except in TVS Girls where local teenager Rakshita Dave has clinched the crown with a round to spare.
“The 2021 season has been long and challenging, but now, we are into the final round this weekend that should witness tough battles for championship positions. We have had some exciting races through the season with increasing number of young aspirants taking part in the championship. Through the challenging times, our sponsors, MRF Tyres, have stood by us, as also the other stakeholders like the riders, manufacturers and of course, the Media who have consistently extended us generous coverage. We remain indebted to all of them,” said MMSC president Ajit Thomas.
About Madras Motor Sports Club
Since its humble beginnings in 1953, the Madras Motor Sports Club has grown in stature as the hub of motorsport activity in India. Having moved its racing activities from Sholavaram to its present location, the MMRT circuit in Sriperumbudur in 1979, MMSC has kept pace with changing times by upgrading facilities. At a cost of about Rs 20 Crore, the MMSC built a pit complex comprising 20 garages, VIP hospitality suites and a viewing gallery, on the eastern side, apart from a second Paddock on the western side with its own short circuit. Parallelly, MMSC imported timing equipment specifically for Drag racing. The Control Room too was upgraded with state-of-the-art hardware while the track itself was improved to meet the exacting FIA standards for Grade-2 certification. MMSC also constructed a 500-capacity grand stand with provision for garages / storage below. In another upgrade, the MMSC purchased Digi flags from TAG Heuer Chronolec that will be positioned strategically around the track. The facilities are also extensively used by various vehicle manufacturers for testing their products, displays and corporate days.
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FMSCI statement: Rally de Vizag, INRC 4w season
As expected, the Federation of Motors Sports Clubs of India (fmsci) released a Statement on the INRC 4w 2021 fiasco as the season failed to take off. However, it absolves itself and appears to have blamed only the Promoter for all the ills and the circumstances leaving the Drivers in the lurch. However, it has to be seen how much money would the Clubs receive to host the remaining three rounds.
It is also clear that the privateers, drivers and teams, will not get any compensation as expected and demanded by the Promoter. Only solace for the Factory team drivers, as JK Tyre is likely to compensate the 8 or 9 drivers who are in Yellow colours. With not many in the Red colours, virtually all the other 45 will have to fend for themselves.
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Kyle Kumaran makes India proud at World stage: Rotax Karting Grand Finals
Sakhir (Bahrain), 16 Dec 2021: Peregrine Racing’s Kyle Aditya Kumaran made India proud winning the silver medal at the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals, the annual Karting competition for National Rotax champions from 72 countries around the world, which concluded here at the Bahrain International Karting Circuit on Saturday.
THE RACE
RMCGF, Final DD2, Van Leeuwen precedes Kumaran
Kumaran, Barbaroux, Van Leeuwen and Locmelis are the quartet that characterises this final since the beginning. Continuous changes do not allow those who follow to catch up with the leading group. A few laps to the finish line and van Leeuwen and Barbaroux manage to pull away about ten meters from Kumaran and Locmelis. The Dutchman closes the gaps and Barbaroux doesn’t manage to slip through. The chequered flag thus sanctions the victory of Van Leeuwen over Kumaran. While Barbaroux will find himself 11th after a 10″ penalty. Third place goes to Locmelis. Courtesy VroomKart.Kumaran loves Indian flag
The 18-year-old Kyle Kumaran, took part in the DD2 category, a step higher than the Senior class, and finished third in the pre-finals to qualify for the 36-grid Finals where he was crowned vice-champion to make sure that the Indian flag flies at the F1 circuit in Bahrain.
Kyle Kumaran, #401, on his way to become vice-champion from a field of 72 countries on Saturday. Photo credit: INDIAinF1 by special arrangement Kyle Kumaran, racing with Peregrine team, became the 2021 Senior National Karting Champion last month and booked his ticket for Grand Finals. Kumaran, races with Team DojoMoto internationally and is managed by Anjum Shaik. He finished the 21-lap Final race in third clocking 18minutes 41.392seconds and was promoted to second place as Antoine Barbaroux was slammed a ‘bumper penalty’. Thus Kumaran became the Vice-Champion in the DD2 shifter class. Martun van Leeuwen of the Netherlnads won the gold and Patriks Noels Locmelis came third. Starting from P4, Kyle was just 0.198sec behind the gold winner Martun’s time of 18:41.194.
Kyle Aditya Kumaran with his mom Denys Kumaran at Sakhir track before the Finals. An INDIAinF1 photo courtesy Peregrine Racing. “Getting a silver medal at the Grand finals which is very competitive with National Rotax champions from 72 countries taking part is a fantastic achievement. Kyle Kumaran made India extremely proud. It is a proud moment for all of us at FMSCI. I congratulate the racer and his family,” said Akbar Ebrahim, President of the Federation of Motor Sports Club, the governing body for Motorsport in India. Ebrahim was the brain behind introducing Rotax Max karting Nationals in Indian in 2003. “This is the first time in the Indian history of Rotax Max that we are getting a medal at the World stage,” added the former racing champion.
“A disciplined and talented driver, always had his head down and focused. It is a proud moment for India. He has a bright future and I wish him all the best,” said Shyam Kumar, the Chief Steward at the Rotax Max Indian National Karting Championship.
Peregrine team Principal Madesh Lakshman was facilitated Kumaran’s participation and winning the Senior National championship said: “I am always confident with Kyle’s ability and his race craft. We were expecting a podium in the Grand Finals from the beginning. He is talented and his hard work and dedication brought laurels for India. It is a proud moment for all of us at Peregrine.”
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Chirag Ghorpade dominates the proceedings in F1600
Chennai, 10 Dec 2021: Sixteen-year Bengaluru schoolboy Chirag Ghorpade dominated the proceedings in the MRF F1600 class by posting a couple of stunning time to become the fasted driver of the day while defending champion Arjun Balu (Race Concepts) from Coimbatore survived a dramatic spin and emerged the fastest among saloon cars as the second round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Car Racing Championship commenced at the MMRT, here on Friday.
Ghorpade, only 16, did 01 minute, 39.809 in the first practice session and went even quicker in the second, clocking 01:39.761. His arch-rival, Shahan Ali Mohsin, the teenager from Agra, who leads Ghorpade in the championship standings following his double in the first round, matched the timing with a 01:39.937 in the morning run, but was way off the pace in the second session due to gearbox issues and was placed ninth.
“I am quite happy with my lap times today, though I need to improve a bit in the first sector,” said Ghorpade.
Earlier, Balu topped both the practice sessions in the premier Indian Touring Cars class. He clocked a best lap of 01:51.680 in the first outing this morning and bettered it with a 01:51.308 in the afternoon despite a vicious spin that led to a brief red flag period.
Defending champion Arjun Balu (39), the quickest among saloon cars on Friday in Free Practice 10 Dec 2021 at Madras Motor Race Track. Photo by Anand Philar “We made some setup changes for the second practice session. There was far too much grip in the front and I spun, but am happy that I could still post a quick lap thereafter,” said Balu.
In the Formula LGB 1300 category, Viswas Vijayaraj from Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, clocked 01:53.143 in the second practice session for the best lap. It improved on his 01:54.159 in the earlier outing which his DTS Racing team-mate from Kolkata, Arya Singh, topped (01:53.993).
Bangladesh’s Aiman Sadat (01:57.049) was the quickest in the Volkswagen Polo class as he topped both the practice sessions that promise close battles this weekend with half-a-dozen drivers covered by less than one second.
In the MRF Saloon Cars category (Toyota Etios) that has a grid of 21, Ahmedabad’s Akshay Gupta posted the best lap of 02:05.257 over two practice sessions.
The qualifying sessions for all categories followed by five races will be run on Saturday.
About Madras Motor Sports Club
Since its humble beginnings in 1953, the Madras Motor Sports Club has grown in stature as the hub of motorsport activity in India. Having moved its racing activities from Sholavaram to its present location, the MMRT circuit in Sriperumbudur in 1979, MMSC has kept pace with changing times by upgrading facilities. At a cost of about Rs 20 Crore, the MMSC built a pit complex comprising 20 garages, VIP hospitality suites and a viewing gallery, on the eastern side, apart from a second Paddock on the western side with its own short circuit. Parallelly, MMSC imported timing equipment specifically for Drag racing. The Control Room too was upgraded with state-of-the-art hardware while the track itself was improved to meet the exacting FIA standards for Grade-2 certification. MMSC also constructed a 500-capacity grand stand with provision for garages / storage below. In another upgrade, the MMSC purchased Digi flags from TAG Heuer Chronolec that will be positioned strategically around the track. The facilities are also extensively used by various vehicle manufacturers for testing their products, displays and corporate days.
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Deepak leads Momentum 1-2; Defending champ Arjun Balu on pole
Chennai, 25 Sept 2021: Shahan Ali Mohsin, the 17-year old from Agra and a multiple National Karting champion, snatched the pole position in the MRF F1600 category just ahead of Chirag Ghorpade of Bengaluru while K Suriya Varathan from Coimbatore and Bengaluru’s Rishon Rajiv occupied the second row. Meanwhile, Deepak Ravikumar from Chennai led a brilliant 1-2 finish for Momentum Motorsport along with Ghorpade in the Formula LGB 1300 race in the first round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Car Racing Championship 2021 at the MMRT here on Saturday.
Two other X30 karting talent, Ruhaan Alva, the reigning Senior champion and Delhi school boy Jaden R Pariat, originally from Guwahati, the vice-champion in the Junior section, posted competitive times making their debut in the National Racing championship at the Madras Motor Sports Track (MMRT). More than half a dozen newcomers made their debut in the National Championship taking part in the Formula LGB1300, the entry class on Saturday as the sounds of the single-seater Formula cars reverberated at Madras Motor Sports Club.
Deepak Ravikumar celebrates his victory in the Formula LGB 1300 race (Sept 25) at MMRT. Photos By Anand Philar Behind him, Ghorpade covered a lot of ground starting from P8 to finish a deserving second ahead of Kotagiri’s 10th standard student Amir Sayed (M Sport) who too cut through the field from P7.
In the popular Saloon car category, Coimbatore veteran and defending champion Arjun Balu (Race Concepts), expectedly took the pole position followed by the Rayo Racing pair from Hyderabad Anindith Reddy and Jeet Jhabakh.
Another Bengalurean, Aditya Sawaminathan, qualified for pole position in the Volkswagen Polo category with Bangladesh’s Aiman Sadat in second position and Kolkata’s Arya Singh third.
The results (Provisional):
Arjun Balu, who took pole position in the Saloon cars category (Sept 25) at MMRT. Formula LGB 1300 (Race-1, 8 laps): 1. Deepak Ravikumar (Momentum Motorsport, Chennai) (20mins, 04.575secs); 2. Chirag Ghorpade (Momentum Motorsport, Bengaluru) (20:10.045); 3. Amir Sayed (MSport, Kotagiri) (20:12.571).
Qualifying – MRF F1600: 1. Shahan Ali Mohsin (Agra) (Best lap – 01:40.148); 2. Chirag Ghorpade (Bengaluru) (01:40.741); 3. K Suriya Varadhan (Coimbatore) (01:40.977).
All Saloons – Indian Touring Cars: 1. Arjun Balu (Race Concepts, Coimbatore) (01:50.927); 2. Anindith Reddy (Rayo Racing, Hyderabad) (01:52.329); 3. Jeet Jhabakh (Rayo Racing, Hyderabad) (01:52.592).
Super Stock: 1. Rithvik Thomas (Race Concepts, Bengaluru) (01:58.645); 2. Deepak Ravikumar (Performance Racing, Chennai) (01;58.841); 3. RP Raja Rajan (Performance Racing, Chennai) (01:59.433).
Indian Junior Touring Cars: 1. Varun Anekar (Race Concepts, Bengaluru) (01:58.911); 2. K Srinivas Teja (Performance Racing, Chennai) (02:03.402); 3. Hatim Shabbir Jamnagarwala (Performance Racing, Chennai) (02:05.029).
Volkswagen Polo: 1. Aditya Swaminathan (Bengaluru) (1:56.609); 2. Aiman Sadat (Bangladesh) (1:56.747); 3. Arya Singh (Kolkata) (1:56.993).
