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Tag: Grand Prix of India
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MotoGP signs new contract with Uttar Pradesh for the Grand Prix of India
A new agreement, signed directly with the Government of Indian region Uttar Pradesh, confirms MotoGP will return to Buddh International Circuit for the next three seasons.
New Delhi, 31 July 2024: MotoGP has signed a new contract with Invest UP, the Government of Uttar Pradesh’s agency that facilitates international investment into the state. The agreement confirms the Indian Grand Prix will be on the calendar from 2025 to 2027 inclusive. The event will continue to be held at Buddh International Circuit, which made its debut on the MotoGP calendar in 2023.
With a population of over 1.4 billion people and more than 200 million motorcycles on its roads, India is a key global market for MotoGP, our manufacturers and many of the sport’s partners. Two-wheeled transportation counts for nearly 75% of the total number of vehicles used daily.
India also has a healthy established audience for MotoGP, with further scope to grow in coming seasons. The inaugural Grand Prix at Buddh saw more than 100,000 fans come to see history made as the world’s most exciting sport raced in the country for the first time.
This new agreement, signed directly between MotoGP rights holder Dorna Sports and the government of Uttar Pradesh, the most populous region in India, provides the perfect backdrop to further the success of both the sport and motorcycle industry across the country.
Mr. Manoj Kumar Singh, Chief Secretary-cum-Infrastructure & Industrial Development Commissioner, Government of UP, emphasized the monumental significance of this agreement: “Bringing MotoGP to Uttar Pradesh not only elevates our state on the global sports stage but also catalyzes substantial economic growth across tourism, hospitality, and associated sectors. This event will magnetize visitors worldwide, spotlighting Uttar Pradesh’s prowess in hosting world-class sporting extravaganzas.”
Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports, said: “We’re very happy to announce this new agreement made directly with the government of Uttar Pradesh. The inaugural Indian Grand Prix was a key success and brought an enormous amount of value to both MotoGP and our host region of UP, so it’s fantastic we are able to continue building that together into the future.
“India is an essential market for MotoGP, with a healthy, established audience for the racing, and one we know we can increase exponentially. There are also hundreds of millions of two-wheeled vehicles used across the country every day, making it vital for our manufacturers and for the sport itself thanks to MotoGP’s position as the pinnacle of two wheels.
“We’re very proud to work directly with the government of Uttar Pradesh to bring MotoGP back to India, and UP and Buddh International Circuit, for the next three seasons.”
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Bezzecchi wins; Bagnaia crashes; That’s enough to tighten up the title-fight
A stunning turn of speed, a shocking crash, two duels to the wire and four factories in the top five: India spices up the Championship in style.
New Delhi, 24 Sept. 2023: Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) made a statement and a half as he destroyed the field at the IndianOil Grand Prix of India at the Buddh International Circuit nere here on Sunday. The Italian put in a true masterclass to escape in the lead, coming home over eight seconds clear to scythe right back into the title-fight after some seriously hot pace.
The fight for the podium behind, if possible, was even hotter. Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) had to first contend with Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) as the reigning Champion stalked and passed him, but there was a shocking crash out of second place for Pecco not long after, rider ok. There was then some drama as Martin lost time re-doing his leather suit after a Dashboard Message to do so after it was open… and by the end of the race, he was being absolutely hounded by Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™). The Pramac rider just held on after a stunning last lap duel, in doing so cutting Bagnaia’s Championship lead to just 13 points.
From left: Jorge Martin (2nd), Marco Bezzecchi (winner), Fabio Quartararo (3rd). The trio won the first Grand Prix of India at BIC on Sunday. Photos by Srinivasa Krishnan Blink and you miss it
The top trio in the title fight led the way on Lap 1 as Martin and Bagnaia got lightning starts to jump polesitter Bezzecchi. Bagnaia was in full attack mode in to ensure Martin didn’t pull away.When Pecco went for a move on the brakes, Martin tried to resist but ran wide and dropped back, gifting Bagnaia the lead. Bezzecchi then saw his opportunity to make a move, and once he hit the front, he truly did not look back. As he put in searing lap after searing lap, the fight behind began to light up.
Martin made a lunge with 17 laps to go, and it was a brutal one – sitting up the Italian. But Bagnaia regrouped, and just behind them, Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) was trying all he could to put himself in the mix as he watched on from fourth place.
The first crash drama at the front hit for the number 93 though as he suffered an agonisingly slow off at Turn 1, getting straight back on but dropping right down out the points.
Next stop: more drama
In the fight for second, Martin tried all he could to break away but Bagnaia wasn’t going anywhere. The Italian made his move with eight laps to go with a poetic sweep past the number 89, but it wouldn’t last long.Soon after, the #1 machine suddenly slid out, with Pecco up and ok but remonstrating with himself in the gravel. And understandably so, with Bezzecchi leading Martin – the two closest in the title fight.
As the laps ticked down, Martin started to fade, lost time doing up his leathers, and then found himself right in the crosshairs of Quartararo on the last lap. The Frenchman struck and the battle was on, but Martin forced his way back past. Still, Quartararo tagged back onto the rear wheel and tried all he could to find a gap, running out of corners as the duo ultimately crossed the line split by almost nothing.
Last laps of the titans
We didn’t see much of the race leader Bezzecchi as he brought home an incredible victory, taking a 25-point chunk out of Bagnaia and his third win of the season. Behind, Martin held off Quartararo, and then came Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and another last lao scrap. He was embroiled in an epic battle with Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) for 4th place and the South African got the better of the Spaniard, or more didn’t enable Mir to get the better of him, after flying his way through the pack from 13th on the grid. For Mir, however, it’s still a best result by far with Honda, and a return to the top five for the factory.UP CM who gave all support to GP of India presenting the trophy to Bezzecchi on Sunday at the Buddh International Circuit. Photo by Srinivasa Krishnan. Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) bagged P6 ahead of Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) and Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing), the latter of whom was sent well wide at Turn 1 and had to dig in. Teammate Aleix Espargaro suffered a technical DNF.
On Marc Marquez watch, the number 93 made an incredible recovery to take ninth place, slicing back through the pack to finish seven seconds up the road from Raul Fernandez (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) who rounded out the top 10.
The Championship has been turned on its head once again in MotoGP™ as the first-ever IndianOil Grand Prix of India threw up an absolute treat. MotoGP™ now turns its attention to the Mobility Resort Motegi in Japan for the Motul Grand Prix of Japan from the 29th of September to the 1st of October. See you there!
A huge Sunday crowd of 1,11,762 boxed into the 98k capacity of the BIC. -
Easy win for Bezzecchi at Grand Prix of India
New Delhi, 24 Sept. 2023: Marco Bezzecchi of the Mooney VR46 Racing Team won the Indian Oil Grand Prix of India, ahead of Prima Pramac Racing’s Jorge Martin with Yamaha Racing’s Fabio Quartararo coming in third.
At the start of the race, Ducati Lenovo Team’s Baganaia took off at the front of the pack, with Marco Bezzecchi second but in a trice, Bezzecchi hit the front with Prima Pramac Racing’s Jorge Martin being in the third place. Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez was fourth with Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo in the fifth place.
In the sixth lap, Marquez had a crash at the tricky Turn 1 but managed to rejoin the race.
Soon, Martin got ahead of Bagnaia and moved up to the second place. But all the while Bezzecchi had built a lead of about four seconds for himself, ahead of Martin.
Disaster struck later with Bagnaia crashing out of the race. This pushed Quartararo up to the third place. In the last few corners, Quartararo and Martin had a scrap and exchanged places but in the end, it was Martin who retained his second place with Bezzecchi winning.
Later, Martin was hit by the heat and was unable to attend the post-race press conference.
“I am very happy and it was a tough race and my bike was fantastic. My friend passed away a few days ago, so Filipo, this is for you,” said Bezzecchi.
“It was not easy for me. The heat had its effect.
“I started well and tried to stay calm and push, while trying to manage the tyres as well. I liked all parts of the track,” he added.
In reply to another question, he said: “I am not thinking about the championship I just want to enjoy the day. I like India and my heart goes out to the fans.”
Bagnaia has 292 points and leads the riders’ championship, while Martin has 279 and Bezzecchi has 248.
The start of the Moto2 race was a disaster with about five riders piling up and being involved in a crash at the treacherous first corner. Initially, the race was yellow flagged but then it was red flagged. The race restarted after about 15 minutes. There were a few crash incidents but in the end, Pedro Acosta of Red Bull KTM Ajo won the race from Tony Abrolino of the ELF Marc VDS Racing Team, while Joe Roberts of the Italtrans Racing Team clinched the third spot.
“It was a hard race. The bike was good and this is one more for the pocket. Thanks to everybody,” said Acosta.
The Moto3 race was a pretty straightforward one with Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) leading the proceedings from almost the beginning. Colin Veijer, who was running second, crashed out just two corners before the chequered flag, with Masia taking the honours. Kaita Toba of SIC58 Squadra Corse finished second, while Ayumu Sasaki of the Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP team finished third in the race. Masia is second in the championship, with Daniel Holgado leading the championship with 174 points. Masia is on 174 points but is second.
Bollywood actors John Abraham and Ranveer Singh, Indian cricketers Shikhar Dhawan and Yuvraj Singh visited the circuit and praised the facilities and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also paid a visit to the Buddh International Circuit and watched the proceedings.
If rumours are to be believed, the organisers have already confirmed the race for 2024.
The total attendance at the Grand Prix on Sunday was 1,11,762.
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Jorge Martin wins Indian GP’s first Tissot Sprint Race
New Delhi, 23 Sept. 2023: Jorge Martin of Prima Pramac Racing won the Tissot Sprint Race in the MotoGP class of the Indian Oil Grand Prix of India at the Buddh Interational Circuit in Greater Noida here on Saturday.
Marco Bezzecchi of Mooney VR46 Racing Team took pole position for Sunday’s race, while Jorge Martin of Prima Pramac Racing will start second and Francesco Bagnaia of Ducati Lenovo Team will start third on the grid.
Stefan Bradl, Luca Marini and Pol Espargaro crashed at the start of the race, with Jorge Martin of Prima Pramac Racing taking over the lead. Francesco Bagnaia of Ducati Lenovo Team was second, while Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez was third. Brad Binder of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing was in fourth place.
Jorge Martin leads the pack on way to Sprint victory on Saturday. Photo by Srinivasa Krishanan Even as the riders battled it out, soon it was time for Joan Mir of Repsol Honda Team to crash out.
The gap between the riders was pretty much consistent as the race wore on. But soon after, Marquez and Binder got into a battle to make a claim for the third place, but the positions did not change as Martin took victory in the Tissot Sprint Race.
Though the temperature and humidity remained high, there was rain in the afternoon that brought proceedings to a halt during the Moto3 qualifying Number One. After a delay of about 45 minutes and the safety car making laps of the track, action resumed at 2:35 pm.
Jorge Martin In the first qualifying session for the MotoGP class, Raul Fernandez of the Cryptodata RNF MotoGP Team topped the timecharts with figures of 01:44:4100, while Alex Marquez of Gresini Racing MotoGP did 01:44:5190 and Fabio Di Gannantonio of Gresini clocked 01:44:5290. He was followed by Brad Binder and Takagi Nakagami.
Bagnaia, 2nd in the inaugural Sprint race at BIC on Saturday. In the second qualifying for MotoGP, Marco Bezzecchi of the Mooney VR46 Racing Team topped the proceedings with a time of 01:43:9470, while Jorge Martin of Prima Pramac Racing was 01:43:9900 and Francesco Bagnaia of the Ducati Lenovo Team came in third with a time of 1:44:2030.
In the first qualifying session for Moto2, Zonta Van Den Goorbergh of Fieten Olie Racing GP topped the charts with a time of 02:02:6140, while Sergio Garcia of Pons Wegow Los40 made it to the second spot with 02:02:9590 and Barry Baltus of Fieten Olie Racing GP was third with 02:03:1110. In the second qualifying session, Jake Dixon of GASGAS Aspar Team was first with a time of 02:01:9240, Pedro Acosta of Red Bull KTM Ajo was second with 02:01:9560 and Sergio Garcia of Pons Wegow Los40 was third with 02:02:1920.
In the first qualifying session for Moto3, Deniz Oncu of Red Bull KTM Ajo topped the timecharts with a time of 1:59:0700, while Ryusei Yamanaka clocked 1:59:9300 and Scott Ogden of the Vision VisionTrack Racing Team timed 1:59:9690. In the second qualifying session, Jaume Masia timed 02:09:3360, while Matteo Bartelle registered 02:10:0630 and Ayumu Sasaki of the Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP was third at 02:10:1040.
Marc Marquez – Photo by Srinivasa Krishnan Earlier, Diogo Moreira of MT Helmets-MSI topped the third practice session in Moto3 with a top time of 1:59:3750, while Manuel Gonzalez of the Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Team topped the Moto2 third free practice with a time of 01:51:6080. In the MotoGP free practice session two, Marco Bezzecchi of the Mooney VR46 Racing Team topped with a time of 01:45:3980.
The first corner was deemed to be tricky by the riders. Even a bit of delay in braking would result in a disaster as several riders had already suffered crashes there.
Mike Webb, race director said, “Due to the feedback from the teams and riders and considering the heat and humidity, the race distances will be shortened.”
The Tissot Sprint race was of 11 laps, while the Moto3 will be of 16 laps, the Moto2 will be 18 laps and the MotoGP will be 21 laps.
Jorge Martin wins Sprint on Saturday. -
Moto3: Veijer top, Masia on the chase as the only two under the two-minute barrier
Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) found an extra gear in the second session of action at the IndianOil Grand Prix of India as he went top to lead the way with a 1:59.566. The Dutch rookie was the first rider to break the 2-minute barrier and put in consistent laps on his own to chip away at the benchmark time. Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) was looking as strong as ever as he joined the Dutchman as the only other rider in the 1:59 club though, just +0186s shy of the top, with Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team) rounded out the top three after keeping himself consistently in the top half of the timing sheets.
Despite taking a tumble, David Alonso (GASGAS Aspar Team) had another strong showing to take P4 on day 1, and having taken three wins in the last four races, you can bet the rookie will be a force to be reckoned with come Sunday. Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse) rounded out the top five ahead of the Brazilian Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets-MSI).
Second in the Championship, Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) bagged P7 to kick off day 1 of the flyaway run, with rookie Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Matteo Bertelle (Rivacold Snipers Team), and title contender Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) rounding out the top 10.
It was a tougher start to the weekend for the Championship leader Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3). The Spaniard suffered an off towards the end of the session and finished the day in P13 with the all-important Q2 spots up for grabs on Saturday…
Moto3™ get back in action on Saturday, make sure not to miss any of the action with Practice 3 at 09:10 and qualifying at 13:20 local time (GMT +5:30).
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Repsol Honda Team ready for the new challenge: Grand Prix of India
New Delhi, 20 Sept. 2023: India becomes the latest nation to host a MotoGP World Championship round, the Repsol Honda Team pairing of Marc Marquez and Joan Mir excited to meet their Indian fans in person.
Round 13 of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship season lands in India at the Buddh International Circuit, a new venue and a new host country for the sport. With millions of motorcycles and scooters used daily in the world’s second most populous country, it’s safe to say India is full of motorcycle racing fans. The 4.96 kilometers of the Buddh International Circuit look set to produce another thrilling round of racing, a mix of long straights, tight hairpins and technical sections offering up a variety of overtaking opportunities.
Marc Marquez has always been a quick study and will be aiming to get up to speed and understand the 13 corners of Buddh as soon as possible. The #93 arrives on the back of a progressive weekend in Italy which culminated in seventh place, continuing his steady progress across the year. With a new track to learn, the work of the weekend will need to be balanced between learning and continuing to work on making improvements to the Honda RC213V.
On the other side of the garage, Joan Mir is hoping that a new venue will bring new fortunes after a tricky end to the San Marino GP. Despite the end, Mir was able to make steps forward in improving his feeling with the Honda RC213V. More track and bike time will be the key to continuing this trend and the intense schedule at the end of the year will provide exactly this to the #36.
It’s set to be a history-making weekend in India no matter what. Teams, riders and fans won’t have to wait long for their next fix of MotoGP action as the paddock will fly directly to Japan for Honda’s home race: the Japanese GP. This starts an intense period of eight GPs in ten weeks as the championship charges into the end of the season
Marc Marquez said: “I am really excited to meet all of the fans in India. It’s always a nice moment when we bring MotoGP to a new country, new people and new fans to share our sport and our passion. We will need to work a lot to understand everything about the track and about our own situation with the bike. The objective is to put together another weekend like Misano, build over each day and have a good pair of races. Let’s get ready for India and to meet everyone!“
Joan Mir said: “Visiting a new place is always really exciting, you see a lot on social media how many fans there are from India so I think it’s really important and great to go see them. The track itself looks like it will be interesting with a lot of different elements. There are many things to understand when you go to a new circuit so it’s important to do every step well, from walking the track when we arrive to making the most of every session on track.”
Location Info: Buddh International Circuit, India
Length4.96 kmWidth12 mLeft Corners5Rights Corners8Longest Straight1,006 mCircuit RecordsPole PositionNEW CIRCUITRace LapNEW CIRCUITRace TimeNEW CIRCUIT2023 WinnerNEW CIRCUIT -
Indian Oil roped in as title sponsor for MotoGP Indian GP
National, 15 Sept. 2023: MotoGP Bharat has roped in IndianOil, the country’s leading diversified, integrated energy major as title sponsor for India’s first-ever MotoGP Grand Prix scheduled to take place at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida from September 22 to 24.
Organized by FairStreet Sports in collaboration with Dorna Sports, the MotoGP Bharat promises to be a thrilling spectacle with 41 teams and 82 riders participating in the MotoGP, Moto2, and Moto3 categories, featuring renowned names like Francesco Bagnaia, Marc Marquez, Marco Bezzecchi, Brad Binder, Jack Miller, and Jorge Martin. With IndianOil as its title sponsor, the race is poised to reach even greater heights, igniting the passion and growth for motorsports across the nation.
Pushkar Nath Srivastava, Founder and Chief Operating Officer of FairStreet Sport, the promoters of MotoGP Bharat said: “We are thrilled to welcome IndianOil as our title sponsor for MotoGP™ Bharat. As we gear up for the country’s biggest racing event, this association with one of India’s energy giants adds a new layer of excitement to it. This association is a testament to IndianOil’s commitment to supporting sporting excellence in India and we believe that it will accelerate the growth of motorcycle racing in the country.”
Having established its presence in almost all the streams of oil, gas, petrochemicals, and alternative energy sources in the country, IndianOil stands as the nation’s highest-ranked Energy-PSU in the Fortune 500 of 2023. The brand has a rich legacy of championing various sports and tournaments and its association with MotoGP™ Bharat exemplifies its commitment to create a thriving sporting culture in India.
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Dorna begins work towards future MotoGP Grand Prix in India
New Delhi, 21 Sept. 2022: Dorna Sports, the Promoters of MotoGP, announced that work has begun on a possible future Indian Grand Prix, with the target of bringing the FIM MotoGP World Championship to the Indian sub-continent in the near future.
Fairstreet Sports said that the ‘Grand Prix of Bharat,’ the first-ever Indian MotoGP will soon be held at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) in Noida, near here.
Noida- based Fairstreet Sports Private Limited today announced that a 7-year agreement has been put in place to host the MotoGP in India. Fairstreet expressed hope that India’s first-ever Moto GP Grand Prix is likely to be held in 2023. However, since the provisional calendar for 2023 is already announced by Dorna, the first Indian GP is likely to be held only in 2024, provided the circuit homologation is completed in time.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed for seven years between Fairstreet Sports and Dorna. The latter is actively working with other State Governments to promote motorcycling culture in India and collectively work to promote, nurture and groom international level MotoGP riders in India. As per Industry Experts and economic analysts a significant boost to trade, tourism and employment is expected with an estimated 50K jobs direct and indirect and up to 5K jobs for the race weekend itself. MotoGP, also has plans to introduce MotoE into the Indian racing scenario.
L to R Honourable Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Aditya Nath, CEO Dorna Carmelo Ezpeleta, Industrial Development Export & Investment Promotion & NRI Minister Nand Gopal Gupta ( “Nandi”). Photo Fairstreet Sports Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta has recently visited India to meet with authorities and potential event promoter Fairstreet Sports and also attended a Press Conference and a curtain-raiser event in New Delhi region on Wednesday. The visit began at the spectacular Buddh International Circuit, right outside New Delhi, which would be the target venue to host the possible MotoGP event.
Thereafter, the delegation also travelled to Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, the region in which the circuit is located, to meet with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Industrial Development Minister Nand Gopal “Nandi”.
Finally the visit ended with a presentation in New Delhi to local media and representatives of the motorcycling industry, which showcased the great expectation the country has for MotoGP.
Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta: “India is a huge country and market, and an especially important one for the two-wheeled industry and MotoGP as a sport. The Championship has a huge fan base there and being able to hold a MotoGP event in India would be both an incredible spectacle for our fans at the same time as allowing us to continue to grow the sport in the region, which is hugely important for our all our partners and the manufacturers in particular given the hundreds of millions of two-wheeled vehicles on its roads. We would love to be able to see this project through and bring these incredible MotoGP bikes to race in front of the Indian fans.
“At MotoGP we are committed to our fans and aim to make the sport accessible to all, regardless of where they are, who they are or their economic status. Motorcycles are an incredible tool for transportation and in many areas of the world they drive society, providing economic mobility and powering families around the world. Racing in India would be a reflection of our commitment to open the doors to the sport as widely as we can, and would be and an important achievement for the Championship.”
Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, during the meeting with Fairstreet Sports team, added: “It’s a historical day for the sporting and automobile industry and a befitting tribute to the Azadai Ka Amrit Maha Utsav celebrations, marking India’s befitting arrival in the global platform of motorsport. India could potentially be one of MotoGP’s biggest markets in terms of viewership as well as revenue.
“MotoGP is a critical asset thanks to the viewer loyalty that the sport enjoys and the competitive nature it embodies, already reaching nearly half a billion homes around the world. Dorna Sports, the sole commercial and television rights holder, produces the world feed television coverage of each Grand Prix throughout the season, from acquisition to distribution, as part of a 360 degree event management philosophy.”
Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh: “It is a matter of great pride for Uttar Pradesh to host such a globally prestigious mega sports event. Not only will the event boost the hospitality and tourism sectors, but it will also put UP on the global platform. Our government will provide all the necessary support to make this event a huge success.”
Nand Gopal “Nandi”, Cabinet Minister, Government of Uttar Pradesh for Industrial Development, Export Promotion, NRI, Investment Promotion, said, “The event will not only be a boon to motorcycle racing fans but also provide a major impetus to the economy by generating an influx of foreign investments and ushering in advancement in the personal transportation industry which would transcend into global investments and a preferred destination for OEM’s in the state of Uttar Pradesh.”
Pushkar Nath, COO, Fairstreet Sports, said, “Motorcycling as a sport is greatly admired in India. By bringing the world’s most prestigious motorcycle racing event here, we hope to boost its fan base further and encourage more young bikers to take up the sport. As the world collectively rebounds from the coronavirus pandemic, the sporting event is also expected to re-energize India’s sports tourism.”
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Abu Dhabi’s Shaun Torrente on pole for Grand Prix of India; Team Amaravati’s Anderson 5th
Shaun Torrente of Sweden take pole position for the Grand Prix of India. Photo Tony Titus Amaravati (AP, India) 17 Nov 2018: Team Abu Dhabi’s Shaun Torrente produced a stunning final run in today’s top-six shootout to cap a thrilling BRM Official Qualifying session, setting the fastest time with a 44.54s lap around the five-pin 1.125km circuit on the Krishna River and will start tomorrow’s Grand Prix of India from pole position.
Norway’s Marit Stromoy produced her best qualifying session of the season and went second quickest for Emirates Racing with a 44.72s lap, Abu Dhabi’s Erik Stark sealing third spot with a time of 45.00s.
Torrente was made to work hard for his seventh career-pole and his third of the season, leaving it late into Q2 and sitting outside the top six before jumping to the top of the time sheets to progress into the shootout on his final lap as the clock timed out the 20 minute session, his Abu Dhabi teammates Thani Al Qemzi and Stark locking out the top three spots.
Victory Team’s Alex Carella was the big loser in the middle session after having his best lap time of 46.27s deleted for cutting the course, dropping him to eighth and elevating Stromoy to fourth, Victory’s Ahmed Al Hameli to fifth and handing a lifeline and shootout slot to Team Amaravati’s Jonas Andersson.
Andersson opened the shootout with a best lap of 45.22s which Al Hameli was unable to better, missing out by a mere one hundredths of a second.
Next out was Stromoy and targeting a first pole position since Portugal in 2011 and immediately posted the fastest time of the day with a staggering 44.72s lap to take the provisional pole. Stark followed and produced his best time on his first run but missed out by 0.26s with Al Thani’s time of 45.06s eventually putting him fourth.
Torrente was last out and the tension mounted as he pulled out of his first run and was suddenly under massive pressure to deliver the team its fourth pole of the season, but then produced a simply breath taking run to snatch pole position from Stromoy by 0.18s. “The whole day was a series of mistakes by me and then to get it done at the last second is great,” Torrente said. “In Q2 I changed to a bigger propeller which I thought I needed and I did. But with less than 30 seconds to go I was out. But I made a good solid lap and went P1. Then in Q3 having seen Marit’s time which was huge I pressed too hard and made a mistake so I aborted and just had to pull out a near perfect lap, which I did.”
It was another massively frustrating day for the CTIC Shenzhen China F1 duo who have been struggling with engine issues and ahead of a race that they really need to be running in the top three or four to keep any flickering title hopes alive, but now face a huge mountain to climb with Peter Morin qualifying in seventh and Philippe Chiappe in tenth behind Blaze Performance’s Francesco Cantando, the man who won in Mumbai in 2004.
Today’s result, with the Abu Dhabi trio starting one-three and four tomorrow, brings the likelihood of them all but closing out the title race a step closer as they bid for an unprecedented third successive Grand Prix podium lockout, the woman standing in their way is Marit Stromoy who is bidding for a second Grand Prix win.
BRM Official Qualifying – Top Six Shootout
1. 6 Shaun Torrente (usa/*uae) – 44.54s
2. 50 Marit Stromoy (nor) – 44.72s
3. 35 Erik Stark (swe/*uae) – 45.00
4. 5 Thani Al Qemzi (uae) – 45.06s
5. 14 Jonas Andersson (swe) – 45.22s
6. 3 Ahmed Al Hameli (uae) – 45.23s
(*denotes international racing super license)
For full classifications:
https://www.f1h2o.com/results/2018/grand-prix-of-india/f1h2o
