INDIA in F1

Tag: India

  • Popular Nashik Rally to kick-start INRC calendar

     

    File photo of Zuhin and Musa Sherif at an INRC event in Chikmagalur in 2012. Photo by Kishen
    File photo of Zuhin and Musa Sherif at an INRC event in Chikmagalur in 2012. Photo by Kishen

    Chennai, 29 May 2014: The JK Tyre Racing Championship kicks off at the Kari Motor Speedway between May 30 and June 1. The classes run in the National series being the Formula BMW, the Formula LGB 4, VW Polo R Cup and the VW Vento closed invitation race.

    According to a press release from Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI), Chikmagalur will host the opening round of the Indian National TSD Rally Championship on June 7 and 8. This is followed by the first round of the Indian Rally Championship in Nashik between June 13 and 15.

    The action then shifts to the Madras Motor Race Track with the second round of the FMSCI-National Racing Championship for MRF F1600 and Round 1 of the FMSCI National Racing Championship ITC, IJTC and LGB F4 to be held between June 20 and 22.

    The first round of the JK Tyre-FMSCI National Rotax Max Karting Championship will be held in Hyderabad from June 27 to 29, while the second round of the FMSCI-Indian National TSD Rally Championship will be staged in Jaipur on June 28 and 29.

    Other FMSCI-approved events during the period are:

    May 31-June 1: Ashoka Sports Club Mini Supercross (2W) in Mumbai; June 7-8: Vasa Autocross (2/4 W) in Chikmagalur; June 17-18: Green Run Picnic Rally (2/4 W) in Bangalore and June 20-23: 5th Mughal Rally in Shimla.

    Otehr key notes from the various Commissions of the FMSCI following their recent meetings released by Mr Sanjay Rajan, the Press Officer, here on Thursday.

    Four-wheeler Racing Commission

    ·        The Superbike 1000cc class to be run from Round 2 of the JK Racing India series 2014. The Superbike 1000cc comes into being via the formation of the ISBK (Indian Super Bikes) who have contracted with JK Tyre to run their races in their National series.

    ·        Classes to be run in the JK Racing India Series are theFB02 cars powered by BMW, Formula LGB 4, VW Polo R Cup, VW Vento closed invitation race apart from the Superbike 1000cc class.

    ·        The MMST and Kari Motor Speedway are upgrading their facilities and circuit layouts to cater to more exciting and professional racing.

    ·        The Commission has modified the General Prescriptions for 2014 and brought them in line with the FIA International Sporting Code 2014.

    ·        The Commission has also circulated to all Organisers a Risk Management document which will be very useful for Organizers to manage the Risks of an event better.

    ·        The Commission proposes to conduct a training programme for Race Directors, COCs, Stewards, Time Keepers and Secretaries of The Meet with the help of international experts.

    ·        The Commission is working on introducing Drift Racing Championships in India for which plans and regs are being finalised.

    ·        The T1 Prima Truck  Race at the Buddh International Circuit was a grand success and the FMSCI is now mulling on plans to approach Tata Motors to take their efforts further and hopefully put a programme in place for Indian drivers.

    Karting Commission

    ·        Participation in the JK Tyre-FMSCI National Rotax Max Karting Championship for 2014 expected to get stronger with entries set to go beyond the 50-mark in each of the classes.

    ·        Plans are on to introduce inter-school, inter-college and inter-corporate National Karting Championships, which will have regional rounds culminating in a grand finale. This is in line with the FIA-CIK directive of promoting karting at grassroots level.

    ·        The FMSCI will be investing in more advanced Scrutineering equipment and will also be conducting a training programme for Technical Delegates and Scrutineers exclusively for the karting discipline.

    ·        New tracks coming up in India are an encouraging sign. A 1.2-km karting track of international standards is being set up in both Bangalore and Hyderabad, while an 850m track in Vizag has already been put up and is in the process of being homologated by the FMSCI.

    Two-wheeler Racing Commission

    ·        In consultation with riders, minimum weight regulation for Group D and C and Group B categories to be introduced.

    ·        Seeding of riders to be introduced to help them ride faster bikes.

    ·        The Commission is working very closely with the Bike Festival of India (BFI), a group that is promoting all forms of two-wheeler motorsports and two-wheeler safety rides along with prominent riding clubs across the country. BFI, under the aegis of the FMSCI, proposes to introduce track racing events, drag racing events, motocross events and stunt bike championship and a safety ride from Kanyakumari to Kashmir.

    Rally Committee-Working Group

    ·        D Ram Kumar proposed as Observer for all rounds of the FMSCI-National Rally Championship in 2014.

    ·        Permanent Stewards proposed – Zayn Khan for rallies, and Arindam Ghosh for TSD Rallies.

    ·        Route inspection will be compulsory for all rounds. Farooq Ahmed will be Permanent Route Inspector.

    FMSCI to implement FIA’s Action for Road Safety global campaign

    In a bid to advocate for safer roads, vehicles and behaviours in the country, the FMSCI has introduced a Mobility Commission headed by its vice-president RK Dhawan and assisted by its Racing Commission chairman Akbar Ebrahim.

    Key points of the proposal made by the Mobility Commission to the FMSCI Council:

    ·        All vehicles competing in sanctioned FMSCI National events will carry an FIA Road Safety Campaign logo sticker to create awareness among the youth involved in motorsports on the importance of road safety.

    ·         Encourage all registered motorsports clubs of the FMSCI to participate in the campaign and also provide information to the survey questionnaire sent out by the FIA Mobility wing to all its ASNs.

    ·        Present to the Government of India the highlights of this programme mooted by the FMSCI in association with the FIA.

    ·        Engage with all auto manufacturers in India to support and promote the programme.

    ·        Interact with schools and colleges across the country to encourage them to also endorse this programme and to promote it to their students, which will go a long way in the improvement of road safety awareness.

    ·        Set up the Safety and Advanced Driving Programmes in all key centres with the support of the Government of India. This programme will deal with providing a detailed insight and training to the participating drivers of different levels, teach the basics of correct driving procedures in line with road safety and also driving techniques to handle situations as and when they arise. Focus on child safety and child restraint in the car.

    eom/FMSCI press release

     

  • Karun Chandhok, Bruno Senna to drive for Mahindra Racing in inaugural FIA Formula E

    Former F1 drivers Bruno Senna and India's Karun Chandhok will pair to drive for Mahindra Racing in the inaugural Formula E championship. An Adrenna Communications image
    Former F1 drivers Bruno Senna and India’s Karun Chandhok will pair to drive for Mahindra Racing in the inaugural Formula E championship. An Adrenna Communications image

    Mumbai, 26 May 2014.  Mahindra Racing announced on Monday that India’s own Karun Chandhok and Bruno Senna will be the team’s drivers for the inaugural season of the FIA Formula E Championship. The duo will represent Mahindra when they line-up on the grid at the start of the world’s first ever fully electric championship in Beijing later this year.

    Commenting on this development, Dr. Pawan Goenka, Executive Director and President (Automotive & Farm Equipment Sectors), said, “Mahindra Racing takes an important step forward on its pioneering journey into electric car racing with the announcement of our driver line-up. We are confident that our participation in Formula E racing would allow Mahindra to remain at the cutting edge of EV technology and help us develop the next generation of electric road cars.”

    According to Mr. S P Shukla, Chairman, Mahindra Racing, “Both Karun and Bruno come with very strong racing pedigrees and have successfully competed in a variety of racing series over the past few years. The entire team looks forward to working with both of them to optimize the performance of our racing car over the next few months of testing before the start of racing in September this year.”

    Neither Chandhok nor Senna are strangers to international racing fans, both having competed at the top level of the sport in Formula 1. The signing of two such high profile drivers is an indication of Mahindra’s determination to succeed in the first season of Formula E.  Representing the only Indian team on the Formula E grid, Chandhok and Senna bring with them a strong working relationship, having already raced as team mates previously in their careers.

    Team Principal Dilbagh Gill commented, “Karun and Bruno both represent the perfect balance between experience and youthful enthusiasm for this truly ground breaking championship. I am confident they will do their best to represent Mahindra on the world stage and the entire team is aiming for top results from the start of the championship.”

    Preparation for the season is already underway, with the team’s first car having been delivered to Mahindra Racing recently. This brand new Formula E car has already been painted with the team’s new livery – a stunning combination of Mahindra red and the colours of the Indian flag.

    “I’m very excited to be a part of the Mahindra Racing line up,” said Karun Chandhok.  “Mahindra are showing a lot of commitment to Formula E and it’s very encouraging to see the support of senior members of the group to this programme. To be a part of the only Indian team in this series is a real honour for me especially as I’m going to be working with one of India’s most respected brands.”

    He added, “It’s also going to be a nice reunion for me with Bruno again. He’s one of my closest friends from the racing world, we respect each other and work well together which will be good for the development of the team.

    Formula E is a whole new way of going motor racing. The in-city races are going to be a great spectacle and will make the sport a lot more accessible for the public – they’re taking the race to the fans, rather than making the fans come to the race. The quality of teams and drivers should ensure some fantastic racing and I can’t wait for the season to kick off.”

    Teammate Bruno Senna added, “I’m very proud to be joining Mahindra Racing. There is a real ambition within the team to be leaders in Formula E from the start.  It’s also an exciting prospect to be part of such a revolutionary championship from the beginning.”

    “There will be a lot to learn very quickly, both for the teams and drivers, in terms of technology and driving styles and for race fans as Formula E will popularise a new type of motorsport across the world. Of course, I already have a great relationship with Karun which will help us work together and move the team forward very quickly.” he added.

    Chandhok will add the Formula E Championship to his Le Mans programme which will continue next month with the iconic Le Mans 24hrs. Chandhok will race in the Le Mans 24hrs for the third consecutive year.

    Chandhok is supported by long term supporters JK Tyre, as well as Tag Heuer,  Sidvin and the AVT group.

    eom/Adrenna Communications Release

  • Gautam Singhania to take part in an International drift competition

    Chennai, 22 May 2014: Gautam Singhania will take part in the open drift event of the Nissan Extreme Torque Show to be held in Sunderland (EnglaGautam Singhania car. FMSCI picnd) on May 25 and 26 as an official Indian entry endorsed by the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI).

    Drifting is a driving technique where the driver uses throttle, brakes, clutch, gear shifting and steering input to keep the car in a condition of oversteer while manoeuvring from turn to turn. Competitors are judged according to the speed, angle, showmanship and line taken through a corner or set of corners.
    Seen as an extremely exciting sport, drifting is accessible, safe and affordable, and fits nicely as a demanding yet a leisure motorsport activity and is growing in popularity especially in the Asia Pacific region.
    This was noted during the FIA’s Asia Pacific Motor Sport Forum held in Colombo last month where the Chinese Taipei Motor Sports Association (CTMSA) extended to other ASNs (National Sporting Authority) in the Region an invitation to participate in their inaugural Green Drifting Gymkhana Prix 2015 to be held in Kaohsiung.
    “Nine ASNs have already shown interest,” the CTMSA said in a communiqué.
     The FMSCI has also proposed to send an official Indian team.
    “Drifting is very exciting to watch, and I am sure being a viewer-friendly and easy-to-practice sport, it will go a long way in promoting motorsports amongst the auto buffs in the country,” said Akbar Ebrahim who was recently nominated by the FMSCI as India’s Deputy representative in the FIA.
    A racing enthusiast since his college days, Singhania on his debut won the amateur category in the All Stars European Drifting Championship in Malta in September 2012, and last year unveiled India’s first purpose-built drifting car. The Super Car Club that he co-founded is promoting drifting as an auto sport in a big way in the country.
    “Gautam Singhania’s passion for motorsports in general and his pioneering effort in popularizing drifting in India is well known,” said Ebrahim.
    Earlier this month, Singhania, who is the Chairman and Managing Director of Raymond Group, won both races in the opening round of the 2014 Pirelli Ferrari Open held at Brands Hatch in the United Kingdom. Singhania also holds the lap record at the Buddh International Circuit in a non-open wheel car.
    Gautam Singhania said: “I am delighted to represent India in the forthcoming Nissan Extreme Torque Show in England. I am looking forward to participate in this event. Drifting as a motorsport has always attracted and intrigued me. I always wanted to learn this form of motorsport and will definitely pursue this sport further. The drifting car is a testimony to that and I have been practicing in it to hone my drifting skills.”
    eom/FMSCI press release

  • Vijay Mallya looks back on Spain and sets sights on more points in Monaco

    Nico Hulkenberg at the Monaco circuit on Wednesday. A Sahara Force India image
    Nico Hulkenberg at the Monaco circuit on Wednesday. A Sahara Force India image

    Monaco, 20 May 2014: Ahead of the Monaco F1 race, Sahara Force India team Principal Vijay Mallya talks to the media. Excerpts from the interviews with the drivers and Mallya provided by the team:

    Vijay, it was a double points finish in Spain. Another solid performance by the team…
    It was a good weekend. Perhaps with a different strategy we could have stolen one more place with Sergio, but overall everybody seemed satisfied that we had come away with a fair result. Barcelona has never been the greatest track for us, so it was good to see both the cars in the points. We brought some updates and worked hard to optimise them, but there is a bit more we can do to take full advantage of those parts in the coming races.
    Did you enjoy seeing Nico and Sergio fight against each other for most of the race in Spain?
    We didn’t give any team orders; we just let them race as we did in Bahrain. It’s good to have some competition between the drivers. They are both quick; they are hungry and competitive. The spirit is good and they respect each other. As long as they keep scoring points it keeps up their own motivation levels as well.
    Did you feel the pecking order among the teams changed in Barcelona at all?
    It’s a given that things will always change in Formula One, especially in the first year following major rules changes. We have noticed our immediate competitors are getting stronger, but we are working hard to maintain our competitive advantage.
    What are your expectations for Monaco?
    Monaco is one of the premier events of the year and hopefully we can perform well there. It’s a track where you can take nothing for granted because you have to balance speed with respect for the barriers. It will be interesting with the new cars because it is so unforgiving and the drivers will have to be at their very best.
    Driver’s View: Nico Hulkenberg
    Nico Hulkenberg looks to extend his run of points finishes in the principality.
     
    Nico, you kept up your run of points finishes in Spain. That’s five in a row now…
    Yes, it keeps up our momentum and shows that we can score points even when we are having a difficult day. It shows we have consistency, which is important for keeping our position in the championship. We are in a big battle with some strong teams and being able to score points race after race could make the difference by the end of the season.
    Tell us how much you are looking forward to Monaco…
    It’s the event of the year. Your heartbeat goes up when you arrive there and walk over the bridge into the pits. The place looks amazing with the buildings, the scenery and the mountains. Of course the biggest thrill is driving the track because it’s so unique and gives you the biggest excitement of the year.
    Would you say it’s the most difficult track of the year?
    In terms of precision it’s right up there with Singapore as the toughest race of the year. You never get a break during the lap; you are always working hard because it’s corner after corner. Even the straights are really short and it’s high-speed for such a narrow track. I particularly enjoy the swimming pool area, which is very quick, and the two right-hand corners before the tunnel.
    What are your expectations for the weekend?
    I think it will be a normal track for us. As far as the pecking order is concerned, it’s very tight and competitive at the moment so we need to keep working hard and keep developing.
    Driver’s View: Sergio Perez
    Sergio Perez gets ready for one of the highlights of the year – the showdown in Monaco.
     
    Sergio, Monaco is a favourite of yours – tell us why you enjoy it so much…
    It’s a big challenge and I have always believed it’s a circuit where ‎the driver can really make a difference. So you always have the chance to do something special there. It’s not the most difficult lap of the year, but you have to always keep your concentration.
     
    Which parts of the lap to you enjoy?
    I enjoy Casino Square. It’s quick and you have to be very precise with the way you position the car. The other thing that makes Monaco so special is the fact that it’s unique in every aspect. Every corner is iconic and there is no other race like it.
     
    Do you expect Monaco to deliver any surprises this year?
    I don’t believe that there will be a major surprise and I expect the same teams to be at the front. It’s hard to predict how strong we will be, but I hope we can continue our good form.
    You live in Monaco so do you regard this as a home race?
    Not really. It’s always nice to have a race where you don’t have to do any travelling and you can sleep in your own bed. For me a home race will be Mexico when Formula One returns there next year.
    eom/Sahara Force India F1 team Press Release

  • Gearbox failure costs Karun Chandhok and Murphy Prototypes another finish

    Karun Chandhok photo by Adrenna Communications
    Karun Chandhok photo by Adrenna Communications

    Imola, 19 May 2014: Indian racing driver Karun Chandhok and his team Murphy Prototypes were forced to retire from Round 2 of the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) at Imola in Italy due to a gearbox failure. The team was running in 2nd place when they were first given a drive through penalty and then suffered a differential failure on the very next lap. Chandhok, who is making his first visit to the Autodromo Enzo & Dino Ferrari in Imola, topped the timesheets in the first practice session held yesterday but could not get a lap in at the race.

    Starting round two of the 2014 European Le Mans Series from row two on the grid in fourth position, Rodolfo Gonzalez started the race for the Hertz Car Sales sponsored team. Initially holding his fourth position, Gonzalez moved into third place before making an early pitstop to replace a left rear tyre. During the middle part of the race, Rodolfo set the fastest lap and with it moved up to second position. However his luck would soon change with a stop and go penalty quickly followed by retirement with differential failure.

    Confident in the knowledge that both their car and the new driver line up of Karun Chandhok, Nathanael Berthon and Rodolfo Gonzalez are very fast, the Murphy Prototypes team begin their preparation for their third participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the official test on Saturday 31st May and Sunday 1st June.

    The former Formula 1 driver was disappointed after losing out on another podium finish for the second race in a row. Karun commented, “Obviously it’s very disappointing this weekend. Unfortunately Rodolfo is in his learning stage in Sportscar racing and he had one too many incidents which has cost us, but he will learn hopefully and its better he does his learning now than at Le Mans. I think we could have had a podium at this race. Looking ahead to Le Mans it’s a long week so we just have to pace ourselves. As a team we’ve got two rookies so we just need to be patient and remember that it’s a 24 hour race.”

    Greg Murphy, Owner, Murphy Prototypes was also unable to hide his disappointment. He said,
    “Naturally we’re very disappointed not to have finished the race today. We came into this weekend with a very strong driver lineup and a car that we knew could win. However this was always going to be a test for Le Mans in June and I still believe we’ve got a really fast driver lineup and we should be in really good shape for the official Le Mans test in two weeks.”.

    Karun was also quick to thank his long time supporters. He said, “I would like to thank my long term supporters JK Tyre, with whom I am entering into my 15th year of association as well as Tag Heuer,  Sidvin and the AVT group who have all been very supportive towards my Le Mans campaign.”

    http://www.facebook.com/karunchandhok

    https://www.twitter.com/karunchandhok

    http://www.youtube.com/karunracing

    www.karunchandhok.com

    eom/Adrenna Communications release

  • Jan Kopecky beats Gaurav Gill as MRF takes another 1-2 finish

    File photo after Kopecky has taken lead in New Caledonia APRC leg on Saturday. An MRF image
    File photo after Kopecky has taken lead in New Caledonia APRC leg on Saturday. An MRF image

    New Caledonia, 18 May 2014: Team MRF Skoda driver and European Rally Champion Jan Kopecky beat team-mate Gaurav Gill to win Round 2 of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) in New Caledonia. Both MRF Skoda drivers were under investigation for postponing the start of Stage 13 as what they thought were unsafe conditions but both escaped with light penalties. Gill was comfortably leading yesterday before an accident caused him suspension damage. After two rounds, Kopecky and Gill are joint leaders with almost nothing to choose from them.

    Driving the Team MRF Skoda Fabia S2000, Kopecky was in the driver’s seat with a 5 min lead heading into day 2.     2 stages were cancelled on Saturday, and SS12 was cancelled this morning. Then news came that the last 3 stages would also not run as conditions were so bad that the safety car also could not get through. Both drivers felt the conditions were impossible to drive in and hence requested for safer conditions before resuming.

    2013 European Rally Champion Jan Kopecky admitted he has happy for the rally to finish after driving in very tough conditions. He said, “I am happy to have my first win of the season and the Team MRF Tyres Skoda team have been great in really tough conditions. I have to say I didn’t enjoy my driving so much, with so much mud. One stage I liked it was in the North, more like a proper stage, the rest was like driving over the fields in the mud, I didn’t enjoy so much. Our gap (today) was quite huge, so I didn’t want to make a mistake. There was no pressure and I was relaxed in the car, there was one stage in the North I enjoyed and each time I was able to go quicker than Gaurav, so it was good for us. We are now on equal points with Gaurav, that’s good for championship. If you have a close battle from the start its always better. Next is Australia – I’ve never been there, so a new country, a new rally we are looking forward to it.”

    Defending champion Gill rued the fact that his mistake yesterday cost him the win but was happy to salvage 2nd place. He commented, “We had a good lead and a health margin, but unfortunately we got caught out by the conditions yesterday and found a tree on the exit of a corner, wasn’t so good for the car and we bent a suspension arm. Glenn (Macneall) and I had to do some repairs, the drive the last stage very conservatively. We’re happy to finished the day yesterday and today fastest of the day, so maximum points in the kitty – the best I could have done.”

    Jan Kopecky and his Team MRF Skoda team next head to Australia on equal points (to be confirmed) with his team-mate Gaurav Gill in second. Many stages were cancelled after heavy rain made the roads impossible. The next round of the 2014 APRC is the International Rally of Queensland which will take place next month. Full bonus points will apply as the event had reached the required threshold. Last year 5 stages were cancelled on the final day, again after torrential rain.

    Provisional Result Rally New Caledonia

    1 – Jan Kopecky (Czech) Pravel Dresler (Czech) MRF Skoda 2hr01min40.6sec

    2 – Gaurav Gill (IND) Glenn Macneall (Aust) MRF Skoda 2hr04min53.2sec

    3 – Michael Young (NZ) Malcolm Read (NZ) Cusco Proton 2hr23min18.3sec

    eom/Adrenna Communications Press Release.

    Photos by MACSPEEDFOTO/ALAN MCDONALD

  • Akbar Ebrahim replaces Vicky Chandhok as FMSCI’s deputy in FIA

    Chennai, 17 May 2014: The Governing Council of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) has nominated Mr Akbar Ebrahim, a renowned driver coach and an accomplished race driver, as India’s Deputy representative in the Federation Internationale de L’Automobile (FIA).
    The FMSCI Chairman Dr Vijay Mallya endorsed the decision and the FIA was informed of the same.
    Dr Mallya is the Titular Delegate of India and a member of the prestigious World Motor Sports Council of the FIA, which is responsible for all aspects of international motor sport at every level from karting to Formula One.
    Mr Ebrahim has replaced Mr Vicky Chandhok in the role and will represent the FMSCI to lend a hand to Dr Mallya in the FIA.
    Thanking the FMSCI’s decision, Mr Ebrahim said: “While my predecessor worked hard to get F1 to India, my priority now would be to get more Indians into F1 and its likes. We are going to work hard to create opportunities for our sportspersons to step out and take on the world. We’ll make sincere efforts to align with global best practices and avail all possible assistance from international associates.
    “India has all that is required for our kids and our sport to unleash, and what we need to do now is to package and present our case to the world. To start the campaign, we need to lead the charge in the Asian Region.”
    Mr Ebrahim had recently met FIA President Mr Jean Todt at the FIA Asia Pacific Region Motor Sport Forum in Sri Lanka, where Mr Todt had drawn everyone’s attention to FIA’s taskforce that is currently in operation in the Asia Pacific region.
    “The idea behind this initiative is to interact, assist and coordinate between motor sports federations in this region,” said Mr Ebrahim. “The Forum gave the confidence that there is a genuine consensus in the FIA to study and work with the ASN’s (National Sports Association) on common perspectives as well as individual requirements.
    “Some of the key areas that the Forum discussed were driver development, training of officials such as Race Director, Clerk of Course, Stewards, Time keepers, karting at grassroots level, singular Asia Pacific events, among others.”
    Mr Ebrahim said the FMSCI has offered to host a part of the next Officials’ training programme for the FIA Asia Pacific region.
    Vicky Chandhok with Akbar Ebrahim (right) at the FMSCI awards function 2014. An FMSCI image
    Vicky Chandhok with Akbar Ebrahim (right) at the FMSCI awards function 2014. An FMSCI image
    During his brief interaction with Mr Todt, Mr Ebrahim assured the FIA President that the FMSCI would strive to introduce the new FIA Formula 4 racing car as the first level junior international racing car in India, and would implement FIA’s Action for Road Safety, a programme promoted by FIA worldwide.
    eom

  • Team MRF Tyres’ Gaurav Gill all set for New Caledonia

    New Caledonia, 16 May 2014: Team MRF Tyres Skoda driver and defending champion Gaurav Gill will return to New Caledonia this weekend for Round 2 of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC). Gill, who won at New Caledonia last year, will be joined by European Rally Champion and Team MRF Tyres Skoda team-mate Jan Kopecký from the Czech Republic, as the two drivers are all set to resume their battle in the Skoda Fabia S2000.

    The MRF team driver line-up is impressive featuring both the current APRC Champion Gaurav Gill and Czech driver Jan Kopecky European Champion. Last month in New Zealand, the MRF Rally drivers made the perfect start finishing 1-2 in the first round. Indian rallying champ Gaurav Gill took the honours after a 23 sec deficit on day 1 to win by 11 secs.

    With both drivers closely matched and MRF Rally tyres ideal for New Caledonia conditions, Skoda factory backed cars prepared by Race Torque engineering are confident heading into Round 2.

    Although twice a previous winner here, two of the stages are relatively new to Gill having been cancelled last year because of rain.  So for a greater part it is a level playing field with team mate Jan Kopecky who showed in New Zealand he was extremely competitive by leading for over half of the rally distance.

    Gaurav Gill was optimistic after winning last year. He commented, “I am thrilled to be back in New Caledonia with the MRF Tyres Skoda team. The stages will be slightly different this year with the roads been made wider and smoother and in most places it’s going to be faster than last year. Hopefully it will be dry this year. In New Caledonia it is important not to push too hard, it can be very tough on both drivers and cars and as the saying goes, first you must finish. Experience has taught me we don’t try to go faster we need to be more precise”.

    New Caledonia is nestled in the South West Pacific and surrounded by the most beautiful tropical lagoons however venture inland and you will find the rugged interior roads that can catch out even the most experienced driver

    The rally course is situated 50 kilometres to the north of the capital Noumea on mining and rural roads.  There is 235 km of high speed tests broken down into 17 stages, 3 stages repeated 3 times on Saturday and the course run again in reverse on Sunday.

    While the weather is normally fine and the temperature a balmy 25c this time of the year, rain can have a significant impact turning parts of the course into a skating rink.

    2014 Asia Pacific Rally Championship Points after first round

    (1) Gaurav Gill (IND) 38, (2) Kan Kopecky (CZE) 31, (3) Mark Pedder (AUS) 25

    Gaurav Gill in New Caledonia on Friday. An MRF image
    Gaurav Gill in New Caledonia on Friday. An MRF image

    eom/MRF Release from Adrenna Communications

  • Hamilton claims fourth win of season in Barcelona

    Hamilton celebrates on the podium after winning the Spanish GP on Sunday. A Mercedes AMG Petronas image
    Hamilton celebrates on the podium after winning the Spanish GP on Sunday. A Mercedes AMG Petronas image

    Second place for Rosberg completes fourth consecutive Mercedes 1-2.

    Red Bulls finish third and fourth; Force India finish 9th and 10th

    Barcelona, 11 May 2014: Lewis Hamilton took his fourth straight win of the season fending off a late-race challenge from team-mate Nico Rosberg as the pair sealed Mercedes fourth 1-2 finish in a row.

    Red Bull Racing’s Daniel Ricciardo was best of the rest, claiming a lonely third, some 50 seconds adrift of Hamilton. Team-mate Sebastian Vettel had a more eventful race, the champion delivering a superb drive to climb from 15th on the grid to fourth place at the chequered flag.

    Starting from pole, Hamilton led comfortably through the first stint, though with Rosberg in close attendance. In the duo’s first pit stop, however, while Hamilton took on a second set of medium tyres, Rosberg opted for a different strategy, taking on hard tyres in a bid to set himself up for a late charge when Hamilton would be on the slower prime rubber.

    Just as in Bahrain Rosberg was indeed the quicker man in the closing stages but whereas that circuit had allowed the German to mount several attacks on his team-mate, Barcelona’s hard-to-pass on layout meant that Hamilton was more comfortably able to prevent any attacks taking place.

    Afterwards, though, the Briton, whose win now puts him in charge of the Drivers’ World Championship, with 100 points to Rosberg’s 97, admitted that the German had been faster.

    “I wasn’t fast enough really today; Nico was quicker,” he said. “I struggled a lot with the balance and really had to rely on my engineers a lot more to give me the gaps and to try to find where I could find time. Also, with all my settings, I was moving them up and down, up and down really trying to find extra time. But Nico was just generally quicker this weekend but fortunately I was able to keep him behind. My first win here in Spain, it means everything to me.  ”

    Rosberg, meanwhile, believed he would have been able to pass his team-mate had the race last a lap longer than the 66 scheduled.

    “I think one more to be honest; one more and I could have given it a good go. I wasn’t close enough to give it a go there but next lap I would have,” he said. “But unfortunately that was it. So, I’m a bit gutted but still, second place, still close to the championship and many more races to go.”

    Ricciardo’s race was a largely solitary affair. Starting third, the Australian made a poor getaway and that allowed William’s Valtteri Bottas to move ahead. Ricciardo spent the opening laps chasing down the Finn, only to be told by his pit wall to leave a two-second gap in order to preserve his tyres as they looked to pass the Williams on strategy. Ricciardo, though, sensed an opportunity and made repeated assaults on the Finn only for Bottas to cleverly position his car to fend off the assaults. Eventually Ricciardo relented, informing his crew that he would “cool it for a few laps”.

    Red Bull then brought Ricciardo into the pit lane early, on lap 14, undercutting Bottas. Ricciardo was then able to use the clear air in front and his greater pace to make the necessary time to pass the Finn when he stopped six laps later.

    Thereafter, it was a lonely race for Ricciardo as he looked after his medium compound tyres through a long second stint and then managed the final laps to land his second podium finish of the season, but the first from which he’ll take home points after his disqualification at the season opener in Australia.

    “They [Mercedes] were a long way ahead,” he said. “I think coming into the race today we knew a boring race would be a pretty good one for us. We knew we didn’t really have the pace for Mercedes. We looked like a third-place car and in the end that’s what it was. We had a pretty comfortable third place and we just had to focus on getting the tyres to last two stops and that was it. Really nice to be on the podium and I’m sure I’ll be able to keep it this time.”

    Early stops were of benefit, too, to Vettel. After qualifying 10th on Saturday when his car suffered a mechanical problem, the defending champion was handed a five-place penalty for the start when the gearbox of his RB10 had to be replaced.

    He dropped a place at the start but soon began to move forward. By lap 12 he was up to 13th but he was clearly losing time as he became stuck behind McLaren’s Jenson Button.

    He dived for the pit, took on hard tyres and then used the clean air the out-of-sequence stop gave him to claw back time on his rivals ahead. The strategy worked well and by the time he started the in-lap ahead of his second stop on lap 32 he was eighth. He then used two rapid stints on the medium tyres to push on and claim the scalps of Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen and Valtteri Bottas in the closing stages and claim fourth place.

    Raikkonen’s team-mate Fernando Alonso, also made a three-stop race work and after spending much of the race trailing the Finn. He used the greater pace his fresh mediums gave him to pass his team-mate at the end and take sixth behind Bottas.

    With Raikkonen seventh, Romain Grosjean finished an excellent eighth for the improving Lotus team, while the final two points-scoring places were taken by the Force Indias of Sergio Perez in ninth and Nico Hulkenberg in tenth.

    2014 Spanish Grand Prix – Race Result
    1 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 66 1:41:05.155 25
    2 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 66 +0.6 secs 18
    3 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Racing 66 +49.0 secs 15
    4 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Racing 66 +76.7 secs 12
    5 Valtteri Bottas Williams 66 +79.2 secs 10
    6 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 66 +87.7 secs 8
    7 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 65 +1 Lap 6
    8 Romain Grosjean Lotus 65 +1 Lap 4
    9 Sergio Perez Force India 65 +1 Lap 2
    10 Nico Hulkenberg Force India 65 +1 Lap 1
    11 Jenson Button McLaren 65 +1 Lap
    12 Kevin Magnussen McLaren 65 +1 Lap
    13 Felipe Massa Williams 65 +1 Lap
    14 Daniil Kvyat Toro Rosso 65 +1 Lap
    15 Pastor Maldonado Lotus 65 +1 Lap
    16 Esteban Gutierrez Sauber 65 +1 Lap
    17 Adrian Sutil Sauber 65 +1 Lap
    18 Jules Bianchi Marussia 64 +2 Laps
    19 Max Chilton Marussia 64 +2 Laps
    20 Marcus Ericsson Caterham 64 +2 Laps
    Ret Kamui Kobayashi Caterham 34 Brakes
    Ret Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso 24 Exhaust
    eom/FIA press release

  • JK Tyre-Meco Motorsports Rotax Max Kart Open 2014 at Hyderabad

    Hyderabad, May 9, 2014: The calm and cool environment of the KartCenter – Lahari resorts here will be the scene of some serious karting action on May 10 and 11. Some of the country’s best karters in the Micro Max, Junior Max and Senior Max classes will battle it out in the JK Tyre – Meco Motorsports Rotax Max Kart Open 2014.

    With the field being a mix of experienced and rookie kart drivers, this event gives an opportunity to them all to shake off the rust and sharpen their skills before they take part in the National Karting Championship. For the experienced karters in the Kart Open category, they will be able to judge where they stand and for the drivers in the Rookie Cup, they will get a chance to test their skills against the more experienced drivers. So, it’s a win-win situation for all drivers.

    The incentive for the Rookie Cup winners in the Micro Max, Junior and Senior categories is that they will get a waiver of the entry fee for the full National Karting Championship, while the first and second placed drivers will get a chance to undergo a free kart training programme.

    In the Senior Max category, it is an eight-man field and Rookie Cup drivers Hiran Prathap (Chennai, Meco Racing) and Rahul Sharan (Bangalore, BPC Racing) look strong and will aim to challenge last year’s Junior Max National champion Krishnaraj D Mahadik, Dhruv S Mohite (both Kolhapur, Mohite’s Racing) and Nayan Chatterjee (Mumbai, Rayo Racing), all competing in the Kart Open class.

    In the Junior Max category, last year’s Micro Max National champion Pradyumna Vipul Danigond (Kolhapur, Mohite’s Racing) will be up against the likes of lady karter Mira Erda (Baroda, Dark Don Racing), Ricky R Donison (Bangalore, BPC Racing), Nirmal Umashankar Babu (Chennai, Meco Racing) and Akash Gowda (Bangalore, Meco Racing).

    In the Micro Max category, eight out of 13 entries (a new high in this category) are from Meco Racing. Paul Francis (Bangalore), Shahan Ali Mohsin (Agra), Yash Aradhya (Bangalore) and Nikhil Bohra (Bangalore), all from Meco Racing, are likely to dominate the proceedings. Francis, Mohsin and Aradhya are in the Kart Open category, while the rest of them are competing in the Rookie Cup. Rahil Kochar (New Delhi, Dark Don Racing), Jahan P Lohar (Mumbai, Mohite’s Racing), Aadityansh Kaulshi (Pune, Rayo Racing), Shaurya Kapani (Mumbai, Rayo Racing) and Chirag Ghorpade (Bangalore, BPC Racing) will be looking to put up a fight from the other teams in the fray.

    The practice rounds were held on Friday as the drivers geared up and mechanics were busy trying to set up the karts as best as they could. Now, it’s over to the real thing on Saturday and Sunday.

    Thursday’s Press release:

    Over 38 entries have been received for the event on May 10 and 11. This marks a 15 per cent increase as compared to the previous year. The teams that will be battling it out this weekend are Rayo Racing, Dark Don Racing, India Karting, Mohites Racing and Meco Racing. The new entrant this time is BPC Racing. These competitors will be battling it out in the Micro Max, Junior Max and Senior Max categories.

    This event is a preparatory event of sorts. It has two awards. One section is for regular karters who would like to test their skills and do some fine-tuning to get into shape before the National Karting Championship begins. There is a category for rookie drivers, i.e. drivers who have not won any race in the last five years. This is also for drivers who are entering the sport. Again, this event gives them an opportunity to test their skills against seasoned kart drivers and also stay in contention for the Rookie Awards that supports their participation in the National Karting Championship.

    Last year’s Rookie Champions — Micro Max Champion Paul Francis, Junior Max Champion Tejas Raman and Senior Max Champion Arjun Srikant —  will be taking part and vying for top honours for the Kart Open Overall Title.

    The first round will be held on Saturday. Following the qualifying round, there will be five races for each of the three classes and this will be repeated for the second round on Sunday. The highest points from round one and round two in each of the classes will determine the top three Overall Winners and top three Rookie Winners for the Kart Open and Rookie Cup respectively.

    “We are in our 15th continuous year of promoting karting in the country and this kind of commitment and efforts are unparalleled,” said Sanjay Sharma, Head – Motorsport, JK Tyre and Industries.

    “You’ll never find good and deserving talent if there are no events for rookies. It is only when one fights in his or her peer group and in apple to apple conditions that one gets to showcase real talent. We are so proud that the talent spotted and nurtured from this level went on to make a mark internationally.

    “We are thankful to Akbar Ebrahim for all that he has done by running this event and being the best coach available in this part of the world,” he added.

    Akbar Ebrahim of Meco Motorsports, said: “The Rookie Cup was introduced by us to give the newcomers an opportunity to get more prepared for the National Championship. It helps them to understand the level they need to be at when compared to the regulars, though not all regular karters take part in the Kart Open. It also helps build their confidence when they are fighting for an Award amongst newcomers like them.

    “Karting is most crucial for drivers planning to get into racing as this level of karting deals with very high speeds and enormous cornering speeds. It also teaches young kids what wheel-to-wheel racing is all about and disciplines them in a way that they start to respect the others. That helps in the overall driving standards and safety. It teaches a young kid, chassis and engine dynamics in terms of chassis setups and engine tuning. It also teaches the young drivers what tyre grip means and tyre management, which is the most important aspect of race car driving,” he added.

    ends