INDIA in F1

Tag: Indian

  • Dani Clos to replace Karthikeyan for first practice

    Madrid, 29 June 2012: Formula 1 is coming back home as Silverstone is where it all began in 1950 when the first race in the history of the World Championship took place. This circuit has hosted every British Grand Prix since 1950, barring periods between 1964 and 1986 when it took place at Brands Hatch and 1955 to 1962 when it was raced at Aintree. Silverstone is a fast, flowing track which combines very quick turns at the start with a number of slow ones towards the end of the lap. Maggots, Becketts and Chapel stand out as one of the most demanding combination of corners in the championship.
    HRT Formula 1 Team arrives in Silverstone showing clear signs of improvement and aims to continue in this line at the legendary British track. Spanish driver Dani Clos will step into the F112 for the second time this season to take part in the first practice session. Clos will replace Narain Karthikeyan and accompany Pedro de la Rosa for the first 90 minutes of practice at the British Grand Prix. Pirelli have elected their soft and hard tyres for this Grand Prix.
    Pedro de la Rosa: “Silverstone is a beautiful and classic circuit; it’s a place I really like. I’ve raced in many categories there: Formula Ford, Formula Renault, Formula 3 and Formula 1. It’s a quick, high downforce track with a lot of quick corners linked together. It’s very demanding on the tyres, so the logical thing is to go for three stops. Strategies will play a big part. It’s not the most favourable circuit for us so we’re going to have to grind our teeth because, apart from that, it’s also one of the toughest tracks for a driver. We’re going to try and continue the good work from the last grands prix, finish this race and improve on our result in Valencia. That is our objective”.
    Talking about the circuit Narain Karthikeyan said: “I’ve got very good memories of Silverstone as I’ve raced a lot there in the past in junior categories, it’s one of my favourite tracks on the calendar and a place I expect to do well. Copse and the Becketts complex are special corners and are up there with the most exciting ones in the championship but I don’t know the new part of the circuit as I didn’t race at Silverstone last year so it will take me a few laps to adapt. After a positive weekend in Valencia, with a good performance in qualifying, I’m hoping to continue from there and build on it in Great Britain”.
    Meanwhile, Test driver Dani Clos said: “I’m very happy to step into the F112 once again in Silverstone, a place where I’ve got good memories since I’ve made the podium every time I’ve been in GP2. After Barcelona I’ve really been looking forward to this new opportunity. The work we’re carrying out with the team is positive and I think that I can make a good contribution. I will be able to run in better conditions than in Barcelona because the car was new back then and I had to carry out various aero tests. Now I’ve got a new opportunity, not to prove anything but to work with the team and evolve as much as we can”.
    Luis Pérez-Sala, Team Principal: “In Valencia we had a positive weekend and were able to confirm the good sensations we’d felt in the last few races. Silverstone is one of the most emblematic and historic circuits in the Championship and racing there is always something special. We want to see how our car performs at the British track with the latest upgrades because it’s a track that contains various quick turns and that’s where we suffer most. On another note, I’m happy that Dani will have a new opportunity to sit behind the wheel of the car for the first free practice session. This time he’ll be able to get more out of the session because in Barcelona there were many things to test and he had to focus on them, but now he’ll be able to get the most out of the experience. Besides, it will be the second time he drives the F112 this season so he won’t be stepping into the unknown and won’t need a period to adapt”.

    eom

  • Karthikeyan upbeat after qualifying in 22nd

    Valencia Street Circuit, Valencia

    Saturday, 23rd of June 2012

    Weather: Sunny – Air 26ºC, Track 47ºC

    11.00-12.00 FORMULA 1 PRACTICE SESSION 3

    Pedro de la RosaF112-02 #22 21st (14 laps) 1:42.758

    Narain Karthikeyan F112-03 #2323rd (14 laps) 1:42.943

    14.00-15.00 FORMULA 1 QUALIFYING SESSION

    Pedro de la Rosa F112-02 #22 21st (7 laps)1:42.171

    Narain Karthikeyan F112-03 #23 22nd (8 laps)1:42.527

    The second day at the European Grand Prix had a much more positive ending than yesterday for HRT Formula 1 Team as its drivers Pedro de la Rosa and Narain Karthikeyan completed the team’s and their personal best qualifying sessions of the season. De la Rosa, whose mechanics worked intensely on repairing his car after his accident in FP2, and Karthikeyan finished the morning’s practice session with a good vibe that persisted through into the definitive qualifying session. Both the strategy and the drivers maintained a good level and Pedro and Narain finished 21st and 22nd respectively in front of the devoted fans.

    A HRT car in Valencia qualifying on Saturday. Narain starts on P22. HRT photo.

    : “We made some specific set-up changes for qualifying which definitely helped as we completed our best qualifying session of the season so far. We’re ahead of the Marussias, which is very important, and clocking similar times to Pedro so I’m very happy with the result. I hope to carry the momentum over into tomorrow’s race where we’ll have to keep a close eye on the heat. But we’re in better conditions than in Canada and should be able to put in a good performance. I’m heading into the race full of confidence after today and hope to achieve a good result”.

    The high temperatures and characteristics of this street circuit will test the car and the driver equally, meaning that the excitement is guaranteed in tomorrow’s 57-lap race.

    Pedro de la Rosa: “Today’s qualifying was very good. After yesterday’s incident it took me no time to be quick again, so I applaud my team for their effort last night to fix the car. I’m also happy to have finished ahead of our direct rivals as I wasn’t expecting it. As for tomorrow’s race, we don’t really know what will happen. All the new brake ducts which we brought to this race got damaged in yesterday’s crash and now we won’t be able to use them so we will be going to the limit but, as always, and even more so racing at home, we will give everything so that our fans can be proud”.

    Toni Cuquerella, Technical Director: “We’re extremely satisfied with the job done by the entire team today. We got things right both in the garage and on the track and we’re improving more every time. At a circuit that could have been complicated we have confirmed that we’ve taken a step forwards since Barcelona and the team is closer to where we want to be. Pedro’s lap was very good; in fact it was the best in the season so far. To be precise his time was 103.4%. Narain also did a fantastic job and made the most of his gaps and tyres to complete his best qualifying session to date. This goes to show that the work being carried out by the team is very good. Tomorrow’s race will be tough, especially for the brakes, and the biggest question mark is how the cooling will perform over a long distance but we’re confident that we’ll get both cars over the finish line in front of our fans”.

    Strong show by Sahara Force India

    Meanwhile, a release from Sahara Force India says that the team continued to show strong form in Valencia as Nico Hulkenberg and Paul Di Resta qualified in eighth and tenth places respectively for Sunday’s European Grand Prix in Valencia.
    P8        Nico Hulkenberg (VJM05/03)
    Q1:       1:39.009
    Q2:       1:38.689
    Q3:       1:38.752
    Nico: “I think overall it’s a great result for the team to get both cars into Q3, but maybe we were hoping for a little bit more than P8 and P10, especially considering how we have performed so far this weekend. I don’t think the increase in temperatures helped us because the car felt more difficult to drive today and a bit nervous at times. For the race tomorrow we are still near the front and will take the fight to the cars around us to try and come away with some points.”
    P10      Paul Di Resta (VJM05/02)
    Q1:       1:38.858
    Q2:       1:38.519
    Q3:       1:38.992
    Paul: “It was a strong qualifying session but I feel I could have been higher up the grid because I didn’t get the perfect lap together in Q3. We were the quickest car in Q2 and if I could have repeated that lap time in Q3 I would have been a couple of rows higher up the grid. I was trying to squeeze a little bit extra from the car but I locked a wheel and lost time in the final sector. I will try and focus on the positives because we have been strong in all the sessions, the car is well dialled into the circuit, and I think we will have good race pace for tomorrow.”
    Dr Vijay Mallya, Team Principal & Managing Director
    “Another extremely close qualifying hour and I’m pleased that we were able to get two cars into Q3 for the first time this year. The car has been extremely quick throughout practice and we showed that again today with some very competitive times in Q1 and Q2. When it came to Q3 both drivers didn’t quite deliver perfect laps, which costs us a few positions on the grid, but we are still well placed to fight for points finishes with both cars.We expect a tough race tomorrow with very hot temperatures once again, but the car is strong, we have a good understanding of the tyres and our long run pace looks promising.”

  • Narain hopes for change in fortunes at HRT’s 2nd home race

    22nd-24th June 2012
    Valencia Street Circuit – 57 laps – 5.419km

    Madrid, 15 June 2012: After a brief stop in Canada the Formula 1 World Championship returns to the old continent for the European Grand Prix. This will be the second and final time that HRT Formula 1 Team races in front of its home crowd this season. The team showed clear signs of improvement throughout the entire weekend in Montreal but wasn’t able to convert these sensations into a good result in the Grand Prix as brake issues on both cars forced the drivers to retire. There’s no better place to try and put things right than at home with the backing of the Spanish fans providing the team with that extra push says the HRT team release.

    Valencia is a street circuit made up of long straights and slow corners. Overtaking is a difficult challenge and there isn’t much grip, especially towards the beginning of the weekend. The high temperatures are also a factor worth keeping in mind.

    Pirelli have elected their medium and soft tyres for this Grand Prix.

    Pedro de la Rosa: “Just like in Barcelona, I’m really looking forward to racing in front of our home fans in Valencia. At the Valencia Street Circuit we will encounter high air and track temperatures so the brakes will be put through their paces once again, but we’re confident we can make the necessary modifications to overcome the problems we experienced in Canada. Valencia has long straights but overtaking isn’t easy and it is a high-downforce track. I think we can do quite well here, although it’s not as favourable to our car as Canada, because there are a lot of braking areas and slow corners which are good for us. We’re looking forward to putting in a good performance in front of our fans and we want to continue with our progress from the last few races, where we’ve been at a good standard, but here we want to confirm this improvement in the race”.

    Talking to India In F1 site, Narain Karthikeyan said: “I am looking forward to our second home race and Valencia will be our third street circuit in a row. It is our second visit to Spain in just about five weeks but the circuit is as different as it could be compared to Barcelona. It shares some characteristics with Montreal and Monte Carlo, like emphasis on low-speed traction so I expect our car to do well here. Apart from that, it is a beautiful place and weather is pretty hot, just like India, but the track itself isn’t a huge challenge. Yes the walls are close but the adrenaline factor isn’t close to Monaco or even Montreal. But on the back of the promise we showed in Canada, I’m looking forward to the race and hopefully we’ll have a chance to build on it this time”.

    Luis Pérez-Sala, Team Principal: “We’re looking forward to racing in Valencia, as it will be the second time we do so at home this season. In Canada we were quick and performed well but were unable to finish the race. In Valencia we want to confirm this progress and achieve a good result, plus doing so in front of the Spanish public is even more special. I think that the characteristics of this circuit adapt well to our car and I hope we have good reliability and finish the race with a positive result”.

    ends

  • Sailesh Bolisetti, first Indian to win at British GT

    Nurburgring (Nurburg, Germany) : The see-saw of fortunes finally swung in Sailesh Bolisetti’s favour when the Indian sealed his first victory of the season at race two at the second round of the British GT championship held here.

    The weekend had started on a positive note for the Vizag pilot, with his Lotus Sport UK team finishing third and first in the two official practice sessions. But an unfortunate onslaught of technical gremlins prevented Sailesh and his teammate

    Phil Glew from exploiting the performance of their Lotus Evora GT4 during the qualifying sessions.

    The first race turned out to be a disaster of a different kind when a sudden drizzle left the track damp leading to Sailesh spinning out on the warm-up lap while the car was on full slick tyres (not wets). The brush with the barriers left the Evora slightly bruised, but the team was able to stitch it up in time for race start.

    A slow puncture and a broken side view mirror further added to his woes and impeded progress during the race. Phil Glew then took over after the mandatory pit stop and tyre change, but could manage to do no better than fifth.

    Post-race, Sailesh was understandably disappointed given how things had turned out.

    “After showing promising pace in qualifying, it was disheartening to endure all the back luck we did. We definitely deserved better.

    “The pace was there all along and we fancied ourselves to challenge for the podium, but it was ultimately not to be.

    Things didn’t look brighter for race two as it was cloudy in the morning.

    Phil Glew was behind the wheel for the opening stint this time and he proceeded to battle all the way through with the front-running Ginetta’s for the lead, just managing to keep them behind.

    Glew pitted from the lead for the mandatory pit stop just past the 30-minute mark, giving Bolisetti the important task of keeping the victory challenge alive.

    “When Phil handed me the car from lead, the first thought in my mind was to preserve it and try to keep the opposition behind and the car out of the barriers.

    “The margin was slim but we managed to turn the car around in pits quicker than our competitors so I had a little more breathing space.

    Soon after, one of the Ginetta’s retired from the race due to a mechanical issue – giving Sailesh further leeway to hold on to the lead. From then on it was just a matter of maintaining the cushion and driving to the car’s limits.

    Finally, Sailesh crossed the finish line 27 seconds in the lead from the second-placed Ginetta, clinching his maiden victory in the series.

    “The team really deserved this given the tough weekend we had, they were extremely patient and perseverant throughout.

    “To win at a track which we’ve never driven or tested is the cherry on the cake, and it isn’t just any other circuit but a place like Nurburgring which is steeped in motor racing history”, quipped Sailesh on the brink of emotions.

    The first win is always the most memorable but Sailesh’s focus remains firmly on the job ahead.

    “You first win in a new series is always a great feeling, but it surely can’t be our last given the task ahead. We have some exceptionally strong competition so there is no way we can afford to lay back and relax.”

    For the team, it is all systems go for Rockingham, scheduled for June 9th.

    “We’ll get back to UK and back to our schedule. Hopefully we’ll get in some testing before the weekend as it is once again going to be a brand new circuit for me.

    “This is the critical phase of the championship so we need to push all the way. It is party-time tonight but thereafter it is back to business”, concluded the elated youngster.

    “Sailesh did a good job during his stint in the car, we knew it was a comfortable win if Sailesh just kept his head cool and drive without making any mistakes, which he did!”, said Phil Glew.

    Lotus Sport UK Team principal, Gary Ayles said “Sailesh showed a great performance today, but he could have done better provided he gets more practice on the circuits! This win has increased my responsibility of giving him better training
    and keeping this in mind, we are trying to make the necessary arrangements to get him more comfortable in the coming races”.

  • Narain awaits stewards decision to race on Sunday

    By F1 Correspondent

    Barcelona, 12 May 2012:Indian Formula One driver Narain Karthikeyan was disappointed with another set-back to the car spoiling his chances of setting a qualifying time below the mandatory 107 per cent as he clocked 1 min 31.122 seconds way

    Pedro De La Rosa of HRT team does better than teammate Narain Karthikeyan for the home race at Circuit de Catalunya on Sataurday. HRT F1 team photo.

    below the required 1: 28.363 in the qualifier where Lewis Hamilton put McLaren on Pole pipping a surprise Pastor Maldonado of Williams at the Circuit de Catalunya on Saturday.

    Ferrari’s updates helped former world champion Fernando Alonso get into the second row for the first time this year in his home race with a deserving thrid place and the extra set of tyres left will make him confident for the race tommorow. Hamilton who used two quick laps will not have that tyre advantage. Current world champion Sebastian Vettel will start on 8th place.

    Narain Karthikeyan who lost a chance to get more laps under his belt due to a problem on Friday which saw test driver Dani Clos take to the track, did a good morning session but encountered problems again during the qualification and due to concerns of safety for himself and for others, the team decided that the car would not return to the track despite not setting an appropriate time. Now the stewards are expected to allow him to race on Sunday as he has set a time which is under the 107 per cent in FP3. But it is completely their discretion to decide that the HRT car is safe to be on the grid on Sunday.

    A disappointed Narain Karthikeyan said: “It’s been a very unlucky weekend for me so far. In the morning everything went smoothly but in the afternoon, with the first set of tyres I was pushing really hard and spun on turn 3 and, as a result, I flat-spotted a tyre so I had to come back in to the garage. We were going to go on the second set of tyres but we discovered some problems and due to safety concerns, not only for myself but the others, we decided that the best thing was to not go back out. It seems like my bad luck continues to follow me this weekend and, although I’m disappointed about that, there’s nothing else I can do but keep giving it my best shot”.

    Narain’s teammate Pedro de la Rosa was able to continue progress with his car’s set-up and improve his feel as the day wore on. Karthikeyan set HRT’s best time up to that moment in the morning.

    “The team is still awaiting the FIA stewards’ decision but is confident that there will be no trouble for both drivers to line-up on the grid for tomorrow’s 66-lap race,” said a team release.

     Pedro de la Rosa was happy. “The day went very well, especially this afternoon, so I’m very happy with what we achieved. We completed two very good laps in qualifying, getting under the 1.28 mark which we hadn’t achieved neither yesterday nor this morning. I know that our position seems the same as always but, in terms of performance, we have progressed and that’s what I’ll take away with me. As I always say, we’ve still got a lot of room for improvement but we’re on the right path and that’s what matters. Tomorrow’s race won’t be easy because it’s a tough track and the rear tyres wear out a lot. We have to get off to a good start, give the Marussias a good fight and finish the race in front of all our fans,” he said.

    Team’s Technical Director Toni Cuquerella said: “We had mixed fortunes today. Pedro was able to continue with his programme and we were able to confirm that everything works fine and, as anticipated, the upgrades gave us an improvement. But we can’t stop, we have to continue progressing. For qualifying, the car’s balance improved a little bit more and Pedro completed two very good laps. With Narain the target in the practice session was to do as much mileage as possible and he did a fantastic job, but we weren’t lucky in qualifying as he spun on the first set of tyres and wasn’t able to set a good time, and when he was about to go out with the second set we had to abort as there was a problem with the fitting of the on-board camera which made it dangerous to go back out. He wasn’t able to get in the 107% but I’m confident that, given the performance he showed this morning, there won’t be any trouble for him to sta rt tomorrow’s race”.

    11.00-12.00 FORMULA 1 PRACTICE SESSION 3

    Pedro de la Rosa    F112-02   #22    23rd (13 laps) 1:28.373

    Narain Karthikeyan F112-03   #23    22nd (24 laps) 1:28.207

     14.00-15.00 FORMULA 1 QUALIFYING SESSION

    Pedro de la Rosa F112-02    #22 23rd  (6 laps) 1:27.555

    Narain Karthikeyan F112-03 #23           (4 laps)  1:31.122

     

    ends

  • Narain likes the Catalunya circuit, can HRT support him with a good car

    11th-13th May 2012

    Circuit de Catalunya – 66 laps – 4.655km

    File picture of Karthikeyan at Bahrain GP with an Engineer. HRT F1 team photo.
    Madrid, 4 of May 2012: With the first stage of the season completed in distant lands, it’s time for Formula 1 to head much closer to home with the first European event of the Championship taking place precisely at home for HRT Formula 1 Team in Spain. It goes without saying that the Spanish Grand Prix is a very important date for the team as nothing beats the sensation of racing in front of your home crowd. The team has taken a step at every Grand Prix so far this year and will be even keener to do so in Barcelona to give the fans something to shout about.
    The Circuit de Catalunya is a haven for preseason testing given the nature of the track and mild weather conditions and that is why the teams know the circuit inside out. It’s made up of a mix of slow and fast corners, which added to the bumpy surface, make the race mechanically and physically demanding. Tyre degradation is high, especially on the left side of the car since all high speed corners are right hand turns, and aerodynamics are also decisive in Montmeló.
    Pirelli have elected their soft and hard tyres for this Grand Prix.
    Pedro de la Rosa: “The Spanish Grand Prix is the most important trace for a Spanish driver, but this time it will be even more special for me because I’m racing with a Spanish team in my city of birth. At this circuit aerodynamics are important and it will be an important test for our upgrades. The track is also very tough on the tyres. Not going to Mugello wasn’t an easy decision but it was important to go to the headquarters for the first time and work calmly because it’s the first time my car is in Europe. For the first time the mechanics have had the time to dismantle the car, build it and assemble it. In Barcelona we are going to try and do the best we can, as always, but even more so at this Grand Prix. We’re playing at home in front of the best fans in the world. We’re looking forward to it and it’s something historic for so I’m going to enjoy it as much as possible”.
    Narain Karthikeyan: “Catalunya is a great all-round circuit, highly demanding and aero dependent. It is a track I know well, and it is the first time this season we have the hard and soft tyre allocated, so the gap in lap times will be significant and strategy will play a deciding role. We don’t know the specifics of tyre behaviour since we didn’t test pre-season, but as the compounds are softer this year, the degradation, especially on the soft, will be high because of the high-lateral loading through corners like turn three. The circuit is aero sensitive too, because of the high amount of winds which often change direction so getting the setup right early on will be crucial. There are a few upgrades coming as well which will help us unlock some more performance from the car and give us the ability to compete with our closest rivals. It is the first of our team’s home races so we are motivated to do ou r best.”
    Luis Pérez-Sala, Team Principal: “We’re really looking forward to taking part in this Grand Prix, which is the first time we’ll be racing at home this season. Showing our cars and our team in Spain is an added motivation and we’re looking to have a good weekend and finish the race without any trouble to continue in our process of improving little by little. After the first four races we’re heading into this one with much more calm. We arrive more organized and better prepared after having rested a bit this week. We’re bringing some updated to Montmeló which we hope will take us one step forwards in terms of performance and reliability. It’s the first Grand Prix we travel to after having moved into our new headquarters, starting a great new chapter in the history of the team”.
    ends

  • Indian Archers storm into the final of World Cup at Antalya

    Mumbai: Indian men recurve archers today created a major upset today when they beat favorites South Korea to storm into the final of the World Cup at Antalya, Turkey, said a mail from Olympic Gold Quest.

    Rahul Banerjee, Tarundeep Rai (both supported by OGQ) and Jayanta Talukdar were in red hot form for Team India and shot brilliantly to get better of the hugely experienced Korean Team in the semis. Going into the final 6 arrows, India was trailing by 1 point, but all 3 Indian archers held their nerves to clinch the tie by 1 point  and win 225-224.

    L-R: Archers Rahul Banerjee, Tarundeep Rai and Jayanta Talukdar at the CWG 2010 men's team event in New Delhi. Photo: OGQ
    Team India had finished an impressive fifth in the qualifying round on Wednesday. Earlier today, they started their campaign against Mexico in the Round of 16 and beat them by 217-215 points. In the quarterfinals they beat Netherlands 216-215 to set up the semi-final clash with the Koreans. Now India will take on Great Britain in the finals on Sunday.
    OGQ has funded the training of Rahul Banerjee and Tarundeep Rai under the renowned Korean coach  Lim Chae Wong. OGQ has also provided them the support of peak performance trainer Vaibhav Agashe and physiotherapist Dr. Nikhil Latey, Head, Sports Science and Rehabilitation at OGQ.
    Wish our archers good luck for the final on Sunday.
    Cheers,
    Team OGQ

  • 98 entries for inaugural Autocross Nationals

    Bangalore, 29 April 2012:  The opening event of the inaugural edition of the AOM Indian National Autocross Championship has received a tremendous response with 98 entries and top drivers from across the country with many established rally stars will showcase their skills at the Palace grounds here on Sunday.

    Some of the famous Indian National Championships are the Indian National Rally Championship (INRC), the Indian National Racing Championship (NRC) and the Indian National Karting championship of the 7 championships. The Indian National Drag Racing championship made a debut last year and this year it would be Indian National Autocross championship, thanks to the interest taken by promoters and organisers.

    Autorcross is a miniature version of the rally, where the spectators can enjoy watching the cars rally from a vantage point at one place without moving around for a fraction of the action during a rally.

    There are six categories in which participants can drive to gather points. The driver who gets most number of points, overall in the six events to be held across the country this year, will be champion. Many have entered in more than one category, of the six classes that are based on cubic capacity of the engines while a seventh category is only for women.

    Like the famous Australian Autocross, the event will see two drivers starting at the same time and competing against each other. They start from two different points and criss cross each other with the wooden bridge acting as a highlight with each driver going over it once and under it to complete the cross-over. However, the best-timed particpant will be on the leaderboard. Points are given to the first ten. The two lanes of the track measure to about 900 metres a lap and will be run twice. After the qualifying to determine the starting order, the Autocross proper will be held on Sunday afternoon and Monday.

    The recce on Saturday was a bit delayed but nevertheless entertaining. With both the organisers and participants racing against the clock, to get the cross-over bridge ready, it was an anxious wait, worth it in the end.

    Mysore maestro Lohitt Urs, who quit MRF to prove his stuff in INRC last year, Rahul Kanthraj, the jovial tactician, Vikram Devadasen, the technical hero and the evergreen Chetan Shivaram with the pompous Babban Khan will be some stars to watch.

    Two cars will race against each other at a time over two laps on a circuit that is a mix of tight corners and fast sections that should test the driver and also the tuner of the car. The autocross has a unique, dirt and tarmac mix as the sections will see a run on both the hard and rough terrains providing a challenge for the tyre performance.

    The first place gets 25 points and the one who finishes 10th, one point, just as in Formula One.

    Calendar: The six rounds of the Indian National Autocross Championship will take place in Bangalore, Kochi (May 26-27), Coimbatore (July 14-15), Chennai (Sep 15-16) and Mumbai (Nov 3-4) and Bangalore on Dec 8-9.

    It’s official: The Federation of Motorsports Clubs in India, the official ASN of FIA, the international federation, has granted a national status to the National Autocross Championship. It would be run under the aegis of Federation Internationale de l’Automabile (FIA) and subject to regulations laid down the international federation. So the FIA Sporting Code and FIA General Prescriptions (GP for Rally) and the FMSCI Autocross Championship Regulations will be under force.

    Tarmac Queen returns: Navaz Sandhu, a star of yesteryears, who was dubbed as Tarmac Queen for her prohibitive speeds on hard surface, has successfully conducted as the clerk of the course, the two new rallies in Jodhpur and Orissa in the last two years for Indian National Rally Championship. She will be back, in the drivers’ seat, as she confirmed for the opening leg in Bangalore.

    Safety first: Safety of the spectators, participants and everyone is of prime importance. As per the Federation guidelines, organisers have taken strong measures to barricade the entire circuit for spectator safety. Trauma care ambulances and fire engines are all in place, standing by for any emergency that all motorsports events throw up.

    Rock your way: Two decades and going strong. Parikrama, will be there to rock the speedsters. The promoters and organisers saw it fit to provide a wholesome entertainment for the motorsport fans. And there you rock. The INAC Rock Hammer Competition is around. Several rock bands are expected to get an opportunity to showcase their talents and to perform alongside the everlasting Parikrama, Palace Grounds will ROCK on Sunday.

    The BIG BOYS, we call them PANDHIS: The Bangalore Pandhis are a familiar name in the motoring circles. They don the stunning machines you and me dream of. The Harley Davidsons. Its not just a machine. It is a beast. The BIG BOYS will be here to entertain and show off. The Promoters Wynnsport, made sure that the Harley Davidson Club, showcase at least 25 bikes of their members.

    Acrobatics: There will also be an Adventure Zone, complete with rappelling and games as well as an acrobatic show by the group Lakshya of Entertainment Ke Liye Kuch Bi Karega fame.

    ends

  • Force India in points again at Sepang

    From Special Correspondent (F1)

    Kuala Lumpur, 10 April 2011: In hot and humid conditions, the expected rains failed to arrive and Red Bull Racing continued its dominance with Sebastian Vettel winning his second race of the season and fourth consecutive F1 race as he logged in 25 more points to comfortable win the Petronas F1 Malaysia Grand Prix at Sepang, 80 kms, from here on Sunday. McLaren Mercedes driver Jenson Button was second and Nick Heidfeld of Lotus F1 Renault was a surprise third.

    Thanks to Russian Petrov’s spectacular off-the-track excursion and sad retirement, Force India’s Paul di Resta, who drove a consistent race was in 9th place but the experienced Michael Schumacher overtook Paul in the last lap to bag two points. Paul got one point again for his 10th place  It was tough race for everyone with tactics and strategies ruled the roost and Force India Formula One Team came home in 10th and 11th positions for a second successive finish for both the drivers who finished 9 and 10th at the season opener in Melbaourne. The team is now joint 5th in the Constructors’ Championship with four points on the table, and Paul di Resta joins Adrian Sutil on two Championship points.

    Both drivers made a clean race start, however Adrian had to return to the pits for a new nose on lap 3 after a coming together with Rubens Barrichello. Paul was the first to make a tyre stop and it was a different strategy of tyre options for the drivers. Paul had a very good race battling with Rosberg and the mid-fielders in the first stint and Schumacher in the second. He made up four places to bring home another point for the team on Sunday. Adrian quickly made up lost ground due to the early nose change and was charging through the field for most of the race. He ran consistently in 12th position until a retirement by Petrov led to Adrian crossing the line in a well deserved 11th place.

    “I am quite happy I must say. The team did a good job with the strategy. I just could not hold off Michael at the end, he had fresher tyres and we had to stop a bit earlier for my third stop than predicted. But I also did not want to risk the championship point as well,’’ said Paul di Resta.

    “The first few laps were not brilliant as I lost my front wing touching Barrichello’s rear tyre. Then we had a two-stop strategy, Changing from soft tyres to hard and another set of soft again and I made them last well, which is positive. We could have been in for a much better finishing position, which is a shame. Overall the team did a great job with the pitstops so I’d like to thank them for that,’’ said Adrian Sutil.

    Team Principal Vijay Mallya was all praise the team: `The boys did a great job with the pitstops in very difficult weather conditions and the team’s strategies worked very well. Paul did an excellent job coming home in the points once again, while I believe that Adrian would also have finished in the top ten had it not been for the early nose change which altered his two-stop strategy.’’

    Talking about the Indian Grand Prix he was excited and said it was a big event. “Millions of youth were dreaming of an Indian team in the Formula One and it was my first dream a few back. Now India getting to host a GP is second big dream come true. We have lined up some updates for our aerodynamics and constantly making changes to improve the cars. The aim is to do better than last year and the whole team is working hard and confident,’’ he conduded.

    Elsewhere, Raghupathy Singhania, the JK Tyre stalwart gave away the prizes for the inaugural JK Racing Asia Series, a support race before the F1 event and for the first time JK banner was the back-drop at the Prize Distribution ceremony of an F1 event.

    eom/David