Your basket is currently empty!
Tag: Indian
-
Arjun Maini takes a big step towards F1 seat, joins Haas team as Development Driver
Nineteen-Year-Old Racer born and brought up in Bengaluru will be the third Indian to race in Formula One, if he gets a drive, and the position as Development Driver is a right step in that direction
Bengaluru, 11 May 2017: Motorsports fans and aficionados got a breath of fresh air with the pleasant news this afternoon that Arjun Maini, an Indian GP3 racer, will make an entry into the world of Formula One. After a gap of five years, an Indian will become part of an F1 team again to fulfill the much-awaited dreams of many a racing fan.
Haas F1 Team announced from Barcelona on Thursday that it has signed Arjun Maini as a development driver ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday. Maini will join the team alongside 18-year-old American Santino Ferrucci. Haas, the American team, has been racing in the F1 2017 season, with Kevin Magnussen and Romain Gorsjean as its main drivers.
Bengaluru boy, the 19-year-old Maini, is competing in the GP3 Series for Jenzer Motorsport after running 14 of the 18 GP3 Series races in 2016. Despite missing the first four races, Maini finished 10th in the championship standings with a best finish of second, the podium he earned on July 23 at the Hungaroring in Budapest.
Maini has interacted with the media today at the Haas F1 Team hospitality in the paddock at Circuit de Barcelona but was not immediately available for comments. However, he sent his quotes through an email through the team.
“It’s an honor to be a part of Haas F1 Team’s driver development program,” Maini said. “All of my racing to date has been with the focus of becoming a Formula One driver, and this opportunity puts me one step closer to my goal. I am eager to learn, understand and experience how a Formula One team operates. Everything I learn can be used immediately in GP3 while preparing for my ultimate goal of Formula One.”
Sponsors and big-finance plays a big role in getting a seat initially in F1, even for talented drivers and it is heart-warming to note that Maini made it without paying funds. But apart from the huge money required in the process of gaining an entry into F1, drivers face a huge challenges of different kinds.
To compete and develop as a competent driver of high standard in India has been a big challenge and the youngster and his supporters, especially his father Gautham Maini, have patiently and painstakingly endured the hardships to see his potential blossom into a development driver slot and the real battle begins now as he makes the last push for an F1 seat.
A few years back, India’s youngest F1 driver, Karun Chandhok was impressed by the talent and dedication of Arjun Maini and stated that he looks forward to helping the teenager become India’s next Formula One driver. And true to his promise, the current F1 commentator and Le Mans driver played a mentor’s role to get Arjun the break through.
To put Arjun’s qualities in right perspective, it is best to remember what Karun said when the youngster was just 15: “Arjun has no ego and he is ready to listen to advice from team and people like me who have been there and done it. A lot of drivers are out there, but the only thing that will set you apart in today’s world is the hard work you put in outside the car with the engineers and the dedication you show in fitness training. Arjun has worked sincerely in that direction and grasped the nuances fully and I can assure you that his work ethic is fantastic.”
In an email message from the Spanish paddock to www.INDIAinF1.com, Karun said: “I’ve been managing Arjun along with his father for the past few years. Since the back end of last year we were working on a link with an F1 te
Karun interviews Arjun in the paddock. A Haas image am and it took a few months for his dad and I to work with Guenther Steiner and the team at Haas F1 to get here. It’s a good first step into the F1 world and Arjun will learn a lot. How we convert this to a race seat in F1 will largely be down to his season in GP3 which starts this weekend.”
“Still, I feel very proud to be one of India’s only 2 F1 drivers thus far, and I hope to help him expand that club in the future,” he concluded.With a rich heritage in Indian Motorsports, J.K.Tyre has supported Arjun since the age of 9. The company seeks to promote and nurture young racing talent in India and have backed almost all the Indian drivers who have made a mark globally. Arjun is proud to continue his association with the company that has backed since his karting days into 2015, and has seen him race primarily across Europe.
Talking to this website, Sanjay Sharma, Head of Motorsport, JK Tyre Motorsport, said: “The kid is on the right track. A good opportunity has come his way. I only pray he proves his worth going forward and convert this prospect into a seat in the highest echelon of motor sports.”
Like Ferrucci, Maini will be embedded with Haas F1 Team at every opportunity, attending races and tests throughout the year while also participating in the team’s simulator program.
Haas F1 Team made its debut in 2016, becoming the first American Formula One team in 30 years. Now in its second season, Haas F1 Team is looking to build upon its impressive first year, where it finished eighth in the constructors standings with 29 points.
“As Haas F1 Team continues to mature, we must look toward our future and develop potential talent,” said Guenther Steiner, team principal, Haas F1 Team. “Arjun was successful in karting and has transitioned well to various Formula series and now GP3. We’ll keep a keen eye on his progress this year.”
The GP3 Series runs in conjunction with Formula One May 12-14 at Circuit de Barcelona – Catalunya, July 7-9 at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria, July 14-16 at Silverstone Circuit in England, July 28-30 at the Hungaroring, Aug. 25-27 at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, Sept. 1-3 at Autodromo Nazionale Monza in Italy and Nov. 24-26 at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The only non-companion race weekend is the penultimate round Oct. 6-8 at Circuito de Jerez in Spain.
Maini earned his first title in 2007 when he won the Rotax Mini Max National Championship. Numerous wins and podiums followed before Maini began the transition to open-wheel machines. He won the 2013 Formula BMW Super Six Series in Asia and finished second overall in the 2014 BRDC Formula 4 championship with four wins, 10 podiums, five poles and six fastest laps. In 2015, Maini competed in the Toyota Racing Series New Zealand and finished fourth in the standings with two wins, five podiums, three poles and two fastest laps – a performance that led him to GP3 in 2016.
Haas F1 Team debuted in the Formula One World Championship in 2016, becoming the first American-led Formula One team since 1986. Founded by industrialist Gene Haas, Haas F1 Team is based in the United States on the same Kannapolis, North Carolina, campus as his championship-winning NASCAR team, Stewart-Haas Racing. Haas is the founder of Haas Automation, the largest CNC machine tool builder in North America, and he is chairman of Haas F1 Team.
eom/Haas press release
-
Vishwadev performs well in Race 1: Malaysia Superbikes Championship
Udipta Kumar Rath. Image by Srinivasa Krishnan Sepang (Kuala Lumpur), 29 April 2017: Former Indian Group D champion, Vishwadev Muraleedharan had a good outing at Sepang International Circuit here on Saturday in the second round of the Pirelli Malaysia Superbike Championship 2017. He was promoted to fourth place in the revised official result for the first race with a
Vishwadev Muralidharan, astried a Kawasaki 250, on way to 4th place in the Open 250 category in the Malaysia Superbikes Championship at Sepang on Saturday. Photo By Srinivasa Krishnan time of 21:35.855. Vishwadev’s teammate Md Jazil Juraimi of Malaysia won the race in 21:18.758.
Vishwadev, the 25-year-old MBA graduate from Coimbatore promoted by Lod Racing in India, is taking part in the Open 250 Category for the second year and there are three other Indian riders in the fray in different categories. Vishwadev, who finished 4th twice last year, for his best placing in the Malaysian Super Bikes Championship in 2016, has qualified in 5th today and completed the race in sixth place astride a Kawasaki 250 with Chia PJ Kawasaki team. However, a penalty on the riders who finished in P2 and P3, pushed the ace Indian rider into a creditable fourth place. The second race will be held on Sunday. “I have not performed up to my satisfaction today and I look forward to better racing on Sunday,” said Vishwadev. Dinesh Kumar Devadoss of RACR finished 7th with a time of 21:44.241 also on a Kawasaki 250.
Another young Orissa lad, Udipta Kumar Rath, had a mixed day as he survived a couple of mistakes and difficult handling of the bike to qualify 11th. But he did make up and switched up a bit in the race conditions to finish 9th in his class and 14th overall in the 12-lap race of the Supersport A class after starting from 20th on the grid. Riding on a completely new layout, the Jyote Group and Motoziel Retail, is on a new Suzuki Gixxer600 bike. The Indian did well to complete the race without any further hiccups as in the qualies. “I have tried to work-out the faults and have experimented today. This will put me in a better frame for the Sunday’s race. I am looking forward for a better performance,” said the ARD Performance Motorsports team rider.
Rajini Krishnan K is taking part in the Superbike A class for Chia PJ Kawasaki team in a ZX10R.
The final races will be on Sunday.
eom/David
-
Veiby grabs lead as Gill suffers damper issues
Gaurav Gill in action on Saturday in the first round of the APRC. Image by Anand Philar Whangarei (New Zealand), 29 April 2017: India’s Gaurav Gill of Team MRF Tyres, struggling with an errant damper, saw his slender advantage vanish as team-mate Ole Christian Veiby from Norway literally splashed his way to a 33.2-second lead in the International Rally of Whangarei which is also the first round of the 2017 FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship, here on Saturday that marked by heavy rains in the afternoon.
Gill (co-driver Stephane Prevot), the reigning APRC champion and Veiby (Stig Rune Skjærmoen) were locked in a thrilling and close battle through the morning. Delhi-based Gill, winner here last year, led Veiby by just 1.7 seconds on completion of four of the day’s eight Special Stages, one of which was cancelled in the afternoon following an accident that blocked the route.
On the second loop of the same Stages in the afternoon, Gill encountered problems with the front dampers that led to lack of grip, while in contrast, Veiby had a flawless run that helped him not only move to the front, but also finish the day with a sizeable lead.
With another 108 Kms spread over six Special Stages to be run on Sunday and more rains forecast, Veiby and Gill, both piloting the Skoda Fabia R5, are way ahead of the field. Third-placed Jari Ketomaa (Ville Mannisenmaki), in a Mitsubishi Mirage, trails Gill by one minute, 42.5 seconds as Team MRF Tyres eye a possible 1-2 finish.
Reflecting on his day’s performance, Veiby who started with a 2.5-second deficit following Friday night’s Super Special Stage, said: “We started at a comfortable pace initially, but stepped up the speed in the second loop. I particularly enjoyed the long Stages which were amazing and I could make time on Gill, but he was quicker on the shorter tight and twisty Stages.
“Overall, I am happy as we didn’t have any issues with the car. The last Stage was very difficult as it was raining very heavily and we could barely see. The MRF tyres worked extremely well today in difficult conditions and I have become more comfortable with them.”
On his part, Gill felt that there was still a big battle ahead on Sunday despite the deficit he faced. “I had a good run in the morning though I started first and had to sweep the gravel off the track.
“In the afternoon when it rained heavily, I had problems with the dampers due to which there was no front-end grip. I lost confidence thereafter and couldn’t really push. Also, there was plenty of water on the route and every time I went through at speed, I lost pace while the going was much clear for those behind me. Tomorrow is another day and I am up for the challenge.”
Provisional classification (after Leg-1):
APRC: 1. Ole Christian Veiby / Stig Rune Skjærmoen (Team MRF Tyres, Skoda Fabia R5) (01hr, 31mins, 33.8secs); 2. Gaurav Gill / Stephane Prevot (Team MRF Tyres, Skoda Fabia R5) (01:32:07.0); 3. Jari Ketomaa / Ville Mannisenmaki (Mpart Sport, Mitsubishi Mirage) (01:33:49.5).
eom/AP Media Comm press release
-
Maini tops 1st session in Barcelona: GP3 2nd test
Barcelona, 19 April 2017: Arjun Maini has set the bar for the second GP3 Series pre-season test by topping the timesheets this morning at the Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona, with the Indian grabbing the top spot late in a session which started with rain and ended on a fully dry track with a laptime of 1:34.163, just three tenths faster than Niko Kari and Santino Ferrucci.
The session opened to unexpectedly cold and wet conditions, and although all drivers were straight out for installations there was no meani
Arjun Maini at second Test at barcelona Pic by Zak Mauger/GP3 Media Service (1).jpg Image added on 20 April 2017 from second day action. ngful running, with the ART quartet the only drivers to set laptimes, and well off the regular pace. Anthoine Hubert led the way at the one hour mark, with teammate George Russell taking over at the halfway mark, but it was only around the second hour that drivers were switching to slicks and setting competitive times, with Nirei Fukuzumi taking over on top of the timesheets.
The field made up for lost time in the final hour, with Kari setting the pace with 45 minutes remaining on 1:35.367, with Ferrucci slotting into P2 briefly before being displaced by Fukuzumi just seconds before the American grabbed the top spot by two tenths. The Japanese driver struck back with half an hour remaining, breaking the 35s barrier with a 1:34.761, ahead of Leonardo Pulcini and Ferrucci, but with ten minutes to go Maini grabbed the top spot by half a second, and then went even quicker with 5 minutes remaining to secure the top of the timesheets.
With the times tumbling late in the session not everyone had time to respond: 8 drivers are within 1 second of Maini’s time, and all bar one are within 2 seconds. There will be time for a further answer when the teams return to their pits after lunch, in two hours’ time.
Day 1 Morning results
Driver Team Laptime Laps 1 Arjun Maini Jenzer Motorsport 1:34.163 24 2 Niko Kari Arden International 1:34.522 23 3 Santino Ferrucci DAMS 1:34.651 16 4 Nirei Fukuzumi ART Grand Prix 1:34.761 45 5 Leonardo Pulcini Arden International 1:34.828 19 6 Raoul Hyman Campos Racing 1:34.877 18 7 Dorian Boccolacci Trident 1:34.929 12 8 Giuliano Alesi Trident 1:35.146 13 9 Alessio Lorandi Jenzer Motorsport 1:35.173 16 10 Marcos Siebert Campos Racing 1:35.249 19 11 Kevin Joerg Trident 1:35.261 14 12 Steijn Schothorst Arden International 1:35.330 19 13 Anthoine Hubert ART Grand Prix 1:35.379 45 14 Julien Falchero Campos Racing 1:35.407 25 15 Tatiana Calderon DAMS 1:35.415 17 16 Bruno Baptista DAMS 1:35.639 17 17 Jack Aitken ART Grand Prix 1:35.748 41 18 George Russell ART Grand Prix 1:36.094 40 19 Ryan Tveter Trident 1:36.545 12 eom/Source: www.GP3series.com
-
Jehan makes an impressive F3 Euro debut
Silverstone, 19 April 2017: Sahara Force India Academy racer, Jehan Daruvala had an impressive debut in the highly competitive FIA Formula 3 European Championship. The Mumbai-based teenager stepped up to F3, after two commendable seasons in Formula Renault 2.0. Jehan’s first F3 weekend saw him on pace with the front runners and earned him two rookie podiums by Sunday.
The first round of the 2017 F3 calendar was held at the famed 5.9km Silverstone Formula 1 circuit. Jehan was 11th in the first practice but improved significantly to finish third in the second session, just 0.28 seconds off the quickest time. Jehan continued his impressive pace to qualify fifth out of 19 racers in the first qualifying session. He was 0.28 seconds off the local British racer Lando Norris who bagged pole. Qualifying session 2 saw Jehan narrow down the gap to 0.173 seconds off pole, set by Callum Illot. With such a small gap, Jehan who is with Carlin team is qualified 6th which shows the competitiveness of the series.
Race 1 started under the safety car due to rain and Jehan did not have an ideal race. He soon dropped down the order to 8th, before falling even further. Once the conditions improved, Jehan was able to make back some ground and eventually finished in the points with tenth. “Testing here, was under much better conditions. It took me a bit of time to adjust to the damp conditions on slick tyres which lost me a few places. It is good that I was able to recover at the end and finish in the points in my first F3 race” said Jehan after Race 1, which was eventually won by Norris.
The start of Race 2 went terrible for Jehan. Overnight rain meant that the inside of the track was still wet and most racers on that side of the track had a bad start. As they fell down the order, Jehan found himself in 14th after the start! Jehan was on pace immediately though and he slowly started climbing back, up the order. Ahead of him, race 1 winner Lando Norris also had a bad start and Jehan went on to have an exciting battle with Lando. On the last lap of the race, Jehan got the better of him and overtook Lando for eighth and finished in the same position. Jehan’s impressive pace saw him overtake more cars than anyone else in race 2 which was won by Swedish racer Joel Eriksson.
In the Rookie classification in Race 2, Jehan was second behind Mick Schumacher while Lando was 3rd .
Race 3 grid was based on the second fastest lap in Qualifying 2. Jehan started well from fifth and managed to hold his position. Soon he overtook Lando to move into fourth. Jake Dennis joined them to make it a three car battle and soon got the better of Lando. Jehan then made a small mistake which allowed Lando to overtake both cars at one time, dropping Jehan to fifth once again. Jehan was then overtaken by Jake, which dropped Jehan to sixth, where he eventually finished. Callum Illot won the race.
In the rookie classification in Race 3, Jehan once again bagged the trophy for coming 2nd behind Lando Norris while Joey Mawson was third.
“ There were many positives from my first weekend in Formula 3. Qualifying 5th, 6th and 5th for the 3 races of the weekend and finishing in the points in all 3 races was very satisfying. The experience of battling through the field from 14th to 8th in Race 2 and the top 6 finish in Race 3 was a good result. I must thank everyone at Carlin for the hard work they have put in over the winter to give me a competitive car.”
Jehan came away from the first event 3rd in the Rookie Championship and 8th in the overall table. Jehan’s next race will be at the end of April where the FIA Formula 3 European Championship will race alongside the World Touring Car Championship in Monza.
eom/Rayo Racing press release
Jehan Daruvala on way to podium in Silverstone on Sunday (16 Apr 2017). A Rayo Racing image -
Mixed bag for Sarath: FIM Asia Road Racing
File photo of Sarath Kumar by Anand Philar Buriram, 17 April 2017: India’s Shankar Sarath Kumar and his team RAMA Honda Racing by NTS T.Pro Ten10 had mixed fortunes in the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship here over the weekend.
Sarath Kumar picked up three points from the first race of the SuperSport 600cc class, but drew blank in the next while team-mate Rajiv Sethu missed the Asia Production 250cc double-header due to a crash during free practice session.
Both the Chennai-based riders are supported by Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India and Honda Motorsports Japan besides John Sudheer of RAMA Group of Companies and are part of a five-rider team.
For Sarath Kumar, it was hard work through the race weekend, but he did well to gradually improve his timings that reflected his ability to adapt to the 600cc bike as he scored points for the third consecutive race this season to take his tally to seven from two rounds.
However, in the second race, Sarath battled to control the bike, especially through some of the corners and came away without any points.
Rajiv Sethu could not start the races in the AP250 due to crash he suffered in the third Free Practice session. The bike is damaged and as it was a new model bike, the frame was not available immediately and hence he had to sit out the weekend.
Team manager Ramji Govindarajan said: “Overall, it was not a great weekend for the whole team. Out top rider Taiga Hada (Japan) had a crash in Race 1 and finished seventh in the next to score some points.
“Our only other rider in the AP250 class, Tomoyoshi Koyama managed to finish sixth and seventh in the two races with the bike still under development. He fought hard with the second batch of riders who still had faster bikes.
“We now look ahead to Suzuka round in June. With much deserved recovery, training and development time for the team and the riders, we will re-group strongly for the Suzuka outing.”
eom/FMSCI release
-
Amanpreet crowned king of mountains in JK Tyre Festival of Speed
Dirang Valley (Arunachal Pradesh), 17 April 2017: Former Indian National Rally Champion Amanpreet Ahulawalia emerged as the undisputed king of the mountains as he claimed the JK Tyre Arunachal Festival of Speed crown here at the spectacular Dirang Valley on Monday.
The Noida-based veteran rallyist and his navigator Ajay Kumar were virtually unbeatable on each of the three days, conquering eight of the ten stages to pocket a major chunk out of the total prize money of Rs 10 lakh.
On the third and final day too, he won the first three Special Stages before easing up on the last one. He finished all the stages, including the Super Special Stage on Day 1, in just over an hour to win with an impressive 27 second lead.
“It was an honour to compete against so many good drivers and good cars,” said Amanpreet graciously. “But as a driver I am more comfortable in the hills, especially where it’s more about technique than speed, and I guess that’s where I scored,” he explained.
Amanpreet, who owns one of the largest rally car workshops in India, gave all the credit to his 1300cc turbo charged Gypsy. “I worked on it for three months, and was managing to produce close to 150-odd bhp power that is pretty good for a gypsy. I guess that was the only good and best part of my car: the engine,” he said, flashing a triumphant smile.
Coorg’s INRC regular KM Bopaiah went all out in his 1600cc Vento but still has to settle for the second place. He was barely 2 or 3 seconds off the leader in each of the stages, and even claimed the final stage, but the 28 second deficit over the first two days proved to be a bridge too far to cross.
He finished all the stages in an equally commendable one hour and 29 seconds. “I gave it my all in the Special Stages. But I guess my car wasn’t suited for some of the rough terrains and the uphill climbs,” he said.
Delhi’s Sandeep Sharma held on to his position to take the third place. His feat was particularly laudable as he was driving a stock car, and it was clear on the second day itself that it was struggling. “I knew I had a huge disadvantage. But I pushed myself and my car to our limits today as I firmly believe that that’s the only thing that counts, not where you finish,” he said.
In the Autocross for local talent, Babit Lyngdoh continued his good run to win the last two sprints on Monday to become the local hero.
Maninder, wife of Sandeep Sharma and the only lady driver in this category, slipped from her second place to finish fourth.
About JK Tyre
Part of the JK Organisation, JK Tyre & Industries Limited is a leading four-wheeler tyre manufacturer in India and among the top-25 manufacturers in the world with a wide range of products catering to diverse business segments in the automobile industry. JK Tyre has global presence in 100 countries across
Amanpreet Ahluwalia won the 4th JK TYRE Arunachal Festival of Speed in Dirang on Monday. Image by JK Tyre Motorsports six continents, backed by production support from 12 plants – 9 in India and 3 in Mexico. Currently, the capacity across all its plants is about 35 million tyres per annum. In April 2016 JK Tyreacquired Cavendish India Limited from Birla Tyres. While acquisition added three modern plants to its portfolio taking the total count to 12, it helped the tyre major foray into the two/three wheeler segment as well. Pioneers of radial technology, JK Tyre produced the first radial tyre in 1977 and is currently the market leader in Truck Bus Radial segment. With over three decades of technological innovation, JK Tyre offers tyre for entire range of passenger and commercial vehicles, starting from a 3 kg two-wheeler tyre to a 3.5 ton OTR tyre. Apart from a strong network of 4000 dealers and over 200 dedicated outlets, JK Tyre was the first tyre company to introduce unique concepts like “Dial-a-Tyre” and is the only tyre company to launch a 24×7 on-road tyre assistance initiative called “Fix-a-Tyre”.
eom/JK Tyre press release
-
Sarath, Rajiv set for Thailand campaign: ARRC
Buriram (Thailand), 13 April 2017: India’s S Sarath Kumar and Rajiv Sethu, both representing Rama Honda Racing team by NTS T.Pro Ten10 team, will renew their respective campaigns in the second round of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship at the Chang International Circuit here on Friday, hoping to improve on their performance in the previous outing in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, a fortnight ago.
Sarath Kumar, participating in the SuperSport 600cc class on a Honda CBR 600WR bike, picked up points in both the races in Johor while Sethu, astride the all new Honda CBR 250RR, made his debut in the highly competitive Asia Production 250cc.
Both the Chennai-based riders, supported by Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, Honda Motorsports Japan and John Sudheer of Rama Group of Companies, are part of a five-rider team that includes Japan’s Tiga Hada who delivered a double podium in Johor.
Sarath, shrugging off a collar bone injury that he suffered after a crash during pre-season test session, put in two impressive rides in Johor as he improved his time with each outing.
“I need to focus on my pace in Round 2. This circuit is fast and is one of my favourite as compared Johor. I am now feeling more confident on the bike and I hope good results will come from Round 2.
“I have been working hard on adapting to SuperSport style of riding. In Johor, I was still riding the 600 like a 250cc, carrying a lot of corner speed and losing precious time exiting the corner. Now, after a lot of data analysis and inputs from my team, I have started adapting to the big bike and I hope to score more points.
“The only setback is a crack in my collar bone from the crash during pre-season test, but I think, it is manageable. Honda and my team have been very supportive and I hope I give them something good this round,” said Sarath on the eve of the Buriram round.
Sethu, who is aiming for a top-15 finish here, said: “The AP250 category is very competitive. I have to come to terms with the competition and it is important that the all new Honda CBR250RR should be set up right. This bike is brand new, very powerful and a perfect package for the road racing.
“My expectations for this round is to finish in top 15 which in itself will be a great improvement on my lap times and riding. It’s a step by step learning.”
John Sudheer, Team Ambassador and Director Rama Group of Companies: “I am very excited about Thailand round as I enjoy the circuit a lot as compared to the others in the season. Also, Thailand is like my second home. The crowd here is electrifying and with the season of Songkran Festival, we are sure there will be a lot of celebration at the circuit and if we can add some cheer to the festival with some victory by Tiga Hada and improved performance by our Indian racers, I will be very glad.”
Ramji Govindarajan, Team Manager: “Our season kicked off well with double podiums in Round 1 by Tiga Hada who has been a transformation this year. We expect some fireworks from Tomoyashi Koyama on CBR250RR this round. With regard to our own boys, we hope Sarath to have a better run in Chang International Circuit as his understanding of the bike has improved as compared to last year and even the first round. For Rajiv Sethu, this will be learning year for him which he can from his teammates who have over 30 years of combined experience racing and we are confident that he will improve his performance as the development of the new Honda CBR250RR Improves. Overall, we expect a good race across both AP250 and SS600.”
eom/AP Media Comm release
File photo of Sarath Kumar by Anand Philar -
Ruhaan Alva scores another win in Italy
Bengaluru, 10 April 2017: India’s Ruhaan Alva, supported by Italian kart manufacturer Birel Art and representing MLG Racing team, drove brilliantly to overtake two front runners on the last lap and scored a fine win in the Easykart Championship in Lonato, Italy, on Sunday.
Ruhaan, the 10-year old schoolboy from Bengaluru, had won the Mini-60 class race in the first round last month in Castelletto, Italy, but decided to move to the more competitive Easykart 60 category. The Indian youngster did extremely well to qualify for pole position in a field of 27 racers, and in the final, kept his cool on the last lap while storming from third to first in a tight finish where less than a second separated the top three.
Ruhaan was involved in a three-way battle throughout the 12-lap final. Going into the last lap, he was placed third behind Patrese Lorenzo of Italy and Czech Adam Kowalski, but overtook both to clinch victory that put him fourth in the Championship.
Ruhaan’s father, Umakanth Alva, said: “We decided to move Ruhaan from the Mini-60 category which has just six racers to the more competitive Easy Kart 60 category. It is important that Ruhaan learn to fight the competition keeping in mind that he is trying for the WSK Championship (World Championship) this year.”
Birel ART India’s team principal Marco Bartoli said: “We are very proud of Ruhaan’s win today. The top three kept swapping positions until the last lap. With one lap to go, he overtook two drivers and pulled off gap to the chequered flag. He made India very proud!”
eom/AP Media Communications
-
Honda supported Sarath, Rajiv for 2017 ARRC;
Johor Bahru (Malaysia), 31 March 2017: India’s top two-wheeler racers, Shankar Sarath Kumar and Rajiv Sethu, representing RAMA Honda Racing team by NTS T.Pro Ten10 team, and supported by Honda 2Wheelers India, are taking part in the 2017 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship which commences here tomorrow, April 1, with the first round.
Sarath Kumar, coming off a knee injury that severely impacted his 2016 season, will continue his campaign in the SuperSport 600cc class on a Honda CBR 600WR while Rajiv Sethu, riding the all new Honda CBR 250RR, has moved to Asia Production 250cc after a season in the Asia Dream Cup. Both are supported by Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India and Honda Motorsports Japan as a key talent development from India in the international racing series.
Sarath and Sethu, both Chennai-based, are also part of a five-rider contingent in two classes, backed by John Sudheer of RAMA Group of Companies and who is also the team ambassador.
The team also includes three experienced riders led by “pocket rocket” Tomoyoshi Koyama who shifts to the crucial AP250 class from SS600. While Tiga Hada takes up the mantle in SS600 to lead the championship fight for Honda, ARRC rookie Sena Yamada begins his Asian stint with vast experience in the European Moto3 and Moto2 circuits and is the dark horse to watch out for.
Looking forward to the 2017 season, Sarath Kumar said: “I am happy to get back to riding the SS600 this year. Personally for me, 2016 was a challenging year with injuries. This season, I have worked very hard and want to put up a strong performance.
“Throughout my career, Ten10 Racing with Honda 2Wheelers India always had faith in me and powered my dreams. I hope to deliver my best for them. I also thank Mr John Sudheer who has come forward to support this sport and a talent like me.”
Making his debut in the ARRC is the 2016 Indian National champion and former Asia Dream Cup participant, is Rajiv Sethu, the young rising talent from Chennai.
Visibly excited at his debut, Rajiv Sethu, said: “For any Indian racer, getting global exposure is a big opportunity. Honda 2Wheelers India has made my dream come true. I look forward to ride and learn from riders like Koyama San who is among the most experienced racers in the World.
“The 2017 season for me is all about improving my riding and presence in international races. This is my first exposure in ARRC and it’s a big deal for me. I will do my best to make my team and country proud.”
HMSI Statement by Prabhu Nagaraj: “India is making gradual but consistent progress in motorsport and our boys going international arena is great for the sport. As part of our rider development program two young talented Indian riders Sarath and Rajiv will be seen in action in ARRC this year. We are extremely delighted to have them in our international mix and are confident that they will put up a great show. I’m sure these riders will be creating and supporting dreams for many more young riders to make a career in Racing. Also, the Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) will return to India later this year and this will be another great opportunity for the riders as well as the motorsport fans in India.”
Team Owner, Yusuke Teshima: “I am so happy to put together such a big team across two classes this season in FIM Asia Road Racing Championship in collaboration with India. The team comprises of very talented racers from India and Japan and this will be a great platform for them to grow to the next level of professional motorcycle racing. We are confident of putting up some good performances for Honda and our sponsor, RAMA, this year.”
Team Ambassador, John Sudheer: “I have been associated with the team for one year during the 2016 season and I have been to all their races. The kind of passion and commitment they have towards this sport made me decide to continue my support for the 2017 season, this time with my own brand RAMA (Royal Asia Movie Awards). I see this as a perfect platform for Asian collaboration, uniting Asia through motorcycle racing. Moreover, with Indian talents involved and benefiting through this sport, it is something exciting to see especially when they carry my brand across Asia.”
2017 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship: The FIM Asia Road Racing Championship is the regional motorcycle road racing championship for Asia, held since 1996. This championship is part of the production-based category of racing, similar to the Supersport World Championship, British Supersport Championship and AMA Supersport Championship. Modified versions of production motorcycles that are available to the public are featured in the race. The Championship is currently divided into three open-make classes and two mono-brand developmental classes. The open-make categories are the SuperSports 600cc, Asia Production 250cc and Underbone 130cc. The developmental classes race on single-make motorcycles.
eom/AP Media Comm release
