INDIA in F1

Tag: JK Tyre

  • Ruhaan continues to dominate with a Rookie-double

    Ruhaan continues to dominate with a Rookie-double

    Coimbatore, 21 Nov 2021: Ruhaan Alva of Bengaluru continued to dominate his class as the MSport athlete became the most-successful driver of the day with a brilliant double while Dark Don racers TS Diljith and Tijil Rao shared a race win each in the LGB Formula 4 class in Round 2 of the 24th JK Tyre FMSCI National Racing Championship that concluded at the Kari Motor Speedway here on Sunday.

    The Rookie, who impressed with his driving style, started on pole and went on to win the race to add to the crown he won on Saturday.

    Meanwhile, in the feature event, the Dark Don Racing boys who did not enjoy a great Saturday bounced back strongly to wrest the top three slots on the podium in both the LGB Formula 4 races. The premier event of the championship not only brought the best out of the drivers but also found new winners.

    It was Amir Sayed of Ahura Racing who notched up his maiden win on Saturday but today,TS Diljith clinched the prime spot in Race 2 of Round 2, the first LGB race on Sunday. It wasn’t an easy affair for the ever-energetic star from Thrissur as the championship leader Vishnu Prasad was right behind for most part of the race.

    Even as Vishnu was trying hard to pass, the Dark Don stars Tijil Rao, Sandeep Kumar and Arya Singh were pressing the pedal hard. That put the pressure on Vishnu, who swiftly switched to the safety mode. He left Diljith alone and concentrated on defending his position. It failed miserably towards the end as Tijil and Sandeep made the most of it to finish second and third respectively.

    Tijil Rao did one better in the second race finishing ahead of his teammates Sandeep and Ashwin Datta.

    Ruhaan Alva (MSport) completed yet another grand double in the JK Tyre Novice Cup. There’s none to beat the 15-year-old this season. Jaden Pariat (MSport) from Guwahati seems to get better with every race and quite deservedly finished second in both races.

    Anish Damodara Shetty (Hubli) did likewise finishing right on top in the JK Tyre presents Royal Enfield Continental GT Cup. But a 30-second penalty for overtaking under the yellow put paid his hopes of completing a grand double. Thrissur boys Anfal Akdhar and Allwin Xavier, who finished second and third were elevated to the first and second position respectively, while Coimbatore’s Raj Kumar moved one up as well to finish third.

    Provisional Results: JK Tyre Formula LGB4:

    Race 2:

    1. T.S. Diljith (Dark Don Racing) 23:10.852

    2. Tijil Rao (Dark Don) 23:18.310

    3. A. Sandeep Kumar (Dark Don) 23:18.521

    Race 3:

    1. Tijil Rao 21:34.441

    2. Sandeep Kumar 21:36.264

    3. Ashwin Datta (Dark Don) 21:36.452

    Novice Cup:

    Race 2:

    1. Ruhaan Alva (MSport) 13:22.885

    2. Jaden R. Pariat (MSport) 13:23.794

    3. Joel Joseph (DTS Racing) 13:42.994

    Race 3:

    1. Ruhaan Alva 21:08.051

    2. Jaden  R Pariat 21:12.389

    3. Gaurav Kochar 21:12.949

    Race 2:

    1. Anfal Akdhar (Thrissur) 5:53.042; 2. Allwin Xavier (Thrissur) 5:53.387; 3.

    Raj Kumar (Coimbatore) 5:55.744.

    Royal Enfield Continental GT Cup:

    Race 2:

    1. Anfal Akdhar (Thrissur) 5:53.042

    2. Allwin Xavier (Thrissur) 5:53.387

    3. Raj Kumar (Coimbatore) 5:55.744

  • Amir sayed shines for Ahura Racing; Ruhaan wins Rookie race

    Amir sayed shines for Ahura Racing; Ruhaan wins Rookie race

    Coimbatore, 20 Nov 2021: Amir Sayed outclassed a classy field of stars to finish on top of the podium for his new team, Ahura Racing, on the opening day of Round 2 of the 24th JK Tyre FMSCI National Racing Championship at the Kari Motor Speedway in Chettipalayam, near here, on Saturday.

    But it was Ruhaan Alva, who kept the flag flying for MSport, in the Rookie section winning over another graduate from karting and teammate Jaden R Pariat from Guwahati. The Bengaluru racer is the reigning Senior National karting champion. Aditya Parusuram of Hasten Performance completed the podium

    In the Formula LGB, Amir Sayed won by less than half a second but he had the pleasure of beating Tijil Rao and experienced Sandeep Kumar, both from Dark Don Racing. All three finished within 0.600th of a second.

    Ruhaan Alva continues his winning spree in Round 2 of the JK Tyre Rookie races in his first year of Formula cars at Kari Motorspeedway at Coimbatore on Saturday. JK Tyre photo

    It wasn’t easy for the youngster from Kottayam. He had to battle hard right through before stamping his class. Starting fourth on the grid, he pulled off to a great start. Pole sitter Arya Singh was right up there and so was Sandeep Kumar and Tijil Rao (all from Dark Don). The safety car, which came out thrice, further added to his pressure but he withstood it all to take the checkered flag ahead of Tijil and Sandeep.

    Anish Damodar Shetty of Hubbali, was in his elements once again, winning the first race of the JK Tyre Continental GT Cup Round 2, too, beating talented Thrissur youngsters Allwin Xavier and Anfal Akdar. Anish dominated the Round 1 and is leading he table.

    Provisional Results:

    JK Tyre Formula LGB4:

    Race 1:

    Amir Sayed (Ahura Racing) 26:03.085

    Tijil Rao (Dark Don Racing) 26:03.524

    Sandeep Kumar (Dark Don Racing) 26:04.623

    JK Tyre Novice Cup:

    Race 1:

    Ruhaan Alva (MSport) 14:33.431

    Jaden R. Pariat (MSport) 14:36.442

    Aadithya Parasuram (Hasten Performance) 14:42.833

    JK Tyre presents Royal Enfield Continental GT Cup:

    Anish Damodara Shetty (Hubli) 13:54.772

    Allwin Xavier (Thrissur) 13:55.503

    Anfal Akdhar (Thrissur) 14:00.130

  • Ruhaan Alva dominates with a double; Arya Singh crowned

    Ruhaan Alva dominates with a double; Arya Singh crowned

    Coimbatore, 23 October 2021: Talented Bengaluru adolescent Ruhaan Alva, dominated the proceedings for the second consecutive day with a double in the JK Tyre Novice Cup but it was Sohil Shah who stole the fastest lap of the day before his he forefeited his LGB Formula 4 ‘win’ in the 24th JK Tyre FMSCI National Racing Championship held at Kari Motor Speedway here on Saturday.

    Sohil, who started on P5, moved to 4th in the very first lap overtaking Diljit and clocked the fastest lap of the race at 1min: 17.326sec (Lap 3). By the end of fourth lap he was leading the race. Dilijit who followed him into P2 lost position to Arya Singh after Lap 11. But the honour of the fastest lap is no consolation as Sohil lost the hard-earned race due to a technical infringement and the 10-sec penalty.

    Thus, young Arya Singh who crossed the flag second, actually won the gold thanks to his clean race. Starting on P2, he overtook the experienced Raghul Rangasamy in the very first lap. But he slid to 8th position (P8) at the end of Lap 4 and used the two-lap Safety Car period to his advantage and jumped to P2 in Lap 11, and thereon, drove a steady race to keep P2 and eventually win the race as he was alert not to make any fouls. A great result for the talented Kolkata youngster, who is growing with experience as he managed two Safety Car periods to his advantage.

    “I am happy to start the season with a win, though it was not easy. I was in the lead but once the safety cars came out, there was a lot of bunching. The net effect is the lead which you had in time and distance gets shrunk. I waited for the right moment in the final lap and won,” said Sohil, after the race before he was penalised.  

    LGB F4 podium before results were audited: Bengaluru’s Sohil Shah, centre, 1st, followed by Arya Singh of Kolkata, right, 2nd and Diljit TS, 3rd (2nd from left) and Sohil’s tuner at Kari Motor Speedway on Saturday. Arya Singh won the race after Sohil was relegated to 10th following his penalty by the race stewards.

    Bullets weigh 180kg and are quite demanding, especially at small tracks like KMS. But they did not deter Anish Damodara Shetty one bit, and the rider from Hubli eventually emerged winner in the 10-lap race, timing 1:18.325, ahead of Allwin Xavier from Thrissur by just 0.117 seconds. Telugu rider Jayanth Prathipati took the final spot on the podium.

    ‘”It was a great challenge to win the maiden race and the last lap was electrifying,” said Anish. Speaking about the close second spot, Allwin took it philosophically. “It’s a new race in a new bike. There is speed and also your legs feel tired handling the weight. I am happy to come second,” said Allwin.  

    Teen sensation Ruhaan Alva from Bengaluru, well known for his exploits since the age of seven, began the proceedings with dominance.  Competing for MSport, Ruhaan showed poise and purpose after the first race was red flagged. 

    Novie Race 2 Podium: Ruhaan Alva, centre, wins a double, while Jaden R Pariat, right, notches his maiden podium in Race 2 while Adithya Parusuram, 2nd from left, gets a second and third respectively in Race 1 and Race 2 in the Novice Class on Saturday.

    It had to be restarted. Ruhaan was fully focussed, not letting the brief stoppage affect him. On a pleasant and sunny afternoon, the 15-year youngster raced without any glitch, virtually, as he timed 14 minutes 22.061 seconds in the 10-lap race. His best lap time was 1:18.001, was actually not his best, but the he gained more time by being consistent as he was within half a second margin in all lthe laps except during the yellow flags. He best on Saturday came in Race 2 at 1:17.685, the second fastest time on the day as Sohil clocked 1:17.326 in a better car, the LGB F4 car. 

    “I am happy to have begun with a win. Once a race is red-flagged, it’s very important to remain focussed. I was happy with my start to the championship,” said Ruhaan, who took to karting at the age of seven. He idolises legend Ayrton Senna, which speaks a lot about how much he has followed the sport of Formula 1 racing. 

    Later in the evening, Ruhaan once again was in his elements in the fight between the ‘master and the student’. Fourteen-year school boy Jaden R Pariat from Guwahati, who was trailing by two laps in the first race eventually, staged a superb comeback in the second race, to take second on the podium. Race 2 also saw a crash and Ruhaan used a different technique to restart, once the safety car was in, as he slowed down before zooming off once again to create enough gap and thwart any chance that Jaden got with skilled driving. Ruhaan has been the mentor for Jaden in his first karting season and it showed good results. Jaden not only impressed with his driving skills but notched up many victories with good emotional control.  

    Provisional audited Results: (Editor’s note: corrected on 24 Oct 2021 at 6.30am)

    Formula LGB 4: Race 1: 

    LGB Formula 4: Race 1 (Overall Race 3 of the day):

    1. Arya Singh (Kolkata, Dark Don Racing) 23:27.088 (best lapt: 1:17.512)
    2. Raghul Rangasamy (Chennai, MSport) 23:29.179 (Best 1:18.057);
    3. Mohamed Ryan (Chennai, MSport) 1:17.905;

    Novice Cup:

    Race 1: 

    1. Ruhaan Alva (Bengaluru) – 14:22.061;

    2. Aadithya Parasuram (Chennai)- 14:25.202;

    3. Gaurav Kochar (Coonoor)- 14:34.275.

    Race 2: 

    1. Ruhaan Alva –15:06.124;

    2. Jaden R Pariat (Guwahati)-15:07.429;

    3. Aadithya Parasuram -15:09.109.

    RE Continental GT Cup: Race 1: 

    1. Anish Damodara Shetty (Hubli) – 14:07.754;

    2. Allwin Xavier (Thrissur)- 14.07.859;

    3. Jayanth Prathipati (Hyderabad)- 14:08.859.

  • Ruhaan Alva leads karters domination on Formula cars

    Ruhaan Alva leads karters domination on Formula cars

    Coimbatore, 22 October 2021: MSport’s Ruhan Alva of Bengaluru clocked the overall best time in the second qualifying session to not only top the combined time-sheets but also became the fastest driver of the day with a stunning 1minute, 17.278seconds in the Novice Class of the 25th JK Tyre National Racing Championship 2021 which began at the 2.3km Kari Motor Speedway here on Friday.

    Jaden Pariat, 14, who got into motorsports only in November 2020, making his debut at the Meco Kartopia in Bengaluru, missed the National Junior X30 Karting Champinship title by a whisker. But within a short period, he has shown that the genes of speed are blossoming. Qualifying second today behind Ruhaan, a much more experienced driver, is no mean task. His father, Atiqur Rehman, is a rally rider, and his photograph of jumping over 7-time National champion and current promoter Shyam Kothari in late nineties will be ever etched in the mind of yesteryear motorsports lovers, thanks to a late George Francis photograph. Jaden clocked 1:17.977 to take P2 in the combined quali timesheet. Chennai’s Aditya Parusuram of Hasten Performance took P3 clocking 1:18.003. Ruhaan’s father Umakanth Alva too, is a rally driver of yore.

    In the LGB Formula 4, Raghul Rangasamy of Chennai took the pole position with a 1:17.453 followed talented Kolkata younster Arya Singh, who timed 1:17.473 for P2 and Dilijit TS (1:17.665) and experienced Sandeep Kumar (1:17.590) completed the second row, in that order.

    The 15-year old professional driver, Ruhaan, who just graduated to Formula cars this season, caught the eye with good performance at the Madras Motor Race Track recently, and now got his Pole Position in the Novice class. Even Ruhaan, imbibed the professional motorsports culture of Europe, thank to his Rally-loving father, Umakanth Alva, and his inherent self-discipline.

    Many other drivers including former National Racing multiple champion Raghul Rangasamy and experienced drivers like Vishnu Prasad, Sohil Shah, Sandeep Kumar (Karting Nationals CoC) and young Tijil Rao (Bengaluru Sim specialist), all pelted fast laps below 1min, 18 seconds, ie below 78 seconds for the Kari Motor Speedway, an F3 homologated re-laid Race track with a 2.3-km tarmac (earlier 2.1) built in the name of legend Karivardhan. Some, like Jaden Pariat, (Guwahati, MSport), who graduated from karting to Formula cars, also impressed in the sessions today displaying good pace for his age and experience.

    Ruhaan Alva, is a picture of concentration, on Friday at the Kari Motor Speedway. INDIAinF1 commissioned Photo by JR Dhinesh Kannan

    Mira Erda, kept the flag flying for Women in Motorsports, with some quick laps beating many men to take P10. Another Faridabad girl, Muskaan Jubbal, daughter of popular rallyist Amandeep (Jubbal) Kaur, and Anushriya Gulati of Dehradun are among the lady drivers in the fray. Muskaan and Jasmehar Singh Jubbal from Faridabad are the only siblings on the grid in the same race.

    The Unofficial Practice Session 4, was ideal for fast times on Friday, with Rahul Rangasamy setting his personal best at 1:17.382; Sohil Shah 17.450; Arya Singh 17.473; Vishnu Prasad 17.561, Sandeep Kumar 17.590; Diljit Singh 17.665; Tijil Rao 17.886 for other 1:18sec dippers on the day.

    The popular JK Tyre championship has three classes, JK Tyre Novice Cup, LGB Formula4 and Support non-championship Royal Enfield single-make Continental GT Cup over Saturday and Sunday. Novices have two races of 10-lap each and one race of 12 laps on Sunday while the LGB F4 drivers take part in three, 15-lap races, one on Saturday and two on Sunday. The Bullet bikers also have two 10-lap races, one on Saturday and one on Sunday. Sunny Kumar is the Clerk-of-the-Course.

    Disclaimer: This reporter is not at the venue. The report is based on the timer app which are unofficial unaudited timings and subject to final audit. Any driver or rider can get back if a clarificatin is needed. Please do not call. WhatsApp first 98455 69496 with your profile and signed timesheet/s.

  • JK Tyre partners with FMSCI to breathe life into TSD rallies again

    JK Tyre partners with FMSCI to breathe life into TSD rallies again

    New Delhi, 29 Sept, 2021: JK Tyre, India’s leading tyre manufacturer and pioneer of motorsports in India, has launched JK Tyre FMSCI Indian National Regularity Run Championship, the first-of-its-kind motorsport Nationals that is expected to provide a platform for driving enthusiasts to start their journey into professional rallying.

    Ever since the Company got involved in Motorsports, the sole purpose has been to promote, nurture and provide opportunities from grassroots level to the highest echelons of motorsport to enthusiasts. The company has also invested in putting together a step by step motorsport program for budding racers who are interested in taking up motorsport as a career. JK Tyre introduced karting in India that is now the breeding ground for professional racing. Similarly, the JK Tyre FMSCI Indian National Regularity Run Championship will provide the necessary platform for entry into professional rallying.

    Run under the aegis of Federation of Motorsport Clubs of India (FMSCI), and backed by JK Tyre the Indian National Regularity Run will be held across 17 cities in the country making it one of the most awaited National Championship of the year with biggest geographical spread.

    Speaking on the occasion Sanjay Sharma, Head-Motorsport, JK Tyre said: “Promoting motorsports at the grass-root level in India has always been a key priority for JK Tyre. Our idea endeavors to create an eco-system and provide opportunities to motorsport buffs, as always. By launching the JK Tyre FMSCI India National Regularity Run National Championship, we hope to nurture the new generation of rally enthusiasts to get into professional rallying. Our activities and initiatives in the past few years have further strengthened our leadership position in Indian National Rally Championship and we continue our commitment towards building more professional rally drivers.”

    Regularity Run is a form of TSD rally, usually conducted on public roads, both clean tarmac and flat dirt tracks which need precise time and average speed on various segments of pre-defined but undisclosed route. Each team comprises of a driver and a navigator will start the run at a fixed interval creating a field that is spread along the route with undisclosed Time Controls. The team with minimum time penalties will win. INRRC will have a Championship Class that will see National champions for 2021, one Navigator, a Driver and the team.

    The zonal qualifiers will start on October 1, with the Rally of Bangalore, the first of the five South Zone events while Rally of Chamba, will kick start the other zonal rounds. Another five rounds are scheduled in the East, three in the West and one Central round would complement the North Zone event. The first South Zone round will be flagged off at 8 am at Kanteerava Stadium, in the busy downtown area and travel to the heritage Hampi city in Vijayanagar district. A 10-km run of over 40 vintage cars in the heart of the city are expected to enthrall and popularise the sport among the youngsters.

    The final round of INRRC will be the JK Tyre Tri Nation Himalayan Drive in Siliguri which is the biggest motorsport event in Eastern India that traverses through the picturesque regions of Darjeeling, Sikkim, crossing Nepal and culminating at the enigmatic kingdom of Bhutan.

    About JK Tyre Motorsport:

    JK Tyre has been closely associated with the world of motorsports for almost three decades back. The company laid down a long term plan to popularise and promote the sport in the country. Its first target was to change the notion that this was a sport for the elite. So it packaged and redesigned it in a spectator-friendly way, drawing the masses to the sport.

    The company then endeavored to spot, nurture and sharpen the drivers to turn them into world champions. With this goal in mind, we conceptualized the JK Tyre National Racing Champion in 1997. Our efforts started paying dividends in just a few years’ time, with the likes of Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandok going all the way to the F1 rung, the highest level of single-seat racing in the world. Since then, a number of stars emerged, including Armaan Ebrahim, the Maini brothers (Kush and Arjun), Anindith Reddy Konda, amongst many others. 

    Before all this, JK Tyre had a successful stint in rallying too, conquering the scene in the early 90s. At the same time, gradually, we moved on to various disciplines, including cross-country rallying and off-roading, leaving a mark in each of them with their unique and innovative ways.  

    JK Tyre Motorsports is also very proud of the role it has played in bringing women into motorsports in a big way. Apart from encouraging them to get into the sport through karting as kids, we also gave them opportunities in various national championships. Last year was particularly rewarding for us as an All-Women Racing team was introduced for the first time in the LGB 4 category. In addition, the company also undertook various other initiatives to encourage them to try motorsports, even if for fun to begin with.  

    To supplement JK Tyre’s entry into the two-wheeler market, the JKNRC hosted the Suzuki Gixxer Cup and the Red Bull Road to Rookies Cup categories and saw enthusiastic participation from across the country.

    Today, the company is synonymous with motorsports, and even more so with racing, creating a lot of goodwill for the brand. Right from budding racers to accomplished drivers in the country, everybody owes their rise and success to JK Tyre.  

  • Hampi becomes a hotbed of Motorsports activity in India

    Hampi becomes a hotbed of Motorsports activity in India

    Bengaluru, 29 Sept. 2021: Motorsports Utsav de Hampi is a household name, thanks to the frenetic sports activity of high-degree in just three years after the birth of Motorsports Academy of Vijayanagar, that attracted top drivers and riders, and National events to the Heritage land, in and around Hampi. Whether it is the Special Stage rallying for four-wheelers or two-wheelers, Autocross or Motocross, time-tested TSD or the highly-competitive Indian National Rally Championship, all roads lead to Hampi, and even the endurance and adventure sports like 4×4 off-road challenge made the Club special, in the hearts of motorsports lovers. The heritage site and the pride of Karnataka, truly reflecting the slogan, One State, Many Worlds, is not just the only reason for fans and athletes to flock in, `Mecca of Motorsport’ MAV is.

    MAV – The Motorsports Academy

    Motorsports Academy of Vijayanagar, Hampi, is an FMSCI affiliated club started in 2019 by a group of motorsport fanatics with an intention to bring high-performance motorsports athletes and top-rated National events to northern parts of Karnataka to a very well-known world heritage site. With a vision to take Indian motorsports arena to newer heights, the Academy lines up events and trainings throughout the year in different parts of the country and at home, which culminate into a grand annual Utsav de Hampi, a mega Motorsports Festival consisting of many formats of motorsport events. The Academy successfully bid for the FMSCI Indian National Autocross Championship for a period of 3 years, to add to its armoury, which already has a round of the Indian National Rally Championship for 4-wheelers and 2-wheelers after the successful 4w Candidates round in 2020 where multiple National champions like Musa Sherif, sparkled. He is the only active senior-most Navigator with nine national titles in the country.

    Some of the marquee events of the club are National rallies and highly-challenging 4×4 off-road events, which extend the competitive spirit beyond the rally element, and the club cleverly incorporated motortainment and display of vintage cars that attracted tens of thousands of spectators, who thronged to the tracks to have a glimpse of the high-speed precision racing and stunning off-road action. The club has the knack to pack a visual punch and has cordial relations that cater to even minor needs of the sportspersons making it a truly-attractive event for fans, drivers, riders, officials and media. No wonder sponsors like MRF, JK Tyre, TVS, Karnataka Tourism, Department of Youth Empowerment & Sports, Red Bull, Ultramile Tyres, Brut Force and Royal Orchid Hotels lined up to associate themselves with a hot property called Utsav de Hampi.

    A wheelie for you, come and enjoy motorsports, Hampi is calling…
    Santosh, left and Rohit, the brains behind MAV success.

    The Festival consists of many formats of motorsports, run on multiple weekends, with different disciplines like Stage Rally for 2-wheelers, 4-wheelers, Autocross, TSD Rally, some of which have National status and have attracted top Indian and International drivers and riders in the last three years. The Utsav found its ‘God Father’ in Parth Jindal of JSW Group, who provided the initial thrust, but it was local stalwarts like Santosh HM, Rohit Gowda and Darpan Gowda, who plunged in as the Club took off on its own with a team of dedicated volunteers, going into the last edition of the Festival in 2020 despite the COVID threats, as they managed to follow strict protocol and government’s SoP.  With permissions relaxed for Sports events, the Utsav is back with a bang and has four events lined up for 2021 on the eve of Gandhi Jayanthi. The spirit of Gandhiji, the heritage of Hampi and the adrenalin of a National-level sports event, that is the cocktail of motorsports, that the Motorsports Academy offers and no fan can resist.

    1. JK Tyre FMSCI Indian National Regularity Run Championship – 1, 2, 3 October, 2021

    The 2021 Utsav de Hampi, has become bigger with two National-level events and an even bigger Off-road extravaganza. First off, the Motorsports Academy starts with the JK Tyre fmsci Indian National Regularity Run Championship (INRRC), a popular TSD format which offers the ladder for a lay person to enter motorsports and enjoy the thrills. The event finals has the National status accorded to it by the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs in India (FMSCI), the sole governing body of motorsports in India. The Time, Speed, Distance format with about 20 Time Controls (TC) is from October 1 to 3 and will be the South Zone qualifiers where the top-5 (top-3 for Women’s Cup) will take a shot to become the National Champ in three classes, team, driver and navigator. The Club offered free entries to Women in Motorsports (WIM), an FIA concept to encourage gender diversity and MAV has quickly embraced it providing Lady Freebies, and many gleefully entered the fray with Daughter-Mom Doctor pair of talented Shivani and Deepthi Pruthvi spearheading a bevy of women drivers.

    2. The 4×4 Hampi off-road Challenge – 8 to 10 October 2021

    The Hampi off-road challenge will see some of the finest professionally modified and stock four-wheel drive vehicles and the event, in the backwaters of the beautiful River Tungabhadra, is known to break man and machine, and is an ultimate challenge for expert drivers, who ably assisted by knowledgeable navigators, make the complex tasks look simple thus, delivering fun and frolic for fans that leads to a rich mix of motorsport madness.

    In 2019, the introduction of 4×4 Hampi Off-road Challenge for Jeeps which are ripped-off, curated and tuned for one of the best off-road competitions in the country on par with international events, saw the beginning of a tradition. The record 42 entries in its very 1st edition, consisting of Professionally modified, Modified and Stock category vehicles showcased a plethora of talent and became an instant success. And the tradition of excellence goes on…

    4×4 action that makes every fan skip a heart beat, land in Hampi, experience the thrills!

    3. Indian National Rally Championship (INRC) – FMSCI to Confirm new dates

    The popular Indian National Rally Championship is a flagship event of the Indian Federation which acquired its National status way back in 1988 and has thrown up veteran champs like Leelakrishnan, Naren Kumar, Hari Singh and Gaurav Gill. Considered in the top-3 showpiece events as one of the 12 Motorsports Nationals, it attracts a highly-talented youth and experienced veterans and the event requires high degree of organisational skills with a well-prepared terrain and tulip, as finding good tracks, tarmac or dirt, has become a gigantic task, of late for organising clubs, but not for MAV.

    It conducted the Contender round successfully and is officially granted a round in the National Championship this year, which was put off due to the side effects of COVID19. The Federation and the Promoters are expected to announce the new dates any time now.

    The 2020 INRC contender round Champions display their wares on the podium in Hampi.

    4. MRF Mogrip FMSCI Indian National 2w Rally Championship (INRC-2w) – 16, 17 Oct 2021

    The INRC for 2-wheelers is a popular sister-event of the four-wheeler Rally Nationals. Despite missing from the calendar for some years, Clubs like MAV have taken up the task to set the rally routes and organise the Nationals to the satisfaction of the riders and fans alike and the MRF Mogrip Calendar for 2w rallies is on track again. This year, the inaugural round of the MRF Mogrip FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship for motorcycles (INRC-2w) will be Rally de Hampi organised by MAV that is expected to witness national and international stars like Aishwarya Pissay, the Baja World Cup winner, Hero Yuva Kumar,  a multiple National champion, and many other stars and National champoins like Nataraj of TVS, Vishwa, in other classes, fight for Overall honours on the tricky tracks of Hampi. The rally will have two special stages closed for regular traffic and include an 80.2-km liaison distance (non-competitive transport section)  apart from the 62.5-km of closed to traffic competitive Stage distance for an overall 142.5-km rally. It is efficiently conducted by one of the best Clerks of the Course (CoC) Girijashankar Joshy, a former National rally champion himself, who has an impeccable record in knowledge of rules and the calm and cool nature in which he relays commands to a team of efficient Marshals and officials, in a pious “poojari” style of his own. It is the devotion required for Motorsports safety that separates him from also rans… as he breathes a whiff of fresh air into the motorsports culture.

    Pack your helmet, belt-up and begin the journey into motorsports ecstasy, come to Hampi! A red carpet awaits!

    For details: visit www.mavh.co.in, www.utsavdehampi.com

    Follow & share Instagram: @MAVHAMPI @utsavdehampi

  • Heartbreak for Ashwin Datta as Sandeep conquers title

    Heartbreak for Ashwin Datta as Sandeep conquers title

    Coimbatore, 26 Jan. 2021: Racing ace Sandeep Kumar of Chennai clinched the Formula LGB 4 class as he brought out all his experience to keep his cool for his first major National title with a podium in the last race of the season in the 23rd JK Tyre fmsci National Racing Championship at the Kari Motor Speedway here on Sunday.

    Youngster Amir Sayed from Kottayam annexed the Rookie championship even as all eyes were focussed on the title fight in the higher class where championship leader Ashwin Dutta, missed the title by a whisker. The Formula LGB 4 season provided all the thrills and even the last race to decide the winner proved to be a thriller till the last corner of the last lap. But all the chaos and mechanical hiccups were a heartbreak for Ashwin Datta. In a fight between two Dark Don teammates, both from Chennai, Datta began the day with brake issues and logged zero points in Race 1 in the morning yielding much ground to Sandeep.

    The loss was a double whammy as he had to start from the back of the grid for the 12th and final race of the season, which saw the formation lap run for three times before the race was restarted. Ashwin lost his focus and in a melee at the first corner, he was forced to retire after contact with other cars, leaving his teammate from Dark Don in best position to win the championship.

    Sandeep, the 28-year advocate, brought to the fore all his vast experience and played it cool. The 2012 Scirocco cup awardee, who spent two years in Europe, thus gained his first National Championship title, taking second in the final race. He logged 66 points to Ashwin’s 63.Vishnu Prasad, was third with 54 points.

    “I kept my cool and did my job. The final standings have to be tabulated,” said Sandeep.

    Meanwhile, teen sensation Amir Sayed won the Novice Cup. “I enjoyed myself and it was fun driving in this championship. I am happy to win the title,” said Amir, who logged 120 points with an all-win record.

    He was extremely happy to be crowned champion but kept his emotions in check. There was no undue celebration and even on the podium, he was well in control. “It has been a very thrilling and satisfying championship for me,” said Amir.

    Amir, who had started from Karting, is a debutant in the racing championship. He talks about the transition, “I spent a lot of time with Vishnu Prasad on the tracks in Chennai and Coimbatore. He has mentored and guided me and that is why I could do well in this championship,” added Amir. The obvious plan for the next seasons for Amir would be to shift gears and move to the higher category.

    Provisional Race Results: Formula LGB 4 (Race 4 -14 laps): 1. Mohamed Ryan – MSport – 20:21.929; 2. Vishnu Prasad – MSport – 20:23.545; 3. Arya Singh- Dark Don Racing – 20:25.170.

    Race 5 (15 laps): 1. Diljith TS –Dark Don Racing- 23:58.426; 2. Sandeep Kumar A – Dark Don Racing – 23:58.890; 3. Sarosh Hataria – Ahura Racing – 23:59.793

    Race 6: (15 laps): 1. Vishnu Prasad- MSport –21:01.907; 2. Mohamed Ryan – Msport –21:07.490; 3. Sarish Hatarai – Ahura Racing – 21:14.292.

    JK Tyre Novice Cup: Race 5 (10 laps): 1. Amir Sayed- MSport – 14:17.157; 2. Chetan Surineni – Momentum Motorsports – 14:31.672; 3. Aman Chaudhary- DTS Racing – 14:32.509;

    Race 6 (10 laps): 1. Amir Sayed- MSport – 16:34.084; 2. Chetan Surineni- Momentum Motorsports- 16:56.452; 3. Neym Rizvi- MSport- 17:01.933;

    Overall Championship Standings:

    LGB Formula 4

    1. Champion: Sandeep Kumar, Dark Don Racing –66 points;

    2. Ashwin Datta, Dark Don Racing –63 points;

    3. Vishnu Prasad, MSport –54 points

    Novice Cup

    1. Champion: Amir Sayed, Msport – 120 points;

    2. Dhruvin Gajjar, DTS Racing –49 points;

    3. Aman Chaudhary, DTS Racing –46 points.

    Ladies Class

    1. Champion: Anushriya Gulati, Ahura Racing;

    2. Mir Erda;

    3. Phoebe Nongrum.

    Rookie Class

    1. Champion: Anushriya Gulati, Ahura Racing, 77 points.

    eom/JKtyre release/updated 14mar21

  • Kush Maini to race with 3-time Formula Renault Eurocup Champions R-ace GP

    Kush Maini to race with 3-time Formula Renault Eurocup Champions R-ace GP

    File photo of Kush Maini: INDIAinF1

    Bengaluru, 12 Feb 2020: Ace Indian driver Kush Maini will continue in Formula Renault EuroCup Series 2020 and has signed up with R-ace GP.

    Backed by JK Racing, Kush finished 2nd in the Rookie standings in 2019 and was 6th overall.  He is looking to make a strong come back in 2020. His team R-ace GP have consistently won this Championship for the last 3 years.

    The 2020 Formula Renault Eurocup is a multi-event motor racing championship for open wheel, formula racing cars held across Europe. The championship features drivers competing in 1.8 litre Formula Renault single seat race cars that conform to the technical regulations for the championship.  The 2020 season is the 30th Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 season organized by the Renault Sport. The series is run over 10 weekends at 10 different Formula 1 circuits including Monaco and Abu Dhabi making it a very important and Competitive F1 Feeder series.

    With a reasonable amount of experience on single seater racing at Europe over the last 4 years, Kush now feels ready to fight at the front of Championship.

    Kush is extremely excited to be part of the R-ace GP line up. “Really happy to announce that I will be racing with reigning champions R-ace GP in Formula Renault Eurocup in 2020. We have tested together in Abu Dhabi and in Europe and I am extremely comfortable and confident with the team. Very happy also to be continuing my partnership with JK Racing who have supported me for several years. Can’t wait to get started,” Maini said

    Thibault De Merindol team principal of R-ace GP said: “I am extremely satisfied to be able to count on Kush’s performances to defend R-ace GP’s driver and team Formula Renault Eurocup titles. Respectively 6th and 2nd of the 2019 general and rookie classifications, Kush proved himself to be one of the men to watch in 2020. Already at work since November, I am pleased with Kush’s team integration and with our preparation in progress. I want to thank Kush and all his partners for their faith in R-ace GP and I am looking forward to a great season together.”

    The car Kush Maini will be racing in 2020.

  • Borthers Chetan Shivram and Dilip Sharan, 2019 INRC National Champs; Gill, Musa win Popular Rally

    Borthers Chetan Shivram and Dilip Sharan, 2019 INRC National Champs; Gill, Musa win Popular Rally

    Kottayam, Dec. 22: Brothers Chetan Shivram and Dilip Sharan are the National champions. They did not win the Poplular Rally but the experienced duo from Bengaluru conquered the Indian National Rally Championship 2019, thanks to their stunning victories in the second round at Combatore and fourth round in Bengaluru.

    The MRF supported duo of Team Akshara, who had suffered a massive crash in the opening stage on Saturday, returned to complete Day 2’s three stages to protect their lead. They did get three valuable leg points, that put the title beyond Fabid and Dean.

    They garnered enough points in the two previous rallies nurturing their car and negotiating the dangerous terrain when most of the top guns failed to finish. Both these rounds saw most of the experienced and talented drivers bite the dust one after the other. But Chetan, with Dilip calling the notes, carefully and skillfully negotiated to take the wins under these tricky circumstances and those points stood them in good stead and brought them the championship which they richly deserved.

    In cheeful mood after the rally.

    After the K1000 rally, a veteran rally fan  could not help remember an old saying: “To finish first, one has to first finish the rally.’’ Chetan’s rivals, Fabid Ahmer and Dean Mascarenhas, who had a chance to topple Chetan needing 25 and 29 points respectively before the start of the Kerala leg, could not do much on Sunday. While Dean along with co-driver Shruptha Padival finished overall second in the Popular Rally, Fabid, along with navigator Sanath Gopalanhad, missed the INRC3 title by a whisker as a late penalty at the last TC cost them the title by a point. However, the youngster from Palakkad had the consolation of winning the Junior INRC title for 2019.

    Meanwhile, speed maestro Gaurav Gill and co-driver Musa Sherif, retained the Popular Rally title, as the final round of the Indian National Rally Championship (INRC), promoted by Champions Yacht Club and organised by Southern Adventure and Motorsports concluded here on Sunday. Gill won the Popular Rally for the fifth time.

    The Team Mahindra Adventure driver, supported by JK Tyre won SS9 and finished second in SS10 and SS11 on Day 2 to regain his aura over the weekend. Gill’s teammates, Dean Mascarenhas and Suhem Kabeer, too did well, taking the third and fourth positions in Popular Rally’s overall category.

    Overall Winners: From left: Dr Bikku Babu & Milen George (2nd place), Musa Sherif & Gaurav Gill (winners) and Dean Mascarenhas & Shrupta Padival (3rd). Photo: CYC release

    Chetan, along with Dilip, nursed his car smartly, taking the tenth position in SS9 but revved up to the fifth in the last two stages for a valiant show. Chetan and Dilip also won the INRC3 title for a double dhamaka as Fabid and Sanath, earned a lat penalty.

    In INRC3, Fabid who finished second behind Aditya Thakur and co-driver Virender Kashyap, had been demoted and Jacob KJ and PVS Murthy came second. Kuber Sharma and Karan Aukta finished third.

    Team Champions’ Dr Bikku Babu (Milen George), a local favourite, finished third in the overall category and first in his own INRC 2 for a highly-rewarding Popular Rally. Tied with JK Tyre’s Dean Mascarenhas (Shruptha Padival) on 72 points at the start of the round, his win surely fetched him the National title in INRC 2 class.

    In the INRC 4 category was won by Suraj Thomas and co-driver Sob George while Vaibhav Marathe (Arjun SSB) and Rakshith Iyer/Chandrashekhar finished second and third respectively. Vaibhav and Arjun garnered the National title in this class.

    (Note: The results and the report were edited and revised on Dec. 23 at 12 noon after the official results which penalised an INRC3 driver changed the top-3 places and the title winner)

    Provisional Results (Round 5): INRC Overall: 1. Gaurav Gill/ Musa Sherif – 1hour, 25min, 01.7sec; 2. Dr Bikku Babu/ Milen George – 1:29:16.300; 3. Dean Mascarenhas/ Shrupta Padival – 1:31:02.600.

    INRC 2: 1. Dr Bikku Babu/ Milen George – 1:29:16.300; 2. Dean Mascarenhas/ Shrupta Padivel – 1:31:02.600; 3. Suhem Kabeer/ Jeeva Rathinam – 1:31:22.000.

    INRC 3: 1. Aditya Thakur/ Virender Kashyap – 1:34:11.300; 2) Jacob K.J/ PVS Murthy – 1:34:46.300; 3. Kuber Sharma / Karan Aukta xx:xx.

    INRC 4: 1. Suraj Thomas/ Sob George – 1:35:02.500; 2. Vaibhav Marathe/ Arjun SSB – 1:37:55.000; 3. Rakshith Iyer/ Chandrashekhar – 1:38:51.400.

    SUV Challenge:  1. Nikhil J / Arjun Dheerendra 1:41:10.200; 2. Abishek Gowda/ Dheeraj Manae 1:42:58.100; 3. Gagan Karumbaiah/ Thimmu Uddapanda 1:44:10.100.

    Junior INRC: 1. Fabid Ahmer / Sanath Gopalan; 2. Rakshith Iyer/ Chandrashekar; 3. Chandan KM/ Suraj M.

    Chetan Shivram and Dilip Sharan, who rejoined the rally on Sunday. Photo by Angel Mabel

    Action freeze of Fabid Ahmer and Sanath Gopalan (both Palakkad) of Team Champions who missed the INRC3 title by a point but won the National title in Junior INRC on Sunday. Photo by Anand Philar

    Vaibhav Marath (Goa) and Arjun SSB (Bengaluru), also of Team Champions, who won the National title in INRC4 class. Photo by Anand Philar

    John D Paul of Kuttukaran Group speaks at the PD as Vicky Chandhok, Chairman of APRC Rally Commission looks on, on Sunday. Photo by Anand Philar

  • Vishnu Prasad pips Raghul to win Formula LGB-4 title: JK Tyre Nationals

    Vishnu Prasad pips Raghul to win Formula LGB-4 title: JK Tyre Nationals

    Chennai’s Vishnu Prasad on way to hi championship crown in the LGB4 class of the JK Tyre FMSCI National Racing Championship at BIC, Greater Noida. A JK Tyre photo

    Greater Noida, 1 Dec 2019: Chennai’s Vishnu Prasad and Bengaluru’s Syed Muzammil Ali demonstrated nerves of steel to emerge as the heroes of the thrill-a-minute JK Tyre Festival of Speed here on Sunday.

    Over 35,000 excited and screaming fans had the time of their lives at the Buddh International Circuit, enjoying a wholesome entertainment package topped up by tense races, close finishes and a couple of spectacular crashes too.

    Eventually, Vishnu of MSport pipped his friend, team-mate and rival, Raghul Rangaswamy, to the crown in the coveted Formula LGB-4 category of the JK Tyre FMSCI National Racing Championship.

    Going into the final day with 73 points apiece, Vishnu and Raghul knew that, for once, they didn’t have to chase victory; they just had to finish ahead of the other to claim the championship.

    But, true to their reputation, they went all out, providing for a thrilling race, with Vishnu winning in dramatic fashion; Raghul finished third to take the second position in the championship.

    The Suzuki Gixxer Cup too followed the script of the season, with Syed Muzammil Ali and Tanay Gaikwad locked in one last fight. Tanay, however, began with a huge disadvantage following a DNF on Saturday.

    He began from the back of the grid and valiantly fought his way up but could only manage a third-place finish to settle for the second position in the championship. Muzammil, who had an overnight 2-point lead, made sure that he hit the post ahead of Tanay to clinch the Cup.

    The inaugural X1 Racing competition, Powered by JK Tyre, too proved to be with an instant hit, with its mix of top international and domestic drivers in an exciting new format.

    Bangalore Racing Stars, with Arjun Maini, Oliver Webb, Vishnu Prasad and Michelle Gatting, claimed Round 1 in style, thanks to their two wins on Day 1. They also won the last race of the round, the relay race, to emerge clear victors.

    Mumbai Falcons, (Kush Maini, Mikkel Jensen, Karthik Tharani and Pippa Mann) won one of the two races of the day and had to settle for the second position.

    Rajini Krishnan (JK Tyre Superbike 1000cc), P. Sai Rahil Shetty (JK Tyre Superbike Cup 600cc) and Japan’s Karen Ogura (Asia Cup Road Racing) were the other heroes of the day, winning their respective races on Sunday.

    Car stunts at the JK Tyre Festival of Speed.

    RESULTS (Championship winners):

    JK Tyre LGB Formula 4: 1. Vishnu Prasad (83); 2. Raghul Rangasamy (79); Diljith T S (68)

    JK Tyre LGB Formula 4 Rookie: 1.Megaa K. S. (85); 2. Mihir Barve (73); 3. Akshay Kapoor (62)

    JK Tyre Suzuki Gixxer Cup: 1. Syed Muzammil Ali (64); Tanay Gaikwad (60); Sidharth Sajan (36)

    Provisional Results:

    JK LGB Formula 4: 1. Vishnu Prasad (23:16.961); 2. Ashwin Datta (23:18.060); 3. Raghul Rangasamy (23:18.675)

    JK Tyre Suzuki Gixxer Cup: 1. Sanjeev Mhatre (23:28.022); 2. Syed Muzammil Ali (23:29.287); 3. Tanay Gaikwad (23:35.746)

    Asia Cup Road Racing: 1. Karen Ogura (20:51.318); 2. Eane Jaye Sobretodo (20:51.478); 3. Mei Sakurai (21:01.006)

    JK Tyre Superbike 1000cc: 1. Rajini Krishnan (11:49.834); 2. Dilip Lalwani (11:51.070); 3. Simranjeet Singh (11:53.166)

    JK Tyre Superbike Cup 600cc: 1. P. Sai Rahil Shetty (12:21.241); 2. Gurvinder Singh (12:26.929); 3. Vishal Khubchandani (12:41.629)

    X1 Racing Powered by JK Tyre:

    Race 1: 1. Mumbai Falcons; 2. Bangalore Racing Stars; 3. DGR Ahmedabad

    Race 2: 1. Bangalore Racing Stars; 2. Mumbai Falcons; 3. NK Racing Chennai