INDIA in F1

Tag: MRF

  • Mick Schumacher goes fastest in practice

    Mick Schumacher goes fastest in practice

    Bahrain, 17 Nov 2016: Mick Schumacher topped the opening day of practice for the MRF Challenge 2016 season opener in Bahrain by setting the fastest time in Free Practice 2. The German driver clocked a 2:00.467 to go one tenth faster than German F4 Champion Joey Mawson. Earlier in the day Estonian driver Ralf Aron clocked the fastest time in Free Practice 1, ahead of Schumacher and Harrison Newey.

    In the opening practice session of the weekend it was Newey who first went fastest as the other drivers spent time familiarizing themselves with the circuit. Halfway through the session Newey led with a 2:02.449 ahead of Mawson and Schumacher. The next 10 minutes saw Newey and Schumacher exchange fastest laps with latter setting a time of 2:01.370. Newey went one tenth faster with a 2:01.263 as the session was coming to an end only to be pipped by Italian F4 champion Ralf Aron on the last timed lap who did a 2:01.144. Juri Vips and Kimi Schramm completed the top 5.

    Free practice 2 saw Mawson wasting no time in getting up to speed and went fastest with a 2:01.783. Behind him Newey and Aron also went fast but were couple of tenths off the pace. Schumacher then posted a 2:00.783 to be the first driver to dip into the 2min time. He went even faster to set a 2:00.467 to top the sheets. Mawson went 2nd with a 2:00.566 with Aron in 3rd with a 2:00.889.  Van Kalmthout and Manuel Maldonado completed the top 5.

    Mick Schumacher, commented, “It is my first time driving here so I spent the first few laps familiarizing myself with the circuit, which I really enjoyed driving at. The car is step forward from last year’s car and I felt comfortable straight away. I was happy with how today went but now it is time to focus on qualifying and the race for tomorrow.”

    All drivers were using the updated MRF 2000, which features a new updated Mountune Engine amongst aerodynamic changes. The time set by Schumacher was a full 3 seconds faster than the time set by Alessio Picariello in qualifying for the event last year. The drivers were happy with the updated car and feel there is lot for potential yet to be unlocked by India’s fastest single seater race car.

    Harrison Newey, who is only 1 of the 3 drivers to have driven last season was very happy with the updated new car. He commented, “The updated car is definitely a step forward. You can feel the engine and braking is much better. The car is also lighter so finding a right balance is easier. I am happy with practice today and look forward to getting up there in qualifying tomorrow.”

    Qualifying will take place tomorrow along with Race 1&2.

    MRF Challenge 2016, Round 1, Bahrain, Free Practice 1:

    1. Ralf Aron – 2:01.144
    2. Harrison Newey – 2:01.263
    3. Mick Schumacher – 2:01.370
    4. Juri Vips – 2:01.699
    5. Kimi Schramm – 2:01.738

    MRF Challenge 2016, Round 1, Bahrain, Free Practice 2:

    1. Mick Schumacher – 2:00.467
    2. Joey Mawson – 2:00.566
    3. Ralf Aron – 2:00.889
    4. K Van Kalmthout – 2:01.225
    5. Manuel Maldonado – 2:01.717
    Mick Schumacher in Bahrain on Thursday. An MRF image
    Mick Schumacher in Bahrain on Thursday. An MRF image

    eom/MRF press release

  • Vikash Anand wins title with a double, earns ticket to Indy shootout

    Vikash Anand wins title with a double, earns ticket to Indy shootout

    Vikash Anand in action on Sunday. Image by Srinivasa Krishnan
    Vikash Anand in action on Sunday. Image by Srinivasa Krishnan

    Chennai, 21 August 2016: Twenty-two year old Chennai lad Vikash Anand won a double to clinch the title in the MRF Formula 1600 category and a ticket for the Mazda Road to Indy shootout as the fifth and final round of the MRF MMSC FMSCI Indian National Racing Championship concluded at the MMRT track in Sriperumbudur, near here on Sunday.

    Going into this weekend’s triple-header, Vikash Anand and Karthik Tharani were locked on 138 points. Anand began his campaign with a second place finish behind Tharani on Saturday, but won both the starts today to seal the championship.

    Championship winners (Left to Right) - Keith Desouza (IJTC), Arjun Narendran (ITC), Vikash Anand (MRF F1600) and Raghul Rangasamy (Super Stock, F1300). Image by Srinivasa Krishnan
    Championship winners (Left to Right) – Keith Desouza (IJTC), Arjun Narendran (ITC), Vikash Anand (MRF F1600) and Raghul Rangasamy (Super Stock, F1300). Image by Srinivasa Krishnan

    “I worked hard to win this championship and I really can’t explain how I am feeling right now. Indy is a great opportunity to go abroad and explore new opportunities and learn. I will give my best to be competitive,’’ said Vikash Anand who returned to racing this season after an 18-month break and notched six wins for a tally of 206 points, 10 ahead of Tharani.

    Also achieving a double was Raghul Rangasamy who won both the races in the F1300 Rookie Championship and annexed the title. He later went on to claim the championship in the Super Stock class after Race 2 winner Veeresh Prasad was given a 20-second penalty for overtaking under yellow flags which demoted him to fourth place. The result saw Raghul and Veeresh tying on 142 points. Raghul was declared champion on the basis of three wins to Veeresh’s two on the countback which was employed to break the tie.

    Goa’s Keith Desouza (UNIMEK Racing) topped the Indian Junior Touring Cars class with a crucial win today which helped him finish on 199 points while his nearest rival Ananth Pithawala (Team N1) from Mumbai ended up on 191.

     

    Coimbatore’s Arjun Narendran (Red Rooster Racing), who had already clinched the championship in the premium Indian Touring Cars class, ended the season with a double for a tally of 240 points, well clear of Bengaluru’s Deepak Paul Chinnappa (Race Concepts) who finished on 135.

    Ishaan Dodhiwala from Delhi won Sunday’s both races in the Volkswagen Vento Cup to consolidate his position at the top of the leaderboard.

    The results (Provisional):

    MRF F1600 (Race 2, 10 laps): 1. Vikash Anand (Chennai) (16mins, 54.111secs); 2. Raghul Rangasamy (Chennai) (16:58.677); 3. Karthik Tharani (Chennai) (17:02.390). Race 3 (10 laps): 1. Vikash Anand (16:55.247); 2. Karthik Tharani (16:56.108); Anindith Reddy (Hyderabad) (17:03.391). Championship: 1. Vikash Anand 206 points; 2. Karthik Tharani Singh 196; 3. Raghul Rangasamy 171.

    Indian Touring Cars (Race 2, 8 laps): 1. Arjun Narendran (Red Rooster Racing) (15:14.881); 2. Ashish Ramaswamy (Red Rooster Racing) (15:26.777); 3. Siva Ramakrishnan (Red Rooster Racing) (15:34.819).

    Indian Junior Touring Cars (Race 2, 10 laps): 1.Keith Desouza (Unimek Racing) (23:54.238); 2.Ananth Pithawalla (Team N1) (23:55.704); 3.Charen Chandran (Red Rooster Performance) (23:57.784). Championship: 1.Keith Desouza 199; 2.Ananth Pithawala 191; 3.R Sri Hariram 113.

    Super Stock (Race 2, 10 laps):  1.Raghul Rangasamy (Performance Racing) (24:04.104); 2.Deepak Ravi Kumar (Pvt) (24:06357); 3.Dean Mascarenhas (Race Concepts) (24:08161). Championship: 1.Raghul Rangasamy 142 (3 wins); 2.Veeresh Prasad 142 (2 wins); 3.Dean Mascarenhas 117.

    F1300 Rookie Championship (Race 2, 8 laps): 1. Raghul Rangasamy (Wallace Sports) (15:38.816); 2. Tejasram CS (Wallace Sports) (15:43.047); 3. Alex Bora (Wallace Sports) (15:43.896). Championship: 1. Raghul Rangasamy 205; Tejasram CS 179; Alex Bora 135.

    Volkswagen Vento Cup (Race 2, 9 laps): 1. Ishaan Dodhiwala (Hyderabad) (20:13.197); 2. Dhruv Bhel (Delhi) (20:15.171); 3. Niranjan B Todkari (Pune) (20:17.447).  Race 3: 1. Dodhiwala (Hyderabad) (19:44.856); 2.Karminder Pal Singh (New Delhi) (19:46.918); 3. Todkari (19.50.640).

    Caption: Championship winners (Left to Right) – Keith Desouza (IJTC), Arjun Narendran (ITC), Vikash Anand (MRF F1600) and Raghul Rangasamy (Super Stock, F1300)

    About Madras Motor Sports Club

    The Madras Motor Sports Club has been the pioneer in developing and promoting motorsport in India since 1953, and we look to further improve in the years to come. It is the club’s endeavor to provide more opportunities for competitors and to this end, it has chalked out a progressive program for 2016. From the days of Sholavaram , MMSC built its own racetrack which was inaugurated in 1979 and secured its FIA Grade-2 international certification in 2015, making it the only club which owns such a facility. The club has organised the Porsche Super Cup, Formula Campos, Formula Asia, Asian touring car championships, Formula 3, Tata Prima Truck racing championship, the Asian 2-wheeler racing championships besides a host of other motorsport events over the years. The club also has active participation for its events from vehicle manufacturers who also use the Madras Motor Race Track (MMRT) extensively for testing their products.

    ends/AP Media comm. release

  • Gaurav Gill gets ready for Queensland challenge: APRC 2nd round

    Gaurav Gill gets ready for Queensland challenge: APRC 2nd round

    File photo of Gaurav Gill by Anand Philar
    File photo of Gaurav Gill by Anand Philar

    Queensland, 15 June 2016: Indian ace driver Gaurav Gill is raring to go as he prepares for the second round of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship at Queensland in Australia, this week-end.

    Drivers representing five countries headline a top-flight entry list for the annual International Rally of Queensland on the Sunshine Coast on 17-19 June, all competitors chasing the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Cup powered by Würth.

    Hosting rounds of the FIA Asia Pacific, Australian and State Rally Championships, Queensland’s only international motor sport event has attracted more than 40 entries to tackle 240 kilometres of challenging forest stages around Imbil, in the Coast’s northern hinterland.

    The entry list is headed by India’s MRF Tyres team, winner of five of the past six events and of every APRC driver and manufacturer title since 2012. Their factory-backed Skoda Fabia R5 cars – new this year from the Czech Republic – will be driven by 2010 Queensland winner and 2013 champion Gaurav Gill of India (in picture inset) and 24-year-old German Fabian Kreim, the latest in a parade of young European hot-shots assigned Down Under to develop their skills.

    Gill leads the championship after winning Round 1 in New Zealand last month. The series also will visit China, Japan and Malaysia before finishing in his homeland in December.

    Other drivers entered for Queensland this year are from Japan, New Zealand and Australia.

    Starting his sixth season of international rallying, New Zealand’s Mike Young, 24, showed he will be the defending champions’ strongest rival in the APRC’s second round after claiming several stage wins aboard his Cusco EZY Racing Subaru in his home event.

    Young’s team-mate and making a welcome return to the APRC Sanjay Takale from India, will be hoping for a better result in Australia after a DNF in the New Zealand first round.

    Australia’s challenge will be led by Coffs Harbour-based Nathan Quinn. The Mitsubishi driver has had extensive international experience from China to New Zealand and twice completed the Rally Australia World Championship event.

    Japan is well represented with two drivers, Queensland regular Atsushi Masamura in the PCD Engineering Mitsubishi X and also hoping for a better run in Australia, Fuyuhiko Takahashi in the Ahresty Subaru Impreza. Further representation from Australia comes from Mark Beard driving a Subaru Impreza RS.

    All eight drivers will be chasing the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Cup powered by Würth.

    Round 3 of the Kumho Tyres Australian Rally Championship will be equally hard-fought, with the season invigorated by new rules allowing the return of all-wheel drive cars.

    The field features Australia’s fastest gravel drivers, including four-time champion Simon Evans (Subaru), junior star Harry Bates (Toyota), Tom Wilde, Molly Taylor and Brad Marcovich (all Subarus), Mark Pedder (Peugeot) and Queenslander Ryan Smart (Mitsubishi).

    Major attractions among Classic-car entrants will be Neal Bates, in a 1980 Toyota Celica RA40, and Mal Keough in a replica of the infamous Group B Audi Quattro S1 world rally car.

    Twenty cars are entered for the MRF Tyres Queensland Rally Championship third round.

    Pre-event rally headquarters have been moved north from Caloundra to Maroochydore this year, but the weekend competition hub will remain at the Globe Roamer Service Park at Imbil in the Mary Valley, around 50 minutes’ drive into the Coast hinterland.

    Two spectator viewing parks will be available throughout the weekend at Derrier Road and Casey’s Gully Road. Tickets are available through the event website, at the service park or at the gate.

    Spectators, competitors and officials staying in Imbil will be hosted at a free community-run street party on Saturday night.

    Thousands of fans are expected at the rally’s official Ceremonial Start at Rotary Park, Maroochydore, from 5pm on Friday 17 June. The free family-friendly event will feature a rally car display, driver autographs, prizes, children’s rides, international food and other attractions.

     eom/FIA press release
  • Gill suffers setback, trails teammate in second place: APRC New Zealand leg

    Gill suffers setback, trails teammate in second place: APRC New Zealand leg

    Whangarei, April 30: Gaurav Gill forsake a 41-second lead to finish second behind his MRF-SKODA team-mate Fabian Kreim at the end of the first day of International Rally of Whangarei, the first round of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship, here on Saturday, after picking up a puncture in the day’s last Special Stage.

    The difference between Delhi-based Gill (co-driver Glenn Macneall) and German Kreim, both driving the Race Torque-prepared Skoda Fabia R5, is just 4.6 seconds, but with six more Special Stages to be run on Sunday, the Indian remains firm favourite for the title that he last won in 2014.

    Gill, the 2013 APRC champion, won the first five of the eight Special Stages before a combination of tyre wear and a puncture saw him lose time to eventually trail Kreim who was understandably cautious considering that he had never before driven on gravel surface.

    In third place and some 13 seconds behind Gill was local star Mike Young of CUSCO Racing who had a lot of ground to cover after conceding penalty on Friday night when he withdrew from the Super Special Stage following an electrical problem.

    In fact, Young’s misfortune on Friday saw Gill losing time as the Indian was stopped with the New Zealander’s stalled car beside the track before being asked to proceed. The consequent investigation by the Stewards resulting in Gill’s timing being altered to 51 seconds (from 56.4) that moved him from second to first with a lead of 3.8 seconds over Kreim.

    On Saturday, being first to be flagged off, Gill, winner of the event in 2014, had the unenviable task of ‘sweeping’ roads that were on the rougher side and extremely dusty due to lack of rains. The conditions did affect the tyres which eventually led to Gill picking up a puncture.

    “It was a good day which I spent learning the package of new car, engine and chassis. I did not push as hard as I would have liked to except in a couple of the Stages. Going into the day’s final Stage, I think we led by some 41 seconds, but we suffered a puncture which cost us about 50 seconds.

    “The car made the tyre work really hard and we had to make some changes in the set-up and it made some difference. Anyway, it is good to live to fight another day,” said Gill who is driving the Skoda Fabia R5 for the first time.

    Kreim (co-driver Frank Christian) was pleased with his performance and said his aim on Sunday is to bring the car back to the finish line in one piece.

    “It was good for us today, though I was a bit careful since for the first time in my life I was doing gravel Stages. I got into a good rhythm, but did not really push very hard. Yes, we too had some problems, but otherwise, the car was fine.

    “Tomorrow, it is important that I do not make any mistakes and finish the rally,” said the 23-year old Kreim, runner-up in the German Championship, and who will be starting first on Sunday.

    Race Torque’s Lane Heenan said: “I am happy at the way our two cars performed today. We had to make some set-up changes with both cars were fitted with medium compound tyres.

    “For Gill’s car we tried various combinations before using one new tyre in the front and another in the back, just like they do in the World championship, and it worked. We had never tried that before, but I am happy that it went well.”

    APRC Classification (Provisional, after Leg-1):

    1. Fabian Kreim / Frank Christian (Team MRF-SKODA, Skoda Fabia R5) (01hr, 45mins, 09.6secs); 2. Gaurav Gill / Glenn Macneall (Team MRF-SKODA, Skoda Fabia R5) (01:45:14.2); 3. Mike Young / Malcolm Read (CUSCO Racing, Subaru Impreza WRX STi) (01:58:51.4).

    ======eom/AP Media Communications release

  • Gill and Team MRF-SKODA start favourites for Whangarei crown: APRC

    Whangarei (New Zealand), April 28: Gaurav Gill and Team MRF-SKODA will renew their assault on the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship crown when the new, six-round season commences on Friday with the super fast International Rally of Whangarei.

    Gill, the 34-year old from Delhi who in 2013 became the first and only Indian to win the coveted APRC title, will be seeking to regain the Whangarei crown that he had claimed in 2014.

    He will be piloting a brand new Race Torque-prepared Skoda Fabia R5 that he drove for the first time on Wednesday during the test session and looked hot and ready for this weekend’s battle.

    Gill and his Australian co-driver Glenn Macneall, appear unbeatable though they will be wary of new team-mate 23-year old Fabian Kreim who has had more seat time in the R5, having competed in the German championship last year when he along with co-driver Frank Christian finished second, but the pair has no experience driving on gravel surface.

    The two Skoda Fabia R5 cars, powered by 1.6 litre turbo engine, were extremely quick, responsive and settled as they were given a run during Wednesday’s test session. It will take some doing to beat MRF-SKODA team who are eyeing their eighth APRC crown.

    Gill is all too familiar with the Special Stages, famous for their wide gravel tracks, flat-out straights and high-speed corners that seem to suit the Indian who looked impressive during Wednesday’s run as he settled down in his car that performed to his every bidding without a twitch.

    “It is well known that the Stages in New Zealand are among the fastest in the World. They have extremely fast straights and flowing corners. You can expect average speed of around 125 Kmph. The Stages this weekend are almost same as last year. However, the last Stage which is new is tight and twisty, but still quick.

    “Our aim is to do well in Friday’s Spectator Special Stage and then build on the momentum over the following two days,” said Gill on Thursday after completing a reconnaissance run of the Stages.

    As for young Kreim, it will be a steep learning curve, having never competed on a gravel surface. However, given his experience in the R5 and with the experienced Christian in the co-driver’s seat, Kreim is expected to be competitive.

    Race Torque’s Lane Heenan said: “We’re excited to be starting another season in the APRC with Skoda and Team MRF. Together with MRF Tyres, we are aiming for our eighth Asia-Pacific Rally Championship title, as well as our fifth with Skoda.

    “We expect both drivers to be fast, although as always with the first event for the season, the plan is to get both cars to the finish and score valuable points to get our championship defense off to a solid start.”

    The three-day International Rally of Whangarei kicks off on Friday with a ceremonial start followed by the Super Special Stage which will be an appetizer for the main course. The action moves to the Special Stages to be run on Saturday and Sunday. In all, the 16 Special Stages are spread over 275 Kms.

    ===============

  • Picariello dominates MRF Challenge in Bahrain; Tarun crashes out

    Bahrain, 20

    Picariello on his way to another win in Bahrain on Friday. Image by MRF/Adrenna

    Picariello on his way to another win in Bahrain on Friday. Image by MRF/Adrenna

    Nov 2015: Debutant Alessi Picariello continued his dominance at Round 2 of the MRF Challenge 2015 with his second win of the weekend at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir on Friday.

    Picariello, who started 6th on the grid, won comfortably setting fastest lap along the way. Pietro Fittipaldi took the lead of the championship with his 2nd place after a close fight with Nikita Troitckii. He now leads the championship by 12 points over Troitckii with Tatiana Calderon in 3rd position, 18 points away from the leader.

    The MRF Challenge 2015, which is the support race for the 6 Hours of Bahrain, had its second night race in succession after having a flood lit race in Abu Dhabi in Round 1. In the reverse grid race, Sean Walkinshaw started in pole position along with Matheus Leist. Walkinshaw was slow off the line which allowed Leist to come down the inside and take the lead. It did not last for long as Race 1 winner Picariello had a storming start from 6th on the grid to be in 2nd position after the 3rd corner. He wasted no time getting past Leist in corner 5 and started to pull away from the rest of the pack. Fittipaldi also had a great start and moved up to 3rd position behind Leist.

    Tarun Reddy’s weekend went from bad to worse when he crashed out of the race after contact with Calderon on lap 1. Calderon managed to stay on track with a damaged car in 7th position. Fittipaldi passed Leist for 2nd place with Troitckii also getting past a lap later. Picariello set the fastest lap on the penultimate lap before taking the chequered flag after another flawless performance. Fittipaldi beat Troitckii to 2nd position by 0.091 seconds to take the lead in the championship. Harrison Newey, son of legendary F1 engineer Adrian Newey, had his best finish of the season in 4th place, ahead of Leist and Calderon.

    Belgian driver Alessio Picariello had the perfect weekend with pole position, fastest lap and 2 race wins. He commented, “Everything has been perfect this weekend. I have not raced for a year now but felt comfortable with the car straight away. I had a good start, moved into 3rd position in the second corner, then to 2nd two corners later and finally into the lead. After that it was just about managing the pace. I worked well with my engineer so very happy with this weekend.”

    Russian driver Nikita Troitckii was happy to be 2nd in the championship after a double podium this weekend. He commented, “My start was good and I quickly moved up to 4th place behind Fittipaldi. We both passed Leist and then it was a close battle with him till the end but could not find a way past. It has been a very good weekend for me and am now 2nd in the championship. I look forward to going to Dubai for the next round.”

    Championship leader Pietro Fittipaldi was relieved to end the weekend on a high. He commented, “The weekend has been tough but am happy to finish in 2nd place. Towards the end of the race I started having some gearbox problems but managed to just stay ahead at the finish line. This championship is really competitive and close but can’t wait to head to Dubai for the next round.”

    Race 2 Results:

    1. Alessio Picariello
    2. Pietro Fittipaldi
    3. Nikita Troitckii
    4. Harrison Newey
    5. Matheus Leist
    6. Tatiana Calderon
    7. Sam Dejonghe
    8. Sean Walkinshaw
    9. Nerses Isaakyan
    10. Max Fewtrell

    Championship Standings:

    1. Pietro Fittipaldi – 98 points
    2. Nikita Troitckii – 86 points
    3. Tatiana Calderon – 84 points
    4. Nobuharu Matsushita – 80 points
    5. Alessio Picariello – 56 points
    6. Jake Dennis – 53 points
    7. Nobuharu Matsushita – 80 points
    8. Pietro Fittipaldi – 68 points
    9. Tatiana Calderon – 61 points
    10. Nikita Troitckii – 53 points
    11. Tarun Reddy – 47 points

    About MRF Challenge

    In its fourth year, the MRF Challenge 2015 will feature 16 MRF Formula 2000 race cars, which have been made in India by JA Motorsport based in Coimbatore, in collaboration with Dallara, world’s largest racing car manufacturer and also Jayem Automotives Ltd. The Formula 3 style car has been built by JA Motorsport in technical collaboration with Dallara, and is considered to be the fastest of its kind in Asia. The MRF Formula 2000 is powered by a 2.0 litre 210 BHP Renault Sport Engine and will have a Hewland 6-Speed sequential gearbox. The race car has also been crash tested to FIA F3 safety standards and will race with MRF ZLO slick and wet tyres.

    The MRF Challenge has fielded a strong driver line-up in the last two seasons, with drivers going on to win races in GP2 and British Formula 3. The MRF Challenge Alumni include GP2 drivers like Arthur Pic, Tio Ellinas, Jon Lancaster, Conor Daly, GP3 drivers like Ryan Cullen and Carmen Jorda, Former Formula 2 Champion Luciano Baccheta and British Drivers Harry Tincknell (WEC) and Rupert Svendsen-Cook.

    MRF Challenge 2015 Calendar:

    Round 1: October 29-31, 2015, Abu Dhabi, Yas Marina Circuit

    Round 2: November 18-20, 2015, Bahrain, Bahrain International Circuit (World Endurance Championship Support Race)

    Round 3: December 17-19, 2015, Dubai, Dubai Autodrome

    Round 4: January 29-31, 2015, Chennai, Madras Motor Race Track

     

    eom/MRF release

  • Russian driver Nikita Troitckii leads Tarun Reddy in practice

    File photo of Nikita courtesy MRF
    File photo of Nikita courtesy MRF

    Bahrain, 19 Nov 2015:  Debutant and 2013 Formel 3 ADAC Masters driver Alessi Picariello took a stunning pole position at Round 2 of the MRF Challenge 2015 at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir. Russian driver Nikita Troitckii and India’s Tarun Reddy will start 2nd and 3rd on the grid after missing out on pole position by 0.044 and 0.048 seconds respectively in one of the closest qualifying sessions ever in the MRF Challenge. Championship contenders Tatiana Calderon and Pietro Fittipaldi will start 4th and 5th on the grid.

    With an action packed motorsport weekend in Bahrain, the MRF Challenge drivers only got one practice session ahead of the 30 minute qualifying session. After a sunny morning session, qualifying was totally different with cool temperatures and the night sky greeting the drivers. Fittipaldi was quick to top the times after putting in a 2:06.587 followed by Troitckii with a 2:06.786. The times started to tumble with all drivers going faster. With 5 minutes to go is where all the action started with Picariello going fastest with a 2:03.390. Troitckii was on course to better it but just fell short. Reddy set the fastest time in the first two sectors but just missed out as well. Fittipaldi could do no better but Calderon started setting purple sectors as well, threatening Picariello’s pole position. She fell 0.080secs short, which put her in 4th place.

    The MRF Challenge 2015 started first in one of the biggest motorsport weekends in the region, with the GP2, GP3 and World Endurance Championship (WEC) also on display this weekend. In the only practice session of the weekend, Troitskiy lapped in a 2m02.766s to set the fastest time of the session. He was 0.297s ahead of Reddy, who had completed the most laps in the session. Fittipaldi slotted in at third, while Sean Walkinshaw was fourth and Picariello completed the top five. Tatiana Calderon was in 6th place, with Indycar and Formula 1 winner Juan Pablo Montoya helping out his fellow Colombian.

    Belgian driver Alessio Picariello was surprised to be in pole position in his first ever race in the series. He commented, “In the morning practice session it took me some time to get used to the car and tyres. With only one practice session I knew I had to learn things fast. I felt comfortable straight away and was able to push in the qualifying. I am thrilled to be on pole position and amazed at how competitive this series is. Tomorrow will be tough but I am confident of going for the win”

    Russian driver Nikita Troitckii felt he could have been on pole but was happy to start from the front row. He commented, “I had a good session in the morning and just worked on getting more comfortable with the car. I felt we had the pace for pole position but we just missed out. My race pace this morning was good so am looking forward for the race tomorrow.”

    India’s Tarun Reddy had his best qualifying in the series with 3rd position. He commented, “I really enjoy driving on this circuit. I have been quick from the start but not enough for pole position. To be 3rd on the grid here is great, especially with all the GP2 and WEC guys in attendance. I will push for the win tomorrow.”

    Qualifying: 1. Alessio Picariello – 2:03.390; 2 Nikita Troitckii – 2:03.434; 3. Tarun Reddy – 2:03.438; 4 Tatiana Calderon – 2:03.470; 5 Pietro Fittipaldi – 2:03.503

    Practice 1: 1. Nikita Troitckii – 2:02.766; 2 Tarun Reddy – 2:03.063; 3. Pietro Fittipaldi – 2:03.262; 4 Sean Walkinshaw – 2:03.429

    eom/MRF release

  • Round 2 of MRF Challenge to take place in Bahrain this weekend

    Bahrain, 17 Nov 2015:  The MRF Challenge 2015 season will head to the Bahrain International Circuit this weekend with Round 2 set to take place as the support race for the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) 6 Hours of Bahrain. The FIA sanctioned MRF Challenge, is one of four international and regional racing series that that will be backing the headlining WEC. The GP2 Series, GP3 Series and Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle are the others. The international field of up-and-coming drivers will showcase their talents this coming weekend in the MRF Challenge, in front of team bosses and manufacturers of the WEC and GP2 series.

    Challenge leader Nobuharu Matsushita will return to his GP2 duties with ART Racing team. Brazilian driver Pietro Fittipaldi and female F3 driver Tatiana Calderon will resume their battle for the championship with only seven points separating them. Russian driver Nikita Troitckii and Indian Tarun will be hoping to mount a challenge and get themselves into championship contention. This will also be the first time that the MRF Challenge cars will race under lights in Bahrain.

    Arun Mammen, Managing Director, MRF Tyres, commented, “We are extremely excited to return to Bahrain for Round 2 of the MRF Challenge 2015. This will be our third year in Bahrain as we continue our association with the World Endurance Championship. The drivers have always enjoyed the circuit and I am sure that this year will continue to provide some close wheel-to-wheel racing. We are constantly evolving so am also happy to announce that this will be our first race under lights in Bahrain which should be great for the drivers and fans. We have an 18 car grid this year with some exciting talent so looking forward to another interesting round in Sakhir.”

    Round 2 in Bahrain will have 18 cars on the grid with upcoming young drivers from across the world racing. 2-time F1 World Champion Emmerson Fittipaldi’s grandson, Pietro Fittipaldi impressed with a win and two podium finishes in Round 1 in Abu Dhabi. Harrison Newey, son of famed Formula One engineer Adrian Newey will be hoping to make amends to a tough opening weekend. The star of Round 1 was undoubtedly F3 driver Tatiana Calderon, who pulled off three brilliant overtaking moves on the last lap of 3 of the 4 races. Former MRF Challenge race winner Sam Dejonghe returns to the series and will definitely be one of the favourites and podium finishes in Bahrain. She will not be the only woman on the grid with Alice Powell and Laura Tillett also returning to the series.

    The Indian contingent will be led by Tarun Reddy. Also joining him will be 2015 MRF 1600 Champion Karthik Tharani Singh, who impressed on his first ever time in the MRF Challenge car. He will be joined by Arjun Narendran.

     J Anand, Managing Director, JA Motorsports, is looking forward to yet another exciting round. He commented, “We have a great bunch of talented youngsters this year and it will be interesting to see how they fare in Bahrain. This round offers a unique opportunity for our drivers to showcase their talent in front of some of the top teams and names in the world of motorsport. To support the WEC and GP2 races is a huge honour for us and a testament to how the MRF Challenge continues to grow.”

    In its fourth year, the MRF Challenge 2015 will feature 16 MRF Formula 2000 race cars, which have been made in India by JA Motorsport based in Coimbatore, in collaboration with Dallara, world’s largest racing car manufacturer and also Jayem Automotives Ltd. The Formula 3 style car has been built by JA Motorsport in technical collaboration with Dallara, and is considered to be the fastest of its kind in Asia. The MRF Formula 2000 is powered by a 2.0 litre 210 BHP Renault Sport Engine and will have a Hewland 6-Speed sequential gearbox. The race car has also been crash tested to FIA F3 safety standards and will race with MRF ZLO slick and wet tyres.

    The MRF Challenge has fielded a strong driver line-up in the last two seasons, with drivers going on to win races in GP2 and British Formula 3. The MRF Challenge Alumni include GP2 drivers like Arthur Pic, Tio Ellinas, Jon Lancaster, Conor Daly, GP3 drivers like Ryan Cullen and Carmen Jorda, Former Formula 2 Champion Luciano Baccheta and British Drivers Harry Tincknell (WEC) and Rupert Svendsen-Cook.

     MRF Challenge 2015 Calendar:

    Round 1: October 29-31, 2015, Abu Dhabi, Yas Marina Circuit

    Round 2: November 18-20, 2015, Bahrain, Bahrain International Circuit (World Endurance Championship Support Race)

    Round 3: December 17-19, 2015, Dubai, Dubai Autodrome

    Round 4: January 29-31, 2015, Chennai, Madras Motor Race Track

    Championship Standings:

    1. Nobuharu Matsushita – 80 points
    2. Pietro Fittipaldi – 68 points
    3. Tatiana Calderon – 61 points
    4. Nikita Troitckii – 53 points
    5. Tarun Reddy – 47 points
    File photo of MRF Challenge in Abu Dhabi, Oct 2015. Courtesy MRF
    File photo of MRF Challenge in Abu Dhabi, Oct 2015. Courtesy MRF

    eom/MRF release/david

  • Team MRF wins APRC 2015 title at China; Gill loses again this year to teammate

    Pontus-and-Emil-APRC-China-win-trophy-APSM-1nov2015-MRF-image

    Pontus-and-Emil-APRC-China-win-trophy-APSM-1nov2015-MRF-image

    Longyou/China, 1 Nov 2015: Team MRF’s Pontius Tideman / Emil Axelsson roared to a commanding win at the China Rally here today. In the most adverse of track conditions the team had the best times on all 13 stages as they dominated the field comprehensively to win with ease.

    Tidemand/Axelsson drove to victory in their red Skoda Fabia R5 on approximately 230 kilometres of muddy gravel tracks and slippery concrete streets.

    “This rally demanded everything from us once again and showed what a fantastic set to tyres we had, that mastered the toughest of terrains” said Tidemand delighted with the perfect end to the season. “Two such important wins in Spain and China within a week – Emil and I didn’t dare dream of that. Winning the title in the APRC is our highlight and a big thanks to the whole team.”

    Team MRF’s Pontus Tidemand and his navigator Emil Axelsson were also crowned champions in the drivers’ and co-drivers’ standings of the APRC. MRF Skoda also won the manufacturers’  standings of the APRC for the fourth time in a row.

    With Pontus Tidemand, MRF Skoda celebrates its fourth title win in a row in the drivers’ standings of the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC). The winning streak began in 2012 with the victory of Australian Chris Atkinson. India’s Gaurav Gill won the title in 2013, before Jan Kopecký (CZ) became the first driver in history to become European Champion and Asia-Pacific Champion in consecutive years last year. In the new Fabia R5, Tidemand got MRF’s third win in a row at the China Rally Longyou.

    Pontus-and-Emil-APRC-China-win-trophy-APSM-1nov2015-MRF-image

    Pontus-and-Emil-APRC-China-win-trophy-APSM-1nov2015-MRF-image

    eom/MRF press release through Adrenna

     

  • Tidemand, Axelsson lead MRF sweep

    Obihiro (Japan) 20 Sept 2015

    Pontus Tidemand (right) and co-driver Emil Axelsson of Team MRF after winning in APRC Japan on Sunday. Photo by Anand Philar
    Pontus Tidemand (right) and co-driver Emil Axelsson of Team MRF after winning in APRC Japan on Sunday. Photo by Anand Philar

    : The Swedish pair of Pontus Tidemand and his co-driver Emil Axelsson expectedly clinched the title to lead a clean sweep by Team MRF in the Rally Hokkaido, the fifth and penultimate round of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship, here on Sunday.

    While Tidemand and Axelsson, with 186 points, sealed the APRC and the Pacific Cup driver’s and co-driver’s titles with four wins in five rounds, MRF clinched the team championship with their car partners Skoda Fabia taking home the Manufacturer’s crown.

    Tidemand, driving the Race Torque-prepared Skoda S2000, destroyed the APRC field to win by 12 minutes over New Zealand’s Michael Young (Malcolm Read) of Cusco Racing while Japanese pair of Hitoshi Takayama and Hideki Takeyabu of Immens Motorsport, finished third, some 15 minutes behind the winners.

    In his moment of glory, 24-year old Tidemand, making his APRC debut, had a word of commiseration for his Indian team-mate Gaurav Gill who retired from the event on Saturday due to mechanical problems.

    “It would have been great had Gill been around to fight with it. It was unfortunate that he had to retire, but that is motorsport. However, I am extremely happy to win the championship on debut and I would like to thank the team members, MRF Tyres and others who have been part of my success.

    “When I decided to race in the APRC, I did not know anything about the conditions or the competition, but I enjoyed all the rallies though I would have liked the fight with Gill to extend to the last round in China.

    “I am also extremely happy with the tyres that MRF have supplied. I think, we had just two punctures through the season, but that too because we hit some rocks,” said Tidemand.

    Enjoying an overnight lead of over four minutes, Tidemand maintained his flow and rhythm through the 10 Special Stages run on Sunday, attacking the corners and never easing off.

    “That was the only way I could keep my concentration, although my target was to finish the event safely,” said Tidemand.

    The sixth and concluding round of the 2015 Asia Pacific Rally Championship will be held in China from October 30 to November 1.

    Provisional classification (APRC):

    Pontus Tidemand / Emil Axelsson (Team MRF, Skoda Fabia S2000) 1 (02hrs, 24mins, 49.5secs); Michael Young / Malcolm Read (Cusco Racing, Subaru Impreza WRX STi) 2 (02:36:25.1); Hitoshi Takayama / Hideki Takeyabu (Immens Motorsport, Subaru Impreza WRX STi) 3 (02:39:58.1).

    eom