INDIA in F1

Tag: Ruhaan Alva

  • 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.

  • Rain master Ruhaan Alva graduates to Formula cars in style; F4 beckons

    Rain master Ruhaan Alva graduates to Formula cars in style; F4 beckons

    Bengaluru, 18 October 2021: For many of us in motorsports, K1000 is an annual pilgrimage. And everyone has 100 tales to tell, and I am no different after watching over two dozen K1000s, 22 years to be precise, from 1996, many of them doing media or just having fun. In one of the trips back from a K1000 run in Tumkur, I travelled with two young boys one was 9 and his younger sibling 6. I fell sick and had to return on a Saturday itself, but that provided me with a chance to indulge in K1000 stories with one of the drivers of yesteryears, Umakanth Alva, whom I had the pleasure of watching in late nineties. He introduced his elder son into karting, the gateway to racing bigger things. That day, looking at a shy and playful child, I did not realise his potential. But soon his exploits abroad convinced me about the talent of the precocious 11-year old. He is Ruhaan Alva, 15 now, the reigning X30 Karting Senior champion 2021 who came through the ranks by grit and determination. The younger one, Shlok, was naughty then, but now he is unto himself, immersed in things that make him a computer geek.

    Ruhaan’s experience in Europe helped him hone his skills in being much smoother as a driver since the grip levels there, are very high. “One small mistake and you will lose time. The top 10 drivers are fighting for one tenth of a second. The changing weather conditions also helped him adapt much faster to the track since it would be cold and slippery early in the morning and then when the sun comes out the grip levels would increase,” said senior Alva, a rally driver, who retired with a bang winning the Mountain Challenge in picturesque Kohima, organised by Nagaland Adventure Motor Sports Association as its inaugural event after its birth in 2001. Alva, was ably navigated by Musa Sherif, who went on to become a legend of a navigator, and their exploits together, and Alva’s with other navigators, were for another story another day. In fact, the famed speedmaster Lohit Urs’, a National rally champion, first car and team was done by Alva as Team Kadur.

    Ruhaan Alva, crosses the flag first, but finishes fifth, on his debut at the MMSC MRF Indian National Racing Championship for Cars 2021, Round 1 in Sept. at MMRT. Photos: Shajahan

    Coming back to Ruhaan, the experience and learning in Europe, he returned to India and proved himself and earned his Second National title as Junior by dint of hard work in 2020.  The fickle English weather added another tool in his armoury. So driving in the wet and figuring out different lines, came naturally to him. The Indian conditions offered him different kinds of challenges, though… racing and some, not as much a part of sport. But the youngster, withstood all the pressures of being alone at the top, and despite no congenial atmosphere for racing, he sharpened his skills with a much higher-level of understanding. The machine, the speed, the tyres, the traction, the set-up, all taught him how to excel in sub-optimal conditions. Finding out his pace and the limit, on the only track in Bengaluru at MecoKartopia, and belting out lap after fast lap, needs some discipline which he did exhibit, but at times was frustrated with the kart set-up. “These are part and parcel of the sport. Despite all these, I aim to be calm and try to perform my best,” he said after one of those bad races last year. “But I will be spending a lot of time in the gym to get my fitness levels up as well as some testing and time on the sim,” he concluded.

    One for the Album: At the turn of the century a new motorsposrts baby is born in the North East and it was the Southers Stars who won the inaugural NAMSA event. Musa Sherif, left, navigated for Umakanth Alva, who bid goodbye to his rally career on a winning note conquering the mountains in the North East in Feb 2001.

    Ruhaan moved into Formula cars this year and immediately was at front fighting for a win. He won multiple races in the Formula Junior Racing (FJRS) event held in Coimbatore in May 2021. Recently, in October, he won the second race of the MRF MMSC Formula 1300 category showing pace, after starting from 8th place and understanding of the racing lines despite being a debutant at the 3.712 km Madras Motor Sport Track in Irungattukottai. Logging a penalty for overtaking during yellow flag period and costing him the win is a different matter but he made pundits sit up and take notice. Learning to watch yellow flags, with Madras Motor Sports Club introducing Digital Flags for the first time in the country in National Racing Championship will make his experience of taking flashing yellows to a different level when he visits MMRT, for the next round. Ruhaan won the Best Rookie Award on debut at the track and in the National championship. “It’s not much of a consolation because I know I had the pace and I deserved that win but there is nothing more I can do about it rather than learn and come back stronger,” said a disappointed Bengalurean to INDIAinF1 after the race.

    The number of competitors this year has suddenly gone up and the grid for Formula 1300 was full for the MMSC MRF National Racing Championship with drivers being put on the wait list. The same is expected for the JK Novice Championship in Formula LGB 1300 as well as LGB F4 with drivers on the wait list.

    This bodes well for the sport and with the Mumbai Falcons announcement of the F4 Indian Championship,run along with the F3 Regional Championship this year the sport is looking to grow. The Rotax Indian National Championship also has a record number of entries expected in the Junior and Senior categories.

    Ruhaan said: “It’s a big difference moving into Formula LGB, especially getting used to the gearbox, the brakes and the longer wheel-base making the handling very differentcompared to a kart.”

    This website wishes Ruhaan Alva, the very best, and would like to see him graduate into F4 and up the ladder for better racing.

  • Ruhaan Alva, Rohaan Madesh and Nikhilesh Raju bag maiden National titles: X30 karting

    Ruhaan Alva, Rohaan Madesh and Nikhilesh Raju bag maiden National titles: X30 karting

    Bengaluru, 19 Sept 2021: Ruhaan Alva, Rohaan Madesh and Nikhilesh Raju bagged their maiden National Championship title in their respective classes in the Meco FMSCI Indian National Karting Championship X30 classes 2021 which concluded here on Sunday.

    Talented 15-year Ruhaan Alva dominated the depleted Senior class winning all the rounds, and will be graduating to the Formula cars where he already tested waters winning the Meco Formula Junior races at Coimbatore. The 11-year Nikhilesh, also from the Garden city, had to stave off a tough fight from in the Cadet section from 9-year Arafath Sheikh. Nikhilesh, the Vibgyor student put in consistent performances and took the title in the final round today.

    But it was the Junior section which saw some fierce battles between Bengaluru brothers and Jaden R Pariat from Guwahati, who were involved in fierce triangular battles in the final round that saw the lap times dip multiple times below the 57-seconds, with the younger Ishaan Madesh becoming the fastest driver on the final day.

    Winner all: Podium finishers in the Meco Indian Karting X30 Nationals.

    But championship leader Rohaan Madesh, displayed controlled aggression and clean driving skills to closely guard his lead with two crucial wins and sealed the championship with a race to spare to bag his maiden National title after finishing vice-champion four times in both Junior and Cadet classes.

    Meco Motorsports became the first promoter to complete one of the 12 FMSCI National Championships in different disciplines following strict COVID19 protocols. The other karting Nationals, Rotax Max will begin in October.

    Championship Standings after fifth and final round: Seniors: 1. Ruhaan Alva (Bengaluru) 190, 2. Nigel Abraham Thomas (Bengaluru) 120; 3. Nirmal Umashankar (Chennai) 92.

    Juniors: 1. Rohaan Madesh (Bengaluru) 146; 2. Jaden R Pariat (Guwahati) 134; 3. Ishaan Madesh (Bengaluru) 130.

    Cadet: 1. Nikhilesh Raju (Bengaluru) 167; Arafath Sheikh (Pune) 157; 3. Zarah Misra (Bengaluru) 76.

  • Ruhaan Alva clinches Senior title with a round to spare: X30

    Ruhaan Alva clinches Senior title with a round to spare: X30

    Bengaluru, 17 Sept. 2021: Ruhaan Alva clinched the Senior National Championship in his debut with 5 races to spare as he continued his domination in the Meco FMSCI Indian National Karting Championship X30 Class at Meco Kartopia on Friday. Ruhaan also won the Junior National title before graduating to Seniors.

    In the Cadet Class, the baby of the grid at 9 years, Arafath Sheikh, the 4th class student of Bishop School, Pune won two races but Nikhilesh Raju kept himself in the lead, also winning two races and bagging two second-place podiums. With equal points in the this penultimate round, Nikhilesh extended his lead to 25-points going into the final round and needs to win at least two races or just play cool as a second place in all the four races is good enough to seal him the Cadet Championship. “But I want to win the races and I will go for it,” said the 11-year Bengaluru student of Vibgyor School.

    The 15-year Ruhaan faced no challenge from the depleted field and got so bored that he ‘deliberately’ fell back in the last race, at the start, and had some fun overtaking and winning the inconsequential final race of Round 4, the penultimate round. For the lanky teenager who came into the day with 113 points, bagged all the first three races to post an unbeatable 143 on board at that stage. With five races and 50 points to fight for, another Bengaluru karter Nigel Abraham Thomas had only 90 points in second place.

    Due to COVID19, among other reasons, the Grids have taken a toss this year but Ruhaan continued with dedication with an eye to graduate into Formula cars and tested waters at the Meco Formula Junior races (FJRS) in Coimbatore this year. With the MMSC fmsci Racing Nationals beckoning, the youngster who gained experience in Europe at an young age of 11, will shift focus to single seaters and gain the much-needed seat time before going for the F4 Championship in 2022.

    Saturday will be the D Day for the Juniors, with four races of the final round on cards, and the Junior championship wide open with both local lad Rohaan Madesh and Jaden R Pariat from Guwahati gunning for the gold.

    Round 4 X30 Provisional Results (At 1.2km Meco Kartopia, Bengaluru)

    Cadet Class: (All 10 laps – Grid 6)

    Race 3: 1. #4 Nikhilesh Raju (Bengaluru) (10:41.642); 2. #5 Arafath Sheikh (Pune) (10:41.720); 3. #2 Vedha Vishnu (Gujarat) (10:59.814); 4. #7 Rohaan Reddy (Gujarat) 11:03.567; 5. #1 Zarah Mishra (11:08.074); 6. #3 Anuj A (Madurai) (11:09.592); Fastest lap: Arafath Sheikh 1:02.922;

    Race 4: 1. #5 Arafath Sheikh (Pune) (10:35.079); 2. #4 Nikhilesh Raju (Bengaluru) (10:47.254); 3. #2 Vedha Vishnu (Gujarat) (10:50.282) 4. #3 Anuj A (Madurai) (11:00.300); 5. #7 Rohaan Reddy (Gujarat) (11:00.747); 6. #1 Zaarah Misra (Bengaluru) (11:06.341); Fastest Lap: 1:02.921 by Arafath.

    Senior Class: (All 15 laps – Grid 5)

    Race 1: 1. #27 Ruhaan Alva (Bengaluru) (14:22.589); 2. #28 Nigel Abraham Thomas (Bengaluru) (14:29.291); 3. #25 Nirmal Umashankar (Chennai) (14: 30.304); 4. #32 Tarun M (Mumbai) (14:33.311); 5. Vidyali Reddy (Bengaluru) (15:04.763). Best lap: Ruhaan 56.605sec.

    Race 2: 1. #27 Ruhaan Alva (Bengaluru) (14:35.117); 2. #28 Nigel Abraham Thomas (Bengaluru) (15:02.725); DNF: Vidyali Reddy (Bengaluru) (9:11.327 -9 laps); #25 Nirmal Umashankar (Chennai) (1:47.323 -1 lap); #32 Tarun M (Mumbai) (1.269 DNF before completing one lap); Best lap: Ruhaan 56.974.

    Race 3: 1. #27 Ruhaan Alva (Bengaluru) (14:19.883); 2. #25 Nirmal Umashankar (Chennai) (14: 24.039); 3. #32 Tarun M (Mumbai) (14:29.388); 4. #28 Nigel Abraham Thomas (Bengaluru) (14:34.113); 5. Vidyali Reddy (Bengaluru) (14:41.539). Best lap: Ruhaan 56.555sec.

    Race 4: 1. #27 Ruhaan Alva (Bengaluru) (14:18.474); 2. #25 Nirmal Umashankar (Chennai) (14: 19.938); 3. #32 Tarun M (Mumbai) (14:25.993); 4. #28 Nigel Abraham Thomas (Bengaluru) (14:33.528); 5. Vidyali Reddy (Bengaluru) (14:34.710). Best lap: Ruhaan 56.667sec.

  • Ruhaan, Rohaan and Nikhilesh claim Round 1 honours

    Ruhaan, Rohaan and Nikhilesh claim Round 1 honours

    Bengaluru, 1 August 2021: In the battle between youth and experience,talented Bengaluru teenager Ruhaan Alva took the honours in the first round brushing aside the challenge of two-time National champion Ameya Bafna to lead the table in the MSport IAME X30 Senior Class of the MECO fmsci National Karting Championship 2021 at the 12.km Meco Kartopia track at Bangalru, near here on Saturday and Sunday.

    X30 Karting Nationals Round 1 Senior Class winners after 4 races. From left: MR Rishon 3rd, Ruhaan Alva 1st and Ameya Bafna 2nd;

    Making a comeback after a hiatus of five years, the 26-year Mumbai racer, Ameya Bafna, who won the National Karting Championship in Senior Class in 2012 and 2014, began with a bang posting a facile victory in Race 1 ahead of Bengaluru pilot Magehalli Rishon Rajeev in second. Ruhaan Alva, after dominating the Junior Class in 2020 upgraded himself to the Senior Class looking for better competition but struggled with the balance of the kart in Race 1 and could finish only third. But the talented 15-year-old, starting P4 on the reverse grid ahead of Rishon and Ameya Bafna, made amends and won Race 2. Behind Ruhaan, Rishon finished second again bagging valuable points and Ameya had to settle for third on the podium.

    Ameya came back winning Race 3 but suffered issues with the silencer and could finish only 8th in Race 4. Ruhaan, who kept himself with a striking chance taking second place in Race 3, won the last race with ease taking a six-second lead over Rishon and set a blistering lap of 56.360 on the way. He also clocked the fastest lap of the week-end, a 56.28 in warm-up. Ruhaan leads the points table with 33 points after Round 1 followed by Ameya Bafna and MR Rishon, both on 27 points.

    In the Junior Class, another talented Bengaluru racer Rohaan Madesh won three races to take the Championship lead with 32 points while his younger brother, Ishaan Madesh, the 2020 Cadet champion, won Race 3. Abhay M, also from Bengaluru, who was consistent bagging three second places and a third place, was second in the standings with 27 points ahead of Ishaan on 20 points.

    X30 Round 1 Junior Class – 1st – Rohaan Madesh (centre); 2nd – Abhay M; 3rd (right)- Ishaan Madesh (left)

    In the Cadet Class, Aditya Suresh Kamat and Arafath Sheikh won a race each on Saturday while Nikhilesh Raju clinched both the races on Sunday and with the two second places he bagged on Saturday, the 11-year, Grade 6 student of Vibgyor High School, Bengaluru took the Championship lead with 34 points. Aditya has logged 30 points while Arafath claimed 26 points after Round 1.

    This is the first of the five rounds in the National X30 championship. Each round has four races offering a maximum of 40 points. X30 Round 2 and 3 will be held together from August 13 to 15 while the final two rounds, Round 4 and 5 are scheduled for August 27 to 29. All rounds will be held at Meco Kartopia in Bengaluru, unless Carona restrictions disrupt the schedules.

    MSport IAME X30 India 2021 National Karting Championship (at Meco Kartopia, Bengaluru)

    X30 Round 1 Cadet Class: 1st – Nikhilesh Raju (centre); 2nd – Aditya Suresh Kamat (right); 3rd – Arafath Sheikh (left)

    Round 1 Final provisional classification:

    Seniors (15 laps)

    Saturday: Race 1: 1. kart#32 Ameya Bafna (Mumbai) (14:41.597); 2. #25 MR Rishon (Bengaluru) (14:46.375); 3. #27 Ruhaan Alva (Bengaluru) (14:49.808); Best lap: Ameya Bafna 56.880; Race 2: 1: Ruhaan Alva (14:30.977); 2. MR Rishon (14:33.300); 3. Ameya Bafna (14:33.468); Best lap: Ruhaan Alva 56.703.

    Sunday: Race 3: 1. Ameya Bafna (14:23.399); 2. Ruhaan Alva (14:26.885); 3. MR Rishon (14:31.115); Best lap: Ruhaan Alva 56.419; Race 4: 1. Ruhaan Alva (14:30.839); 2. MR Rishon (14:37.309); 3. #28 Nigel Abraham Thomas (14:42.481). Best lap: Ruhaan Alva 56.360.

    Juniors (12 laps)

    Saturday: Race 1: 1. #15 Rohaan Madesh (Bengaluru) (12:08.116); 2. #11 Abhay M (Bengaluru) (12:08.299); 3. #18 Jaden R Pariat (Guwahati) (12:14.940); Best lap: Abhay M 56.983; Race 2: 1. Rohaan Madesh (12:23.232); 2. #17 Ishaan Madesh (Bengaluru) (12:24.523); 3. Abhay M (12:25.070). Best lap: Abhay M 56.871;

    Sunday: Race 3: 1. Ishaan Madesh (Bengaluru) (11:38.782); 2. Abhay M (Bengaluru) (11:41.156); 3. Jaden R Pariat (Guwahati) (11:41.385); Best lap: Ishaan Madesh 56.452; Race 4: 1. Rohaan Madesh (Bengaluru) (11:41.008); 2. Abhay M (Bengaluru) (11:43.499); 3. Jaden R Pariat (Guwahati) (11:46.559); Best lap: Ishaan Madesh 56.415;

    Cadet (10 laps)

    Saturday: Race 1: 1. #2 Aditya Suresh Kamat (Bengaluru) (11:05.088); 2. #4 Nikhilesh Raju (Bengaluru) (11:07.440); 3. #5 Arafath Sheikh (Pune) (11:07.686); Best lap: Arafath Sheikh 1:03.881; Race 2: 1. Arafath Sheikh (11:08.223); 2. Nikhilesh Raju (11:12.114); 3. Aditya Suresh Kamat (11:14.461). Best lap: Arafath Sheikh 1:03.657;

    Sunday: Race 3: 1 Nikhilesh Raju (Bengaluru) (11:29.864); 2. Aditya Suresh Kamat (Bengaluru) (11:32.642); 3. #3 Vedha Vishnu (Chennai) (12:00.659); Best lap: Arafath Sheikh 1:03.846; Race 4: 1 Nikhilesh Raju (10:56.494); 2. Aditya Suresh Kamat (11:03.359); 3. Vedha Vishnu (11:05.795); Best lap: Arafath Sheikh 1:03.592;

    Standings after Round 1:

    Cadet Class (Total grid = 5)

    1. Nikhilesh Raju (Bengaluru) 34;
    2. Aditya Suresh Kamat (Bengaluru) 30;
    3. Arafath Sheikh (Pune) 26;
    4. Vedha Vishnu (Chennai) 22;
    5. Zarah Mishra (Bengaluru) 16;

    Junior Class (Total grid = 12)

    1. Rohaan Madesh (Bengaluru) 32;
    2. Abhay M (Bengaluru) 27;
    3. Ishaan Madesh (Bengaluru) 20;
    4. Jaden R Pariat (Guwahati) 19;
    5. Akshat Misra (Bengaluru) 19;
    6. Ranvir Singh (Pune) 17;
    7. Sai Shiva Makesh (Pune) 8;
    8. Neythan McPherson (Pune) 8;
    9. Tharun M (Bengaluru) 2;

    Senior Class (Total Grid = 8)

    1. Ruhaan Alva (Bengaluru) 33;
    2. Ameya Bafna (Mumbai) 27;
    3. MR Rishon (Bengaluru) 27;
    4. Nigel Abraham Thomas (Bengaluru) 17;
    5. Shaurya Kapani (Mumbai) 17;
    6. Raaj Bakhru (Mumbai) 13;
    7. G Rahul Reddy (Hyderabad) 11;
    8. Dhruv Mugugappan (Chennai) 7;
  • Ruhaan clinches National championship in Junior Class; Ishaan, Suriya consolidate lead

    Ruhaan clinches National championship in Junior Class; Ishaan, Suriya consolidate lead

    By David Bodapati

    Bengaluru, 1 Nov 2020: Defending champion Ruhaan Alva of MSport clinched the National Championship in the Junior Class with a round to spare in the Meco Motorsports fmsci National Karting Championship X30 Class at the 1.240-km Meco Kartopia track near Bagalur on Sunday.

    The 14-year-old Bengaluru speedster knocked off two more victories on Sunday to complete a clean sweep of Round 4 too but saw stewards strip his Race 2 win following a protest. Thus, he won 14 of the 16 races in the first four rounds. With four more races remaining in the final round to be held in November, Ruhaan has pooled an unassailable 150 points over second-placed Rohaan Madesh, who garnered 109 points thus far. The final results after stewards clearance saw Ruhaan lose three points as he was demoted to second and Rohaan Madesh was promoted to a win, but still, Ruhaan managed to retain the Championship title. Akshat Mishra, also of Bangalore, is in third place on the leader board after four rounds with 71 points ahead of Guwahati lad Jaden Rahman Pariat on 61.

    Meanwhile, it was a contrasting style in the Cadet Section, where championship leader Ishaan Madesh had to fight for his points with Pune youngster Sai Shiva Makesh, who offered a tough fight before ending up second, in both the races today. Ishaan, who took 3 wins from four races, bagged 140 points to Sai Shiva’s 112. With yesterday’s win in the first race of Round 4, Sai managed to take the title battle till the last round. Both the races saw a close finish today with Ishaan defending well and winning the first race by just 0.162 seconds and in the final race, Sai did manage to take the `fastest lap’ but ended up second trailing by just 0.2sec. Anshul Sai, who completed the podium in both the races today, is a distant third in the championship table with 98 points after four rounds.

    Cadet Class Championship leader Ishaan Madesh (centre) flanked by Sai Shiva Makesh on his left and Anshul Sai at the Prize Distribution event at Meco Kartopia in Bengaluru on Sunday.

    In the Senior Section, Suriya Varathan, the 17-year-old from Coimbatore, consolidated his position at the top winning a race and then losing the final race to Rishon Rajeev, who shifted from Junior Class to Senior class after Round 3. Defending champion and strong contender Nirmal Umashankar of Chennai kept himself in contention with a second place and a third place. Suriya has 138 points going into the fifth and final round of four races while Nirmal, stays at a striking distance with 111 points. Bala Prasath who was off-colour today and could only get a third place in the last race. Bala is in the third spot on the points table in Senior class with 87 points.

    Clerk of the Course Sandeep said that,``all precautions were taken to make sure that the incidents on the track were controlled and the event concluded with a lot of close racing that ensured competitive stuff.”

    Fayaz of Meco Motorsports, the Promoters, said that “all the guidelines were followed to make sure that the drivers, mechs and others were safe. Face masks and social distancing was made mandatory.” The event concluded with prize distribution in the afternoon. This is the third Motorsports Nationals in India to resume after the Corona-induced break, after Drag Nationals and 2-wheeler Sprint Nationals. The National Racing Championship for cars is expected to start at Chennai next Sunday while the Indian National Rally Championship is scheduled to start at Itanagar in December with a double-header.

    Winner Suriya Varathan, centre, flanked by 2nd-placed Nirmal Umashankar, left, and Bala Prasath, who came 3rd, in the final race on Sunday in the Senior Section.

    Results (official final classification) after Sunday races: Round 4:

    Seniors (15 laps): Race 3: 1.Suriya Varathan (Coimbatore) (14:50.418); 2. Nirmal Umashankar (14:51.142); 3. Rishon Rajeev (Bengaluru) (14:53.583); Best lap: Rishon 56:165. Race 4: *Rishon Rajeev (14:45.174); 1. Suriya Varathan (14:45.483); 2. Nirmal Umashankar (14:46.383); 3. Bala Prasath (14:48.122). Best lap: Nirmal 56.438. *Rishon disqualified for being underweight.

    Top-3 Championship table: 1. Suriya Varathan 138; 2. Nirmal Umashankar 111; 3. Bala Prasath 87.

    Juniors (12 laps): Race 3: 1. Ruhaan Alva (Bengaluru) (11:29.738); 2. Rohaan Madesh* (Bengaluru) (11:32.699); 3. Akshat Mishra (Bengaluru) (11:43.912); Best Lap: 56:166. Race 4: 1. Ruhaan Alva (11:30.705); 2. Rohaan Madesh (11:38.824); 3. Abhay Kumar (Bengaluru) (11:43.989). Best lap: Ruhaan 56:369. 10-second penalty added for Rohaan Madappa for jump start.

    Top-3 Championship table: 1. Ruhaan Alva 150; 2. Rohaan Madesh 109; 3. Akshat Mishra 71;

    Round 4: Cadet (10 laps) Race 3: 1.Ishaan Madesh (Bengaluru) (10:46.542); 2. Sai Shiva Makesh (Pune) (10:46.704); 3. Anshul Sai (Bengaluru) (10:55.438); Best Lap: Ishaan I:01.944. Race 4: 1. Ishaan Madesh (11:23.917); 2. Sai Shiva Makesh (11:24.169); 3. Anshul Sai (Bengaluru) (11:35.476). Best lap: Sai Shiva 1:02.010.

    Top-3 Championship table: 1. Ishaan Madesh 140; 2. Sai Shiva Makesh 112; 3. Anshul Sai 98.

    Editor’s note: Results updated after official results were released with protest result.

    X30 Junior Class Round 4, Race 3 winner Ruhaan Alva, centre, with 2nd-placed Rohaan Madesh, left, and Akshat Misra, who took third on the podium at Meco Kartopia on Sunday.
  • Ishaan bags a double; Ruhaan leads despite a minor hiccup

    Ishaan bags a double; Ruhaan leads despite a minor hiccup

    By David Bodapati

    Bengaluru, 30 October 2020: Reigning champion Ruhaan Alva of Bengaluru, continued his winning streak in Race 1 for a stunning ninth consecutive race and marched towards retaining his National Champion tag despite a reverse-grid hiccup in the second race, in the third round of the Meco Motorsports fmsci National Karting Championship X-30 races at Meco Kartopia here on Friday.

    Another fun-loving Bangalore kid, Ishaan Madesh had the best outing today clinching a double in the Cadet section to keep his championship lead with 83 points to Sai Shiva’s 67. Eleven-year-old Ishaan was streets ahead as he left the field behind and won with a huge margin of over 13-seconds in Race 1 and went on clinch Race 2, too. Anshul Sai of Pune came second in Race 1 followed by Pune’s Sai Shiva Makesh, who took second in Race 2 ahead of Arafath Sheikh, also of Pune. Ishaan who had a DNF in the previous round did make amends and won both the races.

    After topping the official practice session, in Race 1, Ruhaan brushed aside the challenge of Rohaan Madesh beating him by a convincing 3.2-second margin to take another first. Rishon Rajeev completed the podium, a fraction of a second behind, to make it an all-Bengaluru podium.

    In Race 2, Ruhaan was well on course to clinch the issue but his streak of victories was broken in Race 2 due to an unforeseen incident. After the reverse-grid start, he patiently overtook one by one and got to the top and everything looked rosy as he took the lead. But in the last lap, the driver in 2nd place, tried an overambitious move into the fourth corner (C4) and locked-up, and smashed sideways straight into Ruhaan, taking both out in the process. Ruhaan, later managed to finish 6th and retrieved 3 useful points to still lead the Championship by 23 points. Ruhaan has 93 to Rohaan’s 70. But for the incident,  he still showed his talent and kart control and driving skills to bag the `Fastest Laps’ in all the 10 races, till now in Rounds 1, 2 and 3. Six more Races, two in Round 3 and four in Round 4, will decide the title this weekend.

    In the Senior Section, strong contender Suriya Varathan and defending champion Nirmal Umashankar split the two races. Suriya won the first race beating Nirmal Umashankar, who took a comfortable win in Race 2. Raaj Bakhru came third ahead of Shravanthika Lakshmi S of Coimbatore, who came fourth beating three more boys. Bala Prasath finished the podium in Race 2. Arjun Nair, who was second in the title race after two rounds, did not take part today.

    Raaj Bakhru winning the third place in the Senior Class Race 1 has some significance. The 12th class student of Business Management from Mumbai is making his debut in National karting and taking a podium in the first race, and driving a kart only for the third time, is some achievement.

    Results: Round 3 (Unofficial classification): Friday:

    Seniors (15 laps): Race 1: 1. Suriya Varathan (Coimbatore) (14:29.774); 2. Nirmal Umashankar (Chennai) 14:30.541); 3. Raaj Bakhru (14:52.117); Race 2: 1. Nirmal Umashankar (14:31.502); 2. Suriya Varathan (14:32.963); 3. Bala Prasath (Coimbatore) (14:40.012).

    Juniors (12 laps): Race 1: 1. Ruhaan Alva (Bengaluru) (11:47.773); 2. Rohaan Madesh (Bengaluru) (11:50.976); 3. Rishon Rajeev (Bengaluru) (11:51.216); Race 2: 1. Jaden Rahmat Pariat (Guwahati) (11:37.626); 2. Rohaan Madesh (11:38.446); 3. Shaurya Kapani (Mumbai) (11:38.595);

    Cadet (10 laps): Race 1: 1. Ishaan Madesh (Bengaluru) (10:54.561) 2. Anshul Sai (Bengaluru) (11:07.963); 3. Sai Shiva Makesh (Pune) (11:15.020); Race 2: 1. Ishaan Madesh (10:28.977); 2. Sai Shiva Makesh (10:31.106); 3. Arafath Sheikh (Pune) (10:46.403);

    Editor’s note: Updated Oct 31 at 9.30 am correcting typo Ruhaan’s lead to 23 points.

  • Keen contest in Sr Class final rounds of Karting Nationals

    Keen contest in Sr Class final rounds of Karting Nationals

    Bengaluru, 29 October 2020: Coimbatore’s Suriya Varathan, Bengaluru’s Arjun Nair and Chennai’s Nirmal Umashankar are poised for a royal battle in the final two rounds of the Meco-FMSCI National Karting Championship X30 Classes over two days beginning from Saturday here at Meco Kartopia track.

    The Junior Class seems to have one hero in the making, what with the domination Bengaluru’s Ruhaan Alva had last-week-end sweeping all the eight races in the two rounds for an overwhelming 80 points. If he continues his wonted form, sure will bag the championship. Citymate Rohaan Madesh followed him past the chequered flag in each of the races to have 56 points in his kitty. He will need to do one better than Ruhaan in all the remaining races to earn the chance of annexing the crown. A tough task for the jovial karter, who is fun to watch.

    Suriya Varathan has a compelling lead in the Senior class, having amassed 70 points in the first two rounds held last Saturday-Sunday. He had won three out of the four races in Round 1 and two out of the four in Round 2 to be in the best position to claim this year’s championship.

    The championship is the third national-level sporting event organised in the country since the COVID-induced lockdowns in March after the Drag Nationals and 2-w Sprint Rally Nationals. All sanitising and social distancing norms are being followed to ensure the well-being of the young racers.

    Arjun Nair managed two second-places in Round 1 and two first-places in Round 2 to have 55 points in his kitty. He and Nirmal Umashankar (51 points) will need a massive change in fortunes to topple Suriya from the perch in the last two rounds.

    In the Cadet Class too, another Bengaluru lad, Ishaan Madesh, enjoys a handy 9-point lead over Pune’s Sai Shiva Makesh. Ishaan won all 4 races in Round 1 but had a disastrous start in Round, getting a DNF in Race 1 and a sixth-place finish in Race 2 before regaining his winning touch.

  • Ruhaan Alva hogs limelight winning everything at stake

    Ruhaan Alva hogs limelight winning everything at stake

    Bengaluru, 18 October 2020: Ruhaan Alva, the defending champion from Bengaluru, began the season with a bang winning all the 8 races in the Junior Class of the X30 Karting Nationals. He capped a spectacular run on the weekend with a stunning record, capturing everything that came his way. With two rounds at stake, he not only took the pole position in both the rounds but also won all the eight races with best fastest lap times to boot, in all of them. No track in India has seen such domination in recent years, where a single driver has won everything at stake to complete a clean sweep.

    Ishaan Madesh in the Cadet section and Suriya Varathan in Senior Class also had a good weekend, but neither could display the domination and control that Ruhaan Alva showcased. Alva proved his mastery even after starting at the back, in the reverse grid Race 2, on both days and powered to the top of the podium to leave no doubt of his new-found form despite a Corona-induced haitus from racing.

    With COVID 19 delaying the start of the season, Meco FMSCI National Karting Championship X30 Class began the event under strict safety precautions and two rounds were hosted to complete the crowded season. So an unusual card of four races was on the menu for Saturday as part of Round 1 and four more races in Round 2 were also completed for all the three classes — the Cadets, Juniors and Seniors.

    Ruhaan Alva dominates the week-end Karting Nationals at Meco Kartopia on Oct 17 & 18.

    Ruhaan bagged a whopping 80 points and opened up a 24-point lead after two of the five rounds. His compatriot in Junior Class, Rohaan Madesh is in second place with 56 points after finishing second to Ruhaan in all the eight races. He crossed the flag ahead of Ruhaan in the third race in Round 2, but was penalised one `position’ for an infringement and was rightfully relegated to second again. Jaden Rahman Pariat of Guwahati is third on the points table with 44 points.

    Young Aashi Hanspal of Mumbai, who recently returned from France being adjudged as a promising talent in the FIA Girls on Track event, took a surprise third place in Race 2 on Sunday in the second round.  The `only girl’ in Junior class, and the baby of the grid at 13 years, she utilised the Reverse-grid position well, to take her first podium of the season as the drivers behind her were busy fighting themselves.

    1st Ishaan Madesh Centre, 2nd Anshul Sai, left, and 3rd placed Sai Shiva Makesh Sankaran win Round 1 Race 2 on Saturday.

    In the Cadet Class, playful Ishaan Madesh of Bengaluru dominated the proceedings on Saturday winning all the four races and clocking best laps in two races. He, however, let go the grip with a DNF (did not finish) in the first race on Sunday and lost Race 2 too. But he bounced back winning the last two races of Round 2 to take the championship lead in Cadet Class with 63 points. Pune’s Sai Shiva Makesh, who began with two, second places and a third on the podium on Saturday in Round 1, upped his game and won two races on Sunday to take the second spot in the standings with 54 points. Anshul Sai of Bengaluru is in third place with 43 points. Anshul who began well on Saturday had two DNF on Sunday that hampered his campaign.

    In the Senior Section, Coimbatore karter Suriya Varathan had a profitable outing on Saturday winning three races on Saturday and also adding the Best Laps in all four but lost focus after winning the first two races of Round 2 on Sunday. The last two races were won by Arjun Nair of Bengaluru. Bengaluru’s defending champion Nirmal Umashankar was patchy and could only win one race on Saturday.

    The next two rounds will also be held at Meco Kartopia here on October 31 and Nov 1.

    Results: Round 1: Junior Class (12 laps) Race 1: 1. Ruhaan Alva (11:36.227); 2. Rohaan Madesh (11:39.747); 3. Jaden Rahman Pariat (11:48.361);  Best lap: Ruhaan 57.580. Race 2: 1. Ruhaan Alva (11:40.570); 2. Rohaan Madesh (11:43.087); 3. Shaurya Kapani (11:49.363). Best Lap: 57.383 Ruhaan. Race 3: 1. Ruhaan Alva (11:39.191); 2. Rohaan Madesh (11:41.374); 3. Akshat Misra (11:48.949). Best Lap: 56.972 Ruhaan. Race 4: 1. Ruhaan Alva (11:45.406); 2. Rohaan Madesh (11:50.615); 3. Jaden Rahman Pariat (11:54.798);  Best lap: Ruhaan 57.002.

    X30 Senior Class Round 2 winners: 1st Suriya Varathan (centere), 2nd Arjun Nair (left) and 3rd placed Bala Prasath.

    Cadet Class (10 laps) Race 1: 1. Ishaan Madesh (11:36.706); 2. Anshul Sai (11:58.830); 3. Arafath Sheikh (11:51.725); Best lap: 1:04.429 Ishaan. Race 2 RS: 1. Ishaan Madesh (11: 11.775); 2. Anshul Sai (11:12.837); 3. Sai Shiva Makesh (11:14.324). Best lap: 1:04.048 Ishaan. Race 3: 1. Ishaan Madesh (11:19.345); 2. Sai Shiva Makesh (11:19.950); 3. Anshul Sai (11:29.673). Best Lap: 1:03.876 Sai Shiva. Race 4: 1. Ishaan Madesh (11:05.993); 2. Sai Shiva Makesh (11:09.081); 3. Anshul Sai (11:16.708). Best Lap: 1:03.758 Sai Shiva.

    Senior Class (15 laps) Race 1: 1. Suriya Varathan (15:01.599); 2. Arjun Nair (15:05.600); 3. Nirmal Umashankar (15:06.159); Best lap: 57.378 Suriya. Race 2: 1. Nirmal Umashankar (14:37.769); 2. Suriya Varathan (14:37.966); 2. Arjun Nair (14:47.191). Best Lap: 57.133 Suriya. Race 3: 1. Suriya Varathan (14:41.394); 2. Arjun Nair (14:44.667); 3. Nirmal Umashankar (14:46.459); Best lap: 56.831 Suriya. Race 4: 1. Suriya Varathan (15:28.993); 2. Nirmal Umashankar (15:32.566); 3. Bala Prasath (15:39.072). Best lap: 56.870 Suriya.

    Round 2: Juniors (12 laps) Race 1: 1. Ruhaan Alva (11:39.890); 2. Rohaan Madesh (11:43.109); 3. Akshat Misra (11:50.005). Best Lap: 57.272 Ruhaan. Race 2: 1. Ruhaan Alva (11:58.604); 2. Rohaan Madesh (11:59.664); 3. Aashi Hanspal (12:06.751). Best Lap: 57.328 Ruhaan. Race 3: 1. Ruhaan Alva (12:02.304); 2. Rohaan Madesh (12:01.535); 3. Akshat Misra (12:03.573). Best Lap: 57.241 Ruhaan. (Rohaan Madesh who crossed the flag first suffered a one-place penalty and demoted to 2nd). Race 4: 1. Ruhaan Alva (11:44.482); 2. Rohaan Madesh (11:48.781); 3. Akshat Misra (11:51.003). Best Lap: 57.116 Ruhaan.

    Cadet Class (10 laps) Race 1: 1.Sai Shiva Makesh (10:57.625); 2. Anshul Sai (11:01.838); 3. Arafath Sheikh (11:14.044); Best lap: 1:03.744 Anshul Sai. (Ishaan DNF); Race 2: 1. Anshul Sai (11:54.878); 2. Nikhilesh Raju (11:59.906); 3. Arafath Sheikh (11:59.935); Best lap: 1:03.274 Ishaan Madesh. Race 3: 1.Ishaan Madesh (12:01.738); 2. Sai Shiva Makesh (12:17.876); 3. Arafath Sheikh (12:20.502); Best lap: 1:02.994 Ishaan. Race 4: 1.Ishaan Madesh (10:48.817); 2. Sai Shiva Makesh (11:00.117); 3. Arafath Sheikh (11:02.871); Best lap: 1:02.530 Ishaan.

    Senior Class (15 laps) Race 1: 1. Suriya Varathan (15:01.248); 2. Bala Prasath (15:04.538); 3. Arjun Nair (15:08.948); Best Lap: 57.023 Suriya. Race 2: 1. Suriya Varathan (14:38.708); 2. Nirmal Umashankar (14:39.918); 3. Bala Prasath (14:43.481). Best lap: 57.248 Bala Prasath. Race 3: 1. Arjun Nair (15:16.340);  2. Nirmal Umashankar (15:17.224); 3. Suriya Varathan (15:18.131); Best Lap: 56.902 Nirmal. Race 4: 1. Arjun Nair (14:44.123);  2. Suriya Varathan (14:44.563); 3. Bala Prasath (14:46.868). Best Lap: 56.903 Arjun Nair. Penalty: 10-sec added for Nirmal for Jump start.

    (Ed Note: The event concluded on 18th Oct but the report is published only on 24th Oct, 2020)