INDIA in F1

Tag: Tanika Shanbagh

  • Samuel Jacob begins 2024 campaign on a winning note; Tanika tops Ladies class

    Samuel Jacob begins 2024 campaign on a winning note; Tanika tops Ladies class

    Nashik, 7 April 2024: Samuel Sajan Jacob of Petronas TVS Racing began the season on a winning note snatching the Overall victory from teammate Rajendra RE in the MRF Rally of Nashik, the first round of the MRF Mogrip fmsci Indian National Rally Championship for two-wheelers here on Sunday.

    “I am feeling really happy wining the first round of Indian National Rally Championship. A winning beginning after a long break is always welcome and I thanks all the Petronas TVS Racing team for all the support and specially for the wonderful bike. I have trained very hard for this win and am happy to get the overall victory. The stages were full of tarmac, yes for about 60 per cent of the terrain and the rest is broken tarmac and I like it as it was a fast track,” said Jacob after the rally.

    Samuel Jacob with the Overall trophy in Nashik.

    While Petronas TVS Racing riders bagged three classes, with Imran Pasha (Supersport 260 Group B) and Syed Asif Ali (Scooters) also winning their classes, the lady rider from Satara, Tanika Shanbagh, kept the flag flying for Hero Motosports. Apart from winning the Ladies class, the two-time National champion finished Overall 30 in the field of 90 bikes. The TVS riders, however, swept the top class winning all the podium places in the Superbike Pro-Expert Group A with multiple national champion Aishwarya Pissay finishing fourth after the boys.

    The first round of the bike Nationals organised by AW Events and promoted by Godspeed Racing attracted 90 entries and 85 bikes finished the rally with five logging a DNF which included Arjun Joy and Karthik Naidu. Zeitmesser provided the live timings to the thousandth of a second.

    Former champion R Nataraj of Bengaluru won the Superbike Expert Group A Class 2 defeating compatriot Amogh Nag while Asad Khan of Chikkamagaluru finished third.

    Shivamogga’s Abdul Reheman won the Supersport 165cc Group B class while Rajesh Narajan Swamy won the Supersport 400cc class. Bengaluru’s Suhail Ahmed won the SS 550cc class and Arshad Muhammed of Thrissur won the 450cc Group D class. Amarendra Sathe of Pune won the Star of Karnataka local class.

    VS Naresh took a podium in the Supersport 550 Group B class on Sunday.

    Provisional Final Results: (#Bike number) (All privateers unless mentioned)

    Class 1: Superbike Pro-Expert Group A:

    1. #2 Samuel Jacob (Udupi, Petronas TVS Racing) (25 minutes, 03.831 seconds);

    2. #3 Rajendra RE (Bengaluru, Petronas TVS Racing) (25:12.092);

    3. #1 Abdul Waheed Tanveer (Bengaluru, Petronas TVS Racing) (25:32.225);

    4. #4 Aishwarya Pissay (Bengaluru, Petronas TVS Racing) 29:41.198.

    Class 2 Superbike Expert Group A:

    1. #5 Nataraj R (Bengaluru) (26:53.905);

    2. #6 GS Amogh Nag (Bengaluru) (27:43.780);

    3. #7 Asad Khan (Chikkamagaluru) (27:51.600).

    Class 3 Supersport 165cc Group B:

    1. #15 Abdul Reheman (Shivamogga) (29:29.776);

    2. #14 Bharat L (Bengaluru) (29:31.202);

    3. #89 Arshad Ali AT (Kannur) (29:41.877).

    Classs 4: Supersport 260 Group B:

    1. #26 Imran Pasha (Mysore, TVS) (26:07.655);

    2. #30 T Arun (Hassan, Hero Motosports) (26:34.469);

    3. #29 Yuva Kumar (Bengaluru, Hero Motosports) 26:45.720.

    Class 5: Supersport 400cc Group B:

    1. #42 Rajesh Narajan Swami (Pen) (28:03.998);

    2. #45 Anish Shetty (Bengaluru) (28:58.518);

    3. #41 Akhand Pratap Singh (Rorkee) (29:29.648).

    Class 6: Supersport 550 Group B:

    1. #52 Suhail Ahmed (Bengaluru) (28:44.853);

    2. #47 Naresh VS (Bengaluru) (29:40.304);

    3. #48 Darshan Chaure (Nashik) (30:52.412);

    Class 7: Scooters up to 210cc Group B:

    1. #56 Syed Asif Ali (Bengaluru, TVS) (29:59.732);

    2. #59 Venkatesh Shetty (Mumbai, Aprilia SR 150) (32:11.799);

    3. #60 Goutham N (Bengaluru) (32:27.604).

    Class 8: Women’s Class Group B:

    1. #62 Tanika Shanbhagh (Hero MotoSports, Satara) (30:11.762);

    2. #65 Somyya Chaudhary A (New Delhi) (31:31.733);

    3. #64 Remya Ravi (Thiruvananthapuram) (35:10.889).

    Class 9: Super Stock up to 450cc Group D:

    1. #69 Arshad Muhammed (Thrissur) (29:53.709);

    2. #72 Udayakumar M (Coimbatore) (30:15.197);

    3. #68 Shivam Thakur (Kullu) (30:30.249).

    Class 10 Star of Karnataka:

    1. #85 Amarendra Sathe (Pune) (31:59.690);

    2. #83 Lokesh Anik Bhosale (Pune) (32:29.292);

    3. #84 Kishore Jadhav (Pune) (32:36.992).

    Overall: (top-10 riders)

    1. #2 Samuel Jacob (Udupi, Petronas TVS Racing) (25 minutes, 03.831 seconds);

    2. #3 Rajendra RE (Bengaluru, Petronas TVS Racing) (25:12.092);

    3. #1 Abdul Waheed Tanveer (Bengaluru, Petronas TVS Racing) (25:32.225);

    4. #26 Imran Pasha (Mysore, TVS) (26:07.655);

    5. #30 T Arun (Hassan, Hero Motosports) (26:34.469);

    6. #29 Yuva Kumar (Bengaluru, Hero Motosports) 26:45.720.

    7. #5 Nataraj R (Bengaluru) (26:53.905);

    8. #27 Sachin D (Bengaluru, TVS) 926:56.007);

    9. #32 Banteilang Jyrwa (TVS) (26:56.905);

    10. #28 Sabarish R (Coimbatore) (27:32.179).

  • Tanveer back on top; Rajendra docked road penalty; Tanika stars again: 2w Rally Nationals

    Tanveer back on top; Rajendra docked road penalty; Tanika stars again: 2w Rally Nationals

    Chikkamagaluru, 28 May 2023: Former National champion, Mysuru’s Abdul Wahid Tanveer of Petronas TVS Racing, who became the first Indian to win a class in an international rally, was in his elements once again as he conquered the premier class in the Rally of Chikmagalur, the second round of the MRF MoGrip fmsci National Rally Championship for 2-wheelers here on Sunday.

    The TVS talent won the top Superbike Pro-Expert Group A class clocking a time of 54 minutes, 08.106 seconds as he relegated defending champion and teammate Rajendra RE of Shivamogga, who was docked a one minute, 10-second liaison penalty for the transport section, that did him in. Yuva Kumar, the celebrated Hero MotoSports is back on the podium after a long time as he took the third place. Abdul Tanveer won his class in the Merzouga Rally in 2019.

    The Petronas TVS Racing team riders dominated the proceedings once again winning the top-four Overall places with Imran Pasha, who bagged victories in the first two rounds, in third Overall place followed by a superb ride from Sachin Ignatius D in fourth. However, T Arun of Hero MotoSports prevented a top-5 sweep in the overall honours, which is a norm for TVS of late. TVS riders won three classes. It was a stunning ride from Imran Pasha who punched above his weight on a humble bike but the TVS Apache became a tiger in his hands.

    Tanika Shanbagh, another young Hero MotoSport talent, continued to fly the Women in Motorsports flag winning the Ladies class again. Tanika, who won the National Sprint Championship ladies title in 2022 is keen to add another National title this year to her kitty. Though, the daughter of former rally champion Shanbagh, was streets ahead, she lost stage win to former National champion (road racing) Ryhana Bee in Special Stage 3 and 6. But her Overall 40th place beating about 60 male riders is quite an achievement. Ryhana Bee came second followed by Fazeela U of Palakkad, who is supported by Vamcy Merla of Kalyani Group in Andhra Pradesh, a former Promoter of 4w INRC.

    Fazeela U of Palakkad takes a start even as officials look on at Chikkamagaluru on Sunday. The VM Sports Foundation rider finished third. INDIAinF1 photo

    Tanika, the young talent from Satara, is now leading the championship winning both the rounds, thus far, in the Ladies class while others, also keeping their slate clean after two rounds are, Nataraj R in the Group A Superbike Expert class, Star of Karnataka Darpan Darshan of Shivamogga, TVS’ pair of Imran Pasha and Syed Asif Ali in Supersport 260cc and Scooter class, respectively, and the new-found talent from Kulu, Nitish Bharadhwaj in the Group D 450cc Super Stock class.

    Defending Ladies champion Aishwarya Pissay moved to the top class and finished fourth among five Pro-expert bikes. Preparing for Dakar 2024, the 2019 World Baja winner beat 81 male riders. She was on a superior 450cc TVS Apache rally bike as she competed with men on equal footing.

    In the Supersport 400cc Group B, Rohit Shinde of Baramati turned the tables on first-round winner Russel Jossey, who had to be content with a second place and Syed Aquib of Chikkamagaluru took the final spot on the podium.

    In the Supersport 550cc Group B Class 6, Bengaluru’s Mohammed Zaheer won beating reigning champion Naresh “Bruce Lee” VS while Jeemon Anthony, the supercop from Kochi took a third place keeping himself in points. The first round winner Arun Joy logged a DNF in Stage 2.

    In a fight between TVS teammates in the scooter class, traditionally dominated by TVS NTorq, Syed Asif Ali once again came on top with Karthik Naidu taking second place. Despite a 20-second penalty, Goutham N of Bengaluru took third place beating Aprilia JB Racing teammate Pinkesh Thakkar, who took a podium in the first round.

    Chalass Bose of Kottayam, the defending champion in Super Sport 130 cc – Group B class shifted to 165 class as the SS 130cc event is replaced by a new class, as 2023 championship saw the introduction of a Super Stock class for upto 450cc Group D bikes, where Nitish Bharadwaj of Kulu in Himachal Pradesh took the honours in the second round repeating his success in the first round at Coorg.

    The National Rally Championship for two-wheelers powered by time-keepers Zeitmesser, is meticulously organised by Motor Sports Club of Chikmagalur (MSCC), under the dynamic leadership of Farooq Ahmed, a three-time Overall winner of INRC for 4-wheelers and former Vice-President of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (fmsci). Godspeed Racing of Pune headed by 7-time National champion Shyam Kothari are the Promoters. Dilip Jain, ably assisted by other team members pulled off another National event but the Club is famous for hosting the four-wheeler INRC for decades.

    Vamcy Merla supports 25 riders, awards cash for podium stars

    Many of the private riders were supported by Vamcy Merla, who also gave away cash prizes to those who made it to the podium in Chikkamagaluru on Sunday.

    Meanwhile, Vamcy Merla Sports Foundation has supported 25 riders and also awarded cash prizes for those who stood on the podium. Merla has also announced and supported riders for the first round held in Coorg. Vamcy Merla Sports Foundation is also in the process of supporting Aishwarya Pissay for Dakar 2024.

    Second round Podium stars from the select group of 25 riders: Nataraj 1 st Group 1A Rs. 50,000; Nitish Bharadwaj 1st Group D Rs. 50,000; Ajin Abraham 2nd 165 class Rs.25,000; Challas Bose 3rd place Rs.15,000; Naresh VS 2nd 550 class Rs.25,000; Jeemon 3rd 550 class Rs.15,000; Russel Jossy 2nd 400 class Rs.25,000; Rehana 2nd Women’s class Rs.25,000; Fazeela 3rd Women’s Class Rs.15,000; Total Prize Money given away to nine riders is Rs.2,45,000.

    Provisional Results:

    Class 1: Superbike Pro-Expert Group A: 1. Abdul Waheed Tanveer (Petronas TVS Racing) (54 minutes, 08.106 seconds); 2. Rajendra RE (TVS) (55:35.192, including 1min, 10sec liaison/road penalty); 2. Yuva Kumar (Hero MotoSports) (57:19.377);

    Class 2 Superbike Expert Group A: 1. Nataraj R (Bengaluru) (57:41.574); 2. Aman Pawde (Nagpur) (59:18.192); 3. Sinan Francis (Ernakulam) (59:20.892).

    Class 10 Star of Karnataka: 1. Darpan Darshan (Shivamogga) (1:05:50.303); 2. Kiran Kumar S (Mysore) (1:06:56.178 incl. 10-sec penalty); 3. Madhusudhan Suresh (Shivamogga) (01:07:01.954).

    Class 3 Supersport 165cc Group B: 1. Abrar Pasha (Shivamogga) (1:01:47.827); 2. Ajin Abraham (Kottayam) (1:02:46.695); 3. Chalass K Bose (Kottayam) (1:03:58.263).

    Classs 4: Supersport 260 Group B: 1. Imran Pasha (TVS) (56:48.770); 2. Sachin Ignatius D (TVS) (57:04.271); 3. T Arun (Hero Motosports)  (57:12.135);

    Class 5: Supersport 400 Group B: 1. Rohit Shinde (Baramati) (1:02:04.453); 2. Russel Jossey (Mumbai) (1:03:17.438); 3. Syed Aquib (Chikkamagaluru) (01:04:48.101).

    Class 6: Supersport 550 Group B: 1. Mohammed Zaheer (Bengaluru) (1:02:07.125); 2. Naresh VS (Bengaluru) (01:03:00.904); 3. Jeemon Anthony (Kochi) (01:03:16.858);

    Class 7: Scooters up to 210cc Group B: 1. Syed Asif Ali (TVS) (1:05:12.797); 2. N Karthik Naidu (TVS) (1:05:24.794); 3. Goutham N (Aprilia JB Racing, Bengaluru) (1:09:42.098).

    Class 8: Women’s Class Group B: 1. Tanika Shanbhag (Hero MotoSports, Satara) (1:06:10.932); 2. Rehana Bee A (Chennai) (1:07:18.812); 3. Fazeela U (Palakkad) (1:12:03.957).

    Class 9: Super Stock up to 450cc Group D: 1. Nitish Bharadwaj (Kulu) (1:03:02.882); 2. Mohammed Arshad (Thrissur) (1:03:31.897); 3. Sabarish R (Coimbatore) (1:03:41.690).

  • Rajendra claims 8th Nationals; Samuel Jacob fastest rider: Sprint Nationals

    Rajendra claims 8th Nationals; Samuel Jacob fastest rider: Sprint Nationals

    Bengaluru, 26 Feb 2023: Multiple National champion and ace rally rider Rajendra RE clinched the Open Class to claim his 8th National title, while his teammate Samuel Jacob became the National Champion in the other feature class and also bagged the ‘fastest rider’ tag in the finals f the Motorsports Inc fmsci Indian National Rally Sprint Championship for the year 2022 conducted along with Indian Dirt Fest, that concluded here on Sunday.

    But it was the talented first year student of B.Com in DG College of Commerce, Satara, Tanika Shanbagh, astride a Hero Xpulse 200 in Hero MotoSports colours, who stopped the TVS juggernaut winning the Ladies Class with ease and grace. It was her maiden National championship title win. She became the first Ladies Sprint champion as the Class got the fmsci National Championship status only this year (2022). Last year, she dared a risky entry but her injured ankle did not allow her to push. Her teammate Karan Kumar, added one more title for Hero MotoSports, winning the Group D upto 260cc class. Imran Pasha and Karthik made it four titles for the riders from TVS stable after Rajendra and Samuel Jacob.

    Maiden National title for Tanika Shanbagh as she wins
    the Sprint Nationals in Bengaluru on Saturday. INDIAinF1 pic

    Another star rider, Samuel Shajan Jacob, 29, who has a Masters in Logistics and Supply Chain Management, also knows a bit about sprockets and chains. He won the National title in the Group A upto 600cc class to add fourth National title to his exploits, and became the fastest rider of the Sprint Finals clocking a blistering 6min, 06.41sec ahead of Rajendra and Nataraj in the Group A class, which was dominated by Petronas TVS Racing riders. Born in Udupi the genial giant, won the longer INRC 2w Championship Overall title in 2020 along with his Group B class title, which he retained in 2021 for his third crown. Today, it is his fourth National title and maiden Sprint title in his class Group A upto 600cc class.

    However, it was Shivamogga’s Rajendra, 37, who claimed the National title in the Premier Open Class upto 600cc clocking 06:06.70 beating Jacob from Udupi. Imran Pasha, also from TVS came third in the finals. Rajendra, who has 7 titles in two different classes in the longer 2w Rally Nationals including two overall titles in 2019 and 2022, it is the maiden title in Sprint Nationals, and his 8th title. (2014 & 2015 upto 165cc; 2016, 2017 & 2018 upto 260cc; 2019 & 2022 Group A overall) .

    Bengaluru’s 26-year defending champion Pavan BK, clinched the title in the Group B 131cc to 165cc class with a hat-trick to boot. He has been dominating this class for sometime now, and would have clinched a National double in the next higher Gr.B 166 to 260cc class but a minor fall in the final corner prevented a possible podium. “Overall it was a flat out race and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I am so thrilled to make it a hattrick,” said Pavan, who came back from a mid-season injury with determination and hardwork. He has four National titles under his belt winning this class in 2020, 2021 and 2022, beside another title in the Group B 166 to 260cc class in 165cc in the 2w National Rally Championship, the longer format INRC.

    Bengaluru’s Pavan BK on a hattrick as he admirably came back from an injury to retain his title in the Group B 131 to 165cc class in the Sprint National Final on Saturday.

    International rider and celebrated racing star Anish D Shetty took the Championship victory in Group B 261cc to 400cc class while Imran Pasha from TVS won the 166 to 260cc class. Durgesh (upto 130cc) and Karthik K (Scooter class) were the other National champions 2022 in their respective classes.

    Jeemon Antony, the Kerala cop who speeds like a Bullet train.

    In the heavyweight Bullet class, 40-year Jeemon Antony won the Championship crown. The strong-willed but humble cop, always wears a smile on his face which does not show the two titanium rods that support his spine when he is on duty standing all the time policing the traffic in a Kerala city. Once on a crime beat, this Senior Civil Police Officer in Ernakulam stole the victory from big boys, Bruce Lee Naresh, Tribal Café fame Dev Venkatesh and India’s first Hero Dirt Track champ Asad Khan, but without a penny in sponsorship. Three cheers to this disciplined warrior, Jeemon Antony, who proved that life begins afresh at 40, with a maiden National Championship title. “I am very happy to finally win an Indian National title. It is a great moment after all the hardwork and months of bed rest and recovery,” said an elated Jeemon Antony. His bullet was tuned by Aneesh Anoop.

    “The wide participation and close competition has shown that the Sprint Nationals popularity has increased with the successful zonal rounds. Despite time constraints we managed to finish the Nationals with the support of both riders and teams,’’ said former Indian National Rally Champion Jaidas Menon, the Clerk of the Course and the man behind Motorsports Inc, the Promoters.

    After the regional rounds, the qualified riders competed in the grand finale and the winners here were declared National champions in the 10 classes in the delayed 2022 championship.

    Indian National Champions 2022 (Sprint) (Provisional):

    1. Bullet Class:                        Jeemon Antony;
    2. Group A Upto 600cc:      Samuel Jacob;
    3. Group B 131cc to 165cc: Pavan BK;
    4. Group B 166cc to 260cc: Imran Pasha;
    5. Group B 261cc to 400cc: Anish D Shetty (PRN Motorsport);
    6. Group B Upto 130cc:       Durgesh J;
    7. Group D Upto 260cc:      Karan Kumar (Hero MotoSports);
    8. Ladies Class:                       Tanika Shnbagh (Hero MotoSports);
    9. Open Class Upto 600cc: Rajendra RE;
    10. Scooter Class:                    Karthik K;