INDIA in F1

Tag: TSD rally

  • Mahindra joins sponsors for Nazir Hoosein memorial drive

    Mahindra joins sponsors for Nazir Hoosein memorial drive

    New Delhi, 6 Nov 2021: The Nazir Hoosein Memorial Drive by Team Firefox today announced that Mahindra Adventure is the presenting sponsor of the drive. Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. has a long history of association with the Himalayan Rally, having been involved with the event right from its first edition in 1980. Taking this legacy forward, Mahindra Adventure, the experiential marketing vertical of Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. has come onboard as the presenting sponsor. As a part of the association, the All-New Mahindra Thar, among others, will be a prominent SUV from the Mahindra stable in the drive. In addition, 15 Mahindra SUVs will also be seen supporting the execution and management of the drive. 

    The event received a further boost right before its flag off, with several former winners and winners confirming their participation in the event, set to flag off on November 8th. 

    Commenting on the association, Harish Lalchandani, Head of Marketing (PV & Pickup, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. said, “The Nazir Hoosein Memorial Drive has its deep-rooted legacy in motorsports and adventure. With our decades of experience in building authentic and capable SUVs that encourage people to explore the impossible, we are proud to be a part of this nostalgic journey.” 

    Mahindra Adventure will have two All-New Mahindra Thar, among others, at the NHMD, both in retro fitted colours of the original Himalayan Rally. The first car to be flagged off, on November 8th will be the All-New Mahindra Thar driven by Col (Retd.) SS Sekhon, a six-time winner of the Himalayan Rally. The second car will be driven by Surinder Thatthi, Vice President Sport at the FIA. Thatthi was involved hugely with the original event in the 1980s and in fact India coordinator for the Opel factory team that won the inaugural edition. 

    Among the participants are Colonel (Retd) SS Sekhon, one of the most experienced drivers in the field, who participated in nine of the eleven editions of the Himalayan Rally. Col Sekhon won the top Indian car award thrice and with his teammate Capt Chauhan, was a household name around the Himalayan Rally. 

    The drive will also see Manjeet Bhalla and Flory Roothaert in action, a major throwback to the 80s when the duo were the pair to beat at the Himalayan Rally. Bhalla was the first Indian co-driver to navigate a world class rally driver at the Himalayan Rally when he partnered Roothaert — a man with immense experience on the international stage. Roothaert’s driving style won him multiple individual podiums and endeared him to Indian fans, a feeling that was mutual.    

    NHMD is also privileged and thankful to Army Adventure for sending their all-ladies team in support of the drive. The team will comprise Lt Col Euthica and Major Tejal Parashare. Lt Col Euthica is widely regarded as one of the best women rally drivers in the Army, leading the first all-woman team by the Army in the Extreme category of the Raid de Himalaya 2018 and Desert Storm 2019. She won the Coupe de Dames in the Royal Rajasthan Rally 2019 and bagged the top place in T2 category in SJOBA 2019. The duo’s association with the drive is a huge boost for the event. 

    Other notable drivers participating in the NHMD include Kiran Mody, Rajiv Rai, Tutu Dahawan, Alak Raju, Farad Bhathena, Farokh Commissariat, Uday Esawaran. 

    Mahindra Adventure is a title sponsor of the event, in continuation of its association at the inaugural event. Other sponsors include Haridarshan, Sidvin, IARC, Hella, Motul and supported by Apollo Healthcare.

  • Geetha Wadhwa starts favourite in 2nd edition of Divas on Wheels all-woman rally

    Geetha Wadhwa starts favourite in 2nd edition of Divas on Wheels all-woman rally

    he second edition of Divas on Wheels was flagged off from Fairfield by Marriot in Bengaluru on Thursday. A Motorsports Inc image

    Bengaluru, 17 Jan 2019: Defending champion Geetha Wadhwa will look to reclaim her crown in the popular Divas on Wheels all-woman car rally over the next two days. 

     
    The ceremonial start of the rally, an FMSCI approved event, took place here on Thursday, with as many as 100 ladies lining up for glory. They will be flagged off from Bengaluru on Friday morning and will traverse through the beautiful landscapes of Chikmagalur and Coorg on January 18 and 19. 
     
    After the success of the inaugural year, the all-women championship has only grown bigger and better with the 100 participants enthusiastically preparing for this exciting but demanding rally. 
     
    The Time, Speed, Distance (TSD) Rally will cover a total distance of around 750 km. Day One will see participants drive from Bengaluru to Chikmagalur, covering 350 km. After a night’s halt, the women drivers will then travel from Chikmagalur to the finishing point at Coorg Pollibetta over a distance of 300 km. 
     
    Shivani Pruthvi, who won the last edition of Times Women’s Drive, Ashima Duggal and Amrita Shergill (runners-up at the Times Women’s Drive) are the other notable names in the field, besides holder Geetha. 
     
    Participants will showcase their skills and acumen in the TSD format, which is a slow speed rally and relies a lot on navigation. Calculations are made purely in terms of time and the routes are not disclosed to the drivers. The team with the least number of penalties is declared the winner.
     
    The ceremonial flag-off took place at Fairfield by Marriott Rajajinagar at 4.30 pm.
  • JS group South Lake TSD rally successfully completes 7 editions

    JS group South Lake TSD rally successfully completes 7 editions

    Bengaluru, 13 Nov 2017: After a thrilling battle for top honours Vinay Prasanna and co-driver Ravi Kumar BM logged 18.46 penalty points to narrowly win the annual JS Group 7th South Lake TSD Rally organised by Startline Motorsports here on Sunday.

    Balaji Shetty along with navigator Natarajan were close behind in the TSD Challenge class with a penalty of 18.50 to take second behind Vinay and Ravi while the pair of Naveen and Lenin Joseph came third in 20.18. Mohan and Chandran duo won the Stock Amateur category with 40.49 penalty points. The drivers and organisers carried the messages of road safety and protection of lakes on the cars and promotion materials.

    Three categories were run in the TSD Endurance class. Akshay and Aprameya won the Corporate class. Supree Sagar along with co-drier Anushree won the couple class while Minaxi and Rajaratna claimed the all-Ladies class.

    Provisional results: TSD Challenge: Pro Expert: 1. Vinay Prasanna & Ravi Kumar BM 18.46 penalty points; 2. Balaji Shetty & Natarajan 18.50; 3. Naveen & Lenin Joseph 20.18. Pro Stock: 1. Mohan & Chandran 27.51; 2. Sai Prasad & Arun 37.56; 3. Pavan Kumar & Pradeep Nagaraj 46.02.

    TSD Endurance: Stock Amateur: 1. Shiva Kumar & Vignesh 40.49; 2. Manjunath & Shivaprasad 41.37; 3. Sachin & Vinay Prasad 44.09. Corporate: 1. Akshay & Aprameya 20.50; 2. Ponappa & Chengappa 23.20; 3. Prajwal Gowda & Devkanth GM 26.30. Couple: 1. Supreet Sagar & Anushree 15.30; 2. Abbas Anil & Aini Anil 18.37; 3. Suresh B & Manjushree 37.54. All ladies: 1. Minaxi & Rajaratna 15:14; 2. Noopur Agrawal & Nilofer Ibrahim 3:12.00; 3. Fernandes Dominic & Sonia Kaveriappa 3:32.00.

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    Winners all: Winners of all the categories pose for a group picture after the PD in Bangalore on Sunday. Photo by Startline Motorsports