INDIA in F1

Tag: TVS Racing

  • All eyes on Rugved Barguje as injured Shlok Ghorpade to miss Ro1: MRF Supercorss

    All eyes on Rugved Barguje as injured Shlok Ghorpade to miss Ro1: MRF Supercorss

    Vadodara, 23 May 2025: With defending champion Shlok Ghorpade of KTM missing the first round, all eyes will be on former champion Rugved Barguje, the TVS prodigy, as the 2025 season of the MRF MoGrip fmsci National Supercross Championship promoted by Godspeed Racing begins here on Saturday.

    Barguje will spearhead the TVS Racing team, which announced on Friday, eight riders across three categories for the 2025 Championship. A household name, TVS, which enjoyed dominance for several years now in all forms of two-wheeler Nationals, saw only a single championship title in 2024 where Imran Pasha won the title in the Class 5: Group B Indian Experts upto 260cc category. The riders are determined to change the scenario as the line up includes talented Ikshan Shanbaag from Satara, and star rider Parjwal Vishwanath of Bengaluru, who will join Barguje in the premier Group A Foreign Open SX 1 upto 500cc category astride the powerful TVS TR300X.

    Shlok Ghorpade, 17, who won the National Supercross Championship title last year to annexe a maiden victory for KTM Factory Racing India on debut in Indian Nationals, finished his 12th Board exams and was eagerly looking forward and training for the 2025 season. But an unfortunate incident during training at his home track saw him crash in April. “I crashed and hurt myself, which forced me out of Round 1. As frustrating as it is, I am currently in rehabilitation and focusing on getting race ready for round 2 scheduled after the rains,” the 7-time National champion said. “I aim to get better each time I am on my bike. I intend to train abroad with KTM North America for a few weeks and participate in a couple of races there. I am also preparing for the ISRL season 2 scheduled in the last quarter of this year,” the James Stewart Jr fan, elaborated on his 2025 plans.

    Defending champion Imran Pasha, Banteilang Jyrwa, and D Sachin, will compete in Group B Indian Expert category, on a TR200X. TVS also roped in Jayden Wandame Nongkhlaw of Meghalay, who showed much promise last year and newcomer Shailesh Kumar, who will compete in the Indian Novice Group B, also on a TR200X.

    For the 2025 season, PETRONAS TVS Racing will field its upgraded TR 300X (Group A – up to 500cc) and TR 200X (Group B – up to 260cc) race machines. These bikes feature cutting-edge enhancements, including advanced camshaft and cylinder head designs for improved mid-range torque and high-RPM performance. With better suspension and optimized ergonomics, these machines are built to offer superior control, traction, and agility, giving TVS riders a distinct edge on the track.

    The reigning champions Ryan Haig in Group A SX2 upto 500cc and Karan Kumar of Hero MotoSports in Novice upto 260cc besides Subramanya T in Private Experts upto 260cc are also eager to defend their titles. Other talented champions, who took home the crown in their respective classes, Jinendra Sangave, Akshat Hupale and Bairav C Gowda are all in fine fettle looking to up the speed this season.

    Ryan Haig will lead Team Bandidos Motorsports which is all set for the new season after producing a champion in 2024. Besides title holder Haig, the team will have Abhi S Nath, Ector, Wilmer Valentino and Arfaz Hamid for the new season.

    2024 Champions – MRF MOGRIP fmsci National Supercross Championship 2024 (2W)

    1. Class 1: Group A, SX1 upto 500cc: Shlok Ghorpade;

    2. Class 2:  Group A, SX2 upto 500cc: Ryan Haig;

    3. Class 3: Group B Novice upto 260cc: Karan Kumar;

    4. Class 5:  Group B, Indian Experts upto 260cc: Imran Pasha;

    5. Class 6: Group B, Private Experts upto 260cc; Subramanya T.;

    6. Class 7: Group A, Junior SX1 150 to 250cc: Jinendra Sangave;

    7. Class 8: Group A, Junior SX2 Upto 85cc: Akshat Hupale;

    8. Class 9: Group A, Junior SX3 Upto 65cc: Bhairav C Gowda.

    PETRONAS TVS Racing team’s racer lineup for Indian Supercrosss Nationals 2025:

    1. Rugved Barguje — Group A — Foreign Open SX 1 (up to 500cc) — TR300 X;

    2. Ikshan Shanbhag— Group A — Foreign Open SX 1 (up to 500cc) — TR300 X;

    3. Prajwal V— Group A — Foreign Open SX 1 (up to 500cc) — TR300 X;

    4. Imran Pasha — Group B – Indian Expert (up to 260 cc) — TR200 X;

    5. Banteilang Jyrwa — Group B – Indian Expert (up to 260 cc) — TR200 X;

    6. D Sachin — Group B – Indian Expert (up to 260 cc) — TR200 X;

    7.  Jayden Wandame Nongkhlaw — Group B – Indian Novice (up to 260 cc) — TR200 X;

    8. Shailesh Kumar — Group B – Indian Novice (up to 260 cc) — TR200 X;

  • Sherco TVS Rally team signs up Bradley Cox to join Harith Noah and Lorenzo Santolino: W2RC

    Sherco TVS Rally team signs up Bradley Cox to join Harith Noah and Lorenzo Santolino: W2RC

    Bengaluru, 7 May 2025: The Sherco TVS Rally Factory Team announced on Wednesday the signing of South African rider Bradley Cox, who will join the ranks alongside seasoned competitors Lorenzo Santolino and India’s trailblazing rally star, Harith Noah. This strategic addition aims to fortify the team’s presence in the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) as they gear up for the upcoming Safari Rally in South Africa, scheduled from May 18 to 24, according to a press release received here from Sherco team.

    Bradley Cox: Rising Star in Rally-Raid

    At 27, Bradley Cox has rapidly ascended the rally-raid hierarchy. After clinching the Rally2 World Cup title in 2024, he now steps up to the premier RallyGP category. Cox is set to make his official debut with Sherco TVS at his home event, the Safari Rally.

    “I am very excited to be joining the Sherco Factory Racing Team. It is a dream come true to ride for a Factory team, and I am looking forward to what is to come,” Cox shared enthusiastically.

    Harith Noah: India’s Trailblazer in Rally-Raid

    Harith Noah, hailing from Shoranur, Kerala, continues to make significant strides in the rally-raid arena. In the 2024 Dakar Rally, he etched his name in history by becoming the first Indian to win the Rally2 class and securing an impressive 11th place overall, the highest finish by an Indian rider in the event’s history. Noah’s journey has been marked by resilience; after overcoming a serious, injury in 2022, he returned stronger, showcasing his determination and skill.

    His accolades include multiple stage wins in the Dakar Rally, notably in Stages 8 and 10 of the 2024 edition. Beyond Dakar, Noah has demonstrated consistent performance in international rallies, including a class victory at the 2023 TransAnatolia Rally in Turkey.

    Despite a setback in the 2025 Dakar Rally, where he had to withdraw due to a wrist injury sustained during the prologue, Noah remains a pivotal figure in the Sherco TVS lineup. His experience and tenacity continue to inspire and elevate the team’s competitive edge.

    A Formidable Trio for Sherco TVS

    With the addition of Bradley Cox, Sherco TVS Rally Factory Team now boasts a dynamic trio poised to make significant impacts in upcoming rally events. The combined experience of Santolino, the groundbreaking achievements of Noah, and the fresh vigour of Cox position the team as formidable contenders in the rally-raid circuit.

    As the team prepares for the Safari Rally, fans and enthusiasts eagerly anticipate the performances of this strengthened lineup, confident in their potential to achieve remarkable results.

  • Defending champ Rajendra begins 2025 season with a win; Aishwarya tops Ladies class

    Defending champ Rajendra begins 2025 season with a win; Aishwarya tops Ladies class

    Indore, 4 May 2025: TVS Racing star and defending champion, Rajendra RE, began his 2025 campaign with a comfortable victory in the first round of the MRF Mogrip fmsci National Rally Championship for two-wheelers here on Sunday. He clocked the fastest times in two of the three Special Stages organised by AW events and promoted by Godspeed Racing headed by 7-time former National champion Shyam Kothari.

    The 39-year-old from Shivamogga, Rajendra, overcame some hiccups in the second special stage and polished off the narrow gap of one second to emerge victorious by 10.518 seconds. Astride a TVS APACHE RTR 450, he clocked an time of 48 minutes, and 24.257 seconds for his Overall triumph over teammate and Udipi rider Samuel Jacob, who lost about 8 second in the final stage.

    Meanwhile, Aishwarya Pissay, TVS Racing, won the Ladies class with ease and grace. Hailing from Bengaluru, she has etched her name in history as the first Indian woman to win a world title in motorsports and after a hiatus of two years she is back in the ladies class. She dominated the Indian National Rally Championship, winning six consecutive titles from 2017 to 2022 and is a strong contender this year too. Somyya Chaudhary A of Jaipur came second followed by Ernakulam’s Misriya KS.

    Abdul Waheed Tanveer, also from TVS Racing, completed a podium sweep for the Hosur factory team in the premier Superbike Pro-Expert Group A class, with former TVS rider Nataraj R in Overall fourth for the VM Sports Foundation. Mysore’s Nataraj, backed by Vamcy Merla, won the Superbike Expert Group A class followed by Bengaluru teammate, Naresh VS, the Indian Bruce Lee, also from VM Sports. Privateer Aman Pawde from Nagpur completed the podium in the Expert class.

    Astride a Hero Impulse, Abdul Reheman of Shivamogga topped the Class 3 Supersport 165cc Group B, to get another Class victory for Vamcy Merla Sports Foundation, which swept all the podium places in this class. He clocked 55min, 56.6sec and was streets ahead of second placed teammate Bharat L from Bengaluru. Another Bengaluru rider, Varun Kumar A, also on a Hero Impulse took the final step on the podium for VM Sports.

    Talented youngster from Meghalaya Banteilang Jyrwa of TVS Racing put paid to the hopes of Hero MotoSports, as he clinched the victory in Class 4, ahead of Hassan’s T Arun, who managed a lone podium for Hero MotoSports. Another TVS rider from Mysore, Imran Pasha took third place.

    Rajesh Narajan Swami of Raigad Pen won Class 5 while Syed Asif Ali led a podium sweep of the Scooter class for TVS Racing. Karthik Naidu of Bengaluru and Shamim Khan of Nashik finished second and third.

    Jagadeesh of Coimbatore won Class 8 while popular Devaraj Venkatesh of Tribal Cafe in Bengaluru clinched the victory in Class 9. Local star Shadab Karim Chisthi won the Star of Madhya Pradesh cup.

    Provisional Final Results:

    (#Bike number) (All privateers unless mentioned)

    Overall: (top-10 riders)

    1. #1 Rajendra RE (Bengaluru, TVS Racing) (48 minutes, 24.257 seconds);

    2. #3 Samuel Jacob (Udupi, TVS Racing) (48:34.775);

    3. #2 Abdul Waheed Tanveer (Bengaluru, TVS Racing) (48:38.729);

    4. #28 Banteilang Jyrwa (Meghalaya, TVS) (50:15.448);

    5. #24 Arun T (Hassan, Hero MotoSports) (50:35.159);

    6. #23 Imran Pasha (Mysore, TVS) (50:53.694);

    7. #4 Nataraj R (Mysore, VM Sports Foundation) (52:20.108);

    8. #30 Karan Kumar (Bengaluru, Hero MotoSports) (52:57.952);

    9. #6 Naresh VS (Bengaluru, VM Sports) (53:18.674);

    10. #29 Yuva Kumar (Bengaluru, Hero MotoSports) (53:23.721).

    Class 1: Superbike Pro-Expert upto 500cc Group A:

    1. #1 Rajendra RE (Bengaluru, TVS Racing) (48 minutes, 24.257 seconds);

    2. #3 Samuel Jacob (Udupi, TVS Racing) (48:34.775);

    3. #2 Abdul Waheed Tanveer (Bengaluru, TVS Racing) (48:38.729).

    Class 2 Superbike Expert upto 500cc Group A:

    1. #4 Nataraj R (Mysore) (52:20.108);

    2. #6 Naresh VS (Bengaluru) (53:18.654);

    3. #10 Aman Pawde (Nagpur) ( 53:57.413).

    Class 3 Supersport 165cc Group B:

    1. #14 Abdul Reheman (Shivamogga) (55:56.646);

    2. #20 Bharat L (Bengaluru) (57:17.171);

    3. #17 Varun Kumar A (Bengaluru) (57:18.295).

    Classs 4: Supersport 165 to 260cc Group B:

    1. #28 Banteiling Jyrwa (Meghalaya, TVS) (50:15.448);

    2.  #24 T Arun (Hassan, Hero MotoSports) (50:35.159);

    3. #23 Imran Pasha (Mysore, TVS) (50:53.694);

    Class 5: Supersport 261 to 400cc Group B:

    1. #34 Rajesh Narajan Swami (Pen) (53:38.498);

    2. #40 Syed Aquib (Mudigere, Karnataka) (57:33.846);

    3. #39 Hemanth M (Bengaluru) (58:42.284).

    Class 6: Scooters up to 210cc Group B:

    1. #42 Syed Asif Ali (Bengaluru, TVS, NTorq) (59:37.706);

    2. #43 Karthik  Naidu (Bengaluru, TVS, NTorq) (01:00:16.041);

    3. #44 Shamim Khan (Nashik, TVS, NTorq) (01:01:36.944).

    Class 7: Women’s Class Group B:

    1. #49 Aishwarya Pissay (Bengaluru, TVS Racing) (01:02:32.112);

    2. #48 Somyya Chaudhary A (Jaipur) (01:04:46.807);

    3. #51 Misriya KS (Ernakulam) (01:08:28.522).

    Class 8: Super Stock above 165cc to 260cc Group D:

    1. #55 Jagadeesh G (Coimbatore) (59:24.178);

    2. #61 Navaneeth Kumar (Puducherry) (59:43.070);

    3. #53 Nitish Chaudhari (Mumbai) (59:48.482).

    Class 9: Super Stock above 260cc upto 460cc Group D

    1. #67 Devaraj Venkatesh (Bengaluru) (01:02:14.777);

    2. #69 Chetan B Hosatti (Hubli) (01:03:13.711);

    3. #71 Durgesh J (Bengaluru) (01:03:41.373).

    Class 10 Star of Madhya Pradesh:

    1. #74 Shadab Karim Chisthi (Indore) (01:10:37.968);

    2. #73 Ravi Patidar (Indore) (01:31:39.037);

    2. #75 Harshith Chourasiya (Gurugaon) (01:48:52.170);

    Editor’s Note: All results are provisional and as per Live Timings and are NOT official until audited.

  • TVS Asia one-make event going strong for third year: ARRC

    TVS Asia one-make event going strong for third year: ARRC

    Bengaluru, 9 March 2024: TVS Asia One Make Championship (OMC) under TVS Racing will mark its presence for the third consecutive year at the upcoming Idemitsu FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC). Once again, the one-make series will see the inclusion of a multi-region rider participation in its bid to showcase excellence within the motorsports industry, a release received here said today.

    Replicating its domestic record, and continuing its international success after the first-ever TVS Asia One Make Championship (OMC) in 2022, TVS Racing is back with the third edition of the championship with more vigour and determination to create new records. Following its sheer dominance in domestic two-wheeler racing, TVS Racing is now geared up to host this flagship racing event this year alongside the FIM Asia (ARRC). Backed by four decades of racing pedigree, previous year’s championship demonstrated the product prowess of TVS Motor’s flagship motorcycle – TVS Apache RR 310 as it created a milestone for TVS Racing, setting a new top speed record of 215.9 kmph in its class at Chang International Circuit, Thailand. With a rich history and undisputed leadership in two-wheeler motorsports, TVS Racing has been instrumental in flourishing the racing performance culture and engineering the TVS Apache series through the company’s “Track to Road” philosophy. 

    The season opener of the racing series scheduled to be held at Chang International Circuit, will be entertained by representatives from nine countries including new entries from Germany and Korea. Top three achievers, Md Muzakkir Mohamed of Malaysia, Hiroki Ono of Japan and Vorapong Malahuan of Thailand will be back once again for a full-season alongside selected riders from India and Indonesia as well as six newcomers for the season in the race category. The rider line-up will consist of fifteen riders in total.

    Commenting on the championship, Vimal Sumbly, Head Business – Premium at TVS Motor Company said, “Celebrating our third year at the Idemitsu FIM ARRC alongside TVS Asia OMC marks a significant milestone for TVS Racing. It’s a testament to our enduring dedication to motorsport, excellence and innovation. Our continued participation underscores our commitment to pushing the limits of engineering and performance, while also providing an exciting platform for our riders to showcase their skills on the international stage. The data obtained during the races are pertinent in gauging the impact of our product modification and showcasing our strengths and transformations. As we embark on another thrilling season, we are eagerly excited by the opportunity to continue our legacy of success and to bring the thrill of racing to fans around the world. We look forward to another exciting year of competition, camaraderie, and, most importantly, the relentless pursuit of victory, and wish our racers luck for this season.”

    Ron Hogg, Promotions Director of Two Wheels Motor Racing said, “TVS Asia OMC has been instrumental in the expansion of ARRC and since their debut in 2022, we have garnered vast support and recognition from our fanbase and motorsports community which has impacted the championship positively. This year, we are proud to mark the entries of two additional countries in the one-make series which I believe would also serve to broaden our brand proposition and incite new interests in the future. As we move forward, our goal remains the same which is to ensure our reach to a wider demography while alleviating the standards of Asian motorsports.”

    The riders of TVS Asia would also experience a new safety feature this season – the Alpinestars air-bag system, equipped in their racing suit this year. The air-bag is expected to further accentuate the safety functions while enhancing confidence among its riders for better performance. The Idemitsu FIM Asia Road Racing Championship will commence with Round 1 on 15th March 2024 with no changes to its racing format. The season will move forward with six rounds for year 2024.

  • Historic victory for Harith Noah in Rally2 class at Dakar 2024

    Historic victory for Harith Noah in Rally2 class at Dakar 2024

    Yanbu (Saudi Arabia), 19 January 2024: Sherco TVS Rally Factory team rider Harith Noah clinched a historic victory at Dakar Rally 2024 by winning the Rally 2 category in the Motorcycle section at the coveted cross-country rally which concluded here on Friday.

    “It’s amazing. It’s amazing stuff. Crazy. It’s crazy to do what I have done. I am so happy,” is the immediate exclusive reaction of Harith Noah from Saudi Arabia after he realised his Rally2 victory.

    He clocked an overall 54hours, 24minutes and 44seconds for the 12 gruelling stages in 14 days and finished an overall 11th place in the general ranking and also won his class, the Rally2 class which saw 110 riders take the start.

    The 30-year old from Kerala, Harith Noah, concluded his good run at the mighty Dakar 2024 with a cautious 5th place in the 328-km 12th stage in the Rally2 class today and managed to retain his 11th position in the overall general rankings in the main class. His victory in the Rally 2 class is the first by an Indian rider. With the dominating performance in one of the most-demanding and toughest cross-country rallies in the world, the Sports Science graduate from Shoranur in Kerala, entrenched himself in the annals of Indian motorsports with a milestone achievement.

    Astride a 450SEF Rally bike tuned by Sherco TVS rally factory team, Noah began the prologue on January 5 in a cautious way finishing 29th but increased the tempo to finish P22 in the very first Stage, the next day. He managed to improve his riding with stunning results after each stage and each day, thereafter. Staying put in the top-20, he delivered a killer punch in the toughest Stage 6, that had two days of ‘48-hour Chrono’ marathon rallying. Noah, made the best use of the difficult conditions to shoot to P13 overall.

    On Jan 15, with four days to go he touched his peak dishing out his career-best with an Overall P5 and a stage win in his class, the Rally2 category. Later, he won the stage again in the penultimate round and clinched the issue on the final day with a Rally2 victory. He also got a note-worthy 11th place in the main Motorcycle category that saw 142 riders from all over the world take the start.

    Noah is sponsored by Sherco TVS Factory Rally Team, TVS Racing, Red Bull and Casio. In 2021, he became the fastest from India at Dakar finishing in 20th place and became the third Indian to finish the prestigious Dakar rally.

    “I’m happy that I’ve finished. That was the main goal. I’m really blessed to be here. I learned a lot this year, especially during the second week. I felt really strong and it’s something to build on for next year. I tried to not have any expectations. I just tried to ride every kilometre, one at a time. It’s a really nice feeling to get fifth overall in Stage 10 and to know that you have it in you. It feels good to win. I hope it motivates other riders, younger riders, to do the same or try to pursue their dreams and grow the sport. I never thought when I was a child that I would be here on the Dakar. Then I did my first Dakar, then I finished in 2021, which was amazing, and now here I am winning my Rally 2 class. I’m happy,” said a jubilant Noah, before the result got confirmed. A racer of different breed, Harith Noah does not look at the results after every stage, lest they disturb his rhythm.

  • Harith Noah conquers another day, stays P13 in general ranking: Stage 9

    Harith Noah conquers another day, stays P13 in general ranking: Stage 9

    Al Ula (Saudi Arabia), 16 January 2024: Sherco TVS Factory Rally team rider Harith Noah continued his quest for a second Dakar finish safely negotiating the brutal Stage 9 with a 436-km Special and managed to remain in the top-15 in the bikes class of the Dakar Rally 2024 on Tuesday. Three more days are left in the gruelling event which ends on Jan 19.

    The 30-year Kerala rider finished the Overall general ranking after 12 days in 13th place after a P14 rank today. He also managed to ride safe and retain his third place in the Rally2 class with a P4 finish in Stage 9.

    For this ninth day of racing, the riders set off from Ha’il towards Al Ula for a stage of 435 km. The start of the special was very fast with sandy tracks and it also had some mountains of sand. Navigation becomes complicated when you must guess the tracks rather than following them visually, and riding on rocky plateaus requires both confidence and technique to maintain an ideal pace.

    The expedition back to Al Ula has surely brought back some memories. However, it was not a return to square one, because the situation has evolved considerably since the prologue. The return journey spared the competitors from the volcanic rocks, instead opting for the northern route from Al Duwadimi, which nevertheless shared some common ground with the previous visit. Over the majority of the 436-kilometre special, the riders, drivers and crews had to be doubly vigilant, by carefully riding or driving to avoid punctures on the rocky portions and then by paying extreme attention to reading the roadbook when faced with the wealth of tracks in front of them. Noah, who is strong in his navigation was able to adapt and retained his position in the top-15 riders.

    Noah’s Sherco teammate, Rui Gonçalves finished 11th overall on the stage. “It was a strange day. The first part where I navigated alone went well. Then I rode with D Sanders and S Svitko. Like many, we wasted a lot of time trying to find the way.” said Harith Noah after the stage.

    Tomorrow, the riders will set off for the tenth stage of the Dakar, from Al Ula to Al Ula, a total of 612 km including 371 km of special and 241 km of liaison.

  • TVS announces India’s First-Ever Electric Racing Championship for Two-Wheelers

    TVS announces India’s First-Ever Electric Racing Championship for Two-Wheelers

    Bengaluru, 21 Sept. 2023: TVS Motor Company company marks a historic moment when TVS Racing Electric One Make Championship (e-OMC) makes its debut at the 4th round of MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle RAcing Championship (INMRC) on September 29.

    Eight riders hand picked by TVS Racing will race on the all-new TVS Apache RTE (Racing Throttle Electric) race motorcycles at the Madras International Circuit in the last week-end of the month.

    TVS Racing announces the launch of India’s first-ever electric two-wheeler racing championship, today. This pioneering initiative is a significant step forward in motorsports and reaffirms TVS Motor Company’s commitment to sustainable mobility solutions as it becomes the first Indian manufacturer to foray into the world of EV moto racing.

    With a growing uptick in the adoption of EVs globally, TVS Motor Company has taken a bold leap with the foray of TVS Racing Electric One Make Championship (e-OMC), an exclusive format for racing on the electric TVS Apache RTE race motorcycles, that have been developed solely for the championship. TVS Motor Company has been at the realm of transforming mobility through innovation and sustainable solutions for a cleaner future, and has also pioneered motorsports in India with TVS Racing, that boasts of a rich racing heritage of over four-decades.

    Mr Sudarshan Venu, Managing Director, TVS Motor Company said, “TVS Motor has been championing racing ever since we started India’s first factory racing team. TVS Racing has been instrumental in making motorsports aspirational yet accessible for enthusiasts across the country. Many of the technologies that we pioneered in our racing machines have made way to our production vehicles, giving shape to our ‘track to road’ philosophy. In line with our vision of providing exciting and sustainable mobility solutions, we are thrilled to announce the debut of India’s first ever EV two wheeler racing. TVS Racing e-OMC will not only set new benchmarks in the racing segment but also demonstrate the potential of electric vehicles in delivering high-octane and thrilling racing experiences for the world to witness.”

    Vimal Sumbly, Head Business – Premium, TVS Motor Company said, “TVS Racing takes great pride in being the propagators of offering a platform for racers to hone and showcase their skills and following their passion for racing. We have been the frontrunners in the segment, whether it was pioneering the TVS OMC in India in 1994, and expanding it in women’s and rookie class, or being the first Indian manufacturer to foray with the Asia One Make Championship or participate in the Dakar Rally. With the TVS Racing e-OMC, we take a monumental step into redefining the future of racing.”

    Key highlights of the championship:

    • TVS Racing e-OMC will debut at the 4th round of Indian National Motorcycle Road Racing Championship (INMRC)
    • The first round of the championship will witness 8 participating riders who are hand picked
    • Participants will ride atop TVS Apache RTE race motorcycles which are specially developed for this championship

    The TVS Apache RTE race motorcycles will set a benchmark for electric racing in India. The key technologies behind this machine include:

    • Highest power-to-weight in its class with a liquid cooled motor & high efficiency liquid cooled motor controller
    • High power cells battery pack with advanced chemistry
    • Carbon fibre battery case that also acts as stressed member of the chassis
    • Custom built advanced Battery Management System with race special algorithms for several advanced configuration controls and high levels of safety
    • Single reduction, motor spindle is connected to rear wheel through sprockets and roller chain
    • Ohlins bespoke front and rear suspension
    • Brembo brake system – 320mm front disc, calipers, and master cylinder
    • Carbon fibre front & rear wheels
    • Pirelli Super Corsa tyres
    • Carbon fibre fairing with best-in-class lowest coefficient of drag
    • Unique livery combining body paint of TVS Racing Factory colours and sustainability inspired graphics

    About TVS Motor Company

    TVS Motor Company is a reputed two and three-wheeler manufacturer globally, championing progress through Sustainable Mobility with four state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Hosur, Mysuru and Nalagarh in India and Karawang in Indonesia. Rooted in our 100-year legacy of Trust, Value, and Passion for Customers and Exactness, we take pride in making internationally aspirational products of the highest quality through innovative and sustainable processes. We are the only two-wheeler company to have received the prestigious Deming Prize. Our products lead in their respective categories in the J.D. Power IQS and APEAL surveys. We have been ranked No. 1 Company in the J.D. Power Customer Service Satisfaction Survey for consecutive four years. Our group company Norton Motorcycles, based in the United Kingdom, is one of the most emotive motorcycle brands in the world. Our subsidiaries in the personal e-mobility space, Swiss E-Mobility Group (SEMG) and EGO Movement have a leading position in the e-bike market in Switzerland. TVS Motor Company endeavours to deliver the most superior customer experience across 80 countries in which we operate.

  • Harith Noah completes Stage 3 under rain in P33 : Dakar 2023

    Harith Noah completes Stage 3 under rain in P33 : Dakar 2023

    Ha’il (Saudi Arabia) 3 Jan 2023: Sherco TVS Factory Rally team’s Harith Noah, the only rider from India, finished a difficult Stage 3 successfully in the Dakar 2023 here on Tuesday.

    Today’s stage from Alula to Ha’Il was marked by heavy rainfall. The riders got very cold. The 670 km route, including 447 km of special.

    The 29-year TVS talent from Kerala started the day in a steady fashion and was in P41, about 40km into the Selective Section and by Way Point at 288km mark, he made up six places to take 35th position. He consistently improved positions in the next 200km and was running in 32nd position before finishing the stage at P33. Thus, he retained his Overall ranking of P32. However, Noah struggled today in the rain and mud and he was tested by the very technical course and the weather conditions as he had to do a the over 150km transport section under thunder showers. He looks forward to being able to fully express himself on the desert tracks.

    Harith Noah: “It was a 447-km special and I felt alright. I expected difficult navigation but finally it was pretty straight forward. Rain towards the end of the stage with a lot of water covering the tracks. The liaison after the stage was 160 km in thunder storm. Looking forward to the 425-km stage tomorrow,” said the TVS talent on social media.

    The degradation in weather conditions has made it no longer possible for the organisers to guarantee the best safety conditions for the competitors, so the riders have been halted at CP 2 (after 335 km) and CP3 (after 377 km). It appeared like Harith Noah already passed the 335 mark at that time. And thus the times were maintained for the riders who have reached the finishing line. For the others, calculations will be made for each of the riders in accordance with the average accomplished on the first part of the stage in order to attribute a finishing time to them.

    Harith Noah is the fastest rider from India at Dakar, having finished 20th in the 2021 edition at Saudi Arabia. He took part in all the editions in Saudi Arabia after making his Dakar debut here in 2020. He is sponsored by TVS, Sherco, Scott Sports India and Camelbak. Noah is a five-time Indian National champion in Supercross participating TVS Racing team colours.

    Today, the Dakar navigated through lands steeped in history, setting off from one of the centres of Nabatean civilisation on the way to Ha’il, which was a crossroads of commercial routes linking Europe to Asia. For the Dakar riders, drivers and crews, who had to tackle sometimes torrential weather conditions through the majestic canyons surrounding the sandy and sometimes rocky tracks, the challenge also involved having the capacity to focus on navigation where many criss-crossing tracks made it easy to get confused. Daniel Sanders proved to be a master at this game, displaying perfect regularity to win a fourth stage on the Dakar, just like Guerlain Chicherit, who began his roll of honour in 2006! Heavy rain shortened the stage to 377 kilometres for many of the riders, drivers and crews.

    OUTLINE
    It may be obvious, but fighting to win the title on the Dakar first and foremost requires thoughtfulness. It is not sure that Ricky Brabec forgot this major rule, but the American had an encounter with misfortune and joined the list of major favourites who have exited the race prematurely. The Honda rider fell after 274 km. With painful cervical vertebrae, he was transported to hospital, both conscious and able to move, in Ha’iI for further medical examinations. Following Sam Sunderland, within the space of three days, the rally has lost two of its former winners. Nevertheless, the pretenders for the crown continue to take their place, starting with Daniel Sanders, who posted the best intermediate times throughout the special before winning for the fourth time in his career on a stage of the Dakar, also taking the lead in the rally. The Australian’s lead in the general rankings was limited by the efforts of young Mason Klein, who benefited from the new rules awarding bonusses to the openers, to limit the damage and allow them to have a chance at outright victory (see stat of the day). Whilst the leaders in the bike race were relatively spared by the rain and hail which swept through the region, the weather conditions forced the organisers to shorten the special in order to preserve the emergency intervention capacities

  • TVS’ Rajendra wins K1000; Sarath Mohan, top privateer

    TVS’ Rajendra wins K1000; Sarath Mohan, top privateer

    Bengaluru, 14 Aug 2022: Former National champion  Rajendra RE of Petronas TVS Racing notched up a hard-fought second consecutive victory beating teammate and defending champion Abdul Wahid Tanveer in the K1000 2-wheeler rally, the fourth round of the GodSpeed Racing fmsci MRF Mogrip National 2w Rally Championship 2022 organised by Karnataka Motor Sports Club here at the Tribal Adventure Cafe on Sunday.

    While Tanveer began the season with a victory at Chikmagaluru, Rajendra bounced back with a fine victory at Coimbatore in Round 3, and with this K1000 win, he took a narrow 1-point lead on the championship table with two rounds to go. All the TVS riders missed Round 2 due to new technical regulations.

    Rajendra, the Shivamogga talent, started cautiously as some parts of the Special Stages remained slushy but still clocked the fastest times in all the six Special Stages. However, despite having about 8-second lead, he threw caution to winds and clocked a blistering 7min, 12.207sec in the final Special Stage to make over 12 seconds that left Tanveer clueless. Nataraj, finished a distant third. Samuel Jacob and Imran Pasha (SS 260cc) completed the top-5 sweep for TVS.

    Sarath Mohan and Naresh VS are the only riders who have won all the four rounds, thus far, and are well on their way to National Championship honours.

    All-win streak continues: Sarath Mohan sweeps all rounds in Superbike Expert class

    Kerala’s Sarath Mohan, astride a Husqvarna FE450, became the top privateer, taking sixth place in the overall standings, behind Petronas TVS Racing team, who once again made a clean sweep of all the top five places. Sarath, the 25-year talent from Mallapuram, won the Superbike Expert Class 1A beating state mate Sinan Francis (KTM 450) of Kochi by a huge margin. In fact, his big lead helped him overcome the time he lost going off-route due to a missing ‘bunting’ in the stages and a road penalty later. Still he was fastest in all the stages. “I missed the route and lost about two minutes in the Banana farms. But I am quite happy to continue my winning streak,” said the talented rider, who aims to shift to longer cross-country rallies abroad by 2024. Mithun Gopal of Thiruvananthapuram, on a Suzuki RM450, won the bronze to make the class an all-Kerala affair.

    Bengaluru’s Naresh VS conquered the Royal Enfield Class 6 astride a Himalayan. Naresh was fastest in all the six stages taking a healthy five-minute lead before his nearest rival Mahesh Kumar suffered a 1min, 40-sec road penalty. Sajeer Ismail from Ernakulam came third.

    Bengaluru’s Aishwarya Pissay, the 2019 World Cup Baja winner, took back the championship lead in the Ladies class with a facile victory. With Aishwarya missing Round 2, Fazeela of Ernakulam, took the title lead after Round 3, but today she lost over six minutes in the very first Special STage and had to be content with a fourth place. Bengaluru’s Sameera Dahiya came second on an Impulse and Deeksha Shrivasta, the reigning Sprint champion, finished third.

    Imran Pasha of Mysore won the Supersport 260cc Group B class comfortably despite easing off in the last stages where teammate Banteilang Jyrwa clocked the fastest times. However, the TVS talent and former champion did a creditable job taking the overall fifth position on his RTR200 punching above his weight to beat more powerful bikes. Mangalore’s Adnaan Ahmed who won Round 2 at home, finished third.

    Bengaluru’s Anoop Manjappa on a Stunner defeated Chalass Bose (Kottayam) despite a 1min 10sec penalty in the Supersport 130cc class. Chikkamagaluru rider Sudarshan B on a Gladiator finished third. However, Bose, the Kottayam rider, leads the table by a narrow six-points by virtue of his two wins and two second places while Anoop, has two wins and a second and could only finish fourth in Coimbatore, losing precious points.

    But Gidyun Benjamin, who clocked fastest times in all the six stages, lost to Sasi Kumar K in the Supersport 165cc Group B class due to a road penalty of 2min 50seconds. Varun Kumar came third. Sasi Kumar, breathes easy as he now tops the table with 83 points as, Francis PV, the table topper going into Round 4, had a terrible crash and suffered a leg fracture.

    Mumbai’s Russel Jossy on a KTM 390 clocked fastest times on all the stages except SS4 but his nearest rival Amog Nag lost over 4min Liaison penalty and just managed to beat veteran Venu Ramesh Kumar by about 11 seconds. Coimbatore’s Venu, a regular in the rally scene for over a decade bagged another podium and still leads the Supersport 400cc Group B championship standings going into the final two rounds. Assam’s Hansraj Saikia, who came fifth, is second behind Venu in the standings.

    Sanjay Somasekhar won the Superstock Group D upto 450cc class beating Naveen Somasekhar, also of Bengaluru while C Pradeep took the third place.

    Pinkesh Thakkar of Aprilia JB Racing topped the standings winning the Scooter class while BK Pawan won the Star of K1000 title.

    Of the 87 entries, a total of 76 bikes finished the rally while 10 “Did Not Finish” (DNF) and one rider Harish Eranty could not take the start on time.

    Provisional Results (Ro 4 K1000):

    Class 1: Superbike Pro-Expert:

    1. Rajendra RE (Petronas TVS Racing; Shimoga) RTR 450; 51:21.156;

    2. Abdul Waheed Tanveer  (Petronas TVS Racing; Bengaluru) RTR 450;  51:41.457;

    3.  R Nataraj (Petronas TVS Racing; Mysore) RTR 450;  53:00.815;

    4. Samuel Jacob (Petronas TVS Racing; Udupi) RTR 200;  53:04.462;

    5. Imran Pasha (Petronas TVS Racing – Mysore) RTR 200; 55:55:636;

    6. Sarath Mohan (Pvt- Mallapuram) Husqvarna;  57: 03.707;

    Class 1A:

    1. Sarath Mohan (Pvt- Mallapuram) Husqvarna;  57: 03.707;

    2. Sinan Francis (Pvt- Vennala/Kerala) KTM 450; 01:00:36.723;

    3. Mithun Gopal (Pvt- Trivandrum ) Suzuki RM450; 01:13:42.547;

    Class 2:

    1.  Anoop Manjappa (Pvt – Bengaluru) Stunner; 01:06:44.802; (including 1min, 10sec penalty);

    2.  Chalass K Bose (Pvt – Kottayam) Stunner; 01:07:21.388;

    2.  Sudharshan B (Pvt. Chikkamagaluru) Gladiator 01:09: 01.048; (including 1min, 20sec Penalty);

    Class 3:

    1. Sasi Kumar (Pvt -Coimbatore) Impulse; 01:00:11:700;

    2. Gidyun Benjamin (Pvt – ) 01:01:02. 528; (including 2min, 50sec penalty);  

    3.  Varun Kumar (Pvt. – Bengaluru) Impulse; 01:02:47:117;

    Class 4:

    1. Imran Pasha (Petronas TVS Racing – Mysore) RTR 200; 55:55:636;

    2. Banteilang Jerwa (TVS -Shillong) Xpulse; 57:51.299;

    3. Adnan Ahmed (Pvt -Mangaluru) Xpulse; 58:34.018; (incl. 1.30sec penalty)

    Class 5:

    1. Russel Jossy (Pvt – Mumbai) KTM390; 01:02: 06.696; (20sec penalty);

    2. Amogh Nag (Pvt – Bengaluru) KTM390; 01:07:28.620; (4min, 10sec penalty);

    3.  Venu Ramesh Kumar (Pvt – Coimbatore) KTM390; 01:07:39.403;

    Class 6:

    1. Naresh VS (Pvt – Bengaluru) Royal Enfield; 01:02:32.481;

    2. Mahesh Kumar (Pvt – Kochi) Royal Enfield; 01:09:26.454;

    3. Shajeer Ishmail (Pvt – Ernakulam) Royal Enfield; 01:10:14.099;

    Class 7:

    1. Aishwarya Pissay (Petronas TVS Racing – Bengaluru) RTR 200; 01:07:24.068;

    2. Sameera Dahiya (Pvt – Bengaluru) Xpulse; 01:24:17.364;

    3. Deeksha Srivastava (Pvt – Pune) Impulse; 01:31:13.909;

    4. Fazeela (Pvt – Ernakulam) Impulse; 01:45:09.443;

    Class 8:

    1. Pinkesh Thakkar (Aprilia JB Racing)Aprilia; 01:06:27:709;

    2.  Karthik Naidu (Petronas TVS Racing –Bengaluru) NTorq; 01:06:29:973;

    3. Subramanya T (Pvt – Bhopal) NTorq; 01:06:46:747;

    Class 9

    1. Sanjay Somashekar (Pvt – Bengaluru) Xpulse; 01:00:25:746;

    2. Naveen Somashekar (Pvt – Bengaluru) Xpulse; 01:06:14:891;

    3. C Pradeep (PRN Motorsports – Bengaluru) Xpulse; 01:06:37:032;

    Class 10: Star of K1000

    1. BK Pawan (Pvt.- Bengaluru) Xpulse;  01:03:47.017;

    2.  Gowtham Rao R (Pvt. Bengaluru) Impulse; 01:04:02.918;

    3. L Bharath (Pvt. Bengaluru) Impulse; 01:10:27.572.

  • TVS RR 310 clocks 201.2 km per hour, becomes fastest Indian motorcycle

    TVS RR 310 clocks 201.2 km per hour, becomes fastest Indian motorcycle

    Sepang, 3 June 2022: TVS Racing, the factory racing team of TVS Motor Company, achieves a historic landmark by becoming the first Indian race bike to cross the 200 km/h mark.  India’s first factory racing team’s Asia RR 310 OMC Race bike clocked a staggering top speed of 201.2 km/hr at Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. The achievement is a testament to TVS Racing’s constant efforts to enhance its technological prowess and maintain its leadership in the two-wheeler motorsports scene.  Participants in the TVS Asia One Make Championship 2022 are riding sixteen extensively modified Race-Spec TVS Asia One Make Apache RR 310 motorcycles, imbibed with TVS Motor’s racing DNA. 

    Commenting on the achievement, Mr Vimal Sumbly, Head – Premium Business, TVS Motor Company,  said, “We are constantly exciting this segment by democratizing racing through initiatives like the TVS One-Make Championship and Apache Racing Experience. These initiatives give enthusiastic riders a platform to hone their skills and prove their mettle. It is also a means for us to push the technological and engineering limits of the TVS Apache series through our “Track to Road” philosophy, thus increasing the performance and fun quotient. The results of these initiatives are visible as TVS Apache has become the fastest growing brand in its segment.”

    The TVS Apache RR 310 Asia OMC race bike designed and engineered from the ground up has received substantial technology for an uncompromised racetrack performance

    • 312cc DOHC four-valve liquid-cooled engine
    • 38 percent higher power output than the road-legal TVS Apache RR 310
    • Forged pistons, Titanium valves and HLHD Cams
    • RAM Air Intake system that boosts the top speed.
    • Lightweight carbon fibre parts, including all bodywork, wheels and subframe
    • Ohlins adjustable and custom-built suspension
    • Dunlop soft compound radial racing tyres

    Highlights of the first round of TVS Asia OMC, the first-ever road racing championship by an Indian manufacturer on a global level

    • 16 riders from 8 countries, including three Indian riders, namely KY Ahamed, Deepak Ravikumar and 10-time INMRC winner – Jagan Kumar, battled it out on the track
    • Race 1 witnessed Vorapong Malahuan riding to glory, followed by Decky Tiamo Aldy, who recorded the fastest lap time of 2:28:477.
    • Race 2 saw Muhammad Fitri Ashraf set a staggering lap time of 2:27:433 and make an impressive climb to the top from the number five spot in Race 1
    • It was a mixed weekend for the Indian riders as KY Ahamed, and Jagan Kumar finished in the top 10 in both races.
    • Deepak Ravikumar met with a crash during Race 2 and hopes to make a strong comeback in the next round.

    Race Results –

    Race 1

    1st – Vorapong Malahuan (Thailand)

    2nd – Decky Tiamo Aldy (Indonesia)

    3rd – Varis Felix Fleming (Australia)

    Race 2

    1st – Muhammad Fitri Ashraf (Malaysia)

    2nd – Decky Tiamo Aldy (Indonesia)

    3rd – Vorapong Malahuan (Thailand)

    The second round of the TVS Asia One Make Championship is scheduled from August 12-14, 2022, at Sugo International Circuit in Japan.  This will be followed by the final two rounds, for which venues are to be confirmed tentatively in October and November, respectively.

    About TVS Racing:

    TVS Racing, a pioneer in building Motorsports in India since 1982, has been integral in growing the racing performance culture and has been pivotal in engineering the TVS Apache series through the company’s “Track to Road” strategy.  The brand has redefined the sports segment by focusing on race performance, making it a highly desirable product for sports enthusiasts.  This has resulted in TVS Apache and TVS NTORQ 125 becoming the fastest growing brands in their respective segments.  TVS Racing is also the pioneer of the One Make Championship in the country, the first Indian manufacturer to introduce the series in India in 1994.