INDIA in F1

Tag: WRC, Rally

  • Mikkelsen takes early lead: Rally Poland

    Andreas Mikkelsen has taken the early lead in Rally Poland after five stages of this ultra-fast gravel round of the FIA World Rally Championship. The Norwegian is however in the thick of a battle with Hayden Paddon and Ott Tanak, both of whom are within six seconds of the lead at the mid-leg service in Mikołajki.

    The seventh round of the series got underway last night with a short super special stage, where Thierry Neuville set the pace in front of a crowd of thousands. Today, however, crews headed northeast of the rally base for the first of two loops of four stages and will return to Mikołajki for a second run around the super special stage tonight. Mikkelsen, runner-up last night, had a good run through the opening stage of the morning and went on to win the second test despite running over a rock. He lost some ground in the following two stages, ‘not quite on it’, but heads in to service with a 2.6 second lead over Paddon. The Kiwi driver leapt up the leaderboard this morning from seventh last night to second overall behind Tanak after the first stage, fastest time aiding his charge after disappointing retirements in the last two events. He went on to win the final stage of the morning, even though he struggled with understeer, and will be looking for improvements in all areas this afternoon. Tanak briefly led although the Estonian has been lacking some confidence in the handling of the car. He is now just 3.4 seconds adrift of Paddon.

    Championship leader Sébastien Ogier has run without problems and is fourth just 5.4 seconds ahead of Rally Italia Sardegna winner Thierry Neuville. As road conditions got softer with the passage of cars, the Belgian was simply unable to push harder and struggled with the set up and speed of his pace notes. Jari-Matti Latvala has not entirely got into the groove of the event and is sixth, the Finn also picking up a puncture in SS4. Stephane Lefebvre, in the DS3 WRC, is seventh only one-tenth of a second adrift and he heads team-mate Craig Breen in the sister car. Eric Camilli is ninth and Mads Østberg 10th.

    In the FIA WRC 2 Championship, Pontus Tidemand leads the charge ahead of Teemu Suninen, and Simone Tempestini has taken the advantage in the Junior WRC Championship category, early pacesetter Andrea Crugnola hitting problems.

    eom/FIA press release

  • Meeke and Nagle triumph in Portugal: WRC

    Meeke and Nagle triumph in Portugal: WRC

    Meeke wins in Portugal. An FIA image
    Meeke wins in Portugal. An FIA image

    The DS 3 WRC crew of Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle claimed an emphatic victory in Rally de Portugal today, the pair dominating from the second stage of the event to win by 29.7 seconds. A titanic battle developed between the Volkswagen crews and Andreas Mikkelsen and Anders Jaeger overhauled reigning World Champions Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia to take the second step of the podium.

    In the FIA World Rally Championship, Ogier remains in control of the leaderboard and the Frenchman has a 47 point lead over Mikkelsen after five rounds. In the Manufacturers’ Championship, Volkswagen Motorsport is ahead of Hyundai Motorsport by 49 points, the Korean manufacturer scoring with just one car following the retirement of Hayden Paddon.

    The final day of competition took the crews over two identical loops of two stages and included the iconic Fafe stage where thousands of fans descend to watch this rollercoaster stage. Starting the day with 45.3 seconds in hand to Ogier, Meeke was able to control his pace, take no risks but up his speed if necessary. In the end, the Northern Irishman was able to get to the finish unchallenged to rack up his second victory in the FIA World Rally Championship. Ogier started the day in second position but a puncture in the opening stage enabled stage winner Andreas Mikkelsen to move ahead. The Polo R WRC team-mates were neck and neck on the remaining three stages, trading fastest times, but with Ogier needing to adopt some caution with a lack of spare wheels, the Norwegian was able to keep ahead and claim a fine second overall with Ogier just 4.8 seconds adrift. With Jari-Matti Latvala in the Power Stage mix, Volkswagen drivers were also able to claim a clean sweep of the additional points for this single stage.

    Having been in the fight for the podium positions earlier in the event, Dani Sordo slipped away from the leading trio but nevertheless finished a comfortable fourth ahead of Eric Camilli in the lead Fiesta RS WRC. The Frenchman had a problem with the handbrake earlier and a spin in the Power Stage, but his fifth position represents his best finish in a World Rally Championship event. After his earlier power steering problems, Jari-Matti Latvala was out of contention for the podium but the Finn managed to climb back to sixth, only 5.3 seconds behind Camilli after the Frenchman’s spin in the final stage. Mads Østberg took seventh ahead of Martin Prokop, the Czech driver struggling with intercom issues today.

    The top 10 was rounded off by Pontus Tidemand in ninth, the Swede also claiming the FIA WRC 2 Championship category victory ahead of Nicolas Fuchs. In the FIA Junior WRC Championship Simone Tempestini took honours in his DS 3 R3 after a massive battle with Martin Koci.

    The sixth round of the FIA World Rally Championship takes the contenders to the island of Sardinia for Rally Italia (9-12 June).

    The sixth round of the FIA World Rally Championship takes the contenders to the island of Sardinia for Rally Italia (9-12 June).

    1.   Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle DS3 WRC 3hr 59min 01.0sec
    2.   Andreas Mikkelsen/Anders Jaeger Volkswagen Polo R WRC 3hr 59min 30.7sec
    3.   Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia Volkswagen Polo R WRC 3hr 59min 35.5sec
    4.   Dani Sordo/Marc Marti Hyundai i20 WRC 4hr 00min 38.1sec
    5.   Eric Camilli/Benjamin Veillas Ford Fiesta RS WRC 4hr 03min 02.6sec
    6.   Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila Volkswagen Polo R WRC 4hr 03min 07.9sec
    7.   Mads Østberg/Ola Fløene Ford Fiesta RS WRC 4hr 05min 54.6sec
    8.   Martin Prokop/Jan Tomanek Ford Fiesta RS WRC 4hr 09min 25.1sec
    9.   Pontus Tidemand/Jonas Andersson Skoda Fabia R5 4hr 10min 46.2sec
    10. Nicolas Fuchs/Fernando Mussano Skoda Fabia R5 4hr 12 min 15.0sec
  • Meeke takes lead into the final day

    Meeke takes lead into the final day

    Today’s route took the crews east of Porto for two identical loops of three stages covering 165.28 competitive kilometres. Meeke was again on the pace from the outset and the DS 3 WRC driver was fastest in all three of the morning’s tests to extend his advantage stage by stage. This afternoon the weight of an extra spare wheel slowed him, but with more than a minute in hand earlier in the day, he was able to continue controlling the field. At the head of the field, Ogier struggled more today with the road sweeping effect, allowing Mikkelsen to close the gap, overhaul Sordo and move into third, just 3.1 seconds adrift of Ogier.

    Dani Sordo held third going into the day, but the Spaniard was at a loss to explain dropping time in the opening stage this morning and with the car moving around a lot, he lost more time in the following two stages and was overhauled by Mikkelsen in SS12, the longest stage of the rally. He has slipped further adrift but holds a good advantage over Eric Camilli, the Frenchman enjoying a great day of competition and on track for his best result of the season. After his power steering problems on the opening day, Jari-Matti Latvala is out of contention for the podium, but the Finn is sixth and ahead of Mads Østberg in the second Fiesta RS WRC. Martin Prokop holds eighth ahead of the lead FIA WRC 2 Championship drivers, Pontus Tidemand and Nicolas Fuchs. In the FIA Junior WRC Championship, Martin Koci heads the contenders in his DS 3 R3, 30.8 seconds ahead of Simone Tempestini.

    Leading retirements of the day included Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville with a fuel problem, Stephane Lefebvre with damaged suspension and Citroën driver Khalid Al Qassimi.

    Rally de Portugal – Unofficial Classification after Section 5

    Rally de Portugal – Unofficial Classification after Section 5

    1.   Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle DS3 WRC 3hr 16min 11.4sec
    2.   Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia Volkswagen Polo R WRC 3hr 16min 56.7sec
    3.   Andreas Mikkelsen/Anders Jaeger Volkswagen Polo R WRC 3hr 16min 59.8sec
    4.   Dani Sordo/Marc Marti Hyundai i20 WRC 3hr 17min 31.4sec
    5.   Eric Camilli/Benjamin Veillas Ford Fiesta RS WRC 3hr 19min 15.6sec
    6.   Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila Volkswagen Polo R WRC 3hr 20min 19.2sec
    7.   Mads Østberg/Ola Fløene Ford Fiesta RS WRC 3hr 22min 44.2sec
    8.   Martin Prokop/Jan Tomanek Ford Fiesta RS WRC 3hr 24min 23.2sec
    9.   Pontus Tidemand/Jonas Andersson Skoda Fabia R5 3hr 26min 05.6sec
    10. Nicolas Fuchs/Fernando Mussano Skoda Fabia R5
    3hr 26min 37.sec

    eom/FIA Mekee wins WRC portugal FIA pic 22may2016press release

  • Gaurav Gill wins Whangarei round of the APRC to begin season with style

    Gaurav Gill wins Whangarei round of the APRC to begin season with style

    Whangarei (New Zealand), May 1: Gaurav Gill put in a mature performance to win the International Rally of Whangarei ahead of Germany’s Fabian Kreim to lead a 1-2 finish for Team MRF-SKODA, here on Sunday, and start the 2016 FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship season in great style.

    It was 34-year old, Delhi-based Gill’s ninth victory in the APRC series and second in New Zealand following his triumph here in 2014.

    Driving the Race Torque-prepared Skoda Fabia R5 with controlled aggression, Gill, with Australian Glenn Macneall as his co-driver, shrugged off the overnight 4.6-second deficit to Kreim and eventually won by 30.4 seconds despite problems with the turbo following a leak in the actuator during the first of the two loops of the three Special Stages.

    After replacing the part during the service break, Gill pushed just enough to maintain his lead over Kreim (co-driver Frank Christian) for a deserving victory.

    Gill began the day that saw spells of rain and intermittent drizzle, by making 23.3 seconds over Kreim in the very first Special Stage won by Kiwi hope Mike Young who eventually finished a distant third behind the two MRF-SKODA duo.

    Hereabouts, Gill’s Fabia R5 suffered from loss of power that saw him finish third in SS-12 and 13 before returning for service. At this point, the Indian’s lead was cut to 9.3 seconds, but after repairs to the turbo during service, Gill returned for the second loop of the three Stages and stepped up the pace, making 20 seconds on Kreim in SS-14 FOR A 29.3-second lead before easing off in the final two Stages to complete a fluent win.

    Gill, who won two of the six Special Stages on Sunday, was pleased as punch with his overall performance, but pointed that he was still learning the finer points of the Fabia R5 that he was driving for the first time.

    “Obviously, I am extremely happy that I won today. Every win is special and today, after overcoming the overnight deficit, I opened a sizeable lead over Fabian and thereafter, my intention was to nurse it to the finish. The weather also changed overnight and we had to cope with it.

    “We had problems with the turbo with a leaking actuator that we replaced during service after the first loop, but with hardly a minute to spare. Thus, we were very much down on power during the first loop. However, I made 20 seconds on Fabian after repairs before deciding to ease off and drive to his pace rather than push as I had enough lead to win. My aim was to finish the event straining the car or the engine.

    “Overall, I drove about 80-85 per cent to my potential since I am learning the new car and get the set-up right as it was prepared for Rally of Finland. From now on, I have to be consistent and keep scoring points,” said Gill.

    On his part, Kreim was happy to bag some points on his APRC debut and said he met his target of finish the Rally safely while keeping the championship in mind.

    “I drove just like I did yesterday while the conditions, due to rains, were far better today. Like I said earlier, our intention was to bring the car to the finish line and score some championship points which we did though we too had some problem with the turbo,” said Kreim.

    A delighted Lane Heenan of Race Torque said: “Since this was the first round, it was important that both our cars finished. Considering that Gaurav was driving the R5 for the first time, it was a pretty good result for him. The rains also helped as it afforded more grip.

    “As for Fabian, he is still young and finding his way. He has had a good start for the championship by taking some points. I am happy that we had a 1-2 finish, but there is still a long way to go and we have to take one round at a time.”

    APRC Classification (Provisional): 1. Gaurav Gill / Glenn Macneall (Team MRF-SKODA, Skoda Fabia R5) (02hrs, 55mins, 50.3secs); 2. Fabian Kreim / Frank Christian (Team MRF-SKODA, Skoda Fabia R5) (02:56:20.7); 3. Mike Young / Malcolm Read (EZY Racing, Subaru Impreza WRX STi) (03:10:00.3).

    Gill’s previous APRC victories: 2008 – Malaysia; 2010 – Australia; 2012 – New Caledonia; 2013 – New Caledonia and Japan (wins APRC championship); 2014 – Malaysia and New Zealand; 2015 – New Caledonia. 2016 – New Zealand.

    eom/AP Media Communications Release

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  • Gaurav Gill of MRF sets early pace: APRC Rally of Whangarei

    Gaurav Gill of MRF sets early pace: APRC Rally of Whangarei

    Gaurav Gill (April 27) Gill with Aussie Glenn Macneall in the co-driver’s seat, clocked a blistering one minute, 4 seconds over the 2.4 Kms long gravel test strip with average speed of 134 Kmph, well ahead of his new team-mate, Germany’s Fabian Kreim (co-driver Frank Christian).

    Driving the 1.6 litre, turbo-charged (with restrictor) R5 for the first time, Gill, the 2013 APRC champion, covered about 50 Kms through the three-hour session and expressed satisfaction at the car set-up and also the MRF tyres.

    “It was a good outing today. It took me a while go get used to the highly responsive car which I am driving for the first time. I had to make a few changes in the way I drove, especially in terms of being more aggressive through the corners so as to work the chassis and the grip to their optimum level.

    “The tyres too were excellent and afforded good grip. I had to be more precise in the R5 than in the S2000. The R5 responds well, and with the right kind of a set-up, it is a great car to drive,” said Gill, winner here in 2014.

    Meanwhile, 23-year old Kreim, who has had more experience in the R5, having participated in the 2015 German championship for Team Skoda, was still to fully come to grips with the unfamiliar gravel surface, driving last year’s championship winning car of Swede Pontus Tidemand.

    “The German championship is a fully tarmac series and so, I am driving on the gravel surface for the first time. I had to make changes in my driving style with so much of sideways movement through the corners, but it was fun today. I am happy with the MRF tyres which offered a lot of traction and mid-corner grip,” said Kreim.

    “Testing on Wednesday went really well, with drivers completing around 50kms. The engine is very good and for their first run in the car, both drivers were extremely happy and made only small changes to the set-up,” said Lane Heenan of Race Torque Engineering which prepares both the MRF-SKODA cars.

    The International Rally of Whangarei, considered to be one of the quickest on the APRC circuit with its fast straights and flowing corners, will commence on Friday with ceremonial start followed by Special Stages on Saturday and Sunday, totaling about 275 Kms.

    eom/AP Media Communications Press Release

    CAPTIONS:

    Image-1 (April 27): Gaurav Gill and co-driver Glenn Macneall (inset, right to left) blasting through a corner during the test session ahead of the International Rally of  Whangarei in New Zealand on Wednesday.

  • Stage set for exciting Coffee Day India Rally; 8 entries for Asia Cup

    Chikkamagaluru, 10 December 2015: With 40 entries in fray, the Coffee Day India Rally 2015, which doubles up as the concluding round of the FIA Asia Cup and the FMSCI Indian Rally Championship, promises high-octane action as the cream of country’s rally talent converge here for the three-day extravaganza beginning Friday.

    The event, also supported by Karnataka Tourism and Indian Oil, kicks off with a ceremonial start at the Coffee Day Global premises on Thursday evening, followed by the hugely-popular Super Special Stage at the Amber Valley School grounds on Friday. The cars will then head out of town for the Special Stages on Saturday and Sunday.

    The 180 Kms-long Asia Cup Rally which is also a contender event for a round of 2016 Asia Pacific Rally Championship, has attracted eight entries led by Mysuru’s Lohitt Urs with Srikanth Gowda of Mudigere as his co-driver in a Mitsubishi Evo VIII, and Arjun Rao Aroor of Mangaluru (co-driver Satish Rajagopal, Bengaluru) driving the Volkswagen Polo (R2B variant).

    None of the registered Asia Cup crews from overseas is taking part as Japan’s Hitoshi Takayama has already clinched the title with a round to spare. However, the Asia Cup participants in the Coffee Day India Rally are eligible for IRC points.

    With two wins from three starts this season, the vastly experienced Urs heads the IRC points table with a tally of 95, well clear of Team Mahindra Adventure’s former National champion Amittrajit Ghosh from Kolkata (co-driver Ashwin Naik, Mangaluru) who is on 72, driving the Mahindra XUV 500. Also in title hunt is Arjun Rao Aroor with 64 points.

    “We have not done much work on the car apart from what was necessary. We didn’t have too many problems this season, winning the previous two rounds, and we hope to carry the momentum in Chikkamagaluru,” said Urs.

    Behind the top three is Delhi-based reigning National champion and Team Mahindra Adventure’s marquee driver Gaurav Gill (co-driver Musa Sherif, Mangaluru) who has had a dismal season as he drew blank in two of the three rounds after opening the season with a win in Nashik. With 52 points in the kitty, Gill, the 2013 APRC champion, is effectively out of the title race. The maximum points available are 39 (25 for win and 14 Leg points).

    The tight and twisty terrain interspersed with fast and flowing corners, is expected to favour the all-wheel-drive Mitsubishi Evo and the compact Polo cars, though Gill, piloting the heavier and bulkier XUV 500 has often authored his own script with some stunning drives, defying all odds in the process.

    In the IRC 2000cc category, Bengaluru pair of Rahul Kanthraj and Vivek Bhatt of Team Yokohama, who won all the three previous rounds, are set to clinch the class championship as they are 34 ahead of Hyderabad’s Sumit Panjabi.

    A three-way battle is on in the IRC 1600cc class which Kerala’s Dr Bikku Babu (87 points) leads, closely followed by Team Yokohama’s Karna Kadur (70) and Aroor Vikram Rao (61), all driving the Volkswagen Polo.

    The scenario in the FMSCI 1600 Cup is much tighter as Ashwin Reddy (87), Druva Chandrasekhar (83) and last year’s champion Adith KC (69) are bunched together at the top.

    The organizers, Motor Sports Club of Chikkamagaluru, have laid out yet another challenging route that comprises four physical Special Stages, three of them in the Coffee Day estates and one at the University in Birur with the Asia Cup cars covering 180 Kms and the IRC, 120 Kms.

    MSCC have put in massive efforts to get the route ready for the event after overcoming huge odds, mostly by way of unseasonal wet weather that hampered preparations.

    eom/MSCC press release

    File photo of former APRC champion Gaurav Gill. Image by Anand Philar
    File photo of former APRC champion Gaurav Gill. Image by Anand Philar

  • Lohit Urs urges motorsport fraternity to gear up and make efforts to reach the world standards

    Bengaluru, 1 Dec 2015: In a polite manner, Lohit Urs, told the motorsports fraternity that India have to make better efforts to reach global standards in organising and providing infrastructure for motorsports. “Motorsports is a global sports and India should not be left behind,” he said at the Press Conference held here at the Cafe Coffee Day outlet opposite to Kanteerava Stadium back gate, to announce the ASIA CUP and India Rally Championship to be held next month.

    Lohitt Urs 2015After a lapse of over a decade, India will play host to an international Rally with the coffee town of Chikkamagaluru, nestling in the lap of Western Ghats, being the venue for the fourth and final round of the FIA Asia Cup, branded the Coffee Day India Rally, to be held from December 11 to 13.

    ​The fourth and concluding round of the FMSCI Indian Rally Championship will be run concurrently while the Asia Cup is also a contender for a full round of the 2016 FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship. Peter Mecneal of Australia has been deputed as the Observer.

    Sponsored by Coffee Day Global, the Coffee Day India Rally and the IRC are expected to attract a total of nearly 40 entries. PG Abhilash and Lohitt Urs, both in the Mitsubishi Evolution cars, along with Arjun Rao Aroor who will be piloting the Volkswagen Polo (R2B), head the Asia Cup field that also includes three female participants, Garima Avtar, Bani Yadav and Sukhman Mann.

    The IRC will have its usual complement of full grid headlined by reigning National champion Gaurav Gill representing Team Mahindra Adventure and driving the Mahindra XUV 500 with the likes of Team Yokohama’s Rahul Kanthraj and Karna Kadur besides a clutch of young, talented drivers such as Dean Mascarenhas and Adith KC.

    The Asia Cup was originally allotted to India last year, but the dates were found unsuitable and hence the organizers, Motor Sports Club of Chikmagalur, opted to run the event in 2015.

    With Coffee Day Global being the title sponsors and in association with Indian Oil Corporation Ltd and Karnataka Toursim, the 2015 India Rally will also be a contender for a round of the 2016 FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship which will be a big step forward.

    Since 1982, when the “Coffee 500” Rally was first held in Chikkamagaluru, the event has evolved into one of the most popular and keenly awaited rallies in the National motorsport calendar.

    Chikkamagaluru’s rustic charm and scenic setting have not only made the Coffee Town into a popular holiday destination, but also attract the cream of country’s Rally talent every year.

    The Motor Sports Club of Chikkamagaluru, has, over the years, put in massive efforts and overcome many hurdles to constantly raise the bar in terms of organization and hospitality, besides providing Rally route that is at once challenging and exciting.

    ​Speaking at a Media Conference here on Tuesday, ​

    Mr. Venkatesh M, Director, Coffee Day Hotels and Resorts, said: “We are proud to associate with the FIA Asia Cup. The Coffee Day Rally has always received an overwhelming response from people all over the country and this year we look forward to creating a new level of excitement in the minds of the spectators and Indian sportsmen.

    “While we aim to conduct the sport as per international standards, our association with Asia Pacific Rally Championship will put us on the global map. We look forward to putting this event together with our fellow national and international sponsors​.”​

    Mr Farooq Ahmed, Chairman, FMSCI Rally Commission, and Vice-President​, Motor Sports Club

    ​ of  Chik​kamagalur​u, said: “It is a dream-come-true for us at the M​SCC.

    It was always our ambition to put Chikkamagaluru on the international motorsport map and we are happy that the dream has become a reality.”

    Mr Jayanth Pai, President, Motor Sports Club of Chikmagalur, said: “Obviously, we are thrilled that the Coffee Day India Rally has been included as a round of the 2015 Asia Cup.

    “We have a very dedicated team at the MSCC and are ready to take up the challenge of hosting a major international event. I am confident it will be a success.”

    Mr D Ramkumar, Clerk-of-the-Course, said: “We are taking all measures to provide an exciting and safe event. It is bound to be a World-class Rally and we hope fans will come in large numbers to enjoy the fare.”

    This year, the rally route includes some new tight and twisty sections inside plantations belonging to the title sponsor Coffee Day Global and also Special Stages previously used before between 2006 and 2011.

    The route has been designed to provide new challenges for drivers while continuing to use the fast and smooth roads so well-known and liked throughout in the Indian Rally Championship. The Super Special Stage, to be run ​the  Amber Valley School ​grounds on the Friday, December 11 afternoon, will kick-start the event with the Special Stages scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.

    The Asia Cup will be contested over 1​80 Kms of Special Stages while the IRC participants will cover 1​20 Kms besides the liaison sections.

    eom/AP Media Communications release

  • Abhilash PG-Anoop Kumar win IRC title in Horizon 41st K-1000 Rally; Vivek-Rahul champs in 2000cc class

    Bangalore, 22 Nov 2015: The Kochi-Bangalore pair of Abhilash PG-Anoop Kumar DS, of Team Rennoil R3A, cruised to a well-deserved win in the IRC category of the Horizon 41st K-1000 Rally here on Sunday. This is the third round of the FMSCI Indian Rally Championship 2015. Driving a Mitsubishi Evo VIII car, the winning time they clocked was one hour, 20 minutes, 57.2 seconds.

    The Rally was conducted by the Karnataka Motor Sports Club. The associate sponsors are Fairfield Marriott Hotel, Vijayachandra Motors and Turlube lubricants.

    Finishing second in the IRC category were Lohitt V Urs-Srikanth GM (Mysore-Bangalore) 1:22:44.0 (one minute, 46.8 seconds behind the winners) in a Mitsubishi Evo VIII. However, Urs will continue to keep the lead in the IRC category with one round of the championship to go. AR Racing’s Arjun Rao Aroor-Satish K Rajagopal (Mangalore-Bangalore) finished third with a time of 1:23:02:0. They were third after Saturday’s action but a controlled drive in their Volkswagen Polo R2 saw them pick up the third place.

    Overall K1000 winners Abhilash PG (L)-Anoop Kumar DS in Bangalore on Sunday. Image by Vivek Phadnis
    Overall K1000 winners Abhilash PG (L)-Anoop Kumar DS in Bangalore on Sunday. Images by Vivek Phadnis
    Rahul Kanthraj (L)-Vivek Bhatt who won the 2000 cc class in K1000 at Bengaluru on Sunday.
    Rahul Kanthraj (L)-Vivek Bhatt who won the 2000 cc class in K1000 at Bengaluru on Sunday.

    Winner Abhilash said: “I am very happy to have won the K-1000 this time around. We did not take too many risks but drove a controlled rally. There were small issues with the brakes but it did not prove to be too much of a problem.”

    Team Mahindra Adventure’s Gaurav Gill-Musa Sherif, the defending IRC champions, were going well till the last few stretches of the third and final Special Stage of the day. Sadly, their Mahindra XUV500 slid and suffered mechanical damage that saw them retire from the rally. Teammates Sunny Sidhu-PVS Murthy did not finish too.

    In the IRC2000cc class, Bangaloreans Rahul Kanthraj-Vivek Bhatt, entered as Team Yokohama and competing in a Mitsubishi Cedia, won the class and have virtually retained their title. On the second day, a clean run saw them win their class without too much fuss.

    Bangalore boys Dhruva Chandrashekar-Jeevarathinam J, with a time of 1:26:47.6, ended up being toppers in both the 1600cc and FMSCI 1600cc Cup classes. The two were also fifth fastest overall.

    Out of the 37 cars that entered, 23 finished the rally.

    Results (provisional): IRC: 1. Abhilash PG-Anoop Kumar DS (Team Rennoil R3A, 1:20:57.2); 2. Lohitt V Urs-Srikanth GM (1:22:44.0); 3. Arjun Rao Aroor-Satish K Rajagopal (AR Racing, 1:23:02.0); 4. Amittrajit Ghosh-Ashwin Naik (Team Mahindra Adventure, 1:23:48.9); 5. Dhruva Chandrashekar-Jeevarathinam J (1:26:47.6).

    IRC 2000cc:1. Rahul Kanthraj-Vivek Bhatt (Team Yokohama, 1:27:12.4); 2. Sumit Punjabi-Nitin Jacob (1:28:26.9); 3. Younus Ilyas-Thomas Paul (1:29:35.5).

    IRC 1600cc:Dhruva Chandrashekar-Jeevarathinam J (1:26:47.6); 2. Bikku Babu-Bonnie Thomas (1:28.18.9); 3. Ashwin Reddy Daram-Suraj M (1:28:23.8).

    FMSCI 1600cc Cup: 1. Dhruva Chandrashekar-Jeevarathinam J (1:26:47.6); 2. Ashwin Reddy Daram-Suraj M (1:28:23.8); 3. Lokesh Gowda V-Ashika Menezes (1:29.57.4).

    R Bharath Raj Trophy for Best Novice: Nayan Jyoti Sarma-Vinay BM.

    eom/KMSC-FMSCI press release and photos from Vivek Phadnis

  • Rains and tarmac special stages dampen the spirits as Horizon K-1000 is flagged off

    Bangalore, 20 Nov 2015: The cloudy horizon sent in chills amongst the rally enthusiasts and the prospects of a thrilling K-1000 are dull what with the new tarmac surface proving the dampner, not just the rains. The Horizon 41st K-1000 was flagged off here on Friday, on a sombre note, and for many a veteran, the K-1000 without the late Bharat Raj was a painful excercise.

    File photo of Lohitt Urs-Srikanth Gowda courtesy Vivek Phadnis
    Lohitt Urs-Srikanth Gowda being flagged off in Bangalore on Friday. Image courtesy Vivek Phadnis

    The Rally is the third round of the 2015 FMSCI Indian Rally Championship was flagged off by Kannada actress Ragini Dwivedi at a city hotel on Rajkumar road.

    The Rally is being conducted by the Karnataka Motor Sports Club is sponsored by Fairfield Marriott Hotel, Vijaychandra Motors and Turlube lubricants.

    The Rally will be dedicated to KMSC’s late Chairman and former FMSCI President R Bharath Raj, who passed away on August 15.

    Moving away from tradition, the K-1000, this time, will be a tarmac rally. With wet weather prevailing, it should add a touch of drama though the rally is not on dirt. The recce was held in the morning and the drivers are not very happy with the Special Stages which are being run in a private lay-out near the Big Banyan tree off the Mysore Road.

    All top rally drivers in the country have confirmed participation for the event that will run from November 20-22. A total of 37 entries have been received. They will compete in the IRC, IRC 2000cc, IRC 1600cc and FMSCI 1600cc Cup categories.

    Mysore’s speedster Lohitt V Urs with co-driver Srikanth Gowda of Bangalore are the ones to watch out for. The duo will be on a Mitsubishi Evo VIII all-wheel drive. Lohitt is leading the championship with a total of 59 points while Mahindra Adventure driver from Kolkata Amittrajit Ghosh  with newly-maried Mangalore’s Ashwin Naik as co-driver is on 47 and will be driving a Mahindra XUV500.

    Reigning National champion in the IRC class, Mahindra Adventure’s Delhi driver Gaurav Gill  and Musa Sherif, also from Mangalore are the top pair in the country and former APRC champion is on 45 and so is his teammate from Chandigarh Sunny Sidhu (PVS Murthy, Bangalore).

    The other notable entries are AR Racing’s Arjun Rao Aroor (Mangalore)-Satish Rajagopal (Bangalore) in a Volkswagen Polo R2, JCT Rallying’s Samir Thapar (New Delhi)-Gurinder Mann (Chandigarh) in a Mitsubishi Evo X and Abhilash PG (Cochin)-Anoop Kumar (Bangalore) in a Mitsubishi Evo VIII. This is the premier class in the IRC and the top drivers will be fighting it out for the Overall National title.

    In the 2000cc class, Bangalore’s Rahul Kanthraj (Vivek Bhatt, Bangalore), from Team Yokohama, is the leader with 78 points, while Mumbai’s Chettinad Sporting entrant Hrishikesh Thackersey (Ninad Mirajgaonkar, Mumbai) is on 59. Kanthraj and Bhatt are the defending champions.

    In the 1600cc class, Kerala’s Chettinad Sporting driver Bikku Babu (Bonnie Thomas, Kerala) leads the classification with 60 points, while Bangalore’s Team Yokohama driver Karna Kadur (Vivek Ponnusamy, Melbourne) is within striking distance and on 58.

    In the 1600cc Cup class, Palakkad’s Adith KC (Harish KN, Bangalore) leads the table with 64 points. They are the defending champions. Second is Bangalore’s Ashwin Reddy (Suraj Shetti, Bangalore) on 58 points.

    There will be three physical stages of 14, 8, 5.5 km. Each stage will be run thrice on day one (Saturday) and once in reverse direction on the second day (Sunday). The gravel Super Special Stage will be held at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre on Tumkur Road on Sunday. The Special Stage distance is 112.08Km, Super Special Stage distance is three Km and total rally distance is 291.55Km.

    KMSC President Shivu Shivappa said: “With support from our rally fraternity, we have been able to put together this event. Our sponsors have been generous and without them, this rally would not have been possible.”

    Clerk of the Course Praneeth Perumal said: “We are having a tarmac rally after more than a decade and it should be entertaining. There will be a mix of terrain and though the average speeds may not be very high, the stages are going to be technical and highly competitive.”

    eom/FMSCI release

  • Ogier-Ingrassia lead Latvala-Anttila after Day 1: WRC Rally of Spain

    Wolfsburg, 23 October 2015: Restraint on the short ones, all-out attack on the long stage: Volkswagen played a perfect game of patience on day one of the Rally Spain, and came away with a promising one-two. Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F) ended the Friday of the twelfth and penultimate round of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) at the top of the overall standings, separated from Volkswagen team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN) by just four seconds. After 131.8 of a total 331.25 kilometres against the clock, Andreas Mikkelsen/Ola Fløene (N/N) are sixth, 37.4 seconds off the lead.

    The key factor on the first of the three days of rallying was how the drivers looked after their tyres. On both the morning and afternoon loops, three short stages were followed by the longest stage of the rally: “Terra Alta” is 35.68 kilometres long, of which about 27 are on gravel and roughly eight on asphalt. The Volkswagen drivers set a relatively moderate pace on the short stages, upping their game on the “monster” stage with particularly fast split times on the short asphalt section. This allowed Ogier and Latvala to climb from sixth and seventh to first and second place on the morning loop. They were then embroiled in a fascinating battle with Ott Tänak/Raigo Mõlder (EST/EST, M-Sport-Ford), Dani Sordo/Marc Martí (E/E, Hyundai) and Mads Østberg/Jonas Andersson (N/S, Citroën).

    The drivers and crews must now switch from gravel to asphalt mode overnight. While Friday was all about gravel roads, Saturday and Sunday feature special stages akin to circuit racing on asphalt routes on the Costa Daurada, on the outskirts of Barcelona. The longest service of the season gives the mechanics a maximum 75 minutes, in which to convert the World Rally Cars to their asphalt configuration. This involves replacing more than 1,300 individual components per car.

    * Subject to the official publication of the results by the FIA.
    Quotes after day one of the Rally Spain
    Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #1
    “A fantastic day: I am really pleased with our performance on the opening day of the Rally Spain. The long day, with eight consecutive gravel stages without an interim service, was a real challenge that we and the Polo mastered perfectly. In the afternoon, in particular, Julien and I still had really good tyres on the final 35-kilometre stage, which is probably what made the difference. With the switch to asphalt, a totally new rally starts tomorrow. The car has a much firmer set-up and reacts more directly when braking and steering. Another challenge that I am really looking forward to. Since the roads here are very wide, it is a little bit like being on a circuit. Choosing the right line will be crucial.”
    Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #2
    “I am very happy and will try to carry on like this on Saturday. I didn’t get off to quite the start I had planned. But after the first stage this morning I knew that I had to change something. As a result, it wasn’t only the set-up of the car that I worked on, but also on my mental attitude. This was noticeable immediately with better times. In particular, I was much faster on the long ‘Terra Alta’ stage than last year. The Polo R WRC ran smoothly and I didn’t have any problems with tyre wear either.”
    Andreas Mikkelsen, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #9
    “I still haven’t really found the rhythm I was hoping for today. I was simply too cautious this morning, and consistently lost time as a result. In the afternoon I tried to pace my tyres better and was happy with my performance on the monster stage, ‘Terra Alta’. Despite this, sixth place is not what I was after. Tomorrow we will see a completely different side to the Rally Spain. We will run the firmest chassis set-up of the entire season on the asphalt stages. We will have to see what we can achieve after this dramatic change from gravel to asphalt.”
    Jost Capito, Volkswagen Motorsport Director
    “Tactics played a major role today, and our drivers did an excellent job in this regard. It was important to look after the tyres and pace oneself intelligently on the long special stage. Sébastien Ogier, Jari-Matti Latvala and Andreas Mikkelsen showed that with the fastest three times at the end of the day. It will be fascinating to see how the rally develops on asphalt, as it takes on a completely different character. We are very happy with the way things have gone so far.”
    And then there was …
    … a clearly visible “thank you”. The Volkswagen WRC team sent its greetings to the Volkswagen factory in Pamplona by way of a sticker on the rear of Sébastien Ogier’s Polo R WRC. The Spanish plant has been manufacturing the road-going Polo since 1982, meaning it is also responsible for the chassis of the World Rally Cars driven by Ogier and Co. World champions on three occasions – thanks in no small part to the support of the Spanish colleagues. That is why we too say: ¡Gracias Amigos!

    Rally de España – Unofficial Results after Section 4

    1.   Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia Volkswagen Polo R WRC 1hr 24min 58.4sec
    2.   Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila Volkswagen Polo R WRC 1hr 25min 02.4sec
    3.   Ott Tanak/Daniel Barritt Ford Fiesta RS WRC 1hr 25min 09.7sec
    4.   Dani Sordo/Marc Marti Hyundai i20 WRC 1hr 25min 25.3sec
    5.   Mads Østberg/Jonas Andersson DS 3 WRC 1hr 25min 28.1sec
    6.   Andreas Mikkelsen/Ola Floene Volkswagen Polo R WRC 1hr 25min 35.8sec
    7.   Hayden Paddon/John Kennard Hyundai i20 WRC 1hr 25min 36.7sec
    8.   Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle DS 3 WRC 1hr 25min 57.8sec
    9.   Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul Hyundai i20 WRC 1hr 26min 02.2sec
    10. Elfyn Evans/Daniel Barritt Ford Fiesta RS WRC 1hr 26min 07.6sec