Double points finish for Mahindra in 125cc

CHENNAI: Marcel Schrotter had to struggle hard, a numb hand hampering his ability to go full throttle. But Mahindra's German rider rode bravely to finish 11th while his English teammate Danny Webb came in 15th to complete a double points finish for the Indian team in the MotoGP 125cc race at Aragon GP in Spain on Sunday.

Schrotter, who had qualified 15th, had a flying start and climbed three places. The 18-year-old German was pushing for a top-10 finish by half-way stage when his throttle hand turned numb.

Schrotter continued to push his bike though and scored five championship points to climb to 16th in the standings with a total of 23 points. Webb, who scored a point on Sunday is currently 20th on the table with 15 points after 14 rounds of the 18-round championship.

"I made a good start and I was able to pass some people and get in a good group. After seven or eight laps my hand started to go numb like always, so it was a struggle to keep the pace. But I can be happy with my position, and I hope to do the same or better the rest of the year," said Schrotter.

The race was won by Spaniard Nicolas Terol on his Aprilia, who finished ahead of championship rival Johann Zarco of France (Derbi) and countryman Maverick Vinales.

Terol, now has 241 points in his kitty and has a healthy lead of 36 points over Zarco.

Meanwhile, it was yet another close miss for WTR Ten10 Racing, the second Indian team in the 125cc segment.

Ten10's Dutch rider Sturla Fagerhaug finshed 16th, just outside the points, while his teammate Francesco Mauriello of Italy crashed out in the sixth lap.

This Rajini is a racing superstar

K Rajini

Adversity and success are strange bedfellows. Wherever man is faced with adversity, human determination comes to the fore to meet the challenge and eventually triumphs. From an auto mechanic to the fastest Indian on two wheels, K. Rajini has turned every bump on the road into a stepping stone to success. An elementary school dropout, Rajini, was shouldering the burden beyond a 16-year-old’s capacity. After the demise of his father, Rajini was sweating it out at his family-run auto lining workshop to make ends meet. Back then, racing was the least of his priorities.
However, a trip with a friend to the Irungattukot-tai race track, near Chennai, changed Rajini’s life for ever. “I fell in love with the sound of the revving engines. I started training on my own and the money I earned from the workshop paid for my racing pursuits. Had I continued with the auto lining work, I’m sure I would have made more money. But racing has given me a new identity,” said Rajini, who is a force to reckon with in the national championships with 10 titles already to his credit.
Rajini was an instant success at the race track. His fearlessness and hunger to achieve more saw him defeat his rivals effortlessly. After his stunning show in 2003, Rajini was signed up by TVS Racing for a two-year contract, which proved to be the turning point of his career. Till date, Rajini is the only Indian to get onto the podium at the Asian Road Racing Championship, the continent’s premier two-wheeler event.
With great difficulty, Rajini managed to come up with Rs 4 lakh, the participation fee for the 2006 Malaysian Super Series, where he won the Kawasaki Cup. India is the largest producer of two-wheelers, but the auto industry has done little to support this motor sport. “In other countries, being part of racing is a vital part of marketing. In the Indian national championship, TVS has been the sole factory-run team for more than a decade. The quality of racing will improve only when there is more competition. We drastically need the involvement of large brands like Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki in the racing arena,” said the 31-year-old Rajini.
With organisers of the i1 Series planning a “Super Bike” league next year and Moto GP set to foray into India, Rajini is keeping his fingers crossed. “i1’s initiative of the franchisee system such as the IPL will surely improve bike racing in India. We have been craving for television coverage, which is very important to take the sport to the masses,” he added. Like every biker, Rajini’s ultimate goal is to compete in MotoGP. “I need Rs 5.5 crore to complete a season in Moto2 (600cc). With the Indian GP drawing a lot of attention, I am hopeful of soliciting the help of some sponsors,” he said.

Round 4 of Yamaha YZF-R15 One Make Race season 2011 rounds off in style

With the Yamaha R15 One Make Race Championship nearing its end with just one round to go, the fourth leg of the league concluded at the Madras Motor Race Track, Chennai with bikers riding through the track with much gusto and thrill. The racing track was set abuzz with roaring excitement as hordes of youngsters turned up to witness this event. This event is a part of the National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2011 being organized by the Madras Motor Sports Club and approved by The Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI).

The championship witnessed a great deal of enthusiasm from the contestants as both Yamaha and non- Yamaha customers participated in the race. In the Novice Category, total number of participants was 60 and among them 15 qualified. In both races 1 & 2, S Madhan from Trichy emerged as the winner while J Allwyn Jebaz from Chennai took the second spot and Vivek Mani came third.

In the open category, the total number of participants was 20 and among them 15 qualified. In Race 1, K Vinoth stole the show by assuming the first position whereas Shyam Shankar and D Dinesh Kumar took the second and third spots respectively. Race 2 again witnessed K Vinoth emerging as the winner while D Dinesh Kumar grabbed the first runner up spot and Arjun J Pillai was the second Runner Up.

The contestants struck the track on Yamaha’s Super Sports YZF-R15 and experienced the breathtaking acceleration of the bike on a race circuit. Loaded with true Yamaha racing DNA, YZF-R15 provided complete racing experience to the biking enthusiasts and hands on feel of its power, stability, cornering and braking. Yamaha made their experience more exciting by mounting Daytona Racing Kits in the bikes. These kits are developed using valuable experience gained from MotoGP & World Superbike racing and are designed exclusively for racing purpose in a closed circuit.

Commenting on the occasion, Jun Nakata, Director-Sales and Marketing, India Yamaha Motor Pvt. Ltd. said, “As we near the close of the Yamaha R15 One Make Race, we want to thank all our customers for giving such good response throughout all the previous rounds. It was exciting to see all participants putting their best foot forward in this championship. Events like these always help us to enhance our relationship with the customers. The R15 One Make Race is one such event through which we want to refine the motorcycling culture in India by providing Indian bike riders the combined thrill of technological superiority and artistic brilliance.”

All the riders participating in Yamaha R15 One Make Race Championship will be evaluated on the basis of their performance. The 3 best performing riders may be given a chance to participate in the “YAMAHA ASEAN CUP RACE” in Thailand later in 2011. The technology in YZF-R15 has percolated from R1 (Deltabox frame/Fuel Injection/6 speed gearbox/ styling/Liquid Cooled 4V engine). Just like R1, it is light weight, has power on demand, besides having centralized mass, stopping power, aerodynamics, ergonomics and stability/rigidity, among others. It also has the controllability and maneuverability to maximize riding, cornering and braking performance.

Yamaha’s corporate culture has always given special importance to bike racing in India as a way of expressing the ‘Spirit of Challenge’ that it values so highly. Apart from the R15 One Make Race Championship, Yamaha also organized the Yamaha Riding Clinic earlier this year to give racing tips to biking enthusiasts. With these events, Yamaha aims to take the racing culture & spirit in India to the next level and plans to continue this championship as a valuable step for carrying forward the racing legacy in the country

Honda’s Azlan Shah wants to make up for lost ground in ARRC

PETALING JAYA: Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman wants to make up for lost ground in the SuperSports 600cc category of the Petronas Asia Road Racing Championships when Round 4 begins at the Autopolis International Racing Course in Japan this weekend.

The Boon Siew Honda Racing Malaysia rider came close to snatching his first victory of the season in the previous leg in Chennai, India.

With two laps to go, Azlan was in the lead when he lost control of his bike.

He went on to finish in a disappointing 14th spot.

Now, he can’t wait to end his winless streak when Round 4 revs off in Japan.

“I wasted a good opportunity in India. I really wanted to win. I was not 100% fit and made a costly mistake,” said Azlan, who last tasted victory back in 2009 – at the Autopolis.

The 27-year-old Azlan is ready to put his India nightmare behind him and focus on the task at hand in Japan.

“I won’t be thrown off my game just because the Japanese riders – Katsuaki Fujiwara and Toshiyuki Hamaguchi – have home ground advantage and I will be riding in their territory.

“We have a strong technical team and I am confident they can prepare a competitive bike.

“Besides, with four-time All-Japan SuperSports 600cc champion Yoshiteru Konishi as my mentor and trainer, I believe I will be able to rise to the challenge.”

Azlan is currently second in the overall standings with 84 points after five podium finishes in six races.

Japanese ace Fujiwara (Manual-Tech BEET Kawasaki Racing) leads the way with 114.5 points while Petronas Yamaha Malaysia’s Mohd Zamri Baba is third with 65 points.

National motorbike races hotting up

Chennai, Sep 2 (IANS) Going into the fourth and penultimate round of the MRF FMSCI National Motorcycle Championship here this weekend, the titles in various classes are up for grabs and the competition is expected to peak at the two-day event.

Krishnan Rajini, arguably the best two-wheeler rider in the country at the moment, has been a dominant force in the premier Superbikes (600cc) class, but a non-finish in the first race of the second round denied him of crucial points and can ill-afford to relax.

While Rajini is on 50 points from five outright wins, the talented 23-year old Deepak Ravikumar is just two adrift and would be only too keen to wipe off the deficit and get ahead, something that is easier said than done. A close battle between the two is very much in the offing.

Deepak, who set a record for the fastest lap on this track at Sriperumbudur with a time of one minute, 56.6 seconds, though is very much in the running for the title in the Group B (165cc, Open) class with three wins.

However, Deepak still has a lot of work ahead of him to catch up with leader Jagen Kumar of TVS Racing (51), also with three wins.

Likewise, the championship leaders in the other classes too will have to keep an eye on other contenders. Shyam Shankar (Moto-Rev India) enjoys a comfortable lead in the Group D (165cc, Open) with a tally of 58 points, inclusive of five wins, ahead of team-mate D Dinesh Kumar (27).

The 165cc Novice class has been a four-cornered contest involving Abhishek N of Moto-Rev India (46), Arjun EB of Apex Racing (34), Madhan (32) and S Parthiv (30). All will be pushing hard for valuable points.

In the 130cc Novice category, Parthiv with 46 points is narrowly ahead of two TVS Racing bikers Rajesh Ratna Kumar (40) and Anand P (34).

The competition in the two single-make series, Honda and Yamaha, has been no less keen. Shyam Shankar is on top in the Yamaha R15 class with 58 points and also in the Honda CBR 250 Open with 26, with M Gautham just four behind.

Probably the closest contest has been in the Honda CBR 150cc Open class where Dinesh Kumar and Arvind Ganesh are tied on 22, followed by Sudhakar Kesavan and Thammarai Kannan, both 18 while M Sudhakar leads the Honda CBF Stunner title race with 48 points.

Similarly, Madhan and J Allwyn Jebaz are tangled in a bitter struggle with each on 50 points in the Yamaha R15 Novice class.

– Indo-Asian News Service
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Rajini wins in National Motorcycle Championship

Chennai, Sep 3 (IANS) Krishnan Rajini of Moto-Rev India expectedly won the premium Group A (600cc) race very comfortably in the FMSCI National Motorcycle Racing Championship here Saturday.
The results:
Group A (600cc) 8 laps: Krishnan Rajini 1(Moto-Rev India) 1 (14:30.449); Deepak Ravikumar (Peethi Racing) 2 (14:35.334); M Gautham (Preethi Racing) 3 (14:44.375).
Group B (165cc Open) 6 laps: Deepak Ravikumar 1 (11:48.388); Sharat Kumar 2 (11:49.137); Jagan Kumar 3 (12:05.021).
Group D (165cc, Novice) 6 laps: Abhishek V (Apex Racing) 1 (13:32.693); S Madan 2 (13:38.133); Ramesh Kumar 3 (13:43.843).
Group D (130cc, Novice) 6 laps: Rajesh Rathina Kumar (TVS Racing) 1 (13:56.738); P Anand Raj (TVS Racing) 2 (13:59.244); Abdul Wahab 3 (14:02.651).

Brandwagon: Cos lay the pitch for F1 race

CHENNAI/MUMBAI: The Indian F1 is still almost two months away but the marketing and brand building activities around the property is getting bigger every day. With marketers betting big on the three-day event what kind of marketing pomp is lined up before the race kicks off on October 30?

Already companies like JK have kicked off carting events and pre-race parties. Rock band Metallica is scheduled to perform on October 28 on the eve of the race weekend. Title sponsor Airtel has announced two initiatives-reality show to choose India's very own grid girls and a competition hawking the coveted A-ticket for two for those playing Airtel's online racing game. Rival brand Vodafone, which has been partnering with the McLaren Mercedes team since 2007, has been "leveraging this association in India by bringing Lewis Hamilton each year in different parts of the country," says Anuradha Aggarwal, VP- marketing, brand communication and consumer insights, Vodafone. "We hope that the Indian Grand Prix is another step in building stickiness with the fan base."

Like Airtel, Vodafone too is focusing on activity-based marketing. They are running a contest to choose two consumers and two global enterprise consumers who will spend the race weekend with the McLaren Mercedes team. In another initiative, it is offering small and medium enterprises the chance to put their logo on a McLaren Mercedes car.

All through September, McLaren drivers will go to different metros in India to create a buzz about the event and do laps and roads shows.

Vodafone's team mate Mercedes Benz too is planning similar 'race related' activities both on the track as well as in its dealerships. Along with JPSI, Mercedes Benz is setting up a Performance Driving Academy in 2012 (sources say it won the contract after a fierce neck and neck race with Audi). Apart from being nominated, official automobile partners for the Buddh International Circuit, the company is also planning some dealership engagements. All Merc dealerships across India will have a 'Pit Stop- F1 Corner' to bring the motorsports experience closer to customers. These Pit Stops will sell tickets for the Indian GP and other races apart from F1 merchandise. It will also kick off a college activation programme to create interest among students about motorsport and organize a 'Speed Fest' road show in Mumbai on the eve of the Indian GP where more than 100 Mercedes-Benz & AMG cars will participate.

Marketing experts say the momentum would build up over the next few weeks as brands begin local tie ups unveiling their activities. With two Indians drivers racing-Narain Karthikeyan for Hispania Racing Team and Karun Chandok for Team Lotus-brands will look at rub-off opportunities.

Of the 2 lakh tickets, 1 lakh is said to be complimentary which companies would be using for promoting their brands. Companies also see a huge opportunity to push merchandise, in itself a branding exercise.