J K Tyre National Racing Championship 2008

Story: Nikhil Raghavan

New formats, juggled categories, fresh events…all carefully planned to draw in more participants and hopefully, better crowds. Also, one supposes, to gain better visibility for the sponsors – not just for the main event itself, but also for the numerous corporate logos on the cars and racing suits of drivers and riders.

Consequently, events like endurance and superbike races were held over a packed weekend at the Madras Motor Race Track at Irungattukottai, near Chennai as part of the J K Tyre National Racing Championship 2008.

On Saturday, February 9, the opening event – Endurance Race for LGB Formula Hyundai single seater cars was marred by non-seasonal showers which reduced the stipulated 90 minute run to 65 minutes. But, the rains helped in the event becoming a spectacular display of racing skills and speed in wet conditions.

The change of drivers was effected every fifteen minutes. And in full cry were the two young sensations, Ashwin Sunder and Saran Vikram of Rams Racing, as they raced away to a comfortable win by completing 29 laps with a timing of 66:46:09. In 2nd place was the duo of Narain Shankar and Karthik Shankar also from Team Rams Racing who completed 29 laps in a timing of 68:18:391. The brothers, Sudanand Rajan and Prithveen Rajan from Team WSRF with Leela took the third place completing 27 laps in a timing of 67:06:766.

On Sunday, February 10, the trio of Chennai youngsters Ashwin Sundar, Saran Vikram and Dilip Rogger delighted the weekend crowd with their spectacular performances resulting in double wins for all of them in their respective categories. Ashwin and Saran won one each in both Formula Swift and Formula Rolon classes while Dilip Rogger won both the races in the Super Bikes 600cc class.

After a wet and disruptive first day of racing, the weather gods were kind enough to light up the track with the sun blazing down brightly. The scenario at the Madras Motor Racing Track was reminiscent of yesteryear racing days in Sholavaram. The racing enthusiasts turned up in good numbers to witness one of the best ever race days in recent history. From the saloon cars to the Super Bikes to the Formula racing cars, it was a blend of exhilarating speed and excellent driving skills with the cream of Indian racers - national and international - exhibiting their talents.

Formula LGB Swift
Pole leader and last year’s champion Ashwin Sundar of Team TVS Girling Racing continued from where he had left off last year. Race 1 saw Ashwin getting off to a very good start and zooming ahead to register a comfortable lead and held on to the same to register his first win of the season. Finishing a close second was teammate and Delhi lad Karthik Shankar. Finishing in third place after starting in 5th place was another Chennai youngster Saran Vikram of Team WSRF with Leela who put in a great effort. With the grid reversed for Race 2, it was the racer from Team WSRF with Leela, Saran Vikram’s turn to display his racing abilities. Starting in 5th place Saran moved up the grid to grab the lead and win in style. Karthik Shankar came up with an impressive performance to finish in 2nd place once again. Saran’s teammate Sudanand Rajan finished third.

Formula Rolon Chevrolet
Ashwin Sundar’s roller coaster ride continued as the youngster from Team Rams Racing notched up his second successive win of the day by taking the chequered flag in Race 1. Starting on pole, Ashwin was in full command right from the start and gave no opportunity to his nearest rivals. Finishing in second and third places were Mumbai lad Saahil Shelar of team Speed NK Racing and Chennai racer M. Gaurav of Team Red Rooster Racing. Race 2 saw Saran Vikram of Team Speed NK Racing start from pole on a reversed grid. And Saran made the best of the opportunity given to launch himself into a very comfortable lead and had no problems in notching up his second win of the day. M. Gaurav improved on his first race standings to finish in second place, while winner of Race 1, Ashwin Sunder finished in 3rd place after starting 6th on grid.

Super Bikes
Stealing the thunder this weekend was ace bike racer and India’s first Asian GP participant 23 year old Dilip Rogger of Chennai. He displayed his championship qualities with some aggressive racing in the 600 cc Super Bikes category. Riding a Yamaha R 6 bike, Dilip proved his superiority in no uncertain terms as he blazed away to commanding victories in both races. In Race 1, starting on pole, Dilip built up a huge lead to record a significant victory. His nearest competitor - national champion of champions 2007 and international racer Preetham Dev Moses - finished 12.625 seconds behind. And a long way behind in third place was Praveen Keerthi.
It was yet another dominating performance from Dilip in the expert class of Race 2 as he continued his demolition drive to wrap up another outstanding victory. Finishing in second place was once again Preetham Dev Moses, while K. Rajini came in third.

In the 1000 cc category it was national champion K. Rajini creating waves as he coasted to a very comfortable win on his Yamaha in Race 1 with a margin of almost 15 seconds. Vikram and Deepak finished in second and third places respectively. Race 2 saw a great effort from Deepak which enabled him to take the chequered flag. Mazdar Ahmed finished second.

Future One

Story: Nikhil Raghavan

The qualifying line-up looks very impressive indeed. For the first time in ten years, the grid will boast of 24 cars. Special invitee Lewis Hamilton will be at the start button to ‘flag off’ the Special Tenth Anniversary Indian Formula One Grand Prix of the Asia Pacific and Middle/Far East region.

It is year 2022. Fifteen years since I said that I will write this article if things work out the way I had envisaged. Work out it did, and how! India has long shed its colonial hang-ups and become more Westernised. A little bit American, I must say, because, America itself has adopted a pro-European stance. Globalisation has had its toll even on America, once considered a super power. India is close to becoming one, China willing!

Our Ministers are now known as Senators and the President is numero uno in the political scheme of things. The Prime Minister has…well…who? Prime Minister?

From an agrarian economy, the nation has transformed into an industrial super power with a majority leaning towards the automotive business. The Asia-Pacific and Middle East/Far East are now the automotive jurisdiction of India-based automobile manufacturers.

Amongst the world’s leading brands now being made in India, the old warhorse Ambassador still ploughs on as private taxis, call taxis, tourist taxis and such public transport needs.

Cricket, hockey and football have almost vanished from the Indian sports horizon giving way to motorsports, baseball and golf. These are the new national favourite sports with motorsports clearly leading the way.

The architect of motorsports in India, Vijay Mallya, having made his fortunes from selling Indian made Scotch Whisky to the Scottish and letting his favourite bird Kingfisher fly over his vast kingdom, oversees the fortunes of five F1 tracks in the country – Bombay, Delhi, Calcutta, Madras and Bangalore (please note that these original names have been restored to the cities by more progressive thinking Senators and Presidents).

Vijay’s son, Siddarth owns all five tracks. His father’s liquor business was not his cup of tea. He gets his kicks from racing cars and the lucrative business of motorsports. He is aiming to be the next generation Bernie Ecclestone. The long-retired Narain Karthikeyan who for many years retained the tag of being the fastest and the first Indian in F1 and his immediate followers Karun Chandok and Armaan Ebrahim are now team owners.

NK Racing’s Mahindra-powered Team NK-Mahindra was the 2021 Champion. Karun’s Chandok-Tata Team is close behind and Armaan’s Team Meco Mercedes is a close third. In the constructor’s Championship, Chandok-Tata pipped the NK-Mahindra to the winning post with just one point. With extensive globalisation, engine manufacturers like Mahindra and Tata have surpassed the quality standards of even Ferrari and Mercedes. Racing teams from the rest of the world make up the remaining line-up! Would you have believed this fifteen years ago?

India and Asia in general, Far East and Middle East make up an independent racing region, in close competition with the European F1 Championships. With five tracks in India, two in China, two in the Middle East and two in Singapore and Malaysia, the annual jamboree now boasts of 22 races (two in each circuit) spread over the year.

The Driver’s Championship is named after Bernie Ecclestone who is considered as the father of F1 racing movement. The Constructor’s Championship is named after Max Mosley, formerly chief of FIA.

The new line-up for the three Indian teams has just been announced for the 2022 season. The country having a history of dynastic rule in every sphere of activity – politics, films, industry, business, etc., the racing teams have also adopted a similar strategy.

The NK-Mahindra team has Narain’s son Vikram (named so because he is perceived as a winner) and Aditya Patel’s younger brother, Akshay. The Chandok-Tata team has Karun Jr (yes, Karun’s son!) and Roy Banajee, yesteryear champ Rayomand’s son. Meco Mercedes has Akbar (Armaan’s son, named in memory of his illustrious dad, Akbar ‘Akku’ Ebrahim, the first Indian to have driven in F3, some decades ago) and Mika Akkineni (Aditya Akkineni infuses racing tradition into his filmi family, by naming his son after Mika Hakkinen). The genes of India’s founding fathers in racing, Vicky Chandok, Akbar Ebrahim and Karthikeyan lives on in the third generation of drivers.

The kick-off inaugural race is at the by-now-famous street circuit in Delhi, the India Gate Speedway. Indian President Rahul Gandhi along with Noel Tata (who, now heads the Tata organisation) are the Chief Guests. Among the super veterans who are special invitees are Michael and Ralf Schumacher, Kimi Raikkonen, Mika Hakkinen and others from yesteryear F1 races.

The adjoining private airfield owned by Richard ‘Virgin’ Branson is choc-a-block with private jets. Old-timer actor-aviator John Travolta, a friend of both Branson and Mallya, has already parked his A300 in its reserved spot. Vijay Mallya preferred his custom-built Lear. Michael and brother Ralf flew in together from their favourite nesting islands off Goa. Their yachts along with that of Vijay’s are moored at Goa’s private harbour; so they flew in on their super-powered chopper. The entire celebrity crowd at F1 will fly back to Vijay’s private island Kingfisher’s Nest, after the Sunday’s races, for a night of wild partying. It has been often reported that ‘wild’ is an understatement.

Being a private island, it is not governed by any country’s laws. Everything goes, here. India has indeed changed, for the island is declared as a tax haven. For the last ten years of the existence of the region’s F1 circuit, after every inaugural race in Delhi, the who’s who of motorsports converge at the island and let their hair down. Till date, not one has spoken about what goes on there. Every invitee is sworn to secrecy and every employee on the island is under oath of confidentiality. Understandably, the press is not invited.

With such restrictions on the Press, what else can one write about the glamour side of India’s F1 races? Nothing! I will keep you abreast of happening and developments on the tracks after each race. That will include details about umbrella-girls and cheer leaders. Suffice it to say, there will be plenty of action on and off the track, T-boning included. A tradition has to be kept up, you see. Bye for now; qualifying has just started and I am off to trackside.