Honda Racing India
Global Motorcycle Racing
Honda Racing India
Global Motorcycle Racing
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HITC
· NSF250R Open Class Results: In Race 2, Siddesh Sawant clinched victory with Savion Sabu finishing in second place and Beedani Rajender securing the third position.
Chennai, 04 August 2024: After witnessing an action-packed Race 1 yesterday, the young riders of Honda Racing India displayed an adrenaline-pumping performance in the final race of Round 3 of the 2024 IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R at Madras International Circuit (MIC, previously known as Madras Motor Race Track) today in Chennai.
With engines revving and hearts racing, young riders displayed their racing prowess on the racetrack today. Race 2 was animal gamation of action and excitement showcased by Siddesh Sawant, the 22 year old from Kolhapur emerging as the undisputed leader of IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R category. He displayed his best skills on the track today and secured the first position with a total race time of 15:11.679 for 8 laps. He executed strategic maneuvers overtaking the other riders with precision, skill, and perfect timing.
Following closely was Savion Sabu, the 16 year old from Bangalore. From the start of the race, he displayed a strategic approach, pushing his limits and challenging his competitors with every lap. His aggressive racing style, combined with his strategic mind, made him secure the second position with a total race time of 15:14.661.
Finishing at third position was Beedani Rajender, the 19 year old from Hyderabad. His ability to maintain a high pace while strategically overtaking competitors demonstrated his understanding of race dynamics. He completed the 8-lap race with a total time of 15:25.784.
Unfortunately, four riders Mohsin Paramban, Prakash Kamat, Shyam Shundar and Rakshitha S Dave could not finish the race.
IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup
The IDEMITSU HondaIndia Talent Cup is a prestigious platform designed to develop and nurture thenext generation of riders for both national and international championships. It serves as a stepping-stone for young riders aspiring to reach higher levels of racing. The championship features Honda NSF250R motorcycles, purpose-built for Moto3 racing, providing a competitive platform. With its lightweight chassis, powerful engine, and aerodynamic bodywork, the NSF250R offers optimal performance on the track. The primary objective of the championship is to identify and nurture talented riders, providing them with professional training. By offering a well-defined pathway, the IDEMITSU Honda Indian Talent Cup NSF250R paves the way for Indian riders to enter the realm of professional motorcycle racing.
The 2024 season will have five rounds beginning with the season opener at the Madras International Circuit(Chennai) from 14-16 June 2024. The third round is ongoing from 2-4 August 2024. Subsequent races i.e. 4th & 5th round will continue at the same venue, scheduled for September and October in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
ARRC
· Race 2 results of AsiaProduction 250cc class (AP250 class): Kavin Quintal and Mohsin Paramban finished today’s race at 18th and 23rd position, respectively.
Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit (Indonesia), 28 July 2024: The Race 2 of Round4 of the 2024 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship today witnessed the riders of IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team putting forward their effort and determination in the AP250 class race amidst the field of strong competitors at Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit in Indonesia.
Starting from the 27th position on the grid, the 19-year-old Chennai’s riding prodigy, Kavin Quintal, showcased his racing prowess by securing the 18th position with a total time of 18:23.701. Despite the challenging circumstances and strong competition, Kavin managed to stay steady and avoided any crash. He advanced through the ranks and demonstrated his strategic riding skills throughout the race today.
His teammate, Mohsin Paramban from Mallapuram, started today’s race from 21ston the grid and finished at the 23rdposition in Race 2 with a total time of 18:45.987. He displayed focus throughout the race. Despite facing intense competition and challenging race conditions, Mohsin navigated his way with determination and resilience. His calculated manoeuvres helped him complete the race.
Unfortunately, both the riders could not secure any points for the team in this round. TheIDEMITSU Honda Racing India team holds a cumulative total of 12 points across all four rounds of the 2024 Asia Road Racing Championship.
Quoteof IDEMITSU Honda Racing India riderKavin Quintal
"Today's race was indeed challenging, but I gave it my all and managed to climb a few positions. Starting from 27thon the grid and finishing 18th amidst such strong competition was a tough task. Each race is a learning experience, and I am gaining valuable insights with every lap. Round 4 did not go as we had expected. However, I am determined to keep improving, fine-tuning my strategies, and aim for better results in the upcoming rounds. The support from the team has been incredible, and I'm confident we will achieve greater milestones together."
Quoteof IDEMITSU Honda Racing India riderMohsin Paramban
“It was a tough race with intense competition and challenging conditions, but I focused on maintaining a steady pace and completing the race. Starting from 21st and finishing 23rd was not what I aimed for, but each race brings its own set of lessons. We did not gain points today but the encouragement and support from the team kept us motivated. We are staying positive and working hard to come back stronger in the next round. The journey is as important as the destination, and we are committed to making continuous progress.”
About 2024 FIM AsiaRoad Racing Championship (ARRC): The 27th edition of FIM Asia Road Racing Championship is Asia’s most competitive motorcycle road racing championship, held since 1996. The 2024 season will have six rounds beginning with the official test and season opener at the Chang International Circuit (Thailand) from15-17 March 2024. In April 2024, the Zhuhai International Circuit, China hosted the second leg and in June Round 3 was held at the Mobility ResortMotegi, Japan. The host venue for Round 4 is Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit in Indonesia. Round 5 and 6 will be held in September and December in Malaysia, and Thailand, respectively.
ARRC
· NSF250R Open Class Results: In Race 2, Siddesh Sawant clinched victory with SavionSabu finishing in second place and Beedani Rajender securing the third position.
Chennai, 04 August 2024: After witnessing an action-packed Race 1 yesterday, the young riders of Honda Racing India displayed an adrenaline-pumping performance in Race 2 of Round 3 of the 2024 IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R at MadrasInternational Circuit (MIC, previously known as Madras Motor Race Track) today in Chennai.
With engines revving and hearts racing, young riders displayed their racing prowess on the racetrack today. Race 2 was amalgamation of action and excitement showcased by Siddesh Sawant, the 22 year old from Kolhapur emerging as the undisputed leader of IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R category. He displayed his best skills on the track today and secured the first position with a total race time of 15:11.679 for 8 laps.He executed strategic maneuvers overtaking the other riders with precision, skill,and perfect timing.
Following closely was Savion Sabu, the 16 year old from Bangalore. From the start of the race, he displayed a strategic approach, pushing his limits and challenging his competitors with every lap. His aggressive racing style, combined with his strategic mind, made him secure the second position with a total race time of 15:14.661.
Finishing at third position was Beedani Rajender, the 19 year old from Hyderabad. His ability to maintain a high pace while strategically overtaking competitors demonstrated his understanding of race dynamics. He completed the 8-lap race with a total time of 15:25.784.
Unfortunately, four riders Mohsin Paramban, Prakash Kamat, Shyam Shundar, and Rakshitha S Dave could not finish the race.
IDEMITSUHonda India Talent Cup
The IDEMITSU HondaIndia Talent Cup is a prestigious platform designed to develop and nurture the next generation of riders for both national and international championships. It serves as a stepping-stone for young riders aspiring to reach higher levels of racing. The championship features Honda NSF250R motorcycles, purpose-built for Moto3 racing, providing a competitive platform. With its lightweight chassis, powerful engine, and aerodynamic bodywork, the NSF250R offers optimal performance on the track. The primary objective of the championship is to identify and nurture talented riders, providing them with professional training. By offering a well-defined pathway, the IDEMITSU Honda Indian Talent Cup NSF250R paves the way for Indian riders to enter the realm of professional motorcycle racing.
The 2024 season will have five rounds beginning with the season opener at the Madras International Circuit(Chennai) from 14-16 June 2024. The third round is ongoing from 2-4 August 2024. Subsequent races i.e.4th & 5th round will continue at the same venue, scheduled for September and October in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
HITC
NSF250R Open Class Race 2 Results: Displaying consistentand skilful performance, Mohsin Paramban crossed the chequered line in 1stposition. Savion Sabu and A.S. James clocked in at 2ndand 3rd positions, respectively.
Madras International Circuit, Chennai, 07 July 2024: The next-generation riders continued to showcase their impressive racing skills in Round 2 of the 2024 IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R in Chennai.
Taking charge again in Race 2, Mohsin Paramban set the track ablaze with his powerful performance, fully utilizing the potential of the Moto3-spec machine, the NSF 250R, throughout the 8-lap race.
With his calm and composed riding style, Mohsin continued to lead the race smoothly from the beginning. Drawing on his experience in both national and international races, he competed strongly and proved his mettle by clinching his first podium finish, completing the race with a total time of 15:07.015. He also recorded the best lap time of 1:52.236. With this win, Mohsin finished the entire round as the podium winner in both races.
In a neck-to-neck racing action, both young riders Savion Sabu and A.S. James from Bengaluru displayed their competitive skills and throttled fiercely to grab the second position. In a high-intensity race, it was Savion Sabu who moved quickly and crossed the chequered line in second place, finishing the race with a total time of 15:10.965.
Despite having an injury in his leg, A.S. James didn’t make any mistakes. With strong spirit, he finished in the third place, displaying remarkable consistency and composure. He completed the race with a total time of 15:15.953.
Unfortunately, two riders, Beedani Rajender from Hyderabad and Steve Waugh Sugi, couldn’t finish the race due to a crash.
IDEMITSU Honda India TalentCup
TheIDEMITSU Honda Indian Talent Cup NSF250R serves as a stepping-stone for young riders aspiring to reach higher levels of racing. The championship features Honda NSF250R motorcycles, purpose-built for Moto3 racing, providing a competitive platform. With its lightweight chassis, powerful engine, and aerodynamic bodywork, the NSF250R offers optimal performance on the track. The primary objective of the championship is to identify and nurture talented riders, providing them with professional training. By offering a well-defined pathway, the IDEMITSU Honda Indian Talent Cup NSF250R paves the way for Indian riders to enter the realm of professional motorcycle racing. The 2024 season will have five rounds beginning with the season opener at the Madras International Circuit (Chennai) from 14-16 June 2024. Subsequent races from the 5th to the 7th round will continue at the same venue, scheduled for July. The remaining races will be scheduled on August, September, and October in Chennai.
HITC
· NSF 250R Open class Race 2: 20-year-old Shyam Shundar dominated the track, securing first position, followed by Mohsin P in second and Rakshith S Dave in third
Madras International Circuit, Chennai, 16 June 2024: The young riders of Honda Racing India team showcased a thrilling display of racing prowess in Race 2 of 2024 IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R at the Madras International Circuit, Chennai today.
The young guns raced their finest to grab laurels in the championship, showing utmost confidence, and riding with poise on the race track. Today’s Race 2 was an exciting spectacle of action and excitement highlighted by Chennai’s Shyam Shundar emerging as the undisputed leader of IDEMITSU Honda IndiaTalent Cup NSF250R category displaying his best skills on the track. Additionally, the race today also witnessed a crash involving three riders.
Drawing on his previous racing experience and incorporating lessons learned, Shyam competed fiercely and emerged victorious, securing the first position with a total race time of 5:46.716. As the race progressed, Shyam executed thrilling manoeuvres that had everyone on the edge of their seats, overtaking Mohsin P and Rakshith S Dave with precision and skill. Starting from a challenging position, he steadily climbed up the ranks, strategically biding his time for the right moment to change the dynamic of the race. His strategic approach and resilience enabled him to maintain his lead and ultimately secure the first position. His victory is a testament to his skill, dedication, and unwavering commitment to the sport.
Mohsin P the 22 year old from Mallapuram and Rakshith SDave, the 16 year old from Chennai also put on a spectacular show of racing today at the track. Mohsin showcased exceptional speed and strategic expertise, ultimately clinching the second position after a gripping battle with Rakshith. With a precise move into the lead, Mohsin P secured the runner-up spot, clocking in with a race time of 5:47.106.
Rakshith S Dave, not far behind, narrowly missed the second spot by just 0.700 seconds, finishing in third place with an impressive race time of 5:47.806. Despite a challenging start that saw him drop from pole position to seventh in the opening lap, Rakshith demonstrated remarkable resilience and racing prowess, steadily climbing back up the ranks to secure his podium finish.
The trio's outstanding results highlight the HondaRacing India Team's strength and the promising future of Indian motorsports.
Commenting on today’s race, Mr. Yogesh Mathur, Director, Sales & Marketing, HondaMotorcycle & Scooter India, said,
"We are incredibly proud of our riders' performances in the inaugural round of the 2024 IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R. Shyam Shundar's victory, which came out of nowhere and was such a delightful surprise, along with the strong finishes by Mohsin P and Rakshith S Dave, demonstrates the exceptional talent and hard work of our team. Each of our riders displayed tremendous skill and perseverance, overcoming challenges and showcasing their dedication to the sport. This remarkable start is just the beginning, and we eagerly anticipate even greater success in the upcoming rounds. Our team’s performance today has set a new benchmark, and we are confident that with continued effort and determination, we will achieve even more outstanding results throughout the season."
Unfortunately, three riders, Raheesh Khatri, VigneshPothu and AS James could not finish the race as they met with a crash in lap 3. Additionally, Siddesh Sawant from Kolhapur was unable to participate in this round due to health reasons.
IDEMITSU Honda India TalentCup
TheIDEMITSU Honda Indian Talent Cup NSF250R serves as a stepping-stone for young riders aspiring to reach higher levels of racing. The championship features Honda NSF250R motorcycles, purpose-built for Moto3 racing, providing a competitive platform. With its lightweight chassis, powerful engine, and aerodynamic bodywork, the NSF250R offers optimal performance on the track. The primary objective of the championship is to identify and nurture talented riders, providing them with professional training. By offering a well-defined pathway, the IDEMITSU Honda Indian Talent Cup NSF250R paves the way for Indian riders to enter the realm of professional motorcycle racing.
The 2024 season will have five rounds beginning with the season opener at the MadrasInternational Circuit (Chennai) from 14-16 June 2024. Subsequent races from the 2nd to the 5th round will continue at the same venue, scheduled for July, August, September, and October in Chennai.
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ARRC
Mobility Resort Motegi, (Japan), 09 June 2024: The race 2 of round 3 of the 2024 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship today saw the riders of IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team showcasing consistency and strong determination in the AP250 class race at MobilityResort Motegi in Japan.
After securing valuable points for the team in race 1 yesterday, the Indian duo, Kavin Quintaland Mohsin Paramban, faced the challenges well and maintained steadiness in today’s race, but unfortunately, they couldn’t bag any points for the team.
In Race 2, Mohsin Paramban utilized his skills well to secure the position. Starting 20th on the grid, Mohsin remained consistent throughout the race. He applied his experience effectively and remained competitive among all the international riders. Executing strategic moves, he throttled well and finished the race in 17th position with a total time of 22’20.928. Unfortunately, he couldn’t earn any points for the team.
On the other hand, young talent Kavin Quintal,who started 18th on the grid, maintained steadiness throughout the race. Demonstrating his resilience and skills, he pushed harder to pose tough competition in this race as well. However, due to some mechanical issues with his machine, he had to leave the track in the 6th lap.
Quoteof IDEMITSU Honda Racing India rider KavinQuintal:
“Today, I started strong, but mechanical issues with my machine hampered my plans. Given yesterday’s results, I was confident of securing additional points in this race as well. Unfortunately, I was unable to finish the race. However, this round has also provided us with a lot of learning and I thank my team and trainers for supporting me. With a positive outlook, I am looking forward to better results in the upcoming rounds."
Quoteof IDEMITSU Honda Racing India riderMohsin Paramban:
“Today's race showed my improvement, even though I missed scoring points for the team. The competition was tough, so I focused on staying consistent. When Isaw Kavin drop out, I followed the pattern and finished without errors. This experience taught us a lot, and shall be enhancing our strategies for better results in the upcoming rounds.”
About 2024 FIM Asia RoadRacing Championship (ARRC): The 27th edition of FIM Asia Road RacingChampionship is Asia’s most competitive motorcycle road racing championship, held since 1996. The 2024 season will have six rounds beginning with the official test and season opener at the ChangInternational Circuit (Thailand) from 15-17 March 2024. In April 2024, the Zhuhai International Circuit, China hosted the second leg. The host venue for Round 3 in June 2024 is at the Mobility Resort Motegi, Japan. Round 4, 5 and 6 will be held in July, September and December in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, respectively.
ARRC
· AP250 class Race 1 of Round 2: A Consistent performance throughout the race resulted in Kavin crossing the chequered line in 11th position, winning 5 points for the team. Mohsin P finished the race in 20th position.
Zhuhai International Circuit (China), 20 April 2024: Making a significant mark in one of the toughest races of Asia, the IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team rider Kavin Quintal achieved another milestone in race 1 of round 2 of the 2024 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) in China today.
Maintaining steadiness and displaying finesse in an intense race, Kavin Quintal competed well and bagged another TOP 15 finish this season.
Displaying his best performance in the race, young rider Kavin Quintal gave strong competition to the international riders. Starting from 15th on the grid, Kavin began advancing in the initial laps. He maintained his composure and a steady pace throughout. In the final laps, he applied his learnings well and accelerated fast at the opportune moment, crossing the chequered line in 11th position without making any mistakes on the track. He completed the race with a total time of 19:03.094, earning five valuable points for the team.
Kavin’s teammate, Mohsin P, also showcased his full power on the race track today. Starting the race from the 23rd position, he competed fiercely and maintained his pace well to avoid any mistakes or crashes on the track. He finished the race in 20th position with a total time of 19:25.863. However, at this position, he scored no points for the team.
Quote of IDEMITSU Honda Racing India rider Kavin Quintal:
“I am satisfied with my performance today. China’s track is new to me, and my focus was to maintain positive momentum throughout. After witnessing multiple crashes on the track, my goal was to finish the race without making any mistakes and earn points for the team. Today, my previous learnings and the guidance from my instructors supported me in meeting all the challenges. With today’s score, we are motivated and hopeful for better results tomorrow.”
Quote of IDEMITSU Honda Racing India rider Mohsin Paramban:
I was expecting better results today. In the initial laps, I was confident and throttled well to secure a better position. However, the plan didn’t work as per my expectations today. I am happy that Kavin performed well and earned points for the team. Taking today’s learnings, I will enhance my strategies for tomorrow’s race and expect better results.”
About 2024 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC): The 27thedition of FIM Asia Road Racing Championship is Asia’s most competitive motorcycle road racing championship, held since 1996. The 2024 season will have six rounds beginning with the official test and season opener at the Chang International Circuit (Thailand) from 15-17 March 2024. In April 2024, the Zhuhai International Circuit, China will host the second leg. The host venue for Round 3 in June 2024 will be held at the Mobility Resort Motegi, Japan. Round 4, 5 and 6 will be held in July, September and December in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, respectively.
ARRC
AP250 class Race 2: IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team rider Kavin Quintal finishes race 2 today at 13thPosition, earning 3 points for the team. Teammate Mohsin P finishes at 16th Position.
Chang International Circuit (Thailand), 17 March 2024: Starting the season on a positive and making the country proud on International soil, IDEMITSUHonda Racing India team riders Kavin Quintal and Mohsin P completed round 1 of the 2024 Asia Road Racing Championship with valuable points for the team.
Today, the young lad Kavin Quintal made a significant mark and finished race 2 of the Asia Production 250cc (AP250cc)class of ARRC in the top 15. Starting 19th from the grid in the 10 laps race, Kavin started moving up from the first lap and remained consistent with his strong performance. Competing with the best of his skills and taking advantage of a few crashes on the track, he continued to move up and crossed the chequered line at 13th position with a total time of 19:09.553. His composure and steadiness during the race scored 3 points for the team.
Kavin’s teammate MohsinP also demonstrated his strong skills in today’s race. Starting the race from the 21st position, Mohsin competed fiercely and gave tough competition to the international riders. He also remained consistent throughout and made no mistake to finish today’s race at 16th position with a total time of 19:30.033. Unfortunately, he gained no points for the team.
Noteworthy, in the inaugural round of 2024 Asia Road Racing Championship, IDEMITSU Honda RacingIndia team earned a total of 5 points, including both the races.
Commenting on the finish of round 1, Mr. Yogesh Mathur, Director, Sales & Marketing, HondaMotorcycle & Scooter India, said,
"The Asia Road Racing Championship is one of the toughest races, and the results of the inaugural round display the true Honda'sracing DNA in our riders. We are delighted that our riders have laid a strong foundation during this round and poised to set new records this season. Kavinand Mohsin showcased exceptional determination, pushing their limits and securing valuable points for the team. Their confidence and resilience have brought laurels to the country. This round has provided invaluable learning experiences for our team, which we will apply in upcoming rounds to elevate our riders' techniques and strategic prowess."
Quote of IDEMITSUHonda Racing India rider Kavin Quintal:
“Yesterday was disappointing for me as I couldn’t make any mark, especially in the first race of the season. Today, I focused to utilize my skills and machine efficiently to score points for the team. Despite the track challenges, I stayed calm and consistent, which helped me finish in the top 15 and contribute points to the team’s kitty.”
Quote of IDEMITSUHonda Racing India rider MohsinParamban:
“Today was a bit tough for me as I started from the 21st position. My goal was to stay steady and climb up the ranks without any errors on the track. I competed fiercely with international riders and finished the race in 16th place. I've identified areas where I need to adjust my strategies for better performance in the next rounds.
About 2024 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship(ARRC): The 27th edition of FIM Asia Road Racing Championship is Asia’s most competitive motorcycle road racing championship, held since 1996. The 2024 season will have a total of six rounds beginning with the official test and season opener at the Chang International Circuit(Thailand) from 15-17 March 2024. In April 2024, the Zhuhai International Circuit, China will host the second leg. The host venue for Round 3 in June 2024 will be held at the Mobility Resort Motegi, Japan. Round 4, 5 and 6 will be held in July, September and December in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, respectively.
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ARRC
Secured 6 points in the final round of 2023 Asia Road Racing Championship
§ Asia Production 250cc class (AP250 class)Race 2: Kavin Quintal demonstrated strong performance in Race 2 crossing the chequered line at 10th position adding 6 points
Chang International Circuit (Buriram), 4 December 2023: The final round of 2023 Asia Road Racing Championship witnessed heart-pounding action and sheer determination as the riders of IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team battled it out on the tracks of Chang International Circuit (Buriram), Thailand in the Asia Production 250cc class (AP250 class).
The Indian duo, Kavin Quintal and Mohsin Paramban,showcased their riding prowess and resilience leaving a lasting impression during the 10 lap race in the 2023 Asian Road Racing Championship. In Race 2,starting from grid 11, Kavin Quintal put on an impressive show in the last race of the 2023 Asia Road Racing Championship and continued his quest for victory in the final round. The excitement intensified as he very strategically manuovered his way and pushed his limits on the track giving strong competition to other riders. He crossed the chequered line in the 10th position with a total time of 18 :56.590. Mean while his teammate Mohsin Paramban from Mallapuram unfortunately did not finish the Race 2 of AP250cc.
In Race 1, in the afternoon heat, Kavin Quintal exhibited unwavering focus and skill, maintaining consistency throughout the race. Despite facing challenges, Kavin showcased his prowess on the track, securing a strong position. Unfortunately, a mechanical failure in the last few laps prevented him from finishing the race. However, his performance until that point highlighted his commitment and racing prowess. Mohsin started the race from the 20th position. Through strategic moves and expert throttling, Mohsin secured the 16th position, proving his mettle against tough competition on the track.
With the end of Round 2, The IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team has earned additional 6 valuable points, bringing their total to 33 points in the 2023 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC).
Commenting on today’s race, Mr. Yogesh Mathur, Director, Sales & Marketing, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, said,“Kavin Quintal and Mohsin Paramban demonstrated exceptional skills and determination throughout the 2023 Asia Road Racing Championship. Despite the challenges faced, their performances reflect the true spirit of racing DNA. Kavin Quintal navigated his way throught the tough competitors and secured the top 10 finish.We are proud to have them represent HMSI, and we look forward to more thrilling races ahead in the near future. They have kept their calm and exhibited their racing prowess and performace. They have been trained well and the entire Honda Racing India team is proud of their strong representation on the international soil in the 2023 season."
Quote of IDEMITSU Honda Racing India rider Kavin Quintal:
“Despite the challenges, I am proud of the effort and dedication I had put into the finale race today. In the final race, I gave it my all and secured the 10th position, which is a testament to the hard work of my team and me.This experience only motivates me further to push my limits and aim for even better results in future races. I appreciate the unwavering support from my team and eagerly look forward to showcasing an even stronger performance in the races to come.”
Quote of IDEMITSU Honda Racing India rider Mohsin Paramban:
“In Race 2, I was determined to make a stronger impact, and despite starting from a challenging position, I fought my way through the competition but unfortunately could not finish the race. Every race teaches me some thing new, and I am focused on refining my skills. I appreciate the support from the Honda team, and I am determined to continually improve and deliver better performances in the future.”
ARRC
Kavin Quintal adds 6 points in Round 5 of Asia Production 250cc class Race
§ Asia Production 250cc class (AP250 class) Race 1: Kavin Quintal showed his racing prowess and finished Race 1 at 14th position securing 2 points, whereas Mohsin Paramban completed the race at 17th position
§ Asia Production 250cc class (AP 250 class) Race 2: Kavin Quintal demonstrated strong performance in Race 2 crossing the chequered line at 12th position adding 4 points; Mohsin finished the race at 18th position.
Zhuhai International Circuit (China), 5th November 2023: As the excitement peaked amidst the intense competition in Race 2 of Round 5 of the 2023 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC), the IDEMITSU Honda India Racing team came to a climatic conclusion securing a total of 4 points at the Zhuhai International Circuit in China.
The Indian duo, Kavin Quintal and Mohsin Paramban displayed their remarkable skills and unwavering determination, showcasing consistent performance for the IDEMITSU Honda India Racing team.
In Race 1 of Round 5, Kavin Quintal maintained complete focus against all the international riders in the challenging 10-lap race. However, despite a minor collision with another international rider international rider at Lap 5,Kavin fearlessly continued to compete and crossed the chequered line at the 14th position with a total time of 19:11.505. In the final round today, Kavin displayed his racing prowess once again and raced his way to the 12th position with a total time of 18:53.358, earning 4 valuable championship points for the team.
On the other hand,teammate Mohsin Paramban too exhibited his best skills and gave tough competition on the track. In Race 1, he remained consistent with his performance and demonstrated his resilience and techniques. He finished the race at 17th position. In Race 2, while facing stiff competition from the other competitors,he held his ground and secured the 18th position in this challenging race with a total time of 19:21.802.Unfortunately, no points were gained by Mohsin at this position.
With the end of Round 2, The IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team has earned additional 6 valuable points, bringing their total to 27 points thus far in the 2023 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC).
Quote of Mr. Yogesh Mathur, Director, Sales & Marketing, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India,
“The overall round was very competitive, and our riders did really well on the track. I am happy that Kavin and Mohsin gave their best and finished the race without any mishaps. They kept their spirits high until the very end and exhibited their racing prowess. In the last race, they did a great job, earning 4 points for the team. After looking at how they performed in Round 5, we will curate our racing strategies accordingly to do even better in the final race in Thailand. We believe in learning from our mistakes and help our riders get even better with proper guidance fromour professional Honda instructors.”
Quote of IDEMITSU Honda Racing India rider Kavin Quintal:
“Today was a tough battle for everyone. I gave it my all and managed to gain some valuable points for my team. In Race 1 & Race 2 saw high intense competition, which helped me, see where we need to change our strategies to do better in the final race in Thailand. I want to thank my instructors for their constant support. This race has only fuelled my determination to keep getting better and will continue giving my best at the international soil.”
Quote of IDEMITSU Honda Racing India rider Mohsin Paramban:
“Race 2 was a real test of my skills and resilience. The competition was fierce, but I held my ground and finished in the 18th position. While it might not have been the result I had hoped for, it is all part of the learning experience in the world of racing. My aim was to stay strong throughout the race. As the race became more competitive, I maintained my calm and moved consistently to finish the race. Every race is a chance to grow and refine my abilities, and I'm determined to keep working hard and improving with each race.”
The IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team will now look forward to the last round of 2023 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship that will take place in Thailand from 01-03 December 2023.
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HITC
With dazzling performance throughout, Kavin bags 175 Points in the season
Race 2 Highlights:
· Displaying exceptional prowess on the track, Kavin Quintal clinched the first position in the final race, securing a double victory in the round
· Johann Emmanuel and Mohsin P secured second and third position respectively
Chennai, 23 October 2023: The 2023 season of IDEMITSU Honda Indian Talent Cup NSF250R comes to a close today at the Madras International Circuit in Chennai. Starting the season with high spirits, the young riders of the Honda Racing India Team concluded it with many new experiences and learnings for the team.
Kavin Quintal, the 18-year-old from Chennai, exhibited the true racing DNA of Honda, leading the entire season with an adrenaline rush. During the season, Kavin finished the races with 9 wins.
In the final 8-lap race of the IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R, riders fiercely competed for the podium finish. Kavin Quintal, displaying remarkable performance, started strong and maintained a fast pace, crossing the checkered line in the first position with a total time of 15:09.312. Overall,he earned 175 points in the season.
In the intense battle for the 2nd position were Johann Emmanuel, Mohsin P, and Rakshith Dave. In the competition for P2,Johann Emmanuel executed the most decisive move, showcasing brilliant speed a she grabbed the second position from Rakshith Dave in the second last lap. He completed the race with a total time of 15:14.912.
The last lap turned more intense for the third position. In the neck to neck competition between Mohsin P and Rakshith Dave,it was Mohsin P who made no mistake and throttled well to win the third position from Rakshith with a total time of 15:14.974. Mohsin missed the second position with a difference of only 0.062 seconds.
Speaking about the 2023 season, Mr. Yogesh Mathur,Director, Sales & Marketing, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India said, “We are pleased with the performances of our young champions this season. This year has brought new achievements as well as valuable lessons for the team that will enhance our riders’ performance in the upcoming seasons. Kavin Quintal made new records and demonstrated consistency in every round and race. Our other riders also spared no effort in showcasing remarkable performance. Today, we witnessed Mohsin Pand Johann Emmanuel executing brilliant moves to secure the top spots. With the experience gained this season, our riders will return home equipped with new skills and techniques, ready to set new milestones next year.”
IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup
The IDEMITSU Honda Indian Talent Cup NSF250R serves as a stepping-stone for young riders aspiring to reach higher levels of racing. The championship features Honda NSF250R motorcycles, purpose-built for Moto3 racing, providing a competitive platform.With its lightweight chassis, powerful engine, and aerodynamic bodywork, the NSF250R offers optimal performance on the track. The primary objective of the championship is to identify and nurture talented riders, providing them with professional training. By offering a well-defined pathway, the IDEMITSU Honda Indian Talent Cup NSF250R paves the way for Indian riders to enter the realm of professional motorcycle racing.
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ARRC
§ Asia Production 250cc class (AP250 class) Race 1: The Indian duo, Kavin Quintal and Mohsin P finished Race 1 at 16th and 22nd position respectively.
§ Asia Production 250cc class (AP250 class) Race 2: Kavin Quintal demonstrated strong performance in Race 2 crossing the chequered line at 14th position adding 2 points; Mohsin finished the race at 19thposition.
Mandalika International Street Circuit (Indonesia),13 August 2023: Amidst an intense competition in Race 2 of Round 4 of the 2023 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC), the IDEMITSU Honda India Racing team wraps up the culminating round today, securing a total of 2 points at the Mandalika International Street Circuit in Indonesia.
The solo Indian team’s rider Kavin Samaar Quintal upped his game and displayed strong performance in the final race today. In Race 1, he exhibited a resolute start and he finished the race at 16th position with a total laptime of 18:21.505, unfortunately gaining no points for the team. However, he showcased his mettle in the final race today as he maintained his steadiness. Crossing the chequered line with speed and precision, he clinched the 14th position in Race 2, clocking a lap time of 18:17.388. In the midst of a highly competitive championship, he maintained his composure and adeptly maneuvered through the circuit's challenges, ultimately clinching the team 2 valuable points in the championship.
On the other hand, Kavin’s fellow teammate Mohsin Paramban from Mallapuram had put in a fighting ride to finish the Race 1 of AP250cc in 22nd position. Demonstrating his resilience and skill, he advanced by three positions and clinched the 19th spot, clocking a lap time of 18:53.400 in the final race today.
With the end of Round 2, The IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team has earned an additional two valuable points, bringing their total to 21 points thus far in the 2023 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC).
Quote of Mr.Yogesh Mathur, Director, Sales & Marketing, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India,
“The overall round was very intense. Our riders delivered commendable performances on the track. I am glad that Kavin and Mohsin put in their best efforts and displayed unwavering determination to finish the race smoothly without any mishaps. After a thorough analysis of yesterday's performance, we revamped our strategies to enhance our performance in Race 2. Both riders truly showcased their riding prowess skills and grit in this round. We continuously learn from our mistakes from each round and help our riders refine their riding techniques with proper guidance provided by the Honda instructors. Our team's determination remains strong as we set our sights higher for the upcoming rounds.”
Quote of IDEMITSU Honda Racing India rider Kavin Quintal:
"Race 2 was a true test of my skill and endurance. I gave my best on the track and put forward all my learnings from yesterday’s race. I am going to review my today’s performance and come up with better strategies for the next round. My primary focus was to remain steady and take all the opportunities at the right time in moving forward. Despite the multiple crashes on the track, I kept my cool and remained consistent to finish the race and gain points for my team. I am grateful for the support of the entire HMSI team to give me such an opportunity to prove our mettle at the international soil.”
Quote of IDEMITSU Honda Racing India rider Mohsin Paramban:
"The competition was fierce today and I gave my best today on the tracks. I am honoured to representHMSI and eager to continue refining my skills to achieve even better results in the future. I have learned a lot from this round, and I am going to work even harder for better results. Working along with our instructors, we will be refining our strategies to compete effectively on the international stage and bring glory to our country. “
The TheIDEMITSU Honda Racing India team will now look forward to the fifth round of 2023 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship that will take place in China from 06-08 October 2023.
HITC
· Race1: KavinQuintal, AS James and Prakash Kamat secures 1-2-3 positions in Race 1 ofIDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF 250R Open class
· Race 2: Shyam Sundar claimshis first victory in category followed by AS James in 2nd positionand Raheesh Khatri at 3rd position.
Chennai, 11 July 2023: Exhibiting the trueracing DNA of Honda, the young lads of IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup onceagain proved their mettle in round 2 of 2023 IDEMITSU Honda India Talent CupNSF250R at Madras Motor Racetrack (MMRT) in Chennai.
Over the weekend, millennial riders showcasedexceptional confidence and composed riding on purpose-built Honda NSF250Rmotorcycles. These motorcycles, designed specifically for Moto3 racing, offereda competitive platform for the riders to excel and pursue higher levels ofracing.
Race 1 of round 2 of 2023 IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250Rwitnessed Chennai’s 18-year-old Kavin Quintal crossing the chequered line atfirst position with a total lap time of 11:11.508. With his international exposure and unique riding techniques, he furtherrecorded the best lap time of 1:50.431.
Trailing closely behind Kavin was AS James, who secured the second position with a total lap time of 11:22.881.The battle for third position unfolded fiercely between Prakash Kamat and Shyam Sundar, where the former clinched the third spot with a total lap time of11:28.859.
Race 2 again started with full action pack.The 8-lap race of IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R saw Shyam Sundar, AJJames and Raheesh Khatri riding fearlessly for top positions as Kavin Quintalmet with a crash in the first lap. Utilising his skills and timing, ShyamSundar rose to glory by clinching the first position by completing the racewith a total lap time of 15:21.396. With this, he marked his first win inthis category.
Giving him a tough competitionto the finish line was AS James who finished the race in second position with atotal lap time of15:21.779, missing the first position by merely 0.383seconds. Marking his first-ever podium finish in the category was Mumbai’sRaheesh Khatri who completed the race in third position with a total lap time of 15:22.353 andrecorded the bestlap time of 1:52.034.
Satisfied with riders’performance in today’s race, Mr. Yogesh Mathur, Director,Sales & Marketing, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India said,“I am delighted to witness the incredibletalent exhibited by all the young riders in this round. These riders have beengroomed from a very young age, nurtured with utmost care and support by theHonda Racing India team. This round was again exciting as all of them displayedtheir best skills and pushed boundaries to mark new achievements. While Kavingot crashed at the beginning of today’s race, Shyam emerged as another strongcontender and claimed his first win in this category. We are looking forward tomore achievements in the coming races.”
IDEMITSU Honda IndiaTalent Cup
The IDEMITSU Honda Indian Talent Cup NSF250R serves as astepping-stone for young riders aspiring to reach higher levels of racing. Thechampionship features Honda NSF250R motorcycles, purpose-built for Moto3racing, providing a competitive platform. With its lightweight chassis,powerful engine, and aerodynamic bodywork, the NSF250R offers optimalperformance on the track. The primary objective of the championship is to identifyand nurture talented riders, providing them with professional training. Byoffering a well-defined pathway, the IDEMITSU Honda Indian Talent Cup NSF250Rpaves the way for Indian riders to enter the realm of professional motorcycleracing.
ARRC
· AP250 class Race 2: Making a significant mark, Kavin Samaar Quintalfinishes the race 2 of Round 3 of 2023 ARRC at 8th Position; earning 8 valuable points for the team
Sportsland SUGO (Japan), 25 June 2023: Bringing laurels for the country on international soil, the IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team rider Kavin Samaar Quintal bagged another achievement for the team in race 2 of round 3 of the 2023 FIM Asia RoadRacing Championship (ARRC) in Japan today.
Maintaining steadiness and displaying finesse performance in one of the most challenging tracks, solo Indian team rider Kavin Samaar Quintal competed well in finishing the race at TOP 10.
Starting 18th from the grid today, Kavin kept his cool and applied all his learnings and strategies in giving tough competition to all the experienced international riders. Riding from the back with full throttle, he moved 11th position in the first few laps. Further showing positive momentum and riding fearlessly, he crossed the chequered line at 8th position with a total lap time of 20’ 24.717, earning 8 valuable points for the team.
TheIDEMITSU Honda Racing India team has further solidified its position in the 2023FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) by securing an additional 8 points in round 3, elevating the overall tally to an impressive 19 points.
Quote of Mr.Yogesh Mathur, Director Sales & Marketing, Honda Motorcycle & ScooterIndia:
“TodayKavin has demonstrated one of his finest performances in beating all the challenges and making the team proud with the TOP 10 finish. Despite starting from the back row on the grid, Kavin showed great zeal and strong passion to compete fearlessly with other international riders and gained top positions, thus earning valuable points for the team. I am confident that in the upcoming rounds, our team will further intensify their efforts with enhanced strategies in creating new achievements.”
Quote of IDEMITSU Honda Racing India rider Kavin Quintal:
“Today I am satisfied with my performance and thank Honda for their invaluable guidance and coaching, which has significantly enhanced my skills to compete against international riders. Yesterday, I was dissatisfied with my performance and just wanted to push harder to earn points for the team. Today, my focus was to remain steady and attain all the opportunities at the right time in moving forward. Despite the multiple crashes on the track, I kept my cool and remained consistent to finish the race in TOP 10. Taking home, the learning from this round, I shall be practicing more in solidifying my positions in the upcoming round.”
The IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team will now look forward to the fourth round of 2023 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship which will take place in Japan from 11-13 August,2023.
HITC
· 5 new riders will showcase their riding skills in 2023 IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R
New Delhi, 01 June 2023: Unveiling the young star riders for 2023 challenge, Honda Racing India today announced its riders’ squad for IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cupset to kick off this weekend at Kari Motor Speedway in Coimbatore.
The 2023 season of the IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup is set to deliver exhilarating racing action and provide a sneak peek into the promising future of motorcycle racing in India. The five-round season will showcase a remarkable line-up of 14 talented young riders, representing the prestigious Honda team, as they take on the Moto3 race machine - the NSF250R. Additionally, the team has welcomed five new riders who have demonstrated their skill and successfully progressed from the CBR150R novice category.
TheIDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup serves as a platform dedicated to developing and nurturing the next generation of riders for both national and international championships. This esteemed motorcycle-racing event promises to showcase the exceptional talent and potential of Honda's aspiring racers. As they compete for glory, these young riders have the opportunity to leave a lasting impact on the national racing circuit in Coimbatore.
Commenting on the upcoming season, Mr. Tsutsumu Otani -President, CEO & Managing Director, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, said, “The IDEMITSU Honda IndiaTalent Cup is a testament to our unwavering dedication in nurturing young talent and fostering the growth of motorcycle racing in India. With our objectives firmly in focus, this platform has played a pivotal role in shaping the future of racing in the country. It offers young riders a valuable opportunity to excel, refine their skills, and unleash their full potential.
Speaking on the 2023 season, Mr. Yogesh Mathur, Director - Sales & Marketing, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India said, “We are eagerly looking forward to witnessing the exceptional talent of our young riders in the upcoming IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup this weekend. Their consistently remarkable performances in the previous rounds have heightened our anticipation for their upcoming races. With their unwavering determination and relentless dedication, these young riders are well-prepared to deliver astonishing performances on the national stage. Equipped with theNSF250R, the ultimate Moto3 machine featuring a combination of power, agility, and advanced technologies. I have complete confidence in their abilities, and I am thrilled to witness their incredible potential unfold in the upcoming races."
Rider line-up for IDEMITSU Honda IndiaTalent Cup
In the 2023 season of the IDEMITSU HondaIndia Talent Cup NSF250R, 14 young and talented riders will take the helm of Honda’s esteemed Moto3 machine. Among them are Kavin Quintal (18 yrs), Shyam Shundar (19 years), Rakshith S Dave (14 years), Theopaul Leander (22 years) from Chennai, Mohsin P (20 yrs) fromMallapuram, AS James (21 yrs) and Samuel Martin (23 yrs) from Bangalore, PrakashKamat (19 yrs) from Bokaro Steel City and Vivek Rohit Kapadia (20 yrs) from Belgaum.
Joining them will be Raheesh Khatri (15 yrs) from Mumbai, Siddesh Sawant (21yrs) from Uttur, Harshit Bogar (19 yrs) from Bangalore, Shyam Babu (19 yrs) from Chennai and BeedaniRajendera (18 yrs) from Hyderabad have been promoted from CBR150R Cup.
ARRC
· AP 250class Race 1: A consistent performance throughout the 8 laps resulted in Kavin crossing the chequered line at 14th place, adding 2 points; Mohsin finished the race at 17th position.
· AP 250 Class Race 2: Mohsin exhibited consistency until a crash in the last lap, while Kavin had to drop out early due to mechanical issues with his machine.
Sepang InternationalCircuit (Malaysia), 15 May 2023: The IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team wraps up the action packed round 2 of 2023 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC)with overall 2 points. The hot and sweltering weather condition at the SepangInternational Circuit coupled with sizzling competition made today’s AsiaProduction 250cc (AP250cc) an even more challenging affair.
The solo Indian team’s rider Kavin Samaar Quintal had put together a consistent performance in yesterday’s AP250cc race 1. After making a good start from 16th position, the 17-year-old rider couldn’t surge ahead till the 5th lap. By lap 6 he overtook 1 rider. Keeping calm and maintaining his pace, the young lad from Chennai finished in 14th – just on the edge of the points as several riders ahead made mistakes. His best lap of 2:27.647 earned him and the team 2 valuable points in the championship.
Fresh from his 16th place qualifier and 14th place finish in yesterday’s outing, Kavin was keen to make a forward step in today’s race 2 but he could not finish the race after his bike developed a technical snag in lap 2 and he returned to the pits.
Kavin has notched up2 points in round 2 here at the Sepang International Circuit maintaining his presence in top 15 in championship overall.
On the other hand, his fellow teammate Mohsin Paramban from Mallapuram had put in a fighting ride to finish the race 1 of AP250cc in 17th position3 places higher than his qualifying position of 20th. Despite a good start which pushed the 20-year-old rider 1 position ahead to 18th by 2nd lap of today’s race 2, an overtake by another rider during the 3rd ap pulled him down to 19th. From thereon he continued to maintain his position until the last lap where he crashed out due to an attempt to chase another rider ahead of him. Unfortunately, the rookie rider couldn’t score any point in the Sepang round.
With the end of round 2, The IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team has earned an additional two valuable points, bringing their total to 11 points thus far in the 2023 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC).
Quote of Mr. Tsutsumu Otani - President, CEO& Managing Director, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India - “It’s not the weekend the team was hoping for. The hot temperatures of the weekend made everything more critical. The round started on a positive note for both Kavin and Mohsin but race 2 brought various challenges for them. Each round presents new opportunities for growth &experience, and I am confident that our team will learn from these challenges and improve their performance in the upcoming rounds. We are still in the early stages. Our riders will continue to refine their skills and work towards earning more valuable points for the team.”
Quote of IDEMITSU HondaRacing India rider Kavin Quintal - “This round didn’t happen as per my expectations. Although I made a good start with Race 1 and earned points for the team, the mechanical issues in Race 2 spoiled my plans. Taking the learnings from the last round, I was positive enough to finish this round with better performance and results. However, I could not match my target. Taking this round in good spirits, I am excited for the next round in Japan. With more learning, we will enhance our strategies and techniques to stay committed to our prime objective.”
Quote of IDEMITSU HondaRacing India rider Mohsin Paramban - “It was a tough round for me. Though I was steady throughout both race 1 & 2 but the crash in today’s race was beyond my expectations. After Kavin’s dropout today, my focus was to remain consistent. I tried to maintain a consistent pace throughout the race. However, this round had some other plans. Still, this is not the end of the show. This race’s loss has brought more motivation amongst us. I shall be working more on my weak points and return stronger in the next round in Japan, which is a dream track for every Honda rider.”
TheIDEMITSU Honda Racing India team will now look forward to the third round of2023 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship which will take place at Sportsland SugoInternational Circuit (Japan) on 23 -25 June 2023.
ARRC
· FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) Asia Production 250cc class (AP250 class): The Indian duo of Kavin Quintal and Mohsin P continue to climb ranks in second race of AP250 of ARRC with 11th and 13th place finish respectively in today’s race.
· Honda Thailand Talent Cup (TTC): Finishing 11th in today’s race, Raheesh Khatri adds another 5 points. With total 10 points in his kitty, the Mumbai lad records new best finish by an Indian rider in maiden round of TTC.
Chang International Circuit (Thailand), 26 March 2023: Today turned out to be another day of gaining valuable points for IDEMITSU Honda India Racing team. The duo of Honda’s solo Indian team - Kavin Quintal and Mohsin Paramban flaunted their riding techniques in the second race of FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) AP 250 class at Buriram as they gained spot in Top 13.
Indian team’s performance in AP 250 class (race 2) of ARRC:
Riding fiercely from 17th position start on the grid, Kavin climbed up by one position in first lap itself. Slowly increasing the speed lap-by-lap, the 17-year-old rider from Chennai reached P12 by the end of seventh lap. However, he dropped back to P13 in laps 8 and 9. But he upped his pace in last lap and switched places with the nearest Japanese rider Chihiro Ishi to finally finish the race at P12. Due to disqualification of one rider, Kavin has earned 11th place in today’s race, thus adding 5 points. His total points tally at the end of Round 1 has reached to 6 points.
Supporting Kavin in today’s race was his teammate Mohsin. Starting from 21st position on the grid of 22 riders, Mohsin made a good start overtaking four riders by end of fist lap. For the next 3, Mohsin was riding in P16. In lap 5, Indonesian rider Veda Ega Pra Tama pushed him back to 17th place. But challenging himself, the 20-year-old rider maintained his cool and ultimately was the 14th to cross the chequered line. As one of the riders got disqualified, Mohsin has moved up to 13th place on leader and earned 3 points.
With the end of inaugural Thai round today, Honda’s solo Indian team has earned total 9 points in the AP250cc class.
Satisfied with the results in the first round, Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj, Operating Officer – Brand and Communication, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India said, “As a new squad both in ARRC and TTC, the Indian team is emerging as a serious challenger. Kavin, the face of new, confident and aggressive young Indian riders, has created a strong base in ARRC and added 6 points for the team. His rookie team mate Mohsin also pushed hard and added another 3 points in the kitty of Indian team. On the other hand, India’s youngest rider Raheesh has created a new record in by grabbing 10 points in the inaugural round itself. Sadly, Shyam Sundar could not race in this round due to his injury but I’m confident that he will come back stronger and wiser. Thailand is just the start of a long season. We have to keep our focus high and aim higher for the next round in Malaysia.”
Sharing thoughts on today’s performance, the IDEMITSU Honda India Racing’s Kavin Quintal said:
“Today my focus was to go beyond and achieve better than yesterday to bring additional points for the team. My strategy was to remain consistent and push hard on the track at the right time. In each lap, I tried to enhance my performance and achieved desirable results. Learning from round 1, I shall prepare harder for upcoming rounds to stay strong in the race.”
Delighted with his performance today, the IDEMITSU Honda India Racing’s Mohsin Paramban said:
“I am thrilled with my 13th place finish in the race today. Though I was moved back to P17 in second half of the race but I kept my calm till the last lap and was able to make some good passes. I have marked my strong as well as weak areas to work on. For the upcoming rounds, my target is to achieve better results.”
Next-gen riders’ performance in Honda Thailand Talent Cup (TTC) 2023:
Showing splendid performance in Thailand Talent Cup (Honda’s development program for Asian riders run on NSF250R), the 15-year-old Raheesh Khatri remained consistent throughout his maiden round. Starting 14th on the grid, Raheesh gave tough competition to other 15 international riders and quickly moved to 12th place in first few laps. Thereon, making no mistake on the track, he finished the race in 11th position with a total lap time of 28:43.649, bringing another 5 points. In round 1 of the Honda Thailand Talent Cup, Raheesh has scored 10 points for himself and the team. Unfortunately, his teammate Shyam Sundar did not start the race due to injury on his shoulder.
TTC
Becomes the FIRST Indian rider to secure podium finish at TTC
Chang International Circuit (Buriram), 10 May 2022: Exhibiting trueracing passion and making India proud on international soil, Honda Racing India rider Sarthak Chavan sets a new record by securing podium finish at Thailand Talent Cup 2022 Round 2. It is for the first time ever in the history of Honda Racing India that an Indian rider has achieved this remarkable triumph.
Show casing his riding skills at the Chang International Circuit in Buriram (Thailand) last weekend, the 15-year-old lad from Pune meticulously maneuvered his way in race 2 of the round to reach at top 5 after his 12th position start onthe grid. Giving a tough fight to the competition even under wet conditions, Sarthak boldly took on the finest of Asian riders, thus finishing the race at third place with just 0.583 seconds behind the race leader.
Sarthak’s teammate Kavin Quintal (16-year-old) too showed the might of confident young Indian rider in the race. Starting 15th on the grid of 16 riders, the Chennai boy made a good start and overtook 5 riders in lap 1 itself. From there till the end of race 2, Kavin persevered through the stiff competition and closed at 9th position with the total time of 29:50.642.
Sharing an overview on performance by Indian riders in round 2, Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj, Operating Officer -Brand & Communications, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India said, “We are extremely happy with results of our riders in Round 2. Both Sarthak and Kavin showcased stellar performance& fighting spirit on the international soil. Sathak Chavan has made us all proud as it is for the first time in history of Honda India racing that an Indian rider took a podium position at the Thailand Talent Cup. Also, this victory is a testimony of how our riders are consistently climbing up the ladder and getting ready for the international arena.”
Honda Racing India’s performance in Thailand Talent Cup 2022
The Honda Racing India team entered the second round of Thailand Talent Cup 2022with a total of 13 points. After securing 12th & 15thplace on the grid in qualifying race of round 2, Sarthak Chavan and Kavin Quintal showed aggression in race 1 and climbed up to finish at 9thand 13th position respectively. With this, Sarthak added 6 pointsand Kavin 4 points to his kitty.
Continuing to display the power of young India, the duo of Indian riders finished the race 2 in Top 10 (Sarthak at 3rd and Kavin at 9th), thus adding 32 points for the team. With the end of round 2 of Thailand Talent Cup 2022, Sarthak Chavan now holds total of 35 points while his teammate Kavin Quintal has 10 points in his kitty.
Quote of IDEMITSU Honda Racing India rider Sarthak Chavan:
“I am very happy with my performance in this round as I was able to give mymaximum on the track. With learnings from last round and training with my mentors, I achieved 3rd place on the podium. This win has boosted my confidence and I will continue to fight hard to bring more laurels for thecountry.”
Quote of IDEMITSU Honda Racing India rider Kavin Quintal:
“This round was all about learnings for me. The competition is very tough here. Personally, I am humbled withmy performance in this round as I was able to earn points for the team. My aimis to improve my race craft and further better my results in upcoming rounds.”
HITC
Sixth straight win for Pune’s Sarthak Chavan & Mumbai’s Raheesh Khatri in 2022 IDEMTISU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R & CBR150R respectively
· International rider Sarthak Chavan clocks his personal best lap of 1:48.258 in IDEMTISU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R
· Double second & third place finish for Chennai’s duo Kavin Quintal & Shyam Sundar in NSF250R category of talent cup
· Rajender Beedani & Harshith V Boggar completes the IDEMTISU Honda India Talent Cup CBR150R race 2 podium on second & third
· Allwin Xavier grabs another win in Honda Hornet 2.0 One Make Support race, followed by Sudheer Sudhakar on second and G Balaji on third
Chennai, 7 August 2022: As the day 2 of 2022 MRFMMSC FMSCI Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship Round 3 came to a close today, 20 next-gen millennial riders shined through on track with their power packed performances.
Today’s race of the IDEMITSU Honda Talent Cup NSF250R witnessed Pune’s Sarthak Chavan once again rising to victory with a massive lead of 22 seconds. Displaying his magic on the track, it was 14-year-old Mumbai teenager Raheesh Khatri who maintained his dominance and won the IDEMITSU Honda TalentCup CBR150R race. After the end of Round 3, both Sarthak & Raheesh continue to reign as the championship leaders in NSF250R & CBR150 categories.
Speaking on round 3, Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj - Operating Officer, Brand & Communication, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India. said, “We are extremely happy to see our young guns fight with such grit and glory. It is commendable that Sarthak and Raheesh continue to dominate the IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R and CBR150R categories. Both the riders have show cased their true potential and I can see them soaring higher from here on. While it may not have been a favourable day for the team in the Pro-Stock 165cc category as our riders crashed out, we aren’t by any means deflated about the out come. I am certain that our riders will take this as another learning and certainly rise to the occasion next time.”
Leading the chargeof Honda in PS165cc class of national championship was ASK Honda racing’s Abhishek Vasudev who sprang from the bottom to battle among the top contenders. Intelligently cruising through the turns, Abhishek fought his hardest to close the race on the 4th place, earning valuable points for the team.
It was a hard day for the IDEMTISU Honda SK69 racing team. Veteran rider Rajiv Sethu had a good start but crashed out after lap 2 leading to his untimely dismissal from the race. Rajiv’s teammate Senthil Kumar had difficulties with the bike and retired early from the race.
IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF 250R and CBR 150R
The 37 kms long race of IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF 250R the international rider Sarthak Chavan smoothly sailed throught wists and turns of the track clocking his personal fastest lap time of 1:48:258. He further engraved his name on top as he jetted off to the first position with a 20 second lead over Kavin Quintal. Kavin crossed the line atsecond place with total time of 18:41.408. Joining them on the podium is Chennai’s Shyam Sundar who kept hold of the third place, finishing the race in 18:45.910.
The thrilling race of IDEMITSU Honda Indian Talent Cup CBR150R saw Jangaon’s Rajender Beedani constantly giving atough fight to championship leader Raheesh Khatri for top spot on the podium. After a quick start, Raheesh immediately built his lead but Rajender’s unexpected move in lap 4 reduced their gap. However, Raheesh’s calm and composed riding ontrack got him his sixth win of the season with total time of 12:49.567. Displaying finesse in his riding, Rajender Beedani closed in after 0.282 seconds Raheeshand recorded the best lap of 2:06.304. Whereas, Bengaluru’s Harshith V Bogar secured third position (total time: 13:01.044)
Honda Hornet 2.0 One Make Support Race
In today’s Honda Hornet 2.0 One Make Support race, all riders attempted to catch up the front lot to fight for the top. The race saw multiple movements but Allwin Xavier’s mammoth effort in defending his top spot led him to win another race of the weekend. He finished the race with total time of 13:23.706 and best lap of 2:12.206. The battle for second place on podium between Delhi’s Sudheer Sudhakar & Chennai’s G Balaji stretched till the finish line. Submitting constant smart moves, Sudheer made excellent use of the turns to overtake other riders and quickly moved to second after his fifth place start in lap 1 itself. There after, he was held ina neck-to-neck battle with G Balalji. In a photo finish race, it was Sudheer who grabbed second place, leaving behind G Balaji on third with a mere difference 0.028 seconds.
HOMR
Sixth straight win for Pune’s Sarthak Chavan & Mumbai’s Raheesh Khatri in 2022 IDEMTISU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R & CBR150R respectively
· International rider Sarthak Chavan clocks his personal best lap of 1:48.258 in IDEMTISU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R
· Double second & third place finish for Chennai’s duo Kavin Quintal & Shyam Sundar in NSF250R category of talent cup
· Rajender Beedani & Harshith V Boggar completes the IDEMTISU Honda India Talent Cup CBR150R race 2 podium on second & third
· Allwin Xavier grabs another win in Honda Hornet 2.0 One Make Support race, followed by Sudheer Sudhakar on second and G Balaji on third
Chennai, 7 August 2022: As the day 2 of 2022 MRFMMSC FMSCI Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship Round 3 came to a close today, 20 next-gen millennial riders shined through on track with their power packed performances.
Today’s race of the IDEMITSU Honda Talent Cup NSF250R witnessed Pune’s Sarthak Chavan once again rising to victory with a massive lead of 22 seconds. Displaying his magic on the track, it was 14-year-old Mumbai teenager Raheesh Khatri who maintained his dominance and won the IDEMITSU Honda TalentCup CBR150R race. After the end of Round 3, both Sarthak & Raheesh continue to reign as the championship leaders in NSF250R & CBR150 categories.
Speaking on round 3, Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj - Operating Officer, Brand & Communication, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India. said, “We are extremely happy to see our young guns fight with such grit and glory. It is commendable that Sarthak and Raheesh continue to dominate the IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R and CBR150R categories. Both the riders have show cased their true potential and I can see them soaring higher from here on. While it may not have been a favourable day for the team in the Pro-Stock 165cc category as our riders crashed out, we aren’t by any means deflated about the out come. I am certain that our riders will take this as another learning and certainly rise to the occasion next time.”
Leading the chargeof Honda in PS165cc class of national championship was ASK Honda racing’s Abhishek Vasudev who sprang from the bottom to battle among the top contenders. Intelligently cruising through the turns, Abhishek fought his hardest to close the race on the 4th place, earning valuable points for the team.
It was a hard day for the IDEMTISU Honda SK69 racing team. Veteran rider Rajiv Sethu had a good start but crashed out after lap 2 leading to his untimely dismissal from the race. Rajiv’s teammate Senthil Kumar had difficulties with the bike and retired early from the race.
IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF 250R and CBR 150R
The 37 kms long race of IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF 250R the international rider Sarthak Chavan smoothly sailed throught wists and turns of the track clocking his personal fastest lap time of 1:48:258. He further engraved his name on top as he jetted off to the first position with a 20 second lead over Kavin Quintal. Kavin crossed the line atsecond place with total time of 18:41.408. Joining them on the podium is Chennai’s Shyam Sundar who kept hold of the third place, finishing the race in 18:45.910.
The thrilling race of IDEMITSU Honda Indian Talent Cup CBR150R saw Jangaon’s Rajender Beedani constantly giving atough fight to championship leader Raheesh Khatri for top spot on the podium. After a quick start, Raheesh immediately built his lead but Rajender’s unexpected move in lap 4 reduced their gap. However, Raheesh’s calm and composed riding ontrack got him his sixth win of the season with total time of 12:49.567. Displaying finesse in his riding, Rajender Beedani closed in after 0.282 seconds Raheeshand recorded the best lap of 2:06.304. Whereas, Bengaluru’s Harshith V Bogar secured third position (total time: 13:01.044)
Honda Hornet 2.0 One Make Support Race
In today’s Honda Hornet 2.0 One Make Support race, all riders attempted to catch up the front lot to fight for the top. The race saw multiple movements but Allwin Xavier’s mammoth effort in defending his top spot led him to win another race of the weekend. He finished the race with total time of 13:23.706 and best lap of 2:12.206. The battle for second place on podium between Delhi’s Sudheer Sudhakar & Chennai’s G Balaji stretched till the finish line. Submitting constant smart moves, Sudheer made excellent use of the turns to overtake other riders and quickly moved to second after his fifth place start in lap 1 itself. There after, he was held ina neck-to-neck battle with G Balalji. In a photo finish race, it was Sudheer who grabbed second place, leaving behind G Balaji on third with a mere difference 0.028 seconds.
HITC
IDEMTISU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R saw Sarthak Chavan, Kavin Quintal & Shyam Sundar on top spots
· Fifth win in a row for Raheesh Khatri in IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup CBR150R, followed by Shyam Babu on 2nd and Siddesh Sawant on 3rd
· In Honda Hornet 2.0 One Make Support Race, the trio of Chennai’s Allwin Xavier, G Balaji and Romario completes the podium at1-2-3 positions
Chennai, 7 August 2022: The power-packed Day 1 of MRF MMSC FMSCI Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2022 Round 3 witnessed the IDEMITSU Honda SK69 racing team’s ace rider Rajiv Sethu stamping his dominance in PS165cc category.
Making the most of his second place start on grid, Rajiv continued to maintain his momentum to garner the top spot. Giving tough competition to the competitor, the race saw changing statistics with every turn. Trying his best to overtake the competition, Rajiv was pushed back to third in last lap. However, with his experience, Rajiv climbed up in hot pursuit of the lead rider and finished first with a total time of 11:48.625 and 0.275 seconds lead. Rajiv’s teammate Senthil Kumar finished the race at fifth - a 4 positions gain from his 9th position start. Whereas, ASK Honda Racing’s Abhishek V could not finish the race.
Speaking on rider’s performance in today’s race, Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj- Operating Officer, Brand & Communication, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India said, “With utmost sincerity and dedication Rajiv Sethu demonstrated his true mettle in today’s race of PS165cc class of national championship. His exceptional performance brought home first win of the season. On the other hand, I am happy to see commitment and passion with which our young guns arep erforming in every outing. Sarthak Chavan and youngest Raheesh Khatri finishedt he day with one more victory to their names. Following the results today, I am confident that Race 2 tomorrow will also give us good results and justify the potential of all racers.”
IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF 250R and CBR150R
Setting off a brilliant start in today’s race of IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF 250R, international rider Sarthak Chavan rode with poise and jetted of to the first position overtaking teammate Kavin Quintal from the early seconds of the race. Sarthak’s masterful riding garnered him his fifth consecutive win of the season with best lap of 1:49.551 in today’s race. Lapping back home after Sarthak was another young international rider Kavin Quintal who finished second with total time of 11:15.856. Joining them on podium is Chennai’s Shyam Sundar who after his 6th place start finished third at 11:18.495.
The race 1 of IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup CBR150R saw Raheesh Kahtri once again making it on top of the podium. Recording the fastest lap of 2:08.036, the 14-year-old young gun from Mumbai crossed the chequered line at 12:58.915 with a lead of 3.319 seconds. The battle for P2, P3 & P4 stretched till the last lap. Giving tough fight toother riders, local boy Shyam Babu with his skilful riding manoeuvred his way at turn 5 of last lap and finished the race at 2nd position. Inching it out in P3 with total time of 13:02.345 was Kolhapur’s Siddesh Sawant. Whereas, Bengaluru’s Harshith Boggar who was fighting for podium contention, lost his momentumin last sector and settled for fourth.
Honda Hornet 2.0 One Make Support Race
In a 5-way fight for top order finish in today’s Honda Hornet 2.0 One Make Race, local boy Allwin Xavier stretched away from rest of the pack and emerged victori ous with 0.381 seconds lead. Following him back home was G Balalji who after his fourth-place start finished the race at second and recorded the fastest lap of 2:12.082 in today’s race. After an extensive fight with Mumbai’s Kayan Zubin Patel, Romario made a move in last lap, thus finishing the race at 3rd leaving behind Kayan at fourth. It was an unfortunate day for Sudheer Sudhakar who missed the podium finish after a trouble in his machine in lap 3, thus forcing him to settle for fifth position.
HOMR
IDEMTISU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R saw Sarthak Chavan, Kavin Quintal & Shyam Sundar on top spots
· Fifth win in a row for Raheesh Khatri in IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup CBR150R, followed by Shyam Babu on 2nd and Siddesh Sawant on 3rd
· In Honda Hornet 2.0 One Make Support Race, the trio of Chennai’s Allwin Xavier, G Balaji and Romario completes the podium at1-2-3 positions
Chennai, 7 August 2022: The power-packed Day 1 of MRF MMSC FMSCI Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2022 Round 3 witnessed the IDEMITSU Honda SK69 racing team’s ace rider Rajiv Sethu stamping his dominance in PS165cc category.
Making the most of his second place start on grid, Rajiv continued to maintain his momentum to garner the top spot. Giving tough competition to the competitor, the race saw changing statistics with every turn. Trying his best to overtake the competition, Rajiv was pushed back to third in last lap. However, with his experience, Rajiv climbed up in hot pursuit of the lead rider and finished first with a total time of 11:48.625 and 0.275 seconds lead. Rajiv’s teammate Senthil Kumar finished the race at fifth - a 4 positions gain from his 9th position start. Whereas, ASK Honda Racing’s Abhishek V could not finish the race.
Speaking on rider’s performance in today’s race, Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj- Operating Officer, Brand & Communication, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India said, “With utmost sincerity and dedication Rajiv Sethu demonstrated his true mettle in today’s race of PS165cc class of national championship. His exceptional performance brought home first win of the season. On the other hand, I am happy to see commitment and passion with which our young guns arep erforming in every outing. Sarthak Chavan and youngest Raheesh Khatri finishedt he day with one more victory to their names. Following the results today, I am confident that Race 2 tomorrow will also give us good results and justify the potential of all racers.”
IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF 250R and CBR150R
Setting off a brilliant start in today’s race of IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF 250R, international rider Sarthak Chavan rode with poise and jetted of to the first position overtaking teammate Kavin Quintal from the early seconds of the race. Sarthak’s masterful riding garnered him his fifth consecutive win of the season with best lap of 1:49.551 in today’s race. Lapping back home after Sarthak was another young international rider Kavin Quintal who finished second with total time of 11:15.856. Joining them on podium is Chennai’s Shyam Sundar who after his 6th place start finished third at 11:18.495.
The race 1 of IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup CBR150R saw Raheesh Kahtri once again making it on top of the podium. Recording the fastest lap of 2:08.036, the 14-year-old young gun from Mumbai crossed the chequered line at 12:58.915 with a lead of 3.319 seconds. The battle for P2, P3 & P4 stretched till the last lap. Giving tough fight toother riders, local boy Shyam Babu with his skilful riding manoeuvred his way at turn 5 of last lap and finished the race at 2nd position. Inching it out in P3 with total time of 13:02.345 was Kolhapur’s Siddesh Sawant. Whereas, Bengaluru’s Harshith Boggar who was fighting for podium contention, lost his momentumin last sector and settled for fourth.
Honda Hornet 2.0 One Make Support Race
In a 5-way fight for top order finish in today’s Honda Hornet 2.0 One Make Race, local boy Allwin Xavier stretched away from rest of the pack and emerged victori ous with 0.381 seconds lead. Following him back home was G Balalji who after his fourth-place start finished the race at second and recorded the fastest lap of 2:12.082 in today’s race. After an extensive fight with Mumbai’s Kayan Zubin Patel, Romario made a move in last lap, thus finishing the race at 3rd leaving behind Kayan at fourth. It was an unfortunate day for Sudheer Sudhakar who missed the podium finish after a trouble in his machine in lap 3, thus forcing him to settle for fifth position.
HITC
The IDEMITSU Honda Racing rider closes the race 2 of PS165cc category at third place
· Sarthak Chavan, Mohsin P and Shyam Sundar secures 1-2-3 positions in race 2 of IDEMTISU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R class Rd 2
· Raheesh Khatri, Shyam Babu and Harshith Bogar complete the podium of IDEMTISU Honda India Talent Cup CBR150R race 2
· G Balaji, Kayan Zubin Patel and Romario top 3 finishers of second Honda Hornet 2.0 Support Race
Chennai,10 July 2022: Honda Racing India riders continued to perform strongly at the thrilling day 2 of 2022 Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship and IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup Round 2. Rajiv Sethu of IDEMITSU Honda SK69 Racing team bagged third place on podium in race 2 of Pro-Stock 165cc of national championship.
Onthe other hand, Pune’s Sarthak Chavan & Mumbai’s Raheesh Khatri bagged their fourth consecutive win in IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R & CBR150R categories respectively. Whereas, G Balaji emerged victorious in the weekend’s second race of Honda Hornet 2.0 support race.
Speaking on round 2, Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj - Operating Officer, Brand & Communication, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India. said, “We are happy tosee the dedication and determination with which our riders performed on the racetrack. In a thrilling battle to the photo finish, Rajiv Sethu never backed down and used his years of riding experience to manoeuvre through the competition. He successfully bagged another podium for the team in the PS165cc category. On the other hand, our young guns continued to showcase their exceptional skills. Both Sarthak Chavan and Raheesh Khatri of the IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R and CBR150R categories scored double wins this weekend stamping their dominance on leader board. I’m happy that all the Talent cup riders improved under the able guidance of Mr. Tadayuki Okada”
MRF MMSC FMSCI Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship – ProStock 165cc
The IDEMITSU Honda SK69 racing team’s experienced rider Rajiv Sethu displayed aggressive spirit by bagging another podium in the photo-finishrace 2 of PS165cc of national championship. Despite his first position start intoday’s race, Rajiv got pushed back to 5th ending first lap itself. The rider quickly responded back and moved to 3rdin lap 5. From thereon, he continued to make the best use of his strategies and finished third with total time of 15:55.726 – a mere difference of 0.048 seconds from the race leader. Rajiv’s teammate Senthil Kumar finished the raceat seventh. Whereas, Abhishek V of ASK Honda Racing team once again closed the race at fifth.
IDEMITSUH onda India Talent Cup NSF 250R and CBR150R
The young lads of IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup once again proved their mettle on the Madras Motor Race Track in Chennai and improved their performances with valuable inputs from their expert coach Mr. Tadayuki Okada (an ex-MotoGP rider).
It was a clean sweep for championship leader Sarthak Chavan as he sealed a double win for the weekend at the end of IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R Race 2. The 16-year-old international rider overpowered others with a massive lead of 10 seconds. In an interesting battle for the 2nd spot between Malappuram’s Mohsin P and local boy Shyam Sundar, a clean manoeuvre by Mohsin in the last lap confirmed his place on 2nd (total time 18:55.514). Shyam Sundar lapped back at 3rd clocking total time of 18:55.663 – merely 0.049 seconds behind Mohsin.
In today’s race of IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup CBR150R, Mumbai’s Raheesh Khatri was in a league of his own through out the six-laps. The 14-year-old rider started from pole position, created mammothlead of 32 seconds and comfortably won his 4th race with total time of 12:54.900. Making a quick start in the race was Kolhapur’s Siddesh Sawant who while running a close second, came into the inside at Turn 10 of Lap 1, lost his front end and crashed out taking along Rajender Beedani with him. The battle for P2 and P3 was then fought between Chennai’s Shyam Babu and Bengaluru’s Harshith Bogar who kept exchanging their places until a small error by Harshith in lap 5 confirmed Shyam’s position at second. Harshith Bogar rounded up the podium at third with total time of 13:27.429.
Honda Hornet 2.0 One Make Race
The clean race of Honda Hornet 2.0 One Make Support race saw two raging battles – one to claim the victory and the other one to stay in contention for the podium at P3. Starting today’s race from P2, the local boy G Balaji quickly moved to P1 and stretched his lead tochequered line, finishing the race at 13:32.239. With just 0.139 seconds behind the race leader, pole starter Kayan Zubin Patel finished the race at second.The Mumbai lad recorded best lap of 2:14.112. The fight for 3rdplace on podium between Romario and Sudheer Sudhakar continued till last lap. While Romario completed the podium on third, Sudheer Sudhakar settled for fourth place after starting from 7th on grid.
HOMR
The IDEMITSU Honda Racing rider closes the race 2 of PS165cc category at third place
· Sarthak Chavan, Mohsin P and Shyam Sundar secures 1-2-3 positions in race 2 of IDEMTISU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R class Rd 2
· Raheesh Khatri, Shyam Babu and Harshith Bogar complete the podium of IDEMTISU Honda India Talent Cup CBR150R race 2
· G Balaji, Kayan Zubin Patel and Romario top 3 finishers of second Honda Hornet 2.0 Support Race
Chennai,10 July 2022: Honda Racing India riders continued to perform strongly at the thrilling day 2 of 2022 Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship and IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup Round 2. Rajiv Sethu of IDEMITSU Honda SK69 Racing team bagged third place on podium in race 2 of Pro-Stock 165cc of national championship.
Onthe other hand, Pune’s Sarthak Chavan & Mumbai’s Raheesh Khatri bagged their fourth consecutive win in IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R & CBR150R categories respectively. Whereas, G Balaji emerged victorious in the weekend’s second race of Honda Hornet 2.0 support race.
Speaking on round 2, Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj - Operating Officer, Brand & Communication, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India. said, “We are happy tosee the dedication and determination with which our riders performed on the racetrack. In a thrilling battle to the photo finish, Rajiv Sethu never backed down and used his years of riding experience to manoeuvre through the competition. He successfully bagged another podium for the team in the PS165cc category. On the other hand, our young guns continued to showcase their exceptional skills. Both Sarthak Chavan and Raheesh Khatri of the IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R and CBR150R categories scored double wins this weekend stamping their dominance on leader board. I’m happy that all the Talent cup riders improved under the able guidance of Mr. Tadayuki Okada”
MRF MMSC FMSCI Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship – ProStock 165cc
The IDEMITSU Honda SK69 racing team’s experienced rider Rajiv Sethu displayed aggressive spirit by bagging another podium in the photo-finishrace 2 of PS165cc of national championship. Despite his first position start intoday’s race, Rajiv got pushed back to 5th ending first lap itself. The rider quickly responded back and moved to 3rdin lap 5. From thereon, he continued to make the best use of his strategies and finished third with total time of 15:55.726 – a mere difference of 0.048 seconds from the race leader. Rajiv’s teammate Senthil Kumar finished the raceat seventh. Whereas, Abhishek V of ASK Honda Racing team once again closed the race at fifth.
IDEMITSUH onda India Talent Cup NSF 250R and CBR150R
The young lads of IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup once again proved their mettle on the Madras Motor Race Track in Chennai and improved their performances with valuable inputs from their expert coach Mr. Tadayuki Okada (an ex-MotoGP rider).
It was a clean sweep for championship leader Sarthak Chavan as he sealed a double win for the weekend at the end of IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R Race 2. The 16-year-old international rider overpowered others with a massive lead of 10 seconds. In an interesting battle for the 2nd spot between Malappuram’s Mohsin P and local boy Shyam Sundar, a clean manoeuvre by Mohsin in the last lap confirmed his place on 2nd (total time 18:55.514). Shyam Sundar lapped back at 3rd clocking total time of 18:55.663 – merely 0.049 seconds behind Mohsin.
In today’s race of IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup CBR150R, Mumbai’s Raheesh Khatri was in a league of his own through out the six-laps. The 14-year-old rider started from pole position, created mammothlead of 32 seconds and comfortably won his 4th race with total time of 12:54.900. Making a quick start in the race was Kolhapur’s Siddesh Sawant who while running a close second, came into the inside at Turn 10 of Lap 1, lost his front end and crashed out taking along Rajender Beedani with him. The battle for P2 and P3 was then fought between Chennai’s Shyam Babu and Bengaluru’s Harshith Bogar who kept exchanging their places until a small error by Harshith in lap 5 confirmed Shyam’s position at second. Harshith Bogar rounded up the podium at third with total time of 13:27.429.
Honda Hornet 2.0 One Make Race
The clean race of Honda Hornet 2.0 One Make Support race saw two raging battles – one to claim the victory and the other one to stay in contention for the podium at P3. Starting today’s race from P2, the local boy G Balaji quickly moved to P1 and stretched his lead tochequered line, finishing the race at 13:32.239. With just 0.139 seconds behind the race leader, pole starter Kayan Zubin Patel finished the race at second.The Mumbai lad recorded best lap of 2:14.112. The fight for 3rdplace on podium between Romario and Sudheer Sudhakar continued till last lap. While Romario completed the podium on third, Sudheer Sudhakar settled for fourth place after starting from 7th on grid.
HITC
· Sarthak Chavan takes the win in race 1 of IDEMTISU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R class Rd 2, followed by Mohsin P and AS James on 2nd & 3rd respectively
· In IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup CBR150R, Raheesh Khatri emerged victorious, Shyam Babu finished 2nd and Rajender Beedani sealed his maiden podium position on 3rd
· Kayan Zubin Patel, Prabhu V and G Balalji rounds-off the podium in race 1 of Honda Hornet 2.0 One Make Support race
Chennai, 10 July 2022: The action-packed day 1 of MRF MMSC FMSCI Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2022 round 2 closed with the IDEMITSU Honda SK69 racing team grabbing one more podium in Pro-Stock 165cc category.
MRF MMSC FMSCI Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship – ProStock 165cc
The IDEMITSU Honda SK 69racing team’s ace rider Rajiv Sethu throttled fearlessly in today’s race of the Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship Pro-Stock 165cc category. Starting the race from seventh on the grid, Rajiv moved to third in lap 2 itself. From there on, Rajiv continued to give a tough fight to his contenders and ultimately clinched second position on the podium with total time of 12:00.159. On the other hand, Rajiv’s teammate Senthil Kumar finished seventh while ASK Honda Racing’s Abhishek V finished sixth.
Speaking on rider’sperformance in today’s race, Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj- Operating Officer, Brand & Communication, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India. said, “Today we saw yet another strong performance by our international rider Rajiv Sethu. Starting from 7th on the grid to finishing 2nd, Rajiv was flying high and displayed his true mettle in the race. His commitment and passion brought one more podium for us in the Pro-Stock 165cc category of the national championship. Making the round more exciting were the young riders Sarthak and Raheesh of IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup who continued their winning streak in NSF250R & CBR150R categories. With the valuable inputs from Mr. Tadayuki Okada our expert coach, I am confident that our riders will be back with renewed motivation tomorrow and perform to the best of their abilities.”
IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF 250R and CBR150R
Stamping his authority in the IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R class was none other than Pune’s Sarthak Chavan. Riding the Moto3 machine NSF250R with confidence and putting up his international experience, he finished the race at 1st position with fastest lap of 1:51.091. Following Sarthak were Mohsin P and AS James, who competed closely and finished the race at2nd and 3rd position respectively. However, we missed the star rider Kavin on the grid today who was injured due to a bad high side in qualifying.
In the tight race 1 of IDEMITSU Honda Indian Talent Cup CBR150R between Mumbai’s Raheesh Khatri and Kolhapur’s Siddesh Sawant for top place on podium, it was Raheesh who clinched podium win today. Fighting neck-to-neck with Raheesh, pole starter Siddesh moved back on top in the last lap where in a bid to finish first, he crashed atlast corner and settled for 5th place. This made way for the local boy Shyam Babu who finished second. Joining them is the newly discovered talent Rajender Beedani of Jangaon who finished the race at third position, merely 0.050 seconds behind Shyam.
Honda Hornet 2.0 One Make Race
The strong contended six-lap race 1 ofthe Honda Hornet 2.0 One Make Support race saw Kayan Zubin Patel, Prabhu V andG Balaji grabbing 1-2-3 position on podium. While it was Sudheer Sudhakar who was leading the race in last lap but a contact by Romario resulted in Sudheer losing the control of his bike and taking away Ullas Santrupt with him. There after, Romario continued his lead and finished the race at first. But his mistake costed him 30 seconds penalty and had to settle for fifth in today’s race.
HOMR
· Sarthak Chavan takes the win in race 1 of IDEMTISU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R class Rd 2, followed by Mohsin P and AS James on 2nd & 3rd respectively
· In IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup CBR150R, Raheesh Khatri emerged victorious, Shyam Babu finished 2nd and Rajender Beedani sealed his maiden podium position on 3rd
· Kayan Zubin Patel, Prabhu V and G Balalji rounds-off the podium in race 1 of Honda Hornet 2.0 One Make Support race
Chennai, 10 July 2022: The action-packed day 1 of MRF MMSC FMSCI Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2022 round 2 closed with the IDEMITSU Honda SK69 racing team grabbing one more podium in Pro-Stock 165cc category.
MRF MMSC FMSCI Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship – ProStock 165cc
The IDEMITSU Honda SK 69racing team’s ace rider Rajiv Sethu throttled fearlessly in today’s race of the Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship Pro-Stock 165cc category. Starting the race from seventh on the grid, Rajiv moved to third in lap 2 itself. From there on, Rajiv continued to give a tough fight to his contenders and ultimately clinched second position on the podium with total time of 12:00.159. On the other hand, Rajiv’s teammate Senthil Kumar finished seventh while ASK Honda Racing’s Abhishek V finished sixth.
Speaking on rider’sperformance in today’s race, Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj- Operating Officer, Brand & Communication, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India. said, “Today we saw yet another strong performance by our international rider Rajiv Sethu. Starting from 7th on the grid to finishing 2nd, Rajiv was flying high and displayed his true mettle in the race. His commitment and passion brought one more podium for us in the Pro-Stock 165cc category of the national championship. Making the round more exciting were the young riders Sarthak and Raheesh of IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup who continued their winning streak in NSF250R & CBR150R categories. With the valuable inputs from Mr. Tadayuki Okada our expert coach, I am confident that our riders will be back with renewed motivation tomorrow and perform to the best of their abilities.”
IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF 250R and CBR150R
Stamping his authority in the IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R class was none other than Pune’s Sarthak Chavan. Riding the Moto3 machine NSF250R with confidence and putting up his international experience, he finished the race at 1st position with fastest lap of 1:51.091. Following Sarthak were Mohsin P and AS James, who competed closely and finished the race at2nd and 3rd position respectively. However, we missed the star rider Kavin on the grid today who was injured due to a bad high side in qualifying.
In the tight race 1 of IDEMITSU Honda Indian Talent Cup CBR150R between Mumbai’s Raheesh Khatri and Kolhapur’s Siddesh Sawant for top place on podium, it was Raheesh who clinched podium win today. Fighting neck-to-neck with Raheesh, pole starter Siddesh moved back on top in the last lap where in a bid to finish first, he crashed atlast corner and settled for 5th place. This made way for the local boy Shyam Babu who finished second. Joining them is the newly discovered talent Rajender Beedani of Jangaon who finished the race at third position, merely 0.050 seconds behind Shyam.
Honda Hornet 2.0 One Make Race
The strong contended six-lap race 1 ofthe Honda Hornet 2.0 One Make Support race saw Kayan Zubin Patel, Prabhu V andG Balaji grabbing 1-2-3 position on podium. While it was Sudheer Sudhakar who was leading the race in last lap but a contact by Romario resulted in Sudheer losing the control of his bike and taking away Ullas Santrupt with him. There after, Romario continued his lead and finished the race at first. But his mistake costed him 30 seconds penalty and had to settle for fifth in today’s race.
HITC
· Double 1-2-3 for Sarthak Chavan, Shyam Sundar & AS James in the IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R Open class
· Raheesh Khatri grabs double win in Round 1 of IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup CBR150R Novice class; Siddesh Sawantand Harshith Bogar finish race 2 on 2nd and 3rd place respectively
· Another win for Ullas Santrupt in Honda Hornet 2.0 One Make race; Allwin Xavier and Romario secure 2ndand 3rd place on podium
Coimbatore, 12 June 2022: As the curtains went down today for the Rollon round of the MRF MMSC FMSCI Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship (INMRC) 2022 at the Kari Motor Speedway in Coimbatore, the next-gen millennial riders steal the show with their fireball performances.
Topping the leadership board is Pune’s Sarthak Chavan and the youngest Raheesh Khatri of Mumbai who stamped their dominance with double wins in round 1 of the IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R Open class and CBR150R Novice class respectively.
Last year, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India introduced Honda Hornet 2.0 One Make Race to provide racing experience to its customers. Continuing the same this year again, the round 1 of Honda Hornet 2.0 One Make Race saw Ullas Santrupt taking back home two podium wins.
Expressing his feelings, Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj - Operating Officer, Brand & Communication, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India. Pvt. Ltd. said, “We are extremely happy to see our young guns quickly adjusting and adapting to the Kari Motor Speedway, riding here for the very first time here. Racing brilliantly, Sarthak Chavan and Raheesh Khatri yet again proved their capabilities as they rose to victory on Day 2 as well. This gave us another glimpse of high potential young talent aiming to represent India in the International races in future. While it was a difficult day for our riders in PS165cc championship, but we are confident that they will bounce back with better results in next round. With the end of this round today, the challenge still continues to take on the championship titles.”
IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup – NSF 250R & CBR150R categories
The race 2 of IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R saw a repeat of show by yesterday’s podium finishers Sarthak Chavan, Shyam Sundar & AS James. International rider Sarthak Chavan once again led the race from start to finish. The 16-year-old lad took the chequered flag for second time this weekend with a mammoth lead of 10 seconds. Following him to the finish line was Chennai’s Shyam Sundar at 12:34.188. Outpacing others, Bengaluru’s AS James fought his hardest and secured third place.
The 15 laps race 2 of IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup CBR150R class saw 8 next-gen riderslined-up in order of yesterday’s race results. Starting from the pole position,14-year-old Raheesh Khatri consistently maintained his pace till the end. The Mumbai youngster comfortably won the race with a huge difference of 25 seconds over Kolhapur’s Siddesh Sawant who finished second. Starting the race from P8, Bengaluru’s Harshith Bogar moved up to podium contention in lap 2. Soon after he was held in a two-way fight with Hyderabad’s Rajendera Beedani. In last lap,Harshit leaped ahead to finish the race at 3rd,leaving behind Rajendera on fourth.
Honda Hornet 2.0 One Make Race
Race 2 of the Honda Hornet 2.0 One Make race witnessed yet another exciting and dramatic finish to the chequered line. Maintaining a steady pace through out therace, yesterday’s race leader Ullas Santrupt solidified his first place on podium today. While yesterday’s podium contender G Balaji slipped down to the 8th place, it was Allwin Xavier who with his competitive riding continued to give Ullas a tough time on the track. Despite facing a few difficulties on the track today, Allwin recorded best lap of 1:29.283 and finished second. Fighting out to get on the podium, Romario closed therace with third place finish.
MRF MMSC FMSCI Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship – ProStock 165cc
The IDEMITSU Honda SK 69 Racing team’s experienced rider Rajiv Sethu was leading Honda’s charge at 3rdplace in earlier laps until another rider crashed and took him out of the contention as well. Rajiv’s teammate Senthil Kumar picked up his pace and contested with all his power to finish the race at 6th, securing 8 points for the team.
ARRC
· Maintaining his cool, Rajiv Sethu finished the second race of ARRC round 2 at 15thand added 1 more point in the kitty
· Fighting hard to seal 14th place in today’s race, crash in last corner of race creates trouble for Senthil Kumar who ultimately finished 16th
Sepang International Circuit (Malaysia), 29May 2022: The day 2 of Round 2 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) was filled with drama. As many as 14 riders across 5 categories lost traction and crashed out today at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. But ending the round on a good note, Honda Racing India team added yet another point in Asia Production 250 class (AP250) of thechampionship.
Making a good start in today’s race, Rajiv Sethu quickly climbed from 16thto 14th position before finishing lap 1. But then, he was caught in a stiff battle with Indonesia’s Fitriansyah Kete and local rider Md Idlan Haqimi. From there on, he pushed back to 17th in lap 5. After the 6thlap, Rajiv had returned to 16th. In last lap, Rajiv spotted the perfect moment and overtook the rider before him to finish 15th and add 1 more point to Honda Racing India’s kitty.
Rajiv’ steam mate Senthil Kumar had put up a tough fight today. Starting 17thon grid, he jumped to 16th in lap 1 and maintained his position till lap 2 but returned to 17th in lap 3. Between lap 4 and 5, Senthil geared up and accelerated ahead of his contenders consequently taking 14thposition and recorded his personal best lap of 2:29.078 at Sepang. Grappling to fight his momentum from there on, Senthil went wide at last corner of the 8 lap race where he crashed but recovered and managed to finish the race.
Quote of Mr.Prabhu Nagaraj, Operating Officer - Brand & Communication, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India
“Malaysia has been a satisfying round for us. On aday that saw 14 riders crashing out on the circuit, our riders had putrelentless efforts to complete the race despite fighting neck-to-neck with their nearest competitors. Each race imparts a valuable lesson. I am confident that our riders and team will adopt these learnings and will further improve their performance. Next up, the ARRC round 3 will head to Sports land Sugo International Circuit in Japan. This will be absolutely a new experience for us. Both our rider will be racing there for the first time. I am sure that we will add more points in Japan too.”
Quote of Honda Racing India rider Rajiv Sethu:
“It was certainly not a satisfactory race for me. Although I made a good start in the race but to avoid the crash, I went wide in Lap 5 after getting closer to nearest riders. Nevertheless, it was another day of learning for me. I will work harder to further improve my skills and return back stronger to bring laurels for my country.”
Quote of Honda Racing India rider Senthil Kumar:
“Today was another difficult day for me. At the beginning, I gained 1 position but went down to 17th in lap 3. After that, I pushed the throttle hard and eventually over took 4 riders in lap 5. Thereafter,I was fighting hard till the last but a hit by rider in the last corner of lap 8 resulted in a 16th position finish for me.”
Despite second place finish in race 2 of ASB1000cc class by Zaqhwan Zaidi of Honda Asia-Dream Racing with SHOWA team, the Malaysian rider continues to maintain his lead inthe championship. Whereas, his teammate Gerry Salim of Indonesia finished today’srace of ASB1000cc class at eighth.
About 2022 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship:
The 25th edition of FIM Asia Road Racing Championship is Asia’s most competitive motorcycle road racing championship, held since 1996. After completing the first two rounds of the championship in Buriram (Thailand) and Sepang (Malaysia),the third round of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship has been confirmed and will be held at the Sports land Sugo International Circuit in Japan. However, the 2022 season has been reduced from a total of six rounds to five rounds.
ARRC
After Top 13 finish by Indian riders, Honda Racing India team adds 7 valuable points
· Rajiv Sethu gains 4 positions to finish 12th in race 1 after 16th position in morning qualifier of 2022 Asia Road Racing Championship round 2
· With 17thposition start on the grid to crossing chequered line at 13th in race 1, Senthil creates his new fastest lap record of 2:29.301 at Sepang International Circuit
Sepang International Circuit (Malaysia), 28May 2022: Today turned out to be a day of gaining points for Honda Racing India team’s rider duo of Rajiv Sethu and Senthil Kumar in the firstrace of Round 2 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) in Sepang.
Bagging 7 points for the solo Indian team at ARRC, both Rajiv and Senthil maintained steady performance till the last lap in today’s race.
Starting 16th on the grid, Rajiv overtook Indonesian rider Fitriansyah Kete in first lap it self. From 2ndlap onwards, Rajiv continued to ride at 14th till lap 4. There after, he consecutively moved 1 position up in lap 5 and lap 6. Continuing to maintainhis momentum, Rajiv crossed the finish line at 12th with timeof 20:12.398, earning 4 points for the team.
Senthil Kumar too showcased his full poweron the racetrack today. Clocking the best lap time of 2:29.301, Senthil has recorded his new fastest lap time at the Sepang International Circuit. Avoiding all mistakes and keeping a steady momentum till the end, Senthil finished lapped back home right after his teammate Rajiv. After 13thposition finish, Senthil Kumar adds 3 points to his kitty.
Commenting on the race, Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj,Operating Officer - Brand & Communication, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India, said, “Coming back on this track after a long gap of two years, our riders are showing consistent improvement in every outing. Despite starting from the last row on grid in today’s race, our riders showed great zeal and gained 4 positions, thus earning valuable points for the team. I am sure that with today’s learning and experience, our riders will enhance their strategies to better their positions tomorrow.”
Quote of Honda Racing India rider Rajiv Sethu:
“I am not happy with the qualifier session. My entire focus was to maintain a steady position in the race and earn points for the team. Despite the tough competition, I kept my cool and concentrated on my skills to make no mistakes on the track. With today’s learning, I shall push harder in tomorrow’s race to mark my position in the top 10.”
Quote of Honda Racing India rider Senthil Kumar:
“I was a bit nervous while starting from the last row in today’s race. However, I applied all my strategies and learned to build a strong pace. While competing with all the international riders, I gained much confidence and recorded my personal best lap time of 2:29.301 at the Sepang circuit. Closing today’s race at 13th position, I am confident to score better tomorrow.”
In ASB 1000cc class, Malaysian rider Zaqhwan Zaidi of Honda Asia-Dream Racing with SHOW A team continues to maintain his lead in the championship despite a fourth-place finish in today’s race. While his teammate Gerry Salim finished the race 1 of ASB 1000cc class at seventh.
About 2022 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship:
The 25th edition of FIM Asia Road Racing Championship is Asia’s most competitive motorcycle road racing championship, held since 1996. The 2022 season has a total of six rounds. After the official test and season opener at the Chang International Circuit (Thailand) on 22 March 2022, the battle for championship is set to take place this weekend at the Sepang International Circuit (Malaysia). While the host venue for Round 3 in July 2022 is yet to be confirmed, the 2022 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship will make its debut at the Sports land Sugo International Circuit (Japan) in August 2022. In September 2022, the Zhuhai International Circuit (China) will serve as the host for the penultimate round and the season is expected to wrap up again at the Chang International Circuit in Thailand in the month of November this year.
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ARRC
The duo of Rajiv Sethu & Senthil Kumar grabs 11 points at ARRC - highest ever single round haul!
India’s teen rider Sarthak Chavan records Top 7 finish in his debut at Thailand Talent Cup 2022
· After garbing 3 points yesterday, Rajiv’s 11th position finish today win shim 5 more points
· Senthil Kumar earns his highest ever 3 points with top 13 finish for the first time in ARRC
· Next-gen millennial rider Sarthak Chavan becomes the FIRST Indian rookie rider to win 9 points with strong top 7 finish in race 2 of Thailand Talent Cup 2022 Round 1
Chang International Circuit (Buriram), 27 March 2022: The in augural round of FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) 2022 ended with IDEMITSU Honda Racing India Team- Honda’s solo Indian team earning 11 points in a single round for the first time in AP 250 class of championship.
Maintaining good pace, Indian rider Rajiv Sethu at Buriram International Circuit earned 5 additional points today. Senthil Kumar too showcased his full power and recorded his best-ever finish in AP 250 class of ARRC at 13thspot (earlier highest 14th). With this, the 20-year-old Indian rider grabs his highest ever 3 points in the championship.
Today’s race of Thailand Talent Cup (TTC) 2022 too made India proud. The teen rider Sarthak Chavan showed the power of young India and became the first Indian rookie to win 9 points with 7th finish in second race ofhis debut season at TTC itself!
Sharing an overview onperformance by Indian riders today, Mr.Prabhu Nagaraj, Vice President – Brand and Communications, Honda Motorcycle& Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. said, “I am happy with the performance of our riders today who made India proud on international soil. Both Rajiv and Senthil well utilized their strategies and machines to achieve highest single round points for the team. On the other hand, Sarthak Chavan the face of new,confident and aggressive young Indian riders finished in top 7 today in TTC and grabbed total 13 points in round 1 itself. I am confident that our riders will bring back the same motivation and strength to perform best to their abilities in the upcoming rounds.”
Indian team’s performance in AP 250 (race 2) class of ARRC:
After his 13thplace start in race 2 of AP 250 class, Rajiv paced up in initial 5 laps and moved up to 12th position. His steady performance till the cheque red flag resulted in 11th place finish. After the end of round 1, Rajiv now has total of 8 points in his kitty.
Senthil showed the might of confident young Indian rider. Starting 16thon the grid of 17 riders, Senthil made a good start and climbed upto 13thpace in middle of the 10-lap race. From there till the end of race, Senthil was battling it out with his nearest competition and ultimately confirmed 13thposition in today’s race. With this, Senthil scores his highest ever 3 points in Asia Road Racing Championship.
Quote of IDEMITSU Honda Racing India rider Rajiv Sethu:
“Today my entire focus was to maintain steady performance and grab more points for the team. I made agreat start and overtook two riders. This round has helped us to test our strategies and make further improvements on the track. I am confident that in the next rounds, I will be able to push harder and secure positions in top bunch.”
Quote of IDEMITSU HondaRacing India rider Senthil Kumar:
“Iam happy with my performance today as for the first time I clocked 13thposition and earned 3 points for the team. After yesterday’s crash, I chose tokept steady momentum till the end and this helped me bettering my results. Ilook forward to racing in Sepang now and aim to climb up to Top bunch.”
Parallelly in ASB 1000cc class, Malaysian rider Md Zaqhwan Zaidi of Honda Asia-Dream Racing showed a great strength on the track. Leading from the beginning, Zaqhwan dropped to 4th position in the last few laps. However, the Malaysianrider competed fearlessly and pushed his machine harder in the exciting last lapto finish a close 2nd in the Race 2.
Best ever performance by Indian rider at Thailand Talent Cup (TTC):
Exemplifying the trueracing spirit and making India proud, IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team rider Sarthak Chavan created history as the first Indian rider to break into Top 7 group in Thailand Talent Cup 2022 - Honda’s development program for Asian ridersrun on NSF250R.
Starting from the 9th position on grid, Sarthak fought a fierce competition in today’srace. His composed till the end won him 9 points today. After the end of Round 1 of TTC, the 15-year-old rider now has total 13 points.
About 2022 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship:
The 25th edition of FIM Asia Road Racing Championship is Asia’s most competitive motorcycle road racing championship, held since 1996. The 2022 season will have a total of six roundsbeginning with the official test and season opener at the Chang International Circuit (Thailand) on 22 March 2022. In May 2022, the Sepang International Circuit (Malaysia) will host the second leg. While the host venue for Round 3in July 2022 is yet to be confirmed, the 2022 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship will make its debut at the Sports land Sugo International Circuit (Japan) in August 2022. In September 2022, the Zhuhai International Circuit (China) will serve as the host for the penultimate round and the season is expected to wrap up again at the Chang International Circuit in Thailand in the month of November this year.
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TTC
The duo of Rajiv Sethu & Senthil Kumar grabs 11 points at ARRC - highest ever single round haul!
India’s teen rider Sarthak Chavan records Top 7 finish in his debut at Thailand Talent Cup 2022
· After garbing 3 points yesterday, Rajiv’s 11th position finish today win shim 5 more points
· Senthil Kumar earns his highest ever 3 points with top 13 finish for the first time in ARRC
· Next-gen millennial rider Sarthak Chavan becomes the FIRST Indian rookie rider to win 9 points with strong top 7 finish in race 2 of Thailand Talent Cup 2022 Round 1
Chang International Circuit (Buriram), 27 March 2022: The in augural round of FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) 2022 ended with IDEMITSU Honda Racing India Team- Honda’s solo Indian team earning 11 points in a single round for the first time in AP 250 class of championship.
Maintaining good pace, Indian rider Rajiv Sethu at Buriram International Circuit earned 5 additional points today. Senthil Kumar too showcased his full power and recorded his best-ever finish in AP 250 class of ARRC at 13thspot (earlier highest 14th). With this, the 20-year-old Indian rider grabs his highest ever 3 points in the championship.
Today’s race of Thailand Talent Cup (TTC) 2022 too made India proud. The teen rider Sarthak Chavan showed the power of young India and became the first Indian rookie to win 9 points with 7th finish in second race ofhis debut season at TTC itself!
Sharing an overview onperformance by Indian riders today, Mr.Prabhu Nagaraj, Vice President – Brand and Communications, Honda Motorcycle& Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. said, “I am happy with the performance of our riders today who made India proud on international soil. Both Rajiv and Senthil well utilized their strategies and machines to achieve highest single round points for the team. On the other hand, Sarthak Chavan the face of new,confident and aggressive young Indian riders finished in top 7 today in TTC and grabbed total 13 points in round 1 itself. I am confident that our riders will bring back the same motivation and strength to perform best to their abilities in the upcoming rounds.”
Indian team’s performance in AP 250 (race 2) class of ARRC:
After his 13thplace start in race 2 of AP 250 class, Rajiv paced up in initial 5 laps and moved up to 12th position. His steady performance till the cheque red flag resulted in 11th place finish. After the end of round 1, Rajiv now has total of 8 points in his kitty.
Senthil showed the might of confident young Indian rider. Starting 16thon the grid of 17 riders, Senthil made a good start and climbed upto 13thpace in middle of the 10-lap race. From there till the end of race, Senthil was battling it out with his nearest competition and ultimately confirmed 13thposition in today’s race. With this, Senthil scores his highest ever 3 points in Asia Road Racing Championship.
Quote of IDEMITSU Honda Racing India rider Rajiv Sethu:
“Today my entire focus was to maintain steady performance and grab more points for the team. I made agreat start and overtook two riders. This round has helped us to test our strategies and make further improvements on the track. I am confident that in the next rounds, I will be able to push harder and secure positions in top bunch.”
Quote of IDEMITSU HondaRacing India rider Senthil Kumar:
“Iam happy with my performance today as for the first time I clocked 13thposition and earned 3 points for the team. After yesterday’s crash, I chose tokept steady momentum till the end and this helped me bettering my results. Ilook forward to racing in Sepang now and aim to climb up to Top bunch.”
Parallelly in ASB 1000cc class, Malaysian rider Md Zaqhwan Zaidi of Honda Asia-Dream Racing showed a great strength on the track. Leading from the beginning, Zaqhwan dropped to 4th position in the last few laps. However, the Malaysianrider competed fearlessly and pushed his machine harder in the exciting last lapto finish a close 2nd in the Race 2.
Best ever performance by Indian rider at Thailand Talent Cup (TTC):
Exemplifying the trueracing spirit and making India proud, IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team rider Sarthak Chavan created history as the first Indian rider to break into Top 7 group in Thailand Talent Cup 2022 - Honda’s development program for Asian ridersrun on NSF250R.
Starting from the 9th position on grid, Sarthak fought a fierce competition in today’srace. His composed till the end won him 9 points today. After the end of Round 1 of TTC, the 15-year-old rider now has total 13 points.
About 2022 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship:
The 25th edition of FIM Asia Road Racing Championship is Asia’s most competitive motorcycle road racing championship, held since 1996. The 2022 season will have a total of six roundsbeginning with the official test and season opener at the Chang International Circuit (Thailand) on 22 March 2022. In May 2022, the Sepang International Circuit (Malaysia) will host the second leg. While the host venue for Round 3in July 2022 is yet to be confirmed, the 2022 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship will make its debut at the Sports land Sugo International Circuit (Japan) in August 2022. In September 2022, the Zhuhai International Circuit (China) will serve as the host for the penultimate round and the season is expected to wrap up again at the Chang International Circuit in Thailand in the month of November this year.
ARRC
· AP250 class Qualifying: With fastest lap of 1:54.936, Rajiv Sethu secured 13th position on the grid while Senthil Kumar got 16th spot (Fastest lap: 1:55.804)
· AP250 class Race 1: Finishing the race 1 at 13th, Rajiv Sethu opens his points tally with 3 points; Senthil Kumar crashed in lap 4
Chang International Circuit (Thailand), 26 March 2022: With the onset of Asia’s most coveted Asia Road Racing Championship, the IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team’s rider Rajiv Sethu today baggedlaurels for the country.
Show casing his skillsat Chang International Circuit in Buriram, the team’s seasoned rider Rajiv Sethu maintained his steady position till last lap of Asia Production 250 classand scored valuable points in Race 1 of the 2022 season of ARRC.
Dropping down from 13thplace start to the 16th at the end of Lap 3, Rajiv was decisive and sharp and worked his magic on the track. Overtaking the competitors, Rajiv quickly climbed to 14th place and continued the momentum till penultimatelap. A crash between the 2 competition riders in the last lap confirmed his 13thplace, thus bagging valuable 3 points for the team.
While Rajiv’s teammate Senthil Kumar quickly climbed 2 positions to 14th in lap 2 from 16thposition start on grid. But he unfortunately suffered a crash due to opening the throttle early at turn 12 of lap 4.
Quote of Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj, Senior Vice President –Brand and Communications, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd.
“It was a good start for the IDEMITSU Honda Racing India Team after a hiatus of almost 2 years. Stepping on the track after a longbreak, both Rajiv & Senthil adjusted to the track today. Rajiv finished day 1 well and secured 3 points for the team. He can push to the top bunch if he plays his cards right tomorrow. Being his second year at ARRC, Senthil is stilll earning. Charged with today’s results and learnings, we are challenging ourselves to better our results even more in tomorrow’s race of 2022 ARRC round1.”
Quote of IDEMITSU Honda Racing India rider Rajiv Sethu:
“I was both excitedand nervous to step on the track for race today. My strategy for today’s race was maintaining the pace till the end and gain points for the team. I am confident that I will benefit from my experience and training added in these 2 years going ahead in the championship. I am looking forward to tomorrow’s race where I am confident of better results”
Quote of IDEMITSU Honda Racing India rider Senthil Kumar:
“Starting my second season after a long break was a little daunting for me. However, as I rode onthe track, I regained my confidence. Although today’s race met an untimely end with a crash at the end of lap 4 but I am excited to get back on the bike and race to win laurels for the team and my country tomorrow.”
Race 1 of AP 250 class saw battle start from the word go and ended at the chequered flag with Honda riders getting 2 positions on podium. Leading the bunch was Astra Honda Racing’s Rheza Danica Ahrens (1st)followed by Piyawat Patoomyos (2nd) of Honda Racing Thailand.
Parallelly in the ASB1000cc class, Malaysian rider Md Zaqhwan Zaidi of Honda Asia-Dream Racing with SHOWA team fought intensely till the end and won first gold of the 2022 Asia Road Racing Championship.
The development of NextGen millennial riders of India too got a push today. Honda’s Indian teen rider duo of Sarthak Chavan and Kavin Quintal racing in the Thailand Talent Cup (Honda’s development program for Asian riders run on NSF250R) secured 11th& 12th positions respectively in Round 1 qualifying. Making strong push in race 1, Sarthak Chavan finished the race at 12th position.While Kavin Quintal did not participate in the race due to poor health.
About 2022 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship:
The 25th edition of FIM Asia Road Racing Championshipis Asia’s most competitive motorcycle road racing championship, held since 1996. The 2022 season will have a total of six rounds beginning with the official test and season opener at the Chang International Circuit (Thailand)on 22 March 2022. In May 2022, the Sepang International Circuit (Malaysia) will host the second leg. While the host venue for Round 3 in July 2022 is yet to be confirmed, the 2022 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship will make its debut at the Sports land Sugo International Circuit (Japan) in August 2022. In September2022, the Zhuhai International Circuit (China) will serve as the host for the penultimate round and the season is expected to wrap up again at the Chang International Circuit in Thailand in the month of November this year.
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ARRC
HondaRacing India’s 4 best riders will make Indian pitch stronger at internationalmotorsport championships
· Rajiv Sethu and Senthil Kumar of Honda Racing India will compete with Asia’s bestriders at 2022 Asia Road Racing Championship
· Fast-tracked career development of India’s promising young riders Sarthak Chavan and Kavin Quintal from Honda Racing India for global glory at Thailand Talent Cup 2022
Gurugram, 21 March 2022: As the 2022 season of international racingchampionship is set to resume after two years of enforced inactivity, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) today announced its international racing team for 2022 season.
Beginning the 2022 season with renewed motivationand energy, four best Indian riders from Honda Racing India team will represent India on international race track at 2022 Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) and Thailand Talent Cup (TTC).
Sharing an overview of Honda’s racing journey, Mr. Atsushi Ogata, MD, President & CEO - Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India said, “I’m happy that the motorsports activities in India andthe Asian region are getting back to normal after two-years gap. It is my dream to see an iconic Indian Rider making India proud at International championships. To realize this dream, we have laid a 360-degree road map that focuses on faster skill up of potential Indian riders under the able guidance of Mr. Tadayuki Okada, ex MotoGP rider. This year, two of India’s racing icons will compete with Asia’s best at Asia Road Racing Championship in AP250 class. Further, we are also fast-tracking the development of 2 next generation riders who will race at Thailand Talent Cup. We are aiming for our boys to be in the top group and make us proud on the international stage. I wish all our riders and team a very successful 2022 racing season!”
Elaborating on HMSI’s 2022 international racing plans, Mr.Prabhu Nagaraj, Senior Vice President – Brand and Communications, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India said,“We are thrilled with the onset of 2022 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship aftera gap of two years. Joining the Asian grid of riders from India will be Rajiv Sethu & Senthil Kumar. Having represented the team across national and international championships, the duowill step into this season carrying experience as well as a steel solid focuson claiming laurels for Honda. Parallelly, India’s next-gen riders Kavin Quintal & Sarthak Chavan realize their dream of racing on international platform at Thailand Talent Cup 2022. It is going to be an exciting season andwe look forward to their performance in the championships.”
Honda2Wheelers India’s solo Indian team IDEMITSU Honda Racing India at ARRC:
Leading IDEMITSU Honda Racing India with the aim to seize honors among top 10 in Asia Production 250cc class of Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) will be 2 exceptional riders.
Experiencedrider Rajiv Sethu remains the spearhead of IDEMITSU Honda Racing Indiateam. Since his debut at ARRC in 2017, Rajiv has shown remarkable consistency over the years. Rushing up from 46th spot in his debut year to 27th in 2018 and closing 2019 season at 17th position with 2 Top-10 &9 Top 15 finishes, Rajiv has his eyes set on accomplishing new personal benchmarks yet again.
Joining Rajiv in the IDEMITSU Honda Racing India pit will be 20-year-old rider Senthil Kumar. Starting his ARRC journey in 2019, Senthil finished his rookieseason at 30th position in AP250 class of championship. In 2018, therider showcased promising results at Thailand Talent Cup (his first time at international racing).
Looking forward to his 4th season at ARRC, Rajiv Sethu shared, “I amvery excited for the upcoming season of ARRC as we will finally head back to international circuits after a break of 2 years. It gives me great pride that Honda has placed their trust in me and has left no stone unturned in giving the best training along with expert mentors and technicians. This year, my target is to close the season in Top 5 and I have been rigorously preparing for it.”
Sharing his thoughts, Senthil Kumar said, “This is my second season with Honda at ARRC. I am very thankful to Honda for giving me the opportunity to represent my country at this prestigious international platform. During the last 2 years, Ifocused on improving my fitness and hone my riding skills under the guidance ofmy mentors. I will give my 100% in all rounds and try to get as many points aspossible for my team.”
IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Hunt to Thailand Talent Cup (TTC) 2022:
The biggest hurdle in the development of an Indian iconic rider for International Championships has been the late entry point into professional racing. But Honda is challenging this and fast-tracking the career development of young Indian riders who have high potential.
The new riders for 2022 season of Thailand Talent Cup are 16 year old Kavin Quintal from Chennai (Tamil Nadu), 2021 champion of Honda India Talent cup and the solo Indian rider in Asia Talent Cup 2022. Joining him is 15-year-old Sarthak Chavan from Pune (Maharashtra) the young rider who was 2020 champion of Honda India Talent Cup.
Both riders are well versed with the Moto3 spec machine NSF250R and are confident of taking on the best of the Talent in the Asian region. Looking forward for a good 2022 season.
About 2022 FIM Asia Road RacingChampionship (ARRC): The 25th edition of FIM Asia Road Racing Championship is Asia’s most competitive motorcycle road racing championship, held since 1996. The 2022 season will have a total of six rounds beginning with the official test and season opener at the Chang International Circuit (Thailand)on 22 March 2022. In May 2022, the Sepang International Circuit (Malaysia) willhost the second leg. While the host venue for Round 3 in July 2022 is yet to be confirmed, the 2022 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship will make its debut atthe Sports land Sugo International Circuit (Japan) in August 2022. In September 2022, the Zhuhai International Circuit (China) will serve as the host for the penultimate round and the season is expected to wrap up again at the Chang International Circuit in Thailand in the month of November this year.
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ATC
Becomesthe next-iconic Indian rider to be selected for IDEMITSU Asia Talent Cup 2022
Gurugram,02 March 2022: Committed towards its goal of developing an iconic Indian rider for International racing championships, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. (HMSI) today announced that Kavin Quintal, 16-year-old lad from Chennai, has inched a step closer to international championships. The IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Hunt find and 2021 IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup (NSF250R) champion, Kavin Quintal is all set to join the prestigious 2022 IDEMITSU Asia Talent Cup(IATC).
Kavin Quintal was among the 6 young Indian riders from Honda Racing India who got short listed for 2022 season of IDEMITSU Asia Talent Cup selection process. These included 15-year-old Sarthak Shrikant Chavan from Pune, 13-year-old Rakshith S Dave, 17-year-old Geoffrey & Shyam Babu and 18-year-old Varoon S. from Chennai.
Elaboratingon this achievement by Indian rider, Mr.Prabhu Nagaraj, Senior Vice President – Brand and Communications, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. said, “In 2018, we initiated the next-generation iconic Indian rider forthe world. Since then, we have been aggressively tapping the new racing talent from every nook & corner of the country and nurturing them to become stronger riders. Kavin Quintal has already displayed his exemplary mettle in Honda India Talent cup by taking the championship this year. Riding on the Honda’s Moto3 race machine – NSF250R since 2019, Kavin is well versed with the machine. We are confident that boosted by the expert training by the former Grand Prix rider Tadayuki Okada, Kavin will display a stellar performance inhis debut International race and will make India proud at world stage further inspiring young riders like him.”
2022 IDEMITSU Asia Talent Cup (IATC) rider grid of 20 riders
20 full-time riders are set to race in the 2022 season of IATC, hailing from sevencountries across Asia and Oceania: Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.
Thereare six returning riders in 2022: four riders from the class of 2020 and beforeand two from 2021. The remaining 14 new riders include Kavin Quintal from India and two riders who have made wildcard appearances at Mandalika International Street Circuit: Reykat Fadillah and Veda Pratama.
Kavin’s journey in the world of racing
Entering into the world of professional racing in 2017 with Stock 165cc category of national championship, racing was Kavin’s dream since he was just 4-years-old. However, his racing career took a complete leap, when the Chennai racing prodigy was first identified by Honda 2 Wheelers India at IDEMITSU Honda Talent Hunt, Chennai in February 2019. Spotting his potential earlier on, Honda put him on an accelerated growth path.
In his inaugural year itself, Kavin was among the first 8 next-gen Indian riders to get the opportunity to race on NSF250R - Honda’s legendary Moto3 race machine platform. Since then, Kavin has been displaying strong potential on the race track. The youngster stood second in the 2019 & 2020 championship of IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF 250R class.
Learning and making giant leaps in his performance, the 16-year-old lad out paced all his team mates and won the 2021 IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R championship.
Quoteby Kavin Quintal, IDEMITSU Honda Racing India rider, “It was my dream to make my name in the world of racing. For me it is an honor to be apart of IDEMTISU Asia Talent Cup surrounded by well-seasoned riders. I wouldlike to take this opportunity to thank Honda 2Wheelers India, my coach Mr.Tadayuki Okada, my team and our sponsors for not only developing my skills as aracer but also for providing me with such a great platform. Having been riding the NSF250R for 3 years now, I along with the support and guidance of my mentors have worked hard on improving my performance to be able to tame the track. As the solo Honda rider from India, I will work hard with the team anddo my best in every race.”
2022IDEMITSU Asia Talent Cup race Calendar:
For Kavin Quintal and other Asia-Oceaniastars of the future, a six round, 12-race season starts with pre-season test at Losail International Circuit on the 25th and 26th of February which will getthe grid ready to race before the first round takes place alongside the QatarGP in early March. From there, the ATC returns to Pertamina Mandalika International Street Circuit for Round 2 as the MotoGP™ paddock visits the Indonesian venue for the first time.
Aftera summer break, the ATC returns to action with back-to-back rounds along side the Japanese and Thailand Grands Prix, taking on the Twin Ring Motegi and Chang International Circuit. Two weeks later Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia hosts Round 5, before Mandalika beckons once more for the season finale. There,the ATC will round out 2022 along side World SBK.
| IDEMITSU ASIA TALENT CUP – 2022 PROVISIONAL ENTRY LIST | |||||||
| Entry | Start N. | Rider name | Nationality | Age | Birth date | Cm | Kg |
| 2020 | 2 | REI WAKAMATSU | Japan | 15 | 2-Mar-06 | 162 | 51 |
| New | 3 | AAN RISWANTO | Indonesia | 15 | 2-Feb-06 | 160 | 43 |
| 2020 | 5 | GUN MIE | Japan | 15 | 30-Apr-06 | 160 | 51 |
| 2020 | 6 | CARTER THOMPSON | Australia | 14 | 29-Nov-07 | 158 | 42 |
| New | 7 | VEDA EGA PRATAMA | Indonesia | 13 | 23-Nov-08 | 147 | 37 |
| New | 8 | FARRES PUTRA | Malaysia | 13 | 23-Jan-08 | 163 | 46 |
| 2020 | 9 | THANAKORN LAKHARN | Thailand | 18 | 12-May-03 | 165 | 50 |
| New | 10 | KAVIN QUINTAL | India | 16 | 11-May-05 | 171 | 64 |
| New | 11 | THANAT LAOONGPLIO | Thailand | 14 | 3-Feb-07 | 168 | 58 |
| 2021 | 12 | MARIANOS NIKOLIS | Australia | 14 | 10-Jul-07 | 146 | 37 |
| 2021 | 13 | HAKIM DANISH | Malaysia | 14 | 30-Jul-07 | 155 | 44 |
| New | 14 | AMON ODAKI | Japan | 13 | 17-Dec-07 | 144 | 47 |
| New | 15 | REYKAT YUSUF FADILLAH | Indonesia | 13 | 23-Jan-08 | 160 | 58 |
| New | 16 | NGUYEN TRAN DUC TAI | Vietnam | 18 | 29-Jun-03 | 164 | 54 |
| New | 17 | EMIL IZDHAR | Malaysia | 14 | 27-Jul-07 | 157 | 50 |
| New | 18 | CAMERON SWAIN | Australia | 13 | 14-Aug-08 | 160 | 40 |
| New | 19 | FARISH HAFIY | Malaysia | 13 | 3-Jun-08 | 156 | 40 |
| New | 20 | JAKKREEPHAT PHUETTISAN | Thailand | 14 | 6-Apr-07 | 172 | 50 |
| New | 21 | SHINYA EZAWA | Japan | 16 | 3-Oct-05 | 168 | 54 |
| New | 22 | DIANDRA TRIHARDIKA | Indonesia | 13 | 10-May-08 | 155 | 40 |
For more information, contact : public.relations@honda2wheelersindia.com
***
HOMR
HondaRacing India’s Rajiv Sethu impresses with a strong start Closes the action packed race 1 of PS165cc categorywith 2nd position on podium
· Theopening round of Honda Hornet 2.0 One Make Race sawKevin Kannan, Veera AshwinLal and Sudheer Sudhakar grab podium finishes
· NSF250Rsaw Chennai boysKavin Quintal, Varoon S and Geoffrey R Emmanuel on top spots
· Maidenvictory for young rider Rakshith S Dave; Prakash Kamatgrabs 2ndposition &Theopaul Leander completes the podium with his first podiumfinish on 3rdin CBR150R class
Chennai, 21 August,2021:Day 1 of the MRF MMSC FMSCI Indian National MotorcycleRacing Championship (INMRC) concluded with some action-packed performances atMadrasMotor Sports Club, Chennai.
While riders Rajiv Sethu and Senthil Kumar fought fortop spots in the Pro-Stock 165cc category, 26 millenial riders raced theirfinest to grab laurels in the IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R andCBR150R categories. Parallely, first race of newly introduced Honda Hornet 2.0 One Make Race saw a mixgrid of 13 riders including two girls Ryhana Bee from Chennai and Lani Zenafrom Pondicherry putting up a tough fight with boys.
Speakingon today’s race, Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj, Senior VicePresident, Brand & Communication, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt.Ltd. Said, “The first day of Indian National MotorcycleRacing Championship (INMRC) 2021 started on a good note with our ace riderRajiv Sethu scoring second podium finish in PS165cc category.All our ridersraced their finest showcasing their exceptional riding talent.The polishedperformances of our young guns in the CBR150R &NSF250R categories andmature performance by riders in Hornet 2.0 One Make Race proved that it isgoing to be a much excited season. Taking the results from a constructive day,we are confident that tomorrow’s races would yield us better resultsand justifythe potential of all racers.”
MRF MMSC FMSCIIndian National Motorcycle Racing Championship – ProStock 165cc
Representing the IDEMITSUHonda SK 69 racing team in Pro-Stock 165cc category are veteran riders RajivSethu and Senthil Kumar. Starting from 4th on the grid, Rajiv moved up to oneplace in first lap itself. In a close battle for the second spot, Rajiv made aclean overtake at turn 4 of lap 2 but againe pushed back at 3rd by the nearestcompetitor. Using the experience of previous races and putting learnings fromInternational races at the fore front, Rajiv once again leaped ahead of hisnearest competitor in the final lap and finished the race at 2nd place with atotal race time of 11:55.312. Team mate Senthil Kumar also held tight and gavea consistent performance to finish at the 4th place. Both Rajiv and Senthilwere able to steal points for the team by finishing in the top 4.
Inaugural round ofHondaHornet 2.0 One Make Race
Saturday saw fierceriding in Race 1 of the category from the front runnersKevin Kannan, VeeraAshwin Lal and Sudheer Sudhakar. Leading the race was Kevin Kannan from Chennaiwho held on the top spot while competing a neck-on-neck battle with SudheerSudhakar of New Delhi.After clinching the 1stspot in pen ultimatelap, Sudheer lost control of the bike and suffered a crash at the last cornerof lap 6 while contesting against Kevin Kannan. With total time of 13:28.543,Kevin finished the race at first. At the 2nd place stood teammate Veera AshwinLal of Madurai. Though pushed off the track, Sudheer Sudhakar picked himself upto finish the race at the 3rdplace registering the best lap of 2:12.512.
IDEMITSU HondaIndia Talent Cup – NSF 250R & CBR150R categories
Setting off abrilliant start, Pune lad Sarthak Chavan rode with poise and jetted of to thefirst position overtaking teammate Kavin Quintal from the early seconds of therace. Throughout the race, Sarthak and Kavin were engaged in a tough fight toclaim the first position. Intimidating his competitor, Kavin intelligentlymadea clean move and pushed back Sarthak.While trying hard to gain back the firstspot, Sarthak suffered an unfortunate crash. Local boy Kavinthus won the race 1of NSF250R category registering the best lap of 1:48.681. Lapping back homeafter Kavin were the Chennai boys Varoon S and Geoffrey R Emmanuel who grabbed2nd and 3rd podium positions respectively.
The IDEMITSUHonda India Talent Cup CBR150R category saw 14 of our riders in an intensehead-on battle for the top spots. The first lap itself witnessed a change inpositions.While the pole starter Prakash Kamat drifted away at first corner ofLap 1, 13-year-old Rakshith S Dave took the lead. Maintaining his lead throughoutthe 6 laps race, Chennai boy Rakshith won his maiden victory with a comfortablelead of 4.816 seconds. The second spot saw a tough contestation from TheopaulLeander, Johann Reeves Emmanuel and Siddesh Sawant before Prakash Kamat fromBokaro Steel City made a brilliant recovery and manoeuvred past competition tofinish at the 2ndplace. Joining Rakshith and Prakash on podium was20-year-old Chennai lad Theopaul Leander who finished the race at 3rdposition,thus grabbing his first podium finish.
For more information, please contact public.relations@honda2wheelersindia.com
ARRC
Brings excitement to the track withintroduction of Honda Hornet 2.0 One Make Race
Chennai, 18 August, 2021: As the 2021 season of MRFMMSC FMSCI Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship (INMRC) is all set tokick-off this weekend in Chennai, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt.Ltd. (HMSI) raises the curtain from its 2021 riders’ line-up for the nationalchampionship.
In 2021, Honda 2WheelersIndia will give more power to its direction of ‘Developing Iconic Indianrider for National & International Championships’ with an aggressive focuson Brand Leadership & Structural Development.
Honda 2Wheelers India entersthe 2021 Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship (INMRC), vying tofurther strengthen its leadership in Pro-Stock 165cc category. With an impressive line-up of 2 seasoned riders inPro-stock 165cc category, IDEMITSU Honda SK 69 racing teamis eying for the championship this year.
Parallely, the IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup 2021will focus on developing and nurturing young potential ridersof today to become India’s star riders of tomorrow. The 12 next-gen riderswill ride on the Moto3 spec NSF250R in IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R.Feeding into this as first step will be the CBR150R category of the talent cupwith 14 riders, including the youngest of only 11 years of age!
Taking a step further in itsendeavours to expand motorsports culture in India, Honda 2Wheelers India bringsHornet 2.0 on the racetrack with the introduction of Honda Hornet 2.0 One MakeRace. Witha grid of 15 riders, the Honda Hornet2.0 One Make Race will provideopportunity to racing enthusiasts & our customers to experience the thrillof racing.
Speaking on the 2021 season,Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj –Senior Vice President - Brand &Communication, Honda Motorcycle& Scooter India. Pvt. Ltd. said, “Led by the challenging spirit, we are ready for 2021season of the Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship with an all-rounder line-up across categories and introduction of Honda Hornet 2.0 One Make Race. This year, with two ofour expert riders in Pro-stock 165cc category, we aim for the nationalchampionship this year. At the same time, the future of Indian racing willsimmer in the IDEMTISU Honda India Talent Cup when the 26 next-gen riders willhit back the racetrack. We areconfident of the hard-work of our riders and expect many surprises thisweekend.”
Extending leadership in theNational Championship – ProStock 165cc
Taking the Honda chargeahead in Pro-Stock 165cc category of Indian National Motorcycle RacingChampionship will be the rider duo of Rajiv Sethu and Senthil Kumar. Honda’s23 years old expert rider, Rajiv Sethu is three times podium finisher ofnational championship and a 2016 national champion whereas Senthil Kumargrabbed 2nd podium in the 2018 INMRC Pro-Stock 165cc championship. Backedby international racing experience at Asia Road Racing Championship, bothriders are gunning for top spots this year.
Developing iconic Indian riderwith IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF250R & CBR150R
Providing opportunity toyoung Indian riders to race on the pure racing machine, the IDEMITSU HondaRacing India Talent Cup NSF250R will see 12 riders proving their mettle on the racetrack.In 2021, 6 of these millennial riders including Kavin Quintal, Varoon S,Geoffrey Emanuel, Charan T from Chennai; Sarthak Chavan from Pune and Mohsinfrom Velachery will continue to ride NSF250R for 3rd season whereasSamual Martin, AS James from Bengaluru; Deepak S from Chennai and Raj Dashwanthfrom Trichy will ride it for 2nd season. The remaining 2 riders –Shyam Sundar of Chennai and Vivek Kapadia of Belgaum have been upgraded fromCBR150R category.
That’s not all. 14 young gunswill battle it out in the IDEMITSU Honda India Talent cup CBR150R category. Forthe first time, the CBR150R category will see a 11-year-old youngest rider AshwinVivek from Chennai who was identified at Honda India Talent Hunt 2021 alongwith Steve Waugh Sugi of Trichy. Joining them are young racing enthusiasts hand-pickedfrom Honda India Talent Hunt across India – be it from the Bokaro Steel City,Patna, Satara, Pune, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Malappuram & Chennai.
Formore information, contact: public.relations@honda2wheelersindia.com
HITC
2020season sees new young brilliant riders
It’sa double podium delight for ENEOS Honda Erula Racing Team’s Mathana Kumar
· NSF20R Openclass: Pune’s14 year old Sarthak claim his first NSF 250R championship closely followed by KavinQuintal at second position and Varoon S at third.
· CBR150RNovice class: Rookie rider Shyam Sundar takes home the winning title ofIDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup CBR150R Novice class. Rounding him at thesecond and third are Vivek Rohit Kapadia and Rakshith S Dave
Chennai, December 20,2020: Withthe racing action limited to onlytwo weekends, the 2020 Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship and IDEMITSUHonda India Talent Cup has been a challenging, fun and reckoning experience forHonda riders across categories of championship.
ExemplifyingHonda’s racing DNA, Honda’s 24 youthful riders of IDEMITSU Honda India TalentCup across NSF250R Open class and CBR150R Novice class left no stone unturnedwith their fireball performances. Topping the leadership board is the Pune’sSarthak Chavan. The 14 year old has taken over the championship title forIDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF20R Open class with his dazzling performancefollowed by Chennai boys Kavin Quintal at second position and Varoon S at third position.
Throttlingfearlessly with the confidence is the Chennai’s Shyam Sundar who became the championof the 2020 IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup CBR150R Novice class followed by VivekRohit Kapadia from Belgaum at second position and the youngest of all, the 12year old Rakshith S Dave from Chennai securing the third position.
ENEOS Honda ErulaRacing team riders grabbed 10 podiums in the 2020 season ofIndian National Motorcycle Racing Championship PS165cc including 3 victories. Sundaywas the day of hope and courage for the ace rider Mathana Kumar. In the morningrace we saw his battling skills and completing the round at the third positionwith the best lap time of 2:00.711. The afternoon finale race of the season,saw Mathana conquering fearlessly and finally grabbing his 1st winof the season. With this, Mathana scored 4 podiums in this season and securedthird position in the 2020 championship.
Expressinghis feelings, Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj, Senior VicePresident, Brand & Communication, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt.Ltd. Said, “Sunday was filled with mixed feelings, whileRajiv Sethu continued to face technical issues with his machines, Mathana Kumarrose to the occasion and achieved double podium for the team Honda.Despite manylimitations and time constraints, I am overwhelmed with the performances of ouryoung guns in the IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup. Both Sarthak and Shayam haveshown outstanding performances in their respective categories. Our debut ridershave also got great exposure and are all prepped up for the next season. Icongratulate all the riders for putting up their best efforts and now we lookforward to the 2021 season.”
Mathana Kumar leads with the best lap time inrace 4 of Pro-Stock 165cc
Leading the intense battle for the podium win,Honda’s Mathana Kumar was fully boosted for the victory. In the morning round,who fought neck to neck for the podium and completed the race at third positionwith only difference of 0.077 seconds from his nearest competitor and 4.238seconds from the podium win. Showing his confidence, Mathana who started fromthe third position in the afternoon took over his competition comfortably wonthe podium with the difference of 4.185 seconds with the best lap time of 2:01.498. While, it was ahard luck for Rajiv Sethu who couldn’t compete in the races due to thetechnical issues in his machines on the PS 165 class.
IDEMITSU HondaIndia Talent Cup – NSF 250R & CBR 150R categories
The NSF 250R saw the exciting race by theyoungest lad Sarthak Chavan who despite starting from the last grid showed hisracing DNA and crossed the finish line claiming the podium win. This made himthe winner of 2020 season of IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup NSF20R Open class.Following him was Bengaluru boy Samuel Martin who finished at 2ndplace followed by Mohsin P from Valanchery at the 3rd place. Fightingfor the podium win, Sarthak completed with the lap time of 14:59.511 with thelarge difference of 0.52.128 seconds ahead of Samuel. This Race was with twistswith top riders off the race, gave opportunity for some new riders on thepodium.
The action packed race of CBR150R Noviceclass saw the nail biting performances the Honda’s millennial riders, where theclass champion Shyam Sundar gave claimed the podium win with the lap time 13:30.923and become the champion of 2020 IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup CBR150R Noviceclass. Giving him the tough competition on the track was Ikshan Shanbhag fromSatara who in his debut season claimed 1st podium in the final raceand crossed the finish line at 2nd position with the only difference0.415 seconds. Following him was Vivek Rohit Kapadia who was competing for the1st position in the beginning of the race but turned to 3rdposition by the time of 6th lap. The other best performance was seenby Pune’s boy Shubankar Joshi who completed the race with the best lap time of 2:12.918and finished at 4th position.
For more information, contact - public.relations@honda2wheelersindia.com
ARRC
Despitebest ever 11th finish of Senthil and 13th of Rajiv; a 5position penalty on exceeding track limit takes them out of Top 15
· Goingfull throttle, IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team closes 2019 ARRC championshipin TOP 9 teams of AP 250 with 35 points
· With2 Top-10 & 9 Top 15 finishes; Rajiv closes 2019 at 17th (10 rankgain over 27th in 2018)
· Rookierider Senthil Kumar closes maiden AP250 Championship at 30th out of44 riders
Chang International circuit (Thailand) 1 December 2019: Despite scoring adouble whammy top 15 finish by both the Indian riders of IDEMITSU Honda Racing India, the solo Indian racing team in theAP250 (Asia Production 250cc) class of Asia Road Racing Championship 2019(ARRC) faced a tough Sunday at Chang circuit.
With 30 riders from20 teams battling for AP 250 championship in the finale race, FIM 5 position penaltyon exceeding track limits in turn 12 of final 10th lap race turnedthe fortune of 5 riders. Despite being the first to cross the chequered flag,Md. Muzakkir was pushed back to 6th position. Astra’s Honda LuckyHendiransya’s 7th finish in race was amended to 12th.Similarly, Senthil and Rajiv too lost 5 positions from their 11thand 13th race finish to 16th and 18th positionsin final results, leading to no points for Honda’s solo Indian team despite a doubletop 15 finish.
Starting 16th,Rajiv’s good start took him to 10th spot ending lap 1. Lap 3 erased hisgains, pulling him back to 16th. Thereon, Rajiv made a fantasticrecovery to 15th by lap 4, 13th by lap 5 and climbed up to11th position by lap 6 when Top 12 riders were fighting in a 1.8 second gap. Bylap 8, Rajiv overtook 2 riders to enter into top 10. A wide cornering in turn12 of final 10th lap saw Rajiv finish 13th in race 2today, only to bear the brunt of 5 positions penalty which put him 18thon the official race2 result.
Still learning theropes of international racing in his debut ARRC season, 18-year-old Senthil continuedhis assault on time sheets to record his personal best lap record of 1:54:323at Chang ciruit today. Today, Senthil showed true challenging spirit, climbing11 positions from his distant 8th row start of 22ndposition to finish 11th – the best ever finish of Honda’s rookierider. But the 5 position penalty pushed him back to 16th in theamended results.
While 4 ridersincluding championship contender Irfan Ardiansyah crashed out during theaggressive race, local favourite Mukada Sarapuech and Vietnam’s Cao Viet Nam toodropped due to technical problems. Post the positions flux after penalty, A.P HondaRacing Thailand’s rider Piyawat Patoomyos was the winner, followed by VorapongMalahuan (2nd) and Awhin Sanjaya (3rd). After theclimactic race 2 finish today, it’s a clean podium sweep for Indonesians in the2019 AP 250 championship. While Andy Fadly won 2019 AP 250 title with 214points, Astra Honda Racing team’s duo of Awhin Sanjaya closed 2nd (188points) and Irfan Ardiansyah 3rd (187 points).
Sharing overview ofthe Honda’s solo Indian team’s debut season at ARRC, Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj, Vice President – Brand and Communications, HondaMotorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd.,“Today was the story of Indian challengers of Honda. For the youngest Indianrider at ARRC, Senthil did his best ever finish at 11th, broke the1.55 second lap time barrier and gained as many as 11 positions in the AP 250race for the first time. Rajiv too has grown immensely and our 2019 performancehas made others take us as serious competition now. Surely, today the penaltywas a downer but it is an opportunity for our riders to better their craft evenfurther. As a company driven on realizing the Power of Dreams, Honda racingIndia’s dream is to create an iconic Indian rider for the world. Working onthis dream, we will start the 2020 season testing tomorrow itself.”
Quote from IDEMITSUHonda Racing India rider Rajiv Sethu
“I put up a very good fight in Race 2. While I wasreally excited by my 13th finish, the 5 position penalty was crushingfor me. But at the end of the day, I had taken a wide corner and had to bearthe brunt of it. Overall, 2019 was for sure a great season. I am now confidentthat I can fight in the front. The next season will require a lot of hard workbut I am ready for it. I am thankful to my sponsors CWI and IDEMITSU and mostimportantly my team IDEMITSU Honda Racing India. Now, its time to prepare for2020.”
Quote from IDEMITSUHonda Racing India rider Senthil Kumar
“Today, I recorded my personal best lap time in themorning warm up (1:55:688) which gave me more confidence before the race.Despite a bad start in the afternoon race, I gained 11 positions over my 22ndstart to finish 11th – which was my best ever finish till date. Butthe FIM penalty for exceeding track limit, cost me 5 positions to 16th. Despitethis, today has 2 positives for me. For the first time my gap with lead riderwas just 1.693 seconds and I also bettered my personal best lap time to 1.54seconds (1:54:323).”
2019’s been acracker of a season for India’s solo team - ‘IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team.With Rajiv’s and Senthil’s consistent improvement, Indian motorsport is comingof age. IDEMITSU Honda Racing India has ended 2019 ARRC season of AP 250 classin Top 9 with 35 points. With 2 Top-10 & 9 Top 15 finishes; Rajiv closes2019 at 17th. This marks a solid 10 rank jump over his 27th rank in2018 AP 250 championship. For the rookie rider Senthil Kumar who is stilllearning the ropes, his 30th rank out of 44 riders will seeimprovement ahead.
Parallelly, ZaqhwanZaidi of Honda Asia-Dream Racing with SHOWA team in ASB1000cc class finished 2nd in today’s race 2. This puts the team 4thand Zaghwan 3rd in the overall ASB 1000 championship.
Formore information, contact Public.relations@honda2wheelersindia.com
_battles_for_lead_in_AP_250_race_2.jpg)
ARRC
With 2 positions gain, Rajiv finishesin Top 14 in AP250 Race 1 at Buriram
Chang International circuit (Buriram, Thailand) 30November 2019: Thebattle for title started from the morning qualifier only to be a sizzlingaffair by the afternoon’s Asia Production 250cc (AP 250) race 1 of the finale 7thround of FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2019 (ARRC) at buriram, Thailand.
For IDEMITSU HondaRacing India team rider duo of Rajiv Sethu and Senthil Kumar, today turned outto be mixed day. While the morning qualifier pushed Rajiv out of the top 15front bunch, he made a strong recovery in afternoon’s race 1, finishing 14thand adding 2 more points to the solo Indian team’s kitty. Meanwhile, anaggressive cornering in last turn resulted in Senthil’s crashing out of therace in lap 1 itself.
The morningqualifier saw top 20 riders fight in a tight 2 seconds gap for the title battle.Riding with middle bunch in the first half of qualifier, Rajiv was initiallystuck in the 1:55 seconds lap time. But strategizing fast, the 21-year-old madea quick pit stop to lose this bunch. Rejoining with the fast bunch, he breachedinto 1:54 seconds mark to finally qualify 16th with best lap time of1:54:737 – a mere 2.185 seconds off the Thai female lead rider Muklada who clocked1:52:552.
Determined to winpoints for India in the afternoon AP250 race 1, Rajiv gained 2 positions to 14thin lap 1 itself. But Malaysian rider Muhammad Faerozi crash in lap 1 turned outto be the turning point of the race. While the top riders pushed ahead, thenext bunch of 7 riders including Rajiv hit the brakes and formed the nextgroup. From here on, this bunch of 7 riders rode in under 1 second gap.Clocking his best lap time of 1:54:539, Rajiv maintained his 14th spottill lap 3. Lap 4 saw him slip to 15th only to recover back to 13thand maintain this pace till lap 8. The 10 lap race saw Rajiv finally close 14thwith 2 positons overall gain, recording a total time of 19:16:421.
Despite the crash,today was a great day for rookie rider Senthil Kumar. The morning qualifier sawSenthil breach the 1:55 second mark (1:55:855) for first time ever at Changcircuit. A poor start in the afternoon race dragged Senthil to 27th fromhis 22nd position start. But challenging himself, the 19-year-oldrode aggressively, gaining 9 positons (a first for him) to climb to 18th spot.But the last corner of lap 1 proved to be his nemesis. While overtaking 2 moreriders, Senthil had a low-side and crashed out of the race.
Sharing an overviewon today’s race1 and morning qualifier, Mr.Prabhu Nagaraj, Vice President – Brand and Communications, Honda Motorcycle& Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. said, “Morningqualifier showed our riders are now taking correct strategic calls. Rajiv’sdecision to exit and re-enter the pit in morning qualifier shaved off 2 secondsfrom his time, pushing him from 22nd to 16th. In the racetoo, Rajiv fought hard and ended with 2 position gain, adding 2 more points toIDEMITSU Honda Racing India’s kitty. Senthil’s accomplished his target ofentering the 1:55 seconds lap time club. Despite his crash, Senthil’s realexperience today was his phenomenal recovery from 27th to 19th.Tomorrow will be a tougher day and aggression with calculated risks will be ourmantra. Our target for tomorrow is top 10 for Rajiv and top 15 for Senthilremains.”
Quote of Honda’sthird timer ARRC rider Rajiv Sethu: (14thin race 1)
“Today’s morning qualifier wasn’t as expected. I wasn’tfully confident of the front end. So I entered race 1 with a different set-up.I made a good start and was fighting for 11th position with thegroup. There was constant overtaking at every turn thereon. My strategy shiftedto defending my position. Even so, in turn 5 of last lap, I overtook 3 ridersto move to 11th position. But in turn 9 of last lap, an aggressivecontact with Malaysian rider Shahrol pushed me back 4 positions to 15th. Ridinghard here on, I overtook Thai rider Sawapol in the last corner and finished 14thgaining 2 positions over my 16th start. Tomorrow, my aim is to makea strong start, enter top 10 as soon as possible and maintain my pace thereon.”
Quote of 19-year-oldrookie rider Senthil Kumar: (DNF inrace 1)
“Yesterday, I had a target to enter the 1:55 secondslap time. Today, I met my target in the morning qualifier and entered the raceconfident of a top 15 finish. While the poor start pushed me back, I overtook 7riders which was a first ever for me. My crash was unfortunate but it’s also abig learning for me. Tomorrow, the fight will be equally challenging and my aimcontinues to be top 15 finish.”
Meanwhile,the battle at the front was a nail biter till the end. With a stronghome-ground advantage, A.P Honda’s Thai rider Muklada Saarapuech was leadingtill the start of last 10th lap. But, with top 7 fighting in lessthan 0.645 second gap, a cornering mistake at last turn dashed Muklada’s dreamof a win today.
Whilethe championship front-runner, Indonesian rider Andy Fadly quickly made a fastcorner to be the first to stop the clock at 19:03:763. Hot on his heels wasAstra Honda’s Indonesian rider Awhin Sanjaya who too overtook Muklada at lastcorner to photo-finish 2nd.
Parallely, HondaGroup Companies team Honda Asia-Dream Racing with SHOWA pulled strong in theinaugural Asia Superbike 1000cc class at the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship2019 too. The team has recruited top personnel from Honda subsidiaries acrossthe Asia & Oceania region including a race technician from India. Theafternoon race 1 saw Malaysian rider Zaqhwan Zaidi win yet again with 1:36:130lap time in today’s race 1 of ASB 1000 class.
Formore information, contact Public.relations@honda2wheelersindia.com
ARRC
With speed and aggression, Honda’ssolo Indian team eyes top 10 finish at Chang
· RajivSethu consistent in Top 15 with 1:55:084 lap time – hisfastest ever in free practice session
· SenthilKumar stands 21st on the 30 rider grid with1:56:942 lap time, shaves 1 second off his lap time
· 19-year-old Kritik Habib, Honda’s next-gen talent in Thailand Talent Cup closespractice 1 in top 15
Chang International Circuit, Buriram (Thailand), 29November 2019:Entering the finale 7th round of FIM Asia Road Racing Championship(ARRC) 2019 at Chang International circuit in Buriram (Thailand), IDEMITSUHonda Racing India team’s rider-duo of Rajiv Sethu and Senthil Kumar finishedtoday’s 3 practice sessions on a strong note amidst intense competition fromAsia’s best riders.
IDEMITSU HondaRacing India team’s experienced 3rd timer Rajiv was his fastest everin free practice sessions at Chang circuit. With a lead gap of only 2:045seconds from the Indonesian lead rider Rafid Topan who stopped the clock at1:53:039, Rajiv clocked his best practice lap time of 1:55:084 here.
Meanwhile IDEMITSUHonda Racing India’s 19-year-old rookie rider Senthil too showed consistentimprovement. Finishing 21st on the grid, Senthil today too recordedhis personal best practice lap time of 1:56:942. Gaining confidence in the 6rounds of 2019 ARRC, Senthil has significantly reduced his gap with lead riderto 3.903 sec today compared to the 4.628 sec gap in earlier round 3 in the sameChang circuit.
Withthe battle for AP250 title still up for grabs in the last round, the heat wason today. Top 15 riders fought in just 2:045 seconds gap. Ruling today’scombined practice from the front was Indonsian Rafid Topan Sucipto (1:53:039)followed by A.P Honda Racing team’s Thai rider duo of Piyawat Patoomyos(1:53:157) and Muklada Sarapuech (1:53:194).
After a constructiveday today, tomorrow will be decisive. Honda’s Indian duo is fighting with 30 ofAsia’s top riders from 8 countries. But the Indian challengers are confidentafter their positive track outing today. While Rajiv aims for a top 10 finish;Senthil targets a top 15 finish tomorrow at Buriram.
Quote from Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj, Vice President – Brandand Communications, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd.
“Today, our boys performance have improved in thepractice sessions. A much more seasoned rider, Rajiv entered each practicesession with a plan to improve on his past mistakes and closed in top 15.Senthil too is now in the 1:56 sec time. With the next 2 races deciding theoverall standing in the AP 250 championship, every rider is giving his best andtop 15 are riding in a 2 second gap. Between Round 3 practice at Chang circuit andtoday, both our riders are much faster, strategically taking calculated risks.We are confident of a strong grid position in the morning qualifier. The fightwill be for Top 10.”
Quote of IDEMITSUHonda Racing India rider Rajiv Sethu:“Today, I entered FP 1 with a mindset toadapt fast to the track and bike, since it has been 2 months since the lastARRC round. My feeling was good in FP 1. By afternoon’s FP 2, I tried differentriding techniques and was 1 second faster. In FP3, my main objective was tobetter my cornering for tomorrow. This time, competition is really close andmicro-seconds matter. Tomorrow, my focus is to qualify in the Top 10 and pickup further from there in the afternoon race.”
Quote of IDEMITSUHonda Racing India rider Senthil Kumar:“FP 1 gave me good confidence on tractionas I was riding in wind and cooler track temperature. In FP2, we expected windand had modified our suspension setup but the condition on track was reverse.But despite bike sliding during cornering, I challenged myself to record my bestpractice lap time of 1:56:942. This weekend is my last opportunity to winpoints for India. Tomorrow, my goal is ride with the fast bunch, qualify in top15 and gain from there.”
Parallely, HondaGroup Companies team Honda Asia-DreamRacing with SHOWA pulled strong in the inaugural Asia Superbike 1000ccclass at the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2019 too. The team has recruitedtop personnel from Honda subsidiaries across the Asia & Oceania regionincluding a race technician from India. Malaysian rider Zaqhwan Zaidi closed inTop 3 with 1:36:544 lap time – a mere 0.421 sec of the lead rider Azlan Shah intoday’s combined ASB 1000 practice.
Today alsoexemplified Honda Racing India’s commitment to develop Iconic young Indianriders for the world. Honda Racing India’s 19-year-oldyoung gun Kritik Habib today returned to Chang circuit for the ThailandTalent Cup (Honda’s development program for Asian riders run on Moto3 machine NSF250R).Challenging 19 riders, Karnataka boy Kritik Habib recorded 1:52:949 best laptime in FP1.
For more information, contact Public.relations@honda2wheelersindia.com
ARRC
Rajiv aims for Top 10 finish whileSenthil guns for points yet again!
With 6 wildcard entries, total 32 riders from 8 nationsto battle in AP250 class this weekend
Chang International Circuit (Thailand), 28 November2019:The fight for Asia Production 250ccclass title has now reached Thai soil for the finale round of 2019 Asia RoadRacing Championship (ARRC) at Chang International Circuit, Thailand. Afterwinning points in each of the 6 rounds till now, ‘IDEMITSU Honda Racing India’-the only Indian team in Asia Production 250 class enters the finale roundfirmly in Top 9 out of 20 teams.
This weekend canjust be the game-changer for Honda’s Indian rider duo of Rajiv and Senthil. Inhis third ARRC season, Rajiv enters last round of AP 250 class with 33 pointsunder his belt. For 21-year-old Rajiv Sethu, Chang International Circuit holds ahistory of good performances. In 2018, he scored his maiden international pointhere. In 2019, Rajiv upped his game during the 3rd ARRC round atChang circuit recording the first Indian rider Qualifier finish in Top 7, newfastest lap time (1:53:573) and over 33% reduction in total race time gap withlead rider from 18 seconds to just 5 seconds within the 10 lap race. Rajiv isalready in top 16 out of the 40 riders in AP 250 class – which is a starkimprovement from his overall 27th position in 2018, but he isdetermined for a repeat top 10 finish this weekend as well. Meanwhile, thisweekend will be the best shot for Senthil to finish Top 25 in his maiden ARRCseason, considering he is most familiar with this track.
Speaking on thefinal round, Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj, VicePresident – Brand and Communication, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt.Ltd. said, “2019 has been a greatyear for IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team. With 2 Top-10 and 8 Top-15 finishes,Rajiv is now consistently riding with the top bunch. It was at Chang only thatRajiv had qualified in Top 7 earlier this year. Now we are confident that Rajivis primed better his record here and close 2019 season with a bang. Senthil toohas improved his race-craft and gained points in his debut season itself.IDEMITSU Honda Racing India is ready to take on the Thai challenge. Both ourriders know the intricacies of Chang. As the 2019 season wraps up this weekend,we are vying for a strong finish this season.”
This weekend, itwill be a clash of titans as the AP250 class grid will see 32 riders from 8Asia Oceania nations (Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Taipei,HongKong, India). Expect fireworks this weekend with 5 of the top 8 underequalizer rule. With 4 of the top 5 riders chasing title coming from Hondastables, the Indonesian rider Irfan Ardiansyah must finish second to be crownedthe 2019 AP250 FIM Asian Champion. The AP 250 title fight heads for a tie-breakeras Indonesian riders Irfan Ardiansyah and Andy Muhammad are both tied at thetop with 176 points each. But with the double equalizer cut of 1000rpm on thetop runners, the championship may see new challenge from the next 3 riders onthe scoreboard (Awhin Sanjaya, Muklada Sarapuech and Aiki Iyoshi).
Looking forward tolast round of ARRC, Rajiv Sethu, theexperienced IDEMITSU Honda Racing India rider said, “Chang International Circuit is like a second home to me. This circuithas brought good fortune for my team and me in the past. I’m much more confidentof my riding style here. This weekend is about being in prime form,strategically moving ahead on the grid and avoiding any riding mistake whichcan push me back. While Thai riders have the home-ground advantage here and 6wildcards will heat up the competition even more, my aim is to be in top 10here.”
Sharing histhoughts, Senthil Kumar the rookieIDEMITSU Honda Racing India rider said, “Iam excited to return to Buriram (Thailand). In my last visit, I finished in Top20. As I feel much more comfortable on this track and my machine, I now aim togo full throttle and aim for points for the solo Indian team once again.”
Parallelly,the marquee Asia SuperBike 1000cc (ASB) class of ARRC 2019 will see the podiumcontender Malaysian rider Zaqhwan Zaidi of Honda Asia-Dream Racing with SHOWAteam (ranked 4th) return in full form. The team has top personnel from Hondasubsidiaries across Asia & Oceania, including a race technician from India.
TheChang International Circuit will also witness the final round of Thailand Talent Cup (Honda’sdevelopment program for Asian riders) this weekend. Representing the next breedof Indian young racers going global with Honda will be Kritik Habib from Gadag,Karnataka (ranked 21st).
In its 24th year, the FIM Asia Road RacingChampionship (ARRC)is Asia’s most competitive motorcycle road racing championship. The 2019 seasonsees the battle play out in 7 rounds across 5 countries (Malaysia* 2,Australia, Thailand * 2, Japan & China) in 4 classes ASB1000, SuperSports600 (SS600), AP250 and Underbone (UB150).
Formore information, contact Public.relations@honda2wheelersindia.com
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ARRC
· Despite injuries, Rajiv Sethu records Top 15 finish, adding 1 more point for India
· Senthil - the Youngest Indian rider in Asia’s toughest championships in ARRC gains 5 positions to finish 17th
· AP250 Championship Standing: Team (9th), Rajiv (16th), Senthil (27th)
Sepang International Circuit (Malaysia) 22 September 2019: Sunday’s final race of round 6 at Sepang International Circuit (Malaysia) once again brought cheer for IDEMITSU Honda Racing India - the solo Indian racing team battling for points at the Asia Road Racing Championship 2019 (ARRC).
Despite his back and hand injury from yesterday’s crash, Rajiv earned 1 more point for India with his eight top 15 finish this season in Asia Production 250cc (AP 250) class of ARRC.
Still learning the ropes of international racing in his debut ARRC season, 18-year-old Senthil continued his assault on time sheets to record his personal best lap record of 2:28:241 at Sepang. Despite his 8th row start from 22nd on the grid, Senthil quickly overtook Taipei’s Liu Junmei and Thailand’s Sawapol in lap 2 itself. Maintaining 20th in lap 3, he jumped to 19th in lap 4 and maintained his stance for the 3 rounds, only to finish 17th in final 8th lap, with 5 positions gain overall.
Today’s Race 2 of Asia Production 250cc class saw Indonesians dominate the top 6 ranks. In-fighting for the win went unabated till the chequered flag and took out two causalities - Rafid Topan and Muklada Sapapuech who crashed out in their attempt to lead in the last lap. Ultimately, it was Astra Honda Racing team’s Awhin Sanjaya who stopped the clock at 19:43:339. Hot on his heels was Andy Fadly trailing by only 0.048 seconds (19:43:387) and 3rd podium claimant Reynaldo Chrisantho (19:43:545).
Quote from Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj, Vice President – Brand and Communications, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd., “This weekend we couldn’t best our past. However, I’m satisfied that in spite of injury from yesterday’s crash in race 1, Rajiv closed in Top 15 with 1-point gain today. Senthil is now more confident and faster on his CBR 250RR and he was a story of recovery today. Now with Sepang over, we head back to India to analyze our performance, identify gap areas and improve further. Next up is Round 7 at Buriram circuit. Both our boys have a good experience there, and I’m sure that we will bounce back with strong results in December round.”
Quote from IDEMITSU Honda Racing India rider Rajiv Sethu
“Despite back and hand injury, I could get good confidence in morning warm-up after a bad crash yesterday. I started strong and had jumped up to 11th position in turn 2, I was sticking with the top 15 riders for about 4 laps. On 5th lap, I missed my gear and went out of the track, losing two positions. It was very difficult to recover especially as couldn’t push 100% due to my injury. I finished 15th. But frankly, this was not the goal I had set for myself this weekend. I have very good confidence in Buriram. Now I plan to recover fast and focus on my weak-points to fight for the top 15 in Championship. I will have to close in the top 10 in both the Thai races.”
Quote from IDEMITSU Honda Racing India rider Senthil Kumar
“In the morning warm-up, I recorded my fastest lap time of 2:28:241 and entered the race with confidence. But when a bad start shoved me to 29th, my first priority was to fast reverse this loss. In the first lap itself, I aggressively rode and overtook 7 riders to return to my starting 22nd position. In next lap, I overtook 2 more riders to climb to top 20. But by then, the gap between Shahrol and me had increased which I couldn't recover. However, with Thai rider Sawapol hot on my heels, I successfully defended my position to finish 17th. Next up, is the last round at Buriram (Thailand). With its 3 long straights, competition is tight as all riders are riding in a 2 to 3-second gap. I have to learn from my mistakes this weekend, better my corner exits and get more lean to ensure a top 15 finish there.”
IDEMITSU Honda Racing India is now stacked up in Top 9 teams of AP 250 class with 33 points. Rajiv is now placed 16th in the points tally with 33 points, while Senthil with no-gain-no-loss this weekend is tied at 26th out of 40 riders. As the Sepang outing draws to a close, the battle for 2019 ARRC Championship will re-commence in Round 7 finale at Buriram, Thailand in December.
Parallelly, Zaqhwan Zaidi of Honda Asia-Dream Racing with SHOWA team in ASB1000cc class finished 4th in today’s race 2, putting him 3rd in the championship.
For more information, contact Public.relations@honda2wheelersindia.com
ARRC
Ready with the newracing squad, Rajiv Sethu & Senthil Kumar to represent India in AP250 class
Delhi, 5 March, 2019: Startingthe 2019 motorsports season with an aggressive announcement, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India Pvt.Ltd. is all set to bring forth its newly formed team on the tracks at 2019Asia Road Racing Championship. The round 1 of ARRC will be held at the SepangInternational Circuit, Malaysia from the 5th-6th March2019.
Taking forward their motto of discovering Indian ridersfor National and International championships, Honda is taking forward the SOLOIndian team to ace the 2019 motorsports season. Representing India in the AP250class is the experienced rider Rajiv Sethu, participating for the third time inARRC. Adding to the team clout is rookie Senthil Kumar who gained prominence ontrack by finishing at the 20th place in Thai Talent Cup 2018.
Speaking on the opening race, Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj, Vice President – Brand and Communications, HondaMotorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. said, “Last week, Honda reinforced its commitment ‘To develop iconic Indianrider for National & International Championships’ with a more aggressiveTHREE-PRONGED approach. Going forward with the more challenging spirit andpassion of claiming victory, we have carefully designed a roadmap for ourriders to reach the heights of International racing. Starting the ARRc season,we are excited to let loose Rajiv Sethu and Senthil Kumar who have sweated itout in practices and are all set to race against best of Asian riders. We wishthem luck for their first round this season.”
Leading the team from front, the young talented Hondarider Rajiv Sethu said, “My experience of last two years and thecustomized world class training from Honda has made me more confident ontechnical aspects, which is eventually going to bring good points on the scorestally. I am extremely excited and positive to make Honda and India proud.”
Talking on his debut season with fresh energy andconfidence, the Honda rider Senthil Kumar said, “Last season the Thai Talent Cup was a greatexperience for me. I was trained by the Honda professionals who found talent inme and now have helped me in getting ready for the Asia’s toughest racingchampionship ARRC. I will endeavor to execute all my trainings, hard work andlearning on this reputed platform to capitalize the opportunity.”
Giving priority to developing not just world level riderbut also technician, Mr. P. Prabhakaran from India is ready to showcase hisskills as a part of Honda Asia-Dream Racing with SHOWA team in the newlyintroduced premier class of Asia Super Bike 1000.
About 2019 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship:
The 24th editionof FIM Asia Road Racing Championship is Asia’s most competitive motorcycle roadracing championship, held since 1996. The 2019 season will have a total ofseven rounds across 5 countries (Malaysia* 2, Australia, Thailand * 2, Japan& South Korea) starting from 8th March 2019 with the battlegoing all the way to the last round in December 2019. ARRC is part of theproduction-based category of racing, similar to the Supersport World Championship.This year the Championship will feature four main classes. This includes thenewly introduced premier class of Asia Super Bike 1000 over and above theexisting three classes SuperSports 600cc, Asia Production 250cc, and theUnderbone 150cc.
For more information, contact Public.relations@honda2wheelersindia.com
ARRC
· IDEMITSU Honda Racing Indiateam wins HIGHEST EVER 7 points in single race in inaugural race of 2019 ARRCseason
· Honda’s Indian duo of Rajiv &Senthil overtake 3 riders each to finish in Top 14 in AP250 Race 1
· Rajiv Sethu records new BESTFINISH BY INDIAN RIDER in ARRC, wins 5 points with 11th finish
· Senthil Kumar becomes theFIRST Indian rookie and YOUNGEST Indian rider to win points in maiden ARRC racewith strong top 14 finish
Sepang International Circuit (Malaysia), 9March 2019:After the solid practiceyesterday where Rajiv closed at ever highest position of 7th and the18-year old rookie Senthil too zoomed to 17th position in the AP250class, the solo Indian team IDEMITSUHonda Racing India today celebrated its best ever performance in FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC).
Today’s race made India proud and recordedmany firsts. It is the first time that both riders of India’s solo team scoredpoints at Asia’s toughest road race championship in same race.
Rajiv recorded the best ever finish by Indianrider in AP250 class of ARRC at 11th spot (earlierhighest 13th). The teen rider Senthil too showed the power of YoungIndia and became the first Indian rookie to win 2 points with 14thfinish in his debut ARRC race itself! With this, Honda’s Indian team has madeits best ever season start with tally of 7 points in the first race itself.
Sharing anoverview on the solo Indian team’s performance today, Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj, Vice President – Brand and Communications, HondaMotorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. said, “2019 is the year when Indian motorsport is coming of age.Technically, our CBR250RR bikes are tweaked to be more competitive withimproved cowl giving added advantage to our boys. Additionally, our boys havethe strength of entire team and coach behind them. Right from the first race ofthe 2019 ARRC season, our solo Indian team is emerging as a serious challenger.Making India proud, Rajiv gave his best ever ARRC performance and added 5points for Indian team. Senthil the face of new, confident and aggressive youngIndian riders finished in top 14 and added another 2 points to IDEMITSU HondaRacing India kitty. Charged with today’s results and learnings, we are challengingourselves to better our results ever more in tomorrow’s race 2.”
Indianteam gives best ever performance in AP 250 (race 1) class of ARRC:
In lap 1itself, Rajiv made a good start from his 14th position. Whileclimbed to top bunch but had to drop back due to other rider crash. But hisperseverance paid off mid-race. Overtaking2 riders in lap 4 and maintaining this till the last 8th lap, the21-year old recorded his best ever finish in AP250 class at 11thposition. With this strong finish, Rajiv swooped his highest single race haulof 5 points in race 1 of 2019 ARRC season itself.
Senthil showed the might of confident youngIndian riders in his debut race itself. Starting 17th on the grid of 25riders, Senthil made a good start and overtook 3 riders in lap 1 itself. Fromthere till the end of race, Senthil was battling it out with Taipei rider ChiouKe-Lung and closed at 14th position with total lap time of 20:17:513.With this, Senthil is now the youngestIndian rider and the first ever Indian rookie to score a point in Asia RoadRacing Championship.
With 2crashes in lap 1 itself, the afternoon AP 250 Race 1 saw battle start from theword go. The fight went on till the chequeredflag of 8 lap race with Indonesian riders wrapping up the first 6 positionsfinish. Overtaking to win race 1 just 100 meters short of the finish line wasLucky Hendriansya of Astra Honda (19:34:655), with Andy coming 2nd(19:34:839) and Irfan Ardiansyah also from Astra Honda completing the podium(19:38:376).
Satisfied with his performance today andcharged up for tomorrow, Honda’s front-runner rider Rajiv Sethu said, “After mybest ever qualifier finish at 14th earlier today, I was charged upeven more. I made a great start and overtook 9 riders to reach 5thspot in first lap itself. But just then the 2 riders before me crashed and Ihad to go back to save myself. Yet I could gain 3 spots and finish 11thwhich is the best ever for me in my 3 years of ARRC. Today, I feel great buttomorrow I will fight to finish in top 10.”
Taking on his debut season with fresh energyand confidence, the 18 year rookierider Senthil Kumar said, “Its been a fantastic day of learning forme. The competition is very tough here. I started strong and overtook 3 ridersin first lap itself. Thereafter the battle was to hold my front and I couldsuccessfully do that. Personally, I am both humbled to earn points for the onlyIndian team in my debut ARRC race itself and am excited to do even better inrace 2 tomorrow.”
REFERENCE ANNEXURE:
| Championship | Machine | Rider | Age | Nationality | Career Highlights |
| FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2019 (Asia Production 250 class) | CBR250RR | Rajiv Sethu | Nov, 1997 (21 yr) | India | 2018: - ARRC, AP 250 (27th) - Thai Talent Cup (12th) - INMRC Super Sport 165 (2nd) 2017: - ARRC, AP 250 (46th) - Thai Talent Cup (16th) - INMRC Super Sport 165 (2nd) - CBR 250R One Make Race (1st) 2016: - Honda Asia Dream Cup (12th) - INMRC Pro Stock 165 (1st) - CBR 250R One Make Race (1st) |
| Senthil Kumar | Feb, 2001 (18 yr) | India | 2018: - Thai Talent Cup (20th) - INMRC Pro Stock 165 (3rd) - IDEMITSU Honda Talent Cup CBR 250R (3rd) 2017: - CBR 150R One Make Championship - Debut in racing with Honda |
IDEMITSU Honda RacingIndia team – Rider Profile
About 2019 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship:
FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) isAsia’s most competitive motorcycle road racing championship in its 24thyear. The 2019 season has 7 rounds across 5 countries (Malaysia* 2, Australia,Thailand * 2, Japan & South Korea). The battle for 2019 championship startsthis weekend (8-10 March) at Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia.
In 2019 ARRC features four classes - thenewly introduced premier class of Asia Superbike 1000 (ASB1000), SuperSports600 (SS600), Asia Production 250 (AP250) and Underbone class (UB150).
Representing the solo Indian team at theevent - IDEMITSU Honda Racing India are two riders – Rajiv Sethu and the rookieSenthil Kumar who fight on the CBR250RR.
For more information, contact Public.relations@honda2wheelersindia.com
ARRC
· After 7 points yesterday,masterful riding by Rajiv wins the team another 3 points today
· Honda’s solo Indian riderduo grabs 10 points in formidable Sepang – their highest single roundhaul!
· Despite crash in lap 1 whichpushed him to last on grid, Rajiv resurges to finish 13th in Race 2
· Tough luck for Senthil, low-sidein 6th lap leading to crash and minor injury
· IDEMITSU Honda Racing Indianow 6th out of 15 teams in inaugural round of 2019 ARRC
Sepang International Circuit(Malaysia), 10 March 2019: Masterful race performance by the Indian riderRajiv Sethu at Sepang International Circuit track earned him and IDEMITSU HondaRacing India team 3 additional points in the second consecutive race of2019 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC).
With the end of inaugural Malaysia round today, Honda’s solo Indianteam has earned double digit points in a single round for the first time. Gaining10 points in the inaugural round, Honda’s Indian rider duo is now firmly inthe Top 6 teams of AP 250 class.
Sharingan overview on the solo Indian team’s performance today, Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj, Vice President – Brand and Communications, HondaMotorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. said, “No doubt, it wasa tough weekend, but we did good work, and I am proud our team’s efforts too.After the high of race 1 where both Rajiv and Senthil scored a double whammy,Sunday race was a tough one with as many as 6 crashes. Though Rajiv was caughtup in the crash in lap 1 itself, he scripted a quick bounce-back from 23rdto 13th. Meanwhile, Senthil crashed out while fighting to secure his13th spot. This was disappointing but he’s learning fast and I’mconfident that he will come back stronger and wiser. Sepang is just the startof a long season. We have to keep our focus high and aim higher for the nextround in Australia now.”
Indianteam performance in AP 250 (race 2) class of ARRC:
Sunday’s AP 250 race was one of the toughest ones till date with 6 riderscrashing out in the 8 lap race.
Trouble ensued for Rajiv right from lap 1. Despite a great startwhich took him to 5th spot, Rajiv suffered the collateral damagefrom the crash of Indonesian rider duoIrfan Ardiansyah and Rafid Topan before him and crashed. Determined tofinish the race, Rajiv resumed from back of the pack at 23rd spot.Scripting an extraordinary recovery, Rajiv sprang back in ensuing 7 laps tofinally cross the chequered line at 13th.
Meanwhile beginnersluck evaded young Senthil today. Starting 17th on the grid, Senthilskillfully avoid the crash in lap 1 and climbed to 13th position bylap 6. But his strong braking in the tight corner resulted in a low-side andultimately crash. Senthil’s total point tally at end of round 1 stands at 2points.
Femalepower stood out in the AP250 race 2 today with Thailand rider Muklada Sarapaechfrom A.P Honda Racing Thailand overtaking Andy at the last minute to win therace. Completing the podium was the Indonesian rider Awhin Sanjaya from AstraHonda Racing team.
Having mixed reaction post his performancetoday, Honda’s front-runner rider Rajiv Sethusaid, “This weekend I really gave it myall. Today I was totally focused, as I wanted to be in the top bunch right fromthe start. While I could do that, but I couldn’t save from Indonesian riderscrash before me. My machine had minor problem from the crash impact, but Iwanted to finish the race. Yes, I could gain more points for India and my teamtoday but I feel disappointed that I couldn’t close in top 10. Going back toIndia, the challenge to myself is to achieve this in the April round at BendMotorsport Park.”
Summing up his debut round performance, the 18 year rookie rider Senthil Kumar said, “Today was a tough day. My target was tobetter my yesterday’s 14th finish. By 6th lap, I hadalready reached 13th spot but the miscalculation at the turn led tomy crash. As a racer, my target is to do better and eye for top bunch in everyrace. So yes, today was been a little disappointing but there is a lot oflearning in this too.”
REFERENCE ANNEXURE:
| Championship | Machine | Rider | Age | Nationality | Career Highlights |
| FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2019 (Asia Production 250 class) | CBR250RR | Rajiv Sethu | Nov, 1997 (21 yr) | India | 2018: - ARRC, AP 250 (27th) - Thai Talent Cup (12th) - INMRC Super Sport 165 (2nd) 2017: - ARRC, AP 250 (46th) - Thai Talent Cup (16th) - INMRC Super Sport 165 (2nd) - CBR 250R One Make Race (1st) 2016: - Honda Asia Dream Cup (12th) - INMRC Pro Stock 165 (1st) - CBR 250R One Make Race (1st) |
| Senthil Kumar | Feb, 2001 (18 yr) | India | 2018: - Thai Talent Cup (20th) - INMRC Pro Stock 165 (3rd) - IDEMITSU Honda Talent Cup CBR 250R (3rd) 2017: - CBR 150R One Make Championship - Debut in racing with Honda |
IDEMITSU Honda RacingIndia team – Rider Profile
About 2019 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship:
FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) isAsia’s most competitive motorcycle road racing championship in its 24thyear. The 2019 season has 7 rounds across 5 countries (Malaysia* 2, Australia,Thailand * 2, Japan & South Korea). The battle for 2019 championship startsthis weekend (8-10 March) at Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia.
In 2019 ARRC features four classes - thenewly introduced premier class of Asia Superbike 1000 (ASB1000), SuperSports600 (SS600), Asia Production 250 (AP250) and Underbone class (UB150).
Representing the solo Indian team at theevent - IDEMITSU Honda Racing India are two riders – Rajiv Sethu and the rookieSenthil Kumar who fight on the CBR250RR.
For more information, contact Public.relations@honda2wheelersindia.com
ARRC
· Honda makes Indian racing pitch stronger, signsex-moto GP rider TomoyoshiKoyama as team coach
· With 8 points already in kitty, IDEMITSU HondaRacing India starts Australia round firmly in Top 7 teams
· Intense competition as 25 expert riders from 8nations battle in Asia Production 250cc class this weekend
· IDEMITSUHonda Racing India riders are the experienced Rajiv Sethu and rookie SenthilKumar
· Indian rider duo of Rajiv & Senthil challengethemselves for Top 10 and Top 15 finish respectively
Bend Motorsport Park- Australia, 24 April2019: ‘IDEMITSU Honda Racing India’ – the soloIndian two-wheeler racing team from Honda 2Wheelers India is all fired up to raisethe stakes higher in Round 2 of Asia Road Racing Championship 2019.
After theinaugural round in Malaysia earlier in March’19, Asia’s toughest motorsportsracing championship has now reached Australia and kicks off tomorrow with startof official practice.
Sharingpreparations of the IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team, Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj, Vice President – Brand and Communications, HondaMotorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. said, “Honda made a good start to 2019 ARRC season. Both Rajiv and Senthillapped up points in the first round and put the solo Indian team among Top 7. Now,round 2 in Australia brings with it new set of challenges. Senthil faces thedaunting challenge of mastering Adelaide track but is excited to make newrecords. Rajiv is already aware of the track and his past experience willsupport him in scoring top chart. The team has come back with intense training,more learning and the final wind in the wings will be the world class guidanceby ex-GP rider TomoyoshiKoyama. We are confident that both riders will outperform and will make Indiaproud”.
Leadingthe ARRC charge is the experienced RajivSethu for whom 2019 is his 3rd season in ARRC. Rajiv has shownconsistent improvement since his ARRC debut in 2017; climbing from 46thspot in his inaugural year to closing 27th position in 2018. In2019, Rajiv opened the throttle and is ranked 14th in AP 250cc classchampionship snapping up 8 points in his kitty already.
BackingRajiv up as his teammate is the 18-year-oldpromising rookie rider Senthil Kumar. In 2018, Senthil showed promisingresults in his debut year at Thai Talent Cup and finished 3rd in the2018 INMRC Pro Stock 165cc championship on the domestic front. In 2019 season of ARRC, Senthil made his markby winning 2 points in his debut race in Sepang circuit.
Marking his third year in the championship, youngtalented Honda riderRajiv Sethu said,“Every round comes with a new learning. After riding in the Bend motorsportpark in 2018, my entire focus this weekend will be to improve my riding style. Withthe full support of my IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team and propelled under theguidance of Mr. Koyama, I feel much more confident of my race-craft in thistricky track. I am striving for a Top 10 finish.”
Goingtowards his second ARRC round, rookie rider Senthil Kumarsaid, “Representing India on aninternational circuit and scoring points in my first race in Malaysia has givenme positive momentum. Australia is a new track for me and a very technical onetoo. But with the full support of my team, I am groomed and trained for everychallenge. I aim to go ahead full steam and snap points for India.”
Parallelly, Honda Group Companies HondaAsia-Dream Racing with SHOWA team has pulled strong in the inaugural Asia SuperBike1000cc (ASB) class of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2019. The team has recruitedtop personnel from Honda subsidiaries across the Asia & Oceania region,including a race technician from India. Led by former MotoGP racer MakotoTamada as team manager, the Malaysian rider Zaqhwan Zaidi on the CBR1000RR SP2racing machine is currently ranked in the top 4 in the championship.
IDEMITSUHonda Racing India team at ARRC, 2019 in the Asia Production 250cc class
| Rider | Age | Nationality | Career Highlights |
| Rajiv Sethu | Nov, 1997 (21 yr) | India | 2019: -ARRC Round-1(AP 250), Malaysia (14th) 2018: - ARRC, AP 250 class - ARRC, AP 250 (27th) - Thai Talent Cup (12th) - INMRC Super Sport 165 (2nd) 2017: - ARRC, AP 250 (46th) - Thai Talent Cup (16th) - INMRC Super Sport 165 (2nd) - CBR 250R One Make Race (1st) 2016: - Honda Asia Dream Cup (12th) - INMRC Pro Stock 165 (1st) - CBR 250R One Make Race (1st) |
| Senthil Kumar | Feb, 2001 (18 yr) | India | 2019: - ARRC Round-1(AP250), Malaysia (17th) 2018: - Thai Talent Cup (20th) - INMRC Pro Stock 165 (3rd) - IDEMITSU Honda Talent Cup CBR 250R (3rd) 2017: - CBR 150R One Make Championship - Debut in racing with Honda |
AboutFIM Asia Road Racing Championship:
FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) isAsia’s most competitive motorcycle road racing championship in its 24thyear. The 2019 season has 7 rounds across 5 countries (Malaysia* 2, Australia,Thailand * 2, Japan & South Korea). After the Malaysian first round in theSepang circuit, the battle for 2019 championship will take place this weekend (25-28 April) at the Bend Motorsport Park in Australia.
In 2019 ARRC features four classes - thenewly introduced premier class of Asia Superbike 1000 (ASB1000), SuperSports600 (SS600), Asia Production 250 (AP250) and Underbone class (UB150).
Representing the solo Indian team at theevent - IDEMITSU Honda Racing India are two riders – Rajiv Sethu and the rookieSenthil Kumar who fight on the CBR250RR.
For more information, contact Public.relations@honda2wheelersindia.com
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ARRC
· Rajiv Sethu: Clockingbest practice lap time of 2:26:858, Rajiv pushes hard to Top 7 for the First time
· Senthil Kumar: 18-yearold rookie rider shows his mettle, 17 position in his ARRC debut practice!
· Aftertoday’s strong practice, Honda’s soloIndian team eyes top 10 finish in tomorrow’s qualifying
· New expert riding coach ex-MotoGPrider Mr. Koyama brings new value to team in 2019 season
Sepang International Circuit (Malaysia), 8March 2019:A week after announcing its international motorsport plans for 2019, the soloteam from India – ‘IDEMITSU Honda RacingIndia’ is now charging full steam ahead in the first round of Asia’s mostprestigious motorsport championship – FIMAsia Road Racing Championship (ARRC).
The 2019season start is setting the mood for the season ahead with 25 riders from 7nations fighting for podium in the hot and humid Sepang Internationalcircuit. The competition in Malaysia isa tough and intense with top 10 riders finishing in just a 2 second gap.
Honda’ssolo Indian team turns the heat to full in today’s practice:
Afterfinishing the 2 day pre-season testing yesterday, the team finished today’s 3practices on a high note. Both the riders of IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team -the experienced 3rd timer Rajiv Sethu and rookie rider Senthil Kumarin the Asia Production 250cc class consistently showed aggression and resultson track.
Clocking animpressive best practice lap time of 2:26:858, Rajiv Sethu is now in the top 7bunch of the race ending todays practice. This is his best ever finish in theAsia Road Racing Championship practice ever.
Meanwhile,Senthil is coming under spotlight in his debut racing season itself. Earlier inhis pre-test, Senthil clocked 14th fastest best lap time of 2:29:873.The combined practice result saw Senthil finish at 17th with hisbest lap time of 2:30:288.
Sharing anoverview on the team performance today, Mr.Prabhu Nagaraj, Vice President – Brand and Communications, Honda Motorcycle& Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. said, “Withan aim to develop iconic Indian rider for India and the World, the IDEMITSUHonda Racing India team has returned stronger in 2019. Malaysia is a trickyround as the track is new to both the team and riders who are riding theCBR250RR. But our boys performance in pre-test and today’s practice has beenvery strong and encouraging. Rajiv’s first time entry in top 7 in practice andSenthil coming in top 17 is great news for the qualifier and race 1 tomorrow. Weare now challenge ourselves in top 10 finish this season.”
Leading from the front, young talented Hondarider Rajiv Sethu said, “Malaysia being a new track for me, it tooksome time to adapt to Sepang. For me, the focus was on working on both bikesetting with team and improving my riding style with Koyama san’s expertguidance. The result was my top 7th finish in combined practice. Withthe full support of IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team, I am now challengingmyself to push more and finish in top 10 tomorrow. I target is to win pointstomorrow itself and make India proud.”
Talking on his debut season with fresh energyand confidence, the 18 year rookierider Senthil Kumar said, “For me, the first day was a big struggle.The machine was new, so was the track and the aggressive riding style of mycompetition. The hot and humid weather made riding even more physicallychallenging. But I am happy with my results today. In pre-test, I clocked myfastest lap time of 2:29:873. Today was all about experimenting to improve mytechnique and riding style. Honda has given me wings to realize my dreams torace at an MotoGP track internationally and I aim to go ahead full steam andfinish in top 15 tomorrow.”
Parallely, Honda Group Companies HondaAsia-Dream Racing with SHOWA team pulled strong in the inaugural Asia Superbike1000cc class at the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2019 too. The team has recruitedtop personnel from Honda subsidiaries and other Honda racing teams across theAsia & Oceania region including a race technician from India. Led by formerMotoGP racer Makoto Tamada as team manager, the Malaysian rider Zaqhwan Zaidi closedtoday’s combined ASB1000 practice at 6th position on the CBR1000RRSP2 racing machine.
REFERENCE ANNEXURE:
| Championship | Machine | Rider | Age | Nationality | Career Highlights |
| FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2019 (Asia Production 250 class) | CBR250RR | Rajiv Sethu | Nov, 1997 (21 yr) | India | 2018: - ARRC, AP 250 (27th) - Thai Talent Cup (12th) - INMRC Super Sport 165 (2nd) 2017: - ARRC, AP 250 (46th) - Thai Talent Cup (16th) - INMRC Super Sport 165 (2nd) - CBR 250R One Make Race (1st) 2016: - Honda Asia Dream Cup (12th) - INMRC Pro Stock 165 (1st) - CBR 250R One Make Race (1st) |
| Senthil Kumar | Feb, 2001 (18 yr) | India | 2018: - Thai Talent Cup (20th) - INMRC Pro Stock 165 (3rd) - IDEMITSU Honda Talent Cup CBR 250R (3rd) 2017: - CBR 150R One Make Championship - Debut in racing with Honda |
IDEMITSU Honda RacingIndia team – Rider Profile
About 2019 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship:
FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) isAsia’s most competitive motorcycle road racing championship in its 24thyear. The 2019 season has 7 rounds across 5 countries (Malaysia* 2, Australia,Thailand * 2, Japan & South Korea). The battle for 2019 championship startsthis weekend (8-10 March) at Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia.
In 2019 ARRC features four classes - thenewly introduced premier class of Asia Superbike 1000 (ASB1000), SuperSports600 (SS600), Asia Production 250 (AP250) and Underbone class (UB150).
Representing the solo Indian team at theevent - IDEMITSU Honda Racing India are two riders – Rajiv Sethu and the rookieSenthil Kumar who fight on the CBR250RR.
For more information, contact Public.relations@honda2wheelersindia.com
ARRC
Rajiv Sethu becomes First Indian riderin ARRC to finish in Top 10!
· IDEMITSU Honda Racing Indiarealizes dream for Top 10 finish for the first time ever!
· Rajiv breaks into in Top 10AP 250 ranks with best ever lap time of 2:10:207
· With his best ever 6 pointsgain in Race 1, Rajiv jumps 2 positions to 12th in championship
· Indian team AP 250championship standing after Race 1, Rd 2: Team (7th), Rajiv (12th),Senthil (22nd)
Bend Motorsport Park, Adelaide, 27 April2019:Indian motorsport is finally coming of age and Saturday proved this as IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team riderRajiv Sethu created history as the first Indian rider to break into Top 10 group in AP 250 class of FIMAsia Road Racing Championship 2019 (ARRC) - Asia’s toughest road racechampionship.
With his beststart from 12th position, Rajiv Sethu pulled the guns today. A goodstart propelled him to 5th and 6th position in the firstlap of race 1 itself. However, his bike’s handlebar got stuck with Indonesianrider Irfan Ardiansyah on contact which pushed him back. But challenginghimself, the 3rd timer 21-year-old maintained his cool and made hismove in 5th lap. Overtaking 2riders, Rajiv was the 10th to cross the chequered flag and gained 6points while recording his fastest best lap time of 2:10:207, a solid 1.5second improvement over his previous best.
Meanwhile,today was a day of struggle and then a massive recovery for the rookie18-year-old Senthil Kumar. Starting 18th, Senthil overtook 3 riderswith his great start but in turn 15 he went out of track and went back to 24th.But ploughing on, Senthil overtook 7 riders to finally finish 17thwith 1 position gain from his start.
With this,IDEMITSU Honda Racing India continues strong in the Top 7 teams of the AP 250class.
Meanwhile,the reigning AP 250 champion Andy Muhammad Fadly from Indonesia finished on topwith 19:15:688 as Muklada Sarapuech from Honda Racing Thailand took a loosecorner in the last lap costing her 2 positions while Japanese rider Aiki Iyoshifinished 2nd.
Sharing anoverview on today’s qualifier, Mr.Prabhu Nagaraj, Vice President – Brand and Communications, Honda Motorcycle& Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. said, “Todayit’s a happy day! We’ve reached the first step of our target top 10 finish.Looking at both rider and coach feedback, we’re confident of Rajiv’s potential.He’s earned 14 points in 3 races which is a major improvement over the 7 pointshe earned in 2018 complete season. Now its time for Rajiv to aim much higher.We were expecting Senthil too in top 15. But while he fell back, he fought backvery well. We are delighted to be the first Indian team to finish in top 10 inAP250 race. Tomorrow, we will challenge ourselves harder to better our positioneven more.”
Delightedwith his performance today and charged up for tomorrow, Honda’s third timerARRC rider Rajiv Sethu said, “Everything is going in good direction.Thanks to my IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team, I am feeling stronger on trackwith the training, expert coach feedback and the full technical team backingme. I achieved my goal for today to break into the Top 10 for the first time. Butnow that I am here, I have to change my race craft to target higher.”
Meanwhile,the 18-year-old rookie rider SenthilKumar said, “I am feelingdisappointed today. I improved my braking today but I was too tense before therace. That reflected in my result today. Tomorrow, my target is to stay calmand avoid aggressiveness in lap 1 which cost me dear today.
I’m challenging myself to finish in top 15tomorrow.”
IDEMITSU Honda Racing India@ AP 250 class of FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2019
| Rider | AP 250, Rd. 2 Qualifier: | ARRC - AP 250 class championship standing | Team Championship standing |
| Rajiv Sethu 21 years | Race 1: 10th Total: 19:40:936 Best lap time: 2:10:207 Qualifying: 12th Lap Time: 2:11:738 | 2019 - 14th (Round 1 ending) 2018 – 27th 2017 - 46th ( ARRC debut) | 2019 – 7th (Race 1 of Round 2 ending) 2018 – 15th * * Debut year as solo Indian team |
| Senthil Kumar 18 years | Race 1: 17th Total: 20:18.113 Best lap time: 2:12.459 Qualifying: 18th Lap Time: 2:13:876 | 2019 – 17th (ARRC debut) |
About 2019 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship:
FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) isAsia’s most competitive motorcycle road racing championship in its 24thyear. The 2019 season has 7 rounds across 5 countries (Malaysia* 2, Australia,Thailand * 2, Japan & South Korea). After the Malaysian first round in theSepang circuit, the battle for 2019 championship will take place this weekend (25-28 April) at the Bend Motorsport Park in Australia.
In 2019 ARRC features four classes - thenewly introduced premier class of Asia Superbike 1000 (ASB1000), SuperSports600 (SS600), Asia Production 250 (AP250) and Underbone class (UB150).
Representing the solo Indian team at theevent - IDEMITSU Honda Racing India are two riders – Rajiv Sethu and the rookieSenthil Kumar who fight on the CBR250RR.
For more information, contact Public.relations@honda2wheelersindia.com
ARRC
Rajiv Qualifies intop 12, Senthil at 18th
· Both riders shave offprecious seconds off their lap times and climb ranks
· Rajiv records his best everqualifier result at 12th spot & aims for top 10 in tomorrow’srace
· Senthil aims in break intothe top 15
Bend Motorsport Park, Adelaide, 26 April2019:After delivering best ever performance in round 1 of FIM Asia Road RacingChampionship 2019 (ARRC) in Sepang; IDEMITSUHonda Racing India team’s riders pushed hard in today’s Asia Production 250Qualifying at the Bend Motorsport Park near Adelaide today.
The 4.95 kmlong Bend track with its technical corners and fast-flowing sections proved toa tougher adversary today after early morning showers. But the Indian duo continued to climb ranks in the afternoon AP250 Qualifier.
Rajiv pushed hard to close the AP 250qualifier in Top 12 with best lap time of 2:11:738. This was asignificant improvement for Rajiv over from his best practice lap time of2:12:130. Shaving off seconds in each track outing, Rajiv has already reducedhis gap with lead rider Andy to 3.1 seconds.
Meanwhile,learning continued for 18-year-old rookie Senthil Kumar who gained his firstever wet race experience in the morning third practice. In his first Bendouting, Senthil closed in top 18 with best lap time of 2:13:876. Pushing harder,Senthil’s gap with the lead rider has now reduced to 5.250 seconds compared tohis best practice lap time gap of 8.412 seconds.
Tomorrow’srace 1 will see reigning AP 250 champion Andy Muhammad Fadly from Indonesia whostopped the clock with best lap time of 2:08:626 lead the grid, followed byJapanese rider Aiki Iyoshi at 2nd and the wonder woman Muklada Sarapuechfrom Honda Racing Thailand at 3rd spot.
Sharing anoverview on today’s qualifier, Mr.Prabhu Nagaraj, Vice President – Brand and Communications, Honda Motorcycle& Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. said, “Themorning rains gave us some tense moments but the Indian team emerged strongerthan before. Rajiv riding is evolving every time he goes on track. Rajivqualified 12th on the grid, which is his best ever qualifyingposition. This can give him the push to finish in the top 10 for the firsttime. For Senthil, Australia is a complete new ballgame. He faced the wet racefor the first time today but he’s showing significant improvement. If the teamand Senthil play it right, we just might earn points yet again in tomorrow’srace 1.”
Satisfiedwith his performance today and charged up for tomorrow, Honda’s third timerARRC rider Rajiv Sethu said, “Bend is a complicated track. The manyelevations coupled with strong winds make it unpredictable for riders. Last year,I could do only 5 laps as I suffered a crash in practice 3. This time, I hadmore laps on track and improved to qualify in 12th position – whichis my best ever qualifying result. Tomorrow, my mantra will be to stay calm,understand the race in initial laps, then plan and push ahead. My goal is tobreak into the Top 10 for the first time in the 9 lap race tomorrow.”
Meanwhile,the 18-year-old rookie rider SenthilKumar is working hard to grab points for India in this tough weekend and said,“Today’s FP3 was my first wet race.Riding with a bunch of riders, I could improve my riding line and entry speed. Ialmost crashed in lap 5 but made fast recovery. Overall, my gap with lead riderhas reduced and I finished 18th. Tomorrow, I plan to stay with thebunch in the first few laps and then set a pace and challenge myself to finishin Top 15th.”
IDEMITSU Honda RacingIndia @ AP 250 class of FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2019
| Rider | AP 250, Rd. 2 Qualifier: | ARRC - AP 250 class championship standing | (Ranking / points) |
| Rajiv Sethu 21 years | Qualifying: Lap Time: 2:11:738 Position: 12th | 2019 - 14th (Round 1 ending) 2018 – 27th 2017 - 46th ( ARRC debut) | 2019 – 7th (Rd. 1 ending) 2018 – 15th * * Debut year as solo Indian team |
| Senthil Kumar 18 years | Qualifying: Lap Time: 2:13:876 Position: 18th | 2019 – 17th (ARRC debut) |
About 2019 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship:
FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) isAsia’s most competitive motorcycle road racing championship in its 24thyear. The 2019 season has 7 rounds across 5 countries (Malaysia* 2, Australia,Thailand * 2, Japan & South Korea). After the Malaysian first round in theSepang circuit, the battle for 2019 championship will take place this weekend (25-28 April) at the Bend Motorsport Park in Australia.
In 2019 ARRC features four classes - thenewly introduced premier class of Asia Superbike 1000 (ASB1000), SuperSports600 (SS600), Asia Production 250 (AP250) and Underbone class (UB150).
Representing the solo Indian team at theevent - IDEMITSU Honda Racing India are two riders – Rajiv Sethu and the rookieSenthil Kumar who fight on the CBR250RR.
For more information, contact Public.relations@honda2wheelersindia.com
ARRC
Rajiv Sethu & Senthil Kumar gun for theirbest performance at familiar Chang circuit
Chang International Circuit (Thailand), 29May 2019:This weekend ‘IDEMITSU Honda RacingIndia’ – the solo Indian racing team from Honda 2Wheelers India is takingthe battle for Indian glory to Thailand. The Indian contingent today reachedChang International Circuit in Buriram, Thailand, where Asia’s best riders willfight in Round 3 of FIM Asia Road Racing Championship 2019 (ARRC).
Sharingpreparations of IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team, Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj, Vice President – Brand and Communications, HondaMotorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. said, “2019 is shaping up as the best year for Honda’s solo Indian team atARRC. Rajiv Sethu is coming of age and is already in Top 12 riders this season,compared to his 27th position last year. Senthil too is riding moreconfidently on the new machine after 2 rounds. The biggest advantage is thatChang circuit is like a second home for our boys. Both Rajiv and Senthil haveraced extensively on this MotoGP track and are aware of its intricacies. Pushinghard, we want to make most of this round and close in top 5 teams this round.”
Leading theARRC charge in Asia Production (AP250) class is the experienced Rajiv Sethu.After sweeping double digit points for the first time in Australia, Rajiv isbeing viewed as a serious contender in the 2019 championship. Compared to his27th position last year, Rajiv is already in top 12 with 18 pointsso far in AP 250 class of championship.
BackingRajiv up will be his teammate SenthilKumar. Marking 2018 as his debut year at Thai Talent Cup, Senthil showedpromising results at the Chang International Circuit last year. In his debutARRC year, Senthil has already won 2 points and is all charged to push thethrottle in Chang, an international circuit where he has the strong benefit ofprior racing experience.
The Indianduo of Rajiv and Senthil will be racing with 25 of Asia’s top riders from Indonesia,Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Taipei and India in Asia Production 250ccclass.
Meanwhile,the competition will intensify further with introduction of new Balancing VariousMotorcycle Concepts rule. The new rule was created for greater equality amongcompeting motorcycles and balance rider performance of top 5 riders in overallchampionship. After 2 rounds, top riders of AP 250cc class Aiki Iyoshi (Japan)and Andy Muhammad Fadly (Indonesia) will be the first to achieve the firstequaliser (500rpm reduction) while rounding up the top 3 of AP 250cc class is thewonder woman Muklada Sarapuech from A.P Honda racing, Thailand.
Sharing histhoughts, Rajiv Sethu, theexperienced IDEMITSU Honda Racing India rider said, “I am both mentallyand physically charged up for this round. With the support of complete IDEMITSUHonda Racing India team and my coach Mr. Koyama, Australia gave me momentum andnow I want to re-write history by aiming for a podium at Chang – the circuitwhere I scored my first ever international points. My target is not top 10finish, I want to push hard and surprise everyone even more this round”
Enteringhis third ARRC round and the first track where he has ridden before, SenthilKumar said, “In 2018, Honda gave memy international break in Thailand Talent Cup 2018 which is Honda’s developmentplatform for Asian riders. And in 2019, Honda again gave me a bigger chance in Asia’stoughest championship. With the full backing of my fantastic IDEMITSU HondaRacing India team, I am now much more confident on bike handling. Chang is afamiliar track for me. This is my best chance to return to top 15 and eye evenhigher finish.”
Parallelly,the marquee Asia SuperBike 1000cc (ASB) class of ARRC 2019 will see Malaysianrider Zaqhwan Zaidi of Honda Asia-Dream Racing with SHOWA team (ranked 2nd)return in full form. The team has top personnel from Honda subsidiaries acrossAsia & Oceania, including a race technician from India.
This roundwill also see Honda’s teenager rider duo of Mohammad Mikail (ranked 15th)and Kritik Habib (ranked 16th) who made their international debutwith Thailand Talent Cup (Honda’s development program for Asian riders) getchance to learn race-craft from Asia’s best.
Formore information, contact Public.relations@honda2wheelersindia.com
<Rider profiles >
| Championship (class) | Machine | Rider | Career Highlights |
| ARRC (AP 250 class) | CBR 250RR | Rajiv Sethu (21 yrs) | 2019: International: ARRC in AP 250 class (12th) 2018: Int’l: ARRC, AP 250 (27th), Thailand Talent Cup (12th) Domestic: INMRC Super Sport 165 (2nd) 2017: Int’l: ARRC, AP 250 (46th), Thailand Talent Cup (16th) Domestic: INMRC Super Sport 165 (2nd), CBR250R One Make Race (1st) 2016: Int’l: Honda Asia Dream Cup (12th) Domestic: INMRC Pro Stock 165 (1st), CBR 250R One Make Race (1st) |
| Senthil Kumar (18 yrs) | 2019: International: ARRC in AP 250 class (17th) 2018: International: Thailand Talent Cup (20th) Domestic: INMRC Pro Stock 165 (3rd), IDEMITSU Honda Talent Cup CBR 250R (3rd) 2017: Racing debut in Honda CBR 150R One Make Championship (5th) | ||
| Thailand Talent Cup (NSF 250) | NSF 250R | Mohamed Mikail (15 yrs) | 2019: International: Thailand Talent Cup (15th) 2018: Racing debut of IDEMITSU Honda Talent Hunt prodigy in IDEMITSU Honda Talent Cup CBR 150R (1st) |
| Kritik Habib (19 yrs) | 2019: International: Thailand Talent Cup (16th) 2018: Racing debut of IDEMITSU Honda Talent Hunt prodigy in IDEMITSU Honda Talent Cup CBR 150R (3rd) |
About 2019 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship:FIMAsia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) is Asia’s most competitive motorcycle roadracing championship, now in its 24th year. The 2019 season has 7rounds across 5 countries (Malaysia* 2, Australia, Thailand * 2, Japan &South Korea). The battle for 2019 championship has now shifted from Australiato the Chang International Circuit, Buriram province, Thailand.
In 2019,ARRC features four classes - the newly introduced premier class of AsiaSuperbike 1000 (ASB1000), SuperSports 600 (SS600), Asia Production 250 (AP250)and Underbone class (UB150). Representing the solo Indian team at the event -IDEMITSU Honda Racing India, are two riders – Rajiv Sethu and the rookieSenthil Kumar who fight on the CBR250RR.
About the New Balancing Various Motorcycle Concepts rule:
Makingthe competition even more tough is the new BalancingVarious Motorcycle Concepts rule introduced in Asia Production 250 class in2019. The rule has been created to bring equality among competing motorcyclesand balance the performance by adjusting the RPM limit of top 5 riders inoverall championship. The first equalizer, a 500rpm reduction to the rev limitwill be applied once any of the top 4 riders acquire a 25 –point lead over theother competitors in the top 5. The adjusted RPM limit will stay throughout theseason or further adjusted if they are affected by second or third equaliser.
After2 rounds, top riders of AP 250cc class Aiki Iyoshi (Japan) and Andy MuhammadFadly (Indonesia) will be the first to be affected by the first equaliser(500rpm reduction).
ARRC
· Rajiv Sethu: Creatinghis new fastest lap time record of 1:55:146, Rajiv maintains position in Top 15
· Senthil Kumar: 18-yearold rookie rider shows improvement, shaves 1 second of his lap time
· Actionstarts tomorrow with qualifying and race 1 of AP 250 class in Round 3 of ARRC
· Honda’ssolo Indian team eyes top 10 finishin tomorrow’s qualifying
Buriram (Thailand), 31 May 2019: After yesterday’srider briefing and technical checks, IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team’s ridersduo of Rajiv Sethu and Senthil Kumar today completed a positive opening day ofpractice in Round 3 of FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) in Buriram.
Clocking hisbest practice lap time of 1:55:146, Rajiv Sethu has recorded a his new fastestlap time at the Chang circuit. Shaving off 3 seconds from his lap times betweenthe 3 practice sessions, Rajiv’s gap with the fastest rider has now reduced tojust 2 seconds. This puts him in the top 15 bunch after todays practice.
Meanwhilehis teammate Senthil - the rookie 18-year-old rider reduced his lap time bymore than 1 second between FP1, FP2 and FP3. Combined practice result sawSenthil finish 20th with lap time of 1:57:766.
Theheat was surely turned on today as the gap between first 14 riders was 1second. Ruling from the front in today’s combined practice was the A.P HondaRacing duo of Muklada Sarapuech (1:53:138) and Piyawat Patoomyos (1:53:666)followed by Indonesian reigning champion Andy Fadly (1:53:724).
Now, the actionresumes tomorrow when 25 of Asia’s top riders from 7 countries will battle inthe morning Qualifier followed by Race 1 at the Chang International circuit.
Quote from Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj, Vice President – Brandand Communications, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd.
“Today, our boys performance in practicesessions consistently improved. There’s a drastic change in Rajiv of last yearand now. He’s much more confident, risk taking and both mentally and physicallyfit. In today’s practice, Rajiv’s gap with lead rider has squeezed to just 2seconds now. He can push to the top bunch if he plays his cards right tomorrow.Senthil is a rookie rider and still learning his new race machine. Its now timeto up his game. Tomorrow should be a good day for us. We will fight for top 10.”
Quote of IDEMITSU Honda Racing India rider Rajiv Sethu:
“The FP1 was good and I came in top 14. But Icouldn’t ride most of the FP2 due to an electronic issue. In FP3, I really pushedhard and broke my previous best lap time. Today my strategy was to ride aloneand get familiar with the track. Tomorrow, I aim to stay with the top bunch andfinish well in Top 10.”
Quote of IDEMITSU Honda Racing India rider Senthil Kumar:
“I’mnot satisfied with my performance today. I could have improved more but couldonly be 1.2 seconds faster between the 3 FPs. Tomorrow will be new day. I willcorrect my mistakes and fight back to finish in top 15 and win points for India.”
Parallellyin the ASB1000cc class, Malaysian rider Zaqhwan Zaidi of Honda Asia-DreamRacing with SHOWA team was in full form. His best lap time of 1:36:274 put himon 2nd spot after Azlan Shah.
Today alsosaw Honda’s teenager rider duo of Mohammad Mikail and Kritik Habib practicewith 19 riders in Honda Thailand Talent Cup (Honda’s development program forAsian riders run on NSF250R). Making strong push, Mikhail zoomed to the Top 13with 1:53:776 best lap time and Kritik Habib finished 17th in FP1 and 18thin FP2.
For more information, contact Public.relations@honda2wheelersindia.com
<Rider profiles >
| Championship (class) | Machine | Rider | Career Highlights |
| ARRC (AP 250 class) | CBR 250RR | Rajiv Sethu (21 yrs) | 2019: International: ARRC in AP 250 class (12th) 2018: Int’l: ARRC, AP 250 (27th), Thailand Talent Cup (12th) Domestic: INMRC Super Sport 165 (2nd) 2017: Int’l: ARRC, AP 250 (46th), Thailand Talent Cup (16th) Domestic: INMRC Super Sport 165 (2nd), CBR250R One Make Race (1st) 2016: Int’l: Honda Asia Dream Cup (12th) Domestic: INMRC Pro Stock 165 (1st), CBR 250R One Make Race (1st) |
| Senthil Kumar (18 yrs) | 2019: International: ARRC in AP 250 class (17th) 2018: International: Thailand Talent Cup (20th) Domestic: INMRC Pro Stock 165 (3rd), IDEMITSU Honda Talent Cup CBR 250R (3rd) 2017: Racing debut in Honda CBR 150R One Make Championship (5th) | ||
| Thailand Talent Cup (NSF 250) | NSF 250R | Mohamed Mikail (15 yrs) | 2019: International: Thailand Talent Cup (15th) 2018: Racing debut of IDEMITSU Honda Talent Hunt prodigy in IDEMITSU Honda Talent Cup CBR 150R (1st) |
| Kritik Habib (19 yrs) | 2019: International: Thailand Talent Cup (16th) 2018: Racing debut of IDEMITSU Honda Talent Hunt prodigy in IDEMITSU Honda Talent Cup CBR 150R (3rd) |
About 2019 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship:FIMAsia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) is Asia’s most competitive motorcycle roadracing championship, now in its 24th year. The 2019 season has 7rounds across 5 countries (Malaysia* 2, Australia, Thailand * 2, Japan &China). The battle for 2019 championship has now shifted from Australia to theChang International Circuit, Buriram province, Thailand.
In 2019,ARRC features four classes - the newly introduced premier class of AsiaSuperbike 1000 (ASB1000), SuperSports 600 (SS600), Asia Production 250 (AP250)and Underbone class (UB150). Representing the solo Indian team at the event -IDEMITSU Honda Racing India, are two riders – Rajiv Sethu and the rookieSenthil Kumar who fight on the CBR250RR.
About the New Balancing Various Motorcycle Concepts rule:
Makingthe competition even more tough is the new BalancingVarious Motorcycle Concepts rule introduced in Asia Production 250 class in2019. The rule has been created to bring equality among competing motorcyclesand balance the performance by adjusting the RPM limit of top 5 riders inoverall championship. The first equalizer, a 500rpm reduction to the rev limitwill be applied once any of the top 4 riders acquire a 25 –point lead over theother competitors in the top 5. The adjusted RPM limit will stay throughout theseason or further adjusted if they are affected by second or third equaliser. After2 rounds, top riders of AP 250cc class Aiki Iyoshi (Japan) and Andy MuhammadFadly (Indonesia) are the first to be affected by first equaliser (500rpmreduction).
ARRC
After great start, day ends with mixedresults for the Indian team in Race 1
· AP250 class Qualifying: Rajiv recordsBEST EVER finish in top 7 records with fastest lap time of 1:53:573; Senthilreduces lap time by another second but starts race 20th on grid
· AP 250 class Race 1: Bad startpushes Rajiv back to 21st, recovers to 10th only to beput down by a high-side in last lap to finish 22nd; Senthil gains 2positions to finish 18th
Buriram Circuit (Thailand), 1 June 2019: Todayturned out to a mixed day for IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team’s riders duo of RajivSethu and Senthil in Round 3 of FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) inBuriram.
Afterconsistent top 15 in yesterday’s practice,today’s morning qualifier saw Rajiv Sethu record the Best Ever Finish by anIndian rider in top 7. Improving his race craft further, his gap with leadrider Muklada further reduced to under 1 second, the least ever so far.
Unfortunately,he couldn’t maintain this momentum in Race 1. A poor start lost him 14positions from his first ever 3rd row start. Yet persevering on aggressively,Rajiv made quick recovery. By lap 3 he overtook 1 rider, by lap 5 he gained on3 more. By the start of last 10th lap, Rajiv had returned to histargeted 10th position. But then, searching for a slipstream camethe high-side resulting in a crash in Turn 3. Despite minor damage inhandle-bar, Rajiv managed to finish the race.
Starting 20thon grid, Senthil made a good start but couldn’t surge ahead till the 8thlap. Thereon, he gained over 2 riders in the last 2 laps to finally close at 18thposition.
Race 1 saw battle start from the word go andended at the chequered flag with Honda riders ruling all 3 positions in podium.Leading the bunch were Thai rider duo of Muklada Sarapuech (1st) andTatchakorn Buasri (2nd) from A.P Honda Racing followed by Indonesianrider Irfan Ardiansyah from Astra Honda (3rd).
Quote of Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj, Vice President – Brandand Communications, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd.
“Aftera great start, we were confident of achieving our target today. I’m happy thatthe rider and machine are competing in the top lot now with Rajiv achieving hisbest ever 7th spot in qualifying. Surely, we missed a greatopportunity. Rajiv’s fighting spirit stood out and led to his recovery back toTop 10 until the crash in last lap. Tomorrow, our first target is to maintainthe qualify position and achieve Top 10 target.”
Quote of IDEMITSU Honda Racing India rider Rajiv Sethu:
“After mybest ever qualifier finish, I was charged up for Race 1. But I missed a good startand got held back in the chasing bunch. However, I made a steady recovery andby the last lap returned to Top 10. I pushed harder but crashed. My aim thenwas to just finish the race. I’m sad to not meet my target but I learnt a lot. Tomorrow,my aim is to finish in top 10.”
Quote of IDEMITSU Honda Racing India rider Senthil Kumar:
“Istarted strong but after early impact with another rider, I lost my bunch inturn 5 of lap 1. Thereafter, I rode the next 7 laps alone with focus oncorrecting my mistakes. My target for tomorrow is to correct my mistakes andchallenge for a Top 15 finish.”
In ASB1000cc class, Malaysian rider ZaqhwanZaidi of Honda Asia-Dream Racing with SHOWA team overtook 1 rider from his 3rdposition start to finish 2nd in race 1 fighting intensely till theend with the winner Azlan Shah.
Parallely,Honda’s Indian teen rider duo of Kritik Habib finished at his best ever 9thspot in Race 1 of Honda Thailand Talent Cup (Honda’s development program forAsian riders run on NSF250R) while Mohammad Mikail had an unfortunate crashwhile avoiding impact with the rider before him.
About 2019 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship:FIMAsia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) is Asia’s most competitive motorcycle roadracing championship, now in its 24th year. The 2019 season has 7rounds across 5 countries (Malaysia* 2, Australia, Thailand * 2, Japan &China). The battle for 2019 championship has now shifted from Australia to theChang International Circuit, Buriram province, Thailand.
In 2019,ARRC features four classes - the newly introduced premier class of AsiaSuperbike 1000 (ASB1000), SuperSports 600 (SS600), Asia Production 250 (AP250)and Underbone class (UB150). Representing the solo Indian team at the event -IDEMITSU Honda Racing India, are two riders – Rajiv Sethu and the rookieSenthil Kumar who fight on the CBR250RR.
About the New Balancing Various Motorcycle Concepts rule:
Makingthe competition even more tough is the new BalancingVarious Motorcycle Concepts rule introduced in Asia Production 250 class in2019. The rule has been created to bring equality among competing motorcyclesand balance the performance by adjusting the RPM limit of top 5 riders inoverall championship. The first equalizer, a 500rpm reduction to the rev limitwill be applied once any of the top 4 riders acquire a 25 –point lead over theother competitors in the top 5. The adjusted RPM limit will stay throughout theseason or further adjusted if they are affected by second or third equaliser. After2 rounds, top riders of AP 250cc class Aiki Iyoshi (Japan) and Andy MuhammadFadly (Indonesia) are the first to be affected by first equaliser (500rpm reduction).
For more information, contact Public.relations@honda2wheelersindia.com
ARRC
Midway into season, IDEMITSU Honda RacingIndia Team crosses 20 points mark for 1st time
· Adding 4 more points to thetally 21-year-old Rajiv Sethu in Top 14 riders
· With 22 points, the soloIndian team is now in Top 7 Teams of AP 250 class Championship
Buriram Circuit (Thailand), 2 June 2019: Today turnedout to be another day of gaining points for IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team’sriders duo of Rajiv Sethu and Senthil in the final race of Round 3 FIM AsiaRoad Racing Championship (ARRC) in Buriram.
Boosted byhis maiden third row start from 7th, Rajiv made a good start overtaking2 riders at start line itself. For the next 5, Rajiv was in top 9 riding inless than 1 second gap. In turn 4 of lap 6, Indonesian rider Rafid had ahigh-side and Rajiv exceeded track limit to save himself from crash slipping to10th. From 7th lap onwards, Rajiv, Rafid and 3 moreriders fought to maintain their positions. It was on the slipstream in homestraight of lap 9 that Rajiv emerged 12th. Fighting till the lastcorner, Rajiv took the call to avoid the risk of crash and maintained hisposition to win 4 points in race 2.
This round,Rajiv showed remarkable improvement, recording the first Indian rider Qualifierfinish in Top 7, new fastest lap time (1:53:573) and over 33% reduction in totalrace time gap with lead rider from 18 seconds to just 5 seconds in the 10 laprace.
His rookie team-mate,Senthil ended the race with no gain, no loss at 20th out of 25riders.
The hot andsweltering weather condition was matched by heated AP250 race 2 on track too.After Thai rider Muklada returned to pits in starting lap, the frenzy continuedtill end line with A.P Honda’s Thai rider Tatchakorn Buasri stopping the clockfollowed by Indonesian Honda rider Awhin Sanjaya (2nd) and MuhammadFaerozy completing the AP 250 race 2 podium.
Withcurtains down at Buriram, IDEMITSU Honda Racing India has breached the 20points mark with total of 22 points in its kitty, before mid of 2019 season,taking it to TOP 7 teams of the AP250 championship. Snapping another 4 points, Rajivis ranked 14th with 22 points and Senthil at 21st with 2points in his debut season.
Quote of Mr. Minoru Kato, President & CEO, HondaMotorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd.
“Honda wants to lead motorsports in India andcreate an iconic World champion from here. Historically, India might not havebeen at the forefront of racing in Asian region, but looking at the progress ofour team at ARRC in last 2 years, I strongly believe that we are on the righttrack. Our riders have started coming in the top bunch, the team is much moreexperienced now and experts like ex-MotoGP rider Mr. Koyama are further adding newvalue. Parallely, Honda’s Indian technicians are already learning the ropes fornext level of racing in the ASB1000 class.”
Quote of Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj, Vice President – Brandand Communications, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd.
“Aftertoday, I can confidently say that our team has entered the next level ofracing. Rajiv raced in the top bunch for the first time. Learning race-craftfrom Asia’s best riders gives him new insights to accelerate his performanceexponentially moving ahead. For Senthil, the learning phase will continue onhow to ride with Asia’s best by adapting fast to the new machine and newtracks. While the round ends today, preparation for next challenge startstomorrow when the team flies to Japan for Suzuka 4-Hour Endurance race forfirst time. This will further add to their track and riding style before Round4 in June end at Suzuka circuit itself.”
Quote of IDEMITSU Honda Racing India rider Rajiv Sethu:
“Today,I raced my best out of my 24 ARRC races in 3 years. For the first time, Ifought in top 5 in 2 laps and I had my maiden opportunity to taste the frontbunch of AP250. Overall, I learnt a lot in Thai round and will be using thisexperience going forward. Last year, after my wrist fracture I couldn’t racewell in Japan. This year I will surely benefit from my experience in Suzuka 4-HourEndurance race next weekend and will apply the learning in upcoming June endround in Suzuka.”
Quote of IDEMITSU Honda Racing India rider Senthil Kumar:
“Race2 started on a good note for me. By turn 3 of lap 1, I had overtaken 6 ridersbut exceeded track limit while cornering. I had returned to starting 20thposition by lap 4 but Malaysian rider Shahrol had an impact with me on Turn 3. WhileShahrol crashed out, I went in the mud to save myself but couldn’t join the frontbunch due to increased gap. Overall, I couldn’t match my targets with resultsin Buriram but I learnt a lot here. With the next race in Suzuka circuit, Japanprobably the toughest track in the world, I am excited and waiting to learnthere.”
In ASB1000cc class, Malaysian rider ZaqhwanZaidi of Honda Asia-Dream Racing with SHOWA team continued his golden run andfinished 4th, taking Honda’s solo team and rider both to Top 4 in flagshipclass.
Parallely,development of NextGen millennial riders of India too got a push. Honda’sIndian teen rider duo racing in the Honda Talent Cup (Honda’s developmentprogram for Asian riders run on NSF250R) made further gains. Afer his firstever Top 9 finish in debut season yesterday, Kritik Habib crashed out in lap 8after the bike behind him hit him on the corner. Mohammad Mikail was the 13thto cross the chequered line.
For moreinformation, please contact : public.relations@honda2wheelersindia.com
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