Indian Motorsports

Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2024 kicks off in Chennai

Round 1 of MRF MMSC FMSCI Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship kicked off in Madras International Circuit.

Published

2 years ago

June 17, 2024

Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2024 kicks off in Chennai

The Madras International Circuit buzzed with excitement as the first round of the MRF MMSC FMSCI Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2024 unfolded over the weekend.

Qualifying Highlights

On Friday, teenagers Sarthak Chavan from Pune and Chiranth Vishwanath from Bengaluru dominated the Pro-Stock 301-400cc category. The two 17-year-olds, representing TVS Racing, claimed the top two positions, with Chavan setting a pole time of 1:51.688. Gusto Racing India’s Sairahil Pillarisetty from Hyderabad followed closely behind. Chavan also secured pole position in the Pro-Stock 165cc Open category, indicating his potential for a double victory.

Equally noteworthy was the performance of 17-year-old Abdul Basim from Chennai, who claimed pole in the Novice (Stock 165cc) category. Former National champion Ann Jennifer led the Girls (Stock 165cc) category. Kaushik Subbiah Ganesan from Chennai topped the Stock 301-400cc (Novice) category.

In the Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup, Mallapuram’s Mohsin Paramban, 22, secured pole position in the NSF 250R category. He narrowly edged out 15-year-old Rakshith S Dave from Chennai, with Shyam Sundar also from Chennai, rounding out the top three. Mohsin’s hot lap of 01:51.187 was just ahead of Rakshith’s 01:51.218, while Shyam posted a time of 01:71.708.

The TVS Racing One-Make Championship saw Chennai’s Manoj Yesuadian setting the pace in the Open (RR 310) class qualifying session. Followed closely by Senthil Kumar from Coimbatore and Ajai Xavier M from Nagercoil. In the Rookie (Under-23) (Apache RTR 200) category, Tirupati’s CS Kedarnath topped the qualifying session. Bengaluru’s Harshith V Bogar and Thrissur’s Saranjith KM completed the front row.

Mumbai’s Sarah Khan concluded the day by comfortably securing pole position in the Girls (Apache RTR 200) class, finishing 2.4 seconds ahead of Pune’s Saimah Ajaz Baig. Coimbatore’s Aisvarya V trailed by three seconds.

Race Day Triumphs

Saturday’s races saw the spotlight on the Dave twins from Chennai. Rakshith Dave, 15, triumphed in the Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup (NSF 250R) race, while his sister Rakshitha secured her maiden win in the Girls (Stock 165cc) category. Another set of siblings, KY Ahamed and Abdul Basim, also from Chennai, each won a race in their respective categories.

In the premier Pro-Stock 301-400cc race, Sarthak Chavan continued his excellent form by leading a 1-2 finish for TVS Racing alongside Chiranth Vishwanath. Despite a red flag that shortened the race to four laps, Sarthak maintained his composure and crossed the finish line first. However, in the Pro-Stock 165cc Open race, he faced a setback, crashing out while leading. KY Ahamed took advantage and claimed victory in a tight finish ahead of his TVS Racing teammate, Jagan Kumar.

Also finishing on the top step of the podium was Chennai’s Kaushik Subbiah Ganesan (RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate), who won the Novice 301-400cc class. The class gained National championship status this season.

Earlier, pole-sitter Abdul Basim held off a strong challenge from Mysuru’s Tasmai Cariappa (Motul Sparks Racing), who led briefly in the penultimate lap but conceded the advantage. Basim went on to win, with Tasmai and Coimbatore’s Abhinav G (Chandra LGE Racing) finishing second and third, respectively.

Rakshitha Dave, starting from P2, moved in front by Turn-2, deftly avoiding any jostling behind her, and enjoyed a trouble-free run for a commanding win. Another Chennai rider, Jagathishee Kumaresan (One Racing), and Ryhana Bee (Motul Sparks Racing) settled for second and third spots, respectively, while pole-sitter Ann Jennifer (Alpha Racing) came in a disappointing fourth.

“I am very happy to score my first-ever win in the National championship. I had a good start today and a trouble-free run after going into the lead early in the first lap. The bike too performed very well,” said a delighted Rakshitha.

In the TVS One-Make Championship Coimbatore’s Senthilkumar C took the honours in the truncated Open (Apache RR 310) race that was reduced to three laps from six due to a red flag stoppage following an on-track incident. Jayanth Pratipathi (Chennai) came in second, ahead of Nagercoil’s Ajai Xavier M.

Harshith V Bogar from Bengaluru notched a dominating win in the Rookie category with second-placed Saranjith KM (Thrissur) finishing some 10 seconds behind. Vijayawada’s Akarsh Jangam was a distant third.

Mumbai’s Sarah Khan won the Girls (RTR 200) race untroubled by Pune’s Saimah Ajaz Baig and Aisvarya V (Coimbatore).

On Sunday, teenagers Sarthak Chavan, Rakshitha Dave, Abdul Basim, and Kaushik Subbiah Ganesan each clinched double victories in their respective categories.

Seventeen-year-old Sarthak Chavan from Pune established himself as the frontrunner in the premier Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open class, winning both races in commanding fashion. Despite a strong challenge from fellow 17-year-old Chiranth Vishwanath of Bengaluru, who secured second place in both races, Sarthak’s pace proved unbeatable. The duo’s performance left the rest of the field competing for the remaining podium spot.

In the Pro-Stock 165cc category, Sarthak experienced a setback when a collision with Chiranth while battling for the lead caused him to crash. Although both riders rejoined the race, veteran TVS Racing teammates Jagan Kumar, KY Ahamed, and Deepak Ravikumar capitalized on the opportunity to finish in that order. This marked Jagan’s first win of the season after a challenging 2023.

Chennai schoolgirl Rakshitha Dave, at just 15 years old, delivered a flawless performance in the Girls (Stock 165cc) category. Following her victory in Race-1 on Saturday, Rakshitha secured an unchallenged win in Race-2, further establishing her dominance in the field.

Another standout performer from Chennai, Abdul Basim of Rockers Racing, achieved a clean sweep in the Novice (Stock 165cc) category. Abdul won Race-2 with ease, mirroring his performance in Saturday’s race, and showcasing his consistent form and skill.

Chennai’s Kaushik Subbiah Ganesan also notched a double victory in the Stock 301-400cc (Novice) class, leading from pole position in both races and demonstrating his racing prowess.

The Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup saw an impressive ride from Shyam Sundar of Chennai, who won the NSF 250R race after starting from P4 on the grid. Shyam skillfully navigated through the front-runners to secure victory, with Mallappuram’s Mohsin Paramban finishing second and Saturday’s winner, Rakshith Dave from Chennai, taking third.

The TVS One-Make Championship witnessed a stellar performance from Senthilkumar C of Coimbatore. He won both races in the Apache RR 310 category, continuing his relentless pace from Race-1 on Saturday to top Race-2, ahead of Chennai riders Manoj Yesuadian and Jayanth P.

Bengaluru’s Harshith V Bogar continued his dominance in the Rookie category, winning Race 2 after his triumph on Saturday. Tirupati’s CS Kedarnath took second place, while Saranjith KM from Thrissur finished third, completing the podium.

Earlier in the weekend, Sarthak Chavan comfortably topped the TVS Electric RTE race, with his rival Chiranth Vishwanath finishing second and Chennai’s Alwyn Sundar taking third.

Results from the weekend

Friday Qualifying results (Top 3, best laps):

National Championship – Pro-stock 301-400cc Open: 1. Sarthak Chavan (Pune, TVS Racing) (01min, 51.688secs); 2. Chiranth Vishwanath (Bengaluru, TVS Racing) (01:52.581); 3. Sairahil Pillarisetty (Hyderabad, Gusto Racing India) (01:52.994).

Pro-Stock 165cc Open: 1. Sarthak Chavan (01:56.772); 2. Chiranth Vishwanath (01:58.251); 3. Deepak Ravikumar (Chennai, TVS Racing) (01:58.463).

Novice – Stock 165cc: 1. Abdul Basim S (Chennai, Rockers Racing) (02:08.076); 2. Tasmai Cariappa (Mysuru, Motul Sparks Racing) (02:09.417); 3. Abhinav G (Coimbatore, Chandra LGE Racing team) (02:10.686).

Girls (Stock 165cc): 1. Ann Jennifer AS (Chennai, Alpha Racing India) (02:10.201); 2. Rakshitha Dave (Chennai, RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) (02:10.381); 3. Jagathishree Kumaresan (Chennai, One Racing) (02: 10.799).

Novice – Stock 301-400cc: 1. Kaushik Subbiah Ganesan (Chennai, RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) (02:02.320); 2. Rohit Lad (Bengaluru, Mad Rabbit Racing) (02:02.668); 3. Lokesh V (Bengaluru, Pvt) (02:03.583).

Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup (NSF 250R Open): 1. Mohsin Paramban (Mallapuram) (01:51.187); 2. Rakshith S Dave (Chennai) 01:51.218); 3. Shyam Sundar (Chennai) (01:51.708).

TVS One-Make Championship – Open (Apache RR 310): 1. Manoj Yesuadian (Chennai) (01:56.672); 2. Senthil Kumar C (Coimbatore) (01:57.289); 3. Ajai Xavier M (Nagercoil) (01:58.785).

Rookie (Apache RTR 200): 1. CS Kedarnath (Tirupati) (02:11.108); 2. Harshith V Bogar (Bengaluru) (02:11.845); 3. Saranjith KM (Thrissur) (02:15.956).

Girls (Apache RTR 200): 1. Sarah Khan (Mumbai) (02:13.314); 2. Saimah Ajaz Baig (Pune) (02:15.771); 3. Aisvarya V (Coimbatore) (02:16.388).

Saturday results (Provisional, all 6 laps unless mentioned):

National Championship – Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open (Race-1, 4 laps): 1. Sarthak Chavan (Pune, TVS Racing) (7mins, 36.007secs); 2. Chiranth Vishwanath (Bengaluru, TVS Racing) (07:39.254); 3. Sairahil Pillarisetty (Hyderabad, Gusto Racing India) (07:41.470).

Pro-Stock 165cc Open (Race-1): 1. Ahamed KY (Chennai, TVS Racing) (12:04.178); 2. Jagan Kumar (Chennai, TVS Racing) (12:04.192); 3. Deepak Ravikumar (Chennai, TVS Racing) (12:14.569).

Novice (Stock 165cc) Race-1: 1. Abdul Basim RS (Chennai, Rockers Racing) (12:55.808); 2. Tasmai Cariappa (Mysuru, Motul Sparks Racing) (12:56.136); 3. Abhinav G (Coimbatore, Chandra LGE Racing team) (13:04.554).

Girls (Stock 165cc) Race-1 (5 laps): 1. Rakshitha Dave (Chennai, RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) (10:58.183); 2. Jagathishree Kumaresan (Chennai, One Racing) (11:03.012); 3. Ryhana Bee (Chennai, Motul Sparks Racing) (11:03.150).

Novice (Stock 301-400cc) Race-1: 1. Kaushik Subbiah Ganesan (Chennai, RACR Castrol Power 1 Ultimate) (12:17.257); 2. Lokesh V (Bengaluru, Pvt.) (12:23.458); 3. Varun Nanjundegowda (Mysuru, Gusto Racing India) (12:27.927).

Idemitsu Honda India Cup (NSF 250R) Race-1: 1. Rakshith S Dave (Chennai) (11:12.157); 2. Mohsin Paramban (Malappuram) (11:16.226); 3. AS James (Bengaluru) (11:16.669)

TVS One-Make Championship – Open (Apache RR 310) Race-1 (3 laps): 1. Senthilkumar C (Coimbatore) (05:56.457); 2. Jayanth Pratipathi (Chennai) (05:59.277); 3. Ajai Xavier (Nagercoil) (06:02.953).

Rookie (Apache RTR 200) Race-1: 1. Harshith V Bogar (Bengaluru) (13:43.666); 2. Saranjith KM (Thrissur) (13:53.770); 3. Akarsh Jangam (Vijayawada) (14:07.100).

Girls (Apache RTR 200) Race-1 (5 laps): 1. Sarah Khan (Mumbai) (11:19.075); 2. Saimah Ajaz Baig (Pune) (11:21.156); 3. Aisvariya V (Coimbatore) (11:23.221).

Sunday results (Provisional, all 6 laps unless mentioned):

Pro-Stock 165cc Open (Race-1): 1. Ahamed KY (Chennai, TVS Racing) (12:04.178); 2. Jagan Kumar (Chennai, TVS Racing) (12:04.192); 3. Deepak Ravikumar (Chennai, TVS Racing) (12:14.569).

Idemitsu Honda India Cup (NSF 250R) Race-1: 1. Rakshith S Dave (Chennai) (11:12.157); 2. Mohsin Paramban (Malappuram) (11:16.226); 3. AS James (Bengaluru) (11:16.669)

Rookie (Apache RTR 200) Race-1: 1. Harshith V Bogar (Bengaluru) (13:43.666); 2. Saranjith KM (Thrissur) (13:53.770); 3. Akarsh Jangam (Vijayawada) (14:07.100).

Girls (Apache RTR 200) Race-1 (5 laps): 1. Sarah Khan (Mumbai) (11:19.075); 2. Saimah Ajaz Baig (Pune) (11:21.156); 3. Aisvariya V (Coimbatore) (11:23.221).

Indian Motorsports

Goa Street Circuit Moves to a New Venue for 2026

Racing Promotions Pvt Ltd, along with the Government of Goa, has confirmed a venue change for the upcoming Goa Street Circuit. The event will now take place at Mopa, with the first race scheduled for 14 and 15 February 2026. The street circuit was originally planned to be held in Bogda, Vasco da Gama, but protests in the region led to the venue being shifted.

Published

5 days ago

January 17, 2026

Aman Adusumilli

Goa Street Circuit Moves to a New Venue for 2026

Racing Promotions Pvt Ltd and the Government of Goa have announced a change in venue for the Goa Street Circuit. The event will now be held at Mopa, with the first race scheduled for 14 and 15 February. The street circuit was initially planned for Bogda. However, following protests in the area, the venue was moved to Mopa.

The Initially Proposed Venue

The originally proposed location for the Goa Street Circuit was Bogda, a locality in Vasco da Gama. The event was projected as a significant milestone, with the circuit being described as South Asia’s first oceanfront racetrack.

Speaking on the project, Goa Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant stated that the Goa government would spend Rs. 52 crore on the international motorsport event, which was planned to be held in the state for three years. He also said the organisers, Racing Promotions Private Limited, would invest Rs. 176 crore, with the majority of the government’s contribution allocated to infrastructure development.

The Protests

Plans for the proposed oceanfront street circuit were affected following protests by local activists. Concerns were raised about the inconvenience to area residents, with calls to cancel the event. Following this, Goa Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant announced that the event would be postponed and relocated to a new venue.

🇮🇳 | BIG BREAKING NEWS: Goa Street Circuit (GSC) will be moved away from Mormugao after public protest.

Following public protests, The Government of Goa has postponed and relocated Round 4 of the Indian Racing Festival (IRF) from Mormugao.

The move comes just a month after… pic.twitter.com/FgaP7LeiSl
— Desi Racing Co (@DesiRacingco) October 12, 2025

The New Venue

The new venue is located just outside Manohar International Airport (GOX), with the proposed street circuit situated on airport property. The track is expected to feature 12 turns and run clockwise.

The First Race

The Goa Street Circuit will host its first race during Round 4 of the Indian Racing League, scheduled for 14 and 15 February 2026.

We are proud to bring the Indian Racing Festival 2026 to Goa at the Goa Street Circuit, Manohar International Airport.

In collaboration with RPPL and the @esg_goa, this world-class event on 14–15 February 2026 will boost sports tourism, create economic opportunities, inspire our… pic.twitter.com/hAHGOOoLlb
— Dr. Pramod Sawant (@DrPramodPSawant) January 17, 2026

The Goa round was initially scheduled for November 2025. Due to protests at the originally proposed venue, the location was changed, and the event was deferred to the 2026 season.

Desi Racing Co. is dedicated to bringing the latest updates and insights from the world of motorsport. Whether it’s Formula 1, Formula 2, WEC, MotoGP, Indian motorsports, or other racing series, we’ve got you covered! Stay connected with us for in-depth motorsport coverage. Follow us on Twitter/X, Instagram, and LinkedIn to keep up with the latest motorsport news and updates.

Formula 1

How did Kush Maini perform in the Formula 1 post-season test?

Kush Maini became only the third Indian driver to take part in an official Formula 1 session, after Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok.

Published

1 month ago

December 11, 2025

Aman Adusumilli

How did Kush Maini perform in the Formula 1 post-season test?

Kush Maini got a chance to drive Alpine’s 2025 challenger, the A525 in the post-season young driver test on Tuesday following the Abu Dhabi GP. This marked his first time driving a modern Formula 1 machinery, as the previous F1 tests were part of the ‘Testing Previous Cars’ programme. He also became the third Indian driver to take part in a official Formula 1 session, which is more than a decade later.

How were the test cars different from the ones used in 2025 Abu Dhabi GP weekend?

Regular drivers and rookie drivers ran two different types of cars during the test. A mule car adapted to approximate 2026 performance levels was assigned to the senior and more experienced drivers, while lightly modified 2025 cars were used by the young and rookie drivers. It’s also worth noting that a 290-300 kmph speed limit was enforced throughout the test. It should also be noted that the lap times are not representative, as each team follows different run plan and testing objectives set by Pirelli.

Kush Maini in the Alpine A525 Formula 1 in Abu Dhabi for the Formula 1 post season young driver test.

The Performance? Super impressive!

Desi Racing Co understands that both Kush Maini and Pierre Gasly ran the 2026 mule car, unlike several other teams. Both drivers followed the same run plan, with only minor setup changes tailored to their individual driving styles, while the baseline setup remained identical.

The only key difference between the two cars was tyre allocation. Maini ran on the 2025 tyres, while Gasly tested the new 2026 rubber. Across the test, Kush Maini finished just 0.111 seconds off Pierre Gasly’s pace, an impressive showing for the Indian driver given it was his first outing in the A525.

The Morning session

Kush Maini took to the track for the first time in modern Formula 1 machinery and set a best time of 1:27.544, just a tenth of a second slower than Pierre Gasly’s 1:27.433. In the morning session Maini completed a total of 59 laps, which is a lap more than the race distance of the Abu Dhabi GP.

🇮🇳 Kush Maini ended the morning test session in P17 with a lap time of 1:27.544.

For reference, the pole lap time from the Abu Dhabi GP was 1:22.207 in completely different track conditions.

⚠️ It should be noted that these timings are NOT representative as different teams have… pic.twitter.com/ITJVEGWh5Q
— Desi Racing Co (@DesiRacingco) December 9, 2025

The Afternoon session

Kush Maini headed out in the afternoon session for two race runs alongside Pierre Gasly. We understand that on one of Maini’s runs, he was quicker than Gasly, while on the second he matched Gasly’s pace. After completing the two runs, Maini’s day came to an end, while Gasly stayed on track for one additional race run. Kush Maini completed 69 laps in the afternoon session, bringing the total to 129 laps which is more than double the race distance of the Abu Dhabi GP.

Here is What Kush Maini has to say about the test

“What an amazing experience for me. Firstly, thanks to the team for the opportunity and for all their effort in helping me prepare and executing a really solid day. Everyone at the team has been super to work with, so professional and I have learned a lot today. I felt comfortable and I could just focus everything on completing the run plans, lap by lap. The car ran well, it is just so well engineered and nice to drive, so physically it felt good, but maybe I will have some fatigue in the coming days. It was really cool to have Pierre next to me; he is probably the best driver coach to have so thanks to him too. I think today will take a while to sink in and I am just really grateful to have had this chance.” – Kush Maini

Dave Greenwood, Racing Director, Alpine F1 Team

“Today was our final on-track running of 2025 at the Abu Dhabi post-season test. Kush has had a smooth day in the car, for his first time in a full test session with the team in an official capacity. He worked very hard with the engineers in preparation and has given us some very good feedback from his running, so well done to him for his enthusiasm and professionalism.” – Dave Greenwood

Indian Motorsports

Super Formula to race at India’s Buddh International Circuit?

A delegation from Japan Race Promotion (JRP), the organizers of Super Formula, visited the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) in Greater Noida to inspect the track and discuss a potential future race.

Published

2 months ago

November 10, 2025

Aman Adusumilli

Super Formula to race at India's Buddh International Circuit?

Image Credit -

Japan’s premier single-seater championship, Super Formula, could soon make its debut in India. A delegation from Japan Race Promotion (JRP), the organizers of the series visited the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) in Greater Noida this week to inspect the facilities and explore the possibility of adding India to the championship’s future calendar.

Super Formula delegation — Image Credit – HT PHotos

The high-level delegation included Yoshihisa Ueno (President), Takuya Hori (Technical Director), Takashi Matsui (GM, Corporate Strategy), and Genki Miura (Assistant Manager, International Sales and Marketing). They met with officials from the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA), including CEO Rakesh Kumar Singh, ACEO Nagendra Pratap Singh, and OSD Shailendra Bhatia, before touring the circuit to assess its readiness for hosting a Super Formula round.

“The visit is a major step toward adding India to the Super Formula calendar. If the delegation finds the circuit suitable, we’ll move ahead with detailed planning and formalities for hosting the championship” – YEIDA CEO Rakesh Kumar Singh

What is Super Formula?

Founded in 1973, Super Formula is Japan’s top-tier open-wheel series and is often regarded as the second-fastest racing championship in the world after Formula 1. The series features advanced Dallara-built chassis powered by Honda and Toyota engines and races at iconic Japanese circuits such as Suzuka, Fuji Speedway, and Twin Ring Motegi.

If confirmed, this event would mark the return of world-class motorsport to India, years after the Formula 1 Indian Grand Prix (2011–2013), FIA Formula E Hyderabad E-Prix 2023 and MotoGP Bharat 2023. Both faced setbacks due to logistical and financial hurdles, but Super Formula’s potential entry signals renewed international interest in Indian motorsport.