Reporting by: Rachit Thukral
The final round of 2014 JK Tyre Racing Championship saw Vishnu Prasad take two victories in two separate categories with Diljith, Karthik Tharani and Ameya Bafna also tasting victory at the Buddh International Circuit on Saturday.
FB02 - PRASAD UNCHALLENGED FOR VICTORY IN FLAGSHIP RACE
Chennai born Vishnu Prasad was virtually unchallenged for victory in the JK Tyre Racing FB02 (erstwhile Formula BMW Asia) category as he extended his lead at the top of the championship. Prasad, however, was no way content with the result, being comprehensively beaten by former GP2 Asia Series and FIA Formula Two racer Armaan Ebrahim, who was racing as a guest driver.
The sole purpose of putting Ebrahim behind the wheels is to give the remaining drivers an indication of the level of competition they are likely to face if they graduate to racing in series outside of India against better groomed drivers.
Behind Prasad, racing was extremely close with Amanath Shanmugam, Sandeep Kumar and Akhil Rabindra within three seconds of each other as they completed the top four.
LGB FORMULA 4 - DILJITH SECURES TITLE WITH VICTORY IN RACE 1
Dark Don Racing’s Diljith who has been in fine form all season long secured the LGB Formula 4 title with an easy victory in the first race of the weekend. With this result, Dark Don Racing also clinched the team’s crown with two races to spare.
Vishnu Prasad was visibly disappointed with his fifth place finish after a spat between him and the #77 car of Chittesh Mandody dropped both the drivers outside of the podium places. But he came back strongly in race two, fending off the aforementioned Diljith to take his second victory of the weekend.
In chilly, windy and wet conditions (including a light drizzle), a number of the cars broke down, with five cars unable to make the chequered flag in race 1 alone.
VOLKSWAGEN POLO R CUP: THARANI AND BAFNA VICTORIOUS ON DAY ONE
The first Polo R cup race started with Anshul Shah’s #14 car flipping over 360’ on the start/finish straight, ending the race of three drivers even before the field made its way to turn 1. The safety cage - designed in Germany - did its job and Shah was unscathed despite such a horrifying incident.
Naturally, the safety car was deployed and it stayed on track until lap 4, leaving the remaining 19 drivers with only two racing laps in the time shortened race. Karthik Tharani managed to retain his lead by half a second from Anindita Reddy Konda with German guest race Andre Gies(USA) finishing in third place with a fine drive from fifth on the grid.
Drizzle turned into a full on downpour just before the start of the second Polo race, forcing all drivers on the grid to return to the pits to switch to wet tyres. The drivers did a formidable job on the wet and slippery track with Ameya Bafna - two time National Karting Championship with his most recent title coming last month in Visakhapatnam - securing the victory from the ever impressive Karthik Tharani.
The final round of 2014 JK Tyre Racing Championship concludes tomorrow at the very venue where Sebastian Vettel clinched his fourth Formula 1 title.
The track will be opened for public tomorrow and with a strong marketing team at JK Tyre and Volkswagen, a packed grandstand (or close to it) would be the aim of the respective companies' bosses but it remains to be seen if the miserable weather that plagued the circuit will return on Sunday and deter spectators.
RESULTS: DAY ONE
JK Racing India Series (FB02) Race 1
1. Vishnu Prasad (21:56:414)
2. Anant Shanmugam (22:06.612)
3. Sandeep Kumar (22:07.967).
Volkswagen Polo R Cup Race 1:
1. Karthik Tharani (23:02:546)
2. Anindith Reddy Konda (23:03.129)
3. Andre Gies (23:05:001)
Race 2:
1. Ameya Bafna (21:54.289)
2. Karthik Tharani (22:00.037)
3. Angad Singh Matharoo (22:02.525).
JK Formula LGB F4 Race 1:
1. Diljith TS (17:15.996)
2. Sudarshan Rao Karwa (17:21:150)
3. Karthik Shankar (17:21. 457).
Race 2:
1. Vishnu Prasad
2. Diljith TS
3. Kartik Shankar.
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