Chennai/ Shimla, Jan 20,
The final round of the FMSCI Indian National Rally Sprint Championship 2024, held at the Madras International Circuit and organized by the Madras Motor Sports Club, witnessed stunning performances as Delhi’s Philippos Matthai and Chikkamagaluru’s Tarushi Vikram each claimed two National titles, informed a spokesperson. The event, conducted on a modified full-tarmac circuit due to heavy overnight rains, saw participants navigating the 6.2 km track twice, with cumulative timings determining the winners, they added in a media communique.
Seasoned rallyist Philippos Matthai, a veteran with multiple national titles, demonstrated his skill alongside co-driver Harish KN from Bengaluru. Matthai clinched the premier Rally Sprint 1 title with a fastest time of 9 minutes, 11.211 seconds and followed it up with another win in Rally Sprint 2, it informed. Adding that, Bengaluru’s Chandan Manche Gowda and co-driver Venu Ramesh Kumar of Coimbatore finished second in both categories but secured the Rally Sprint 3 championship, beating Arjun Rajiv and Pramod Raman, also from Bengaluru.
In the Ladies’ category, collegiate racer Tarushi Vikram showcased exceptional talent by clocking 9 minutes, 52.374 seconds to claim the title. Partnering with co-driver Amitha Aneesh, Vikram also secured the Junior National title, outperforming 16-year-old Vihaan Bhat, they stated. Vikram’s remarkable performance placed her ninth overall among 24 participants, they informed.
Meanwhile, former rally driver Ashish Gupta made a triumphant return to competition after 40 years, winning the Veterans’ class with a time of 11 minutes, 15.800 seconds. Goa’s Amey Desai, fresh off his Autocross victory, bagged the Rally Sprint 4 title alongside co-driver Mahamad Asif Mulla stated the media communique. Thane’s Umesh Rane, with co-driver Suraj Biswas, claimed the Rally Sprint 5 crown as the lone finalist in the category.
The championship finale highlighted not only the skill and resilience of India’s motorsport talents but also the unpredictability of the sport. With challenging weather conditions altering the track from dirt to tarmac, participants displayed exceptional adaptability and competitive spirit, making the event a memorable conclusion to the 2024 season.
