Disappointment for Chirag Ghorpade; Rahul Rangasamy, Vishnu Prasad share the spoils

David Bodapati July 28, 2019

801 1 minute read

Chirag Ghorpade celebrates his birthday (Sat) with a treble in Coimbatore on Sunday. An INDIAinF1 image by Rahul Reghu

Coimbatore, 28 July 2019: Teammates and Chennai’s ace racing stars Raghul Rangasamy and Vishnu Prasad of MSport won a race each pushing the other to the second place in the elite LGB Formula 4 category as the 22nd JK Tyre FMSCI National Racing Championship concluded at the Kari Motor Speedway here on Sunday.

While another Chennai racer Sandeep Kumar of Dark Don Racing came third in the Race 2, young Ashwin Datta, also from Chennai, completed the podium in Race 3. Vishnu bagged the fastest lap in both the races. Ashwin, the 20-year-old BBA student missed a chance slipping to third in the last lap after leading the LGB Formula 4 Race 1 on Saturday.

However, the focus of the day in the JK Tyre Novice Cup over 15 laps was on teenager Chirag Ghorpade of Momentum Motorsports, who won both the races on Saturday to celebrate his birthday. But it was Mohamed Ryan of MSport who was promoted to a victory after the stewards penalised Chirag for a jump start. Earlier, Chirag crossed the line first by a comfortable margin. The 14-year-old Chirag, who made his single-seater debut this year, however, is improving at a fast pace and if groomed well is bound to keep up to his celebrated family name.

Syed Muzammil Ali of Bengaluru made it a double in the JK Tyre Suzuki Gixxer Cup, winning Race 2, with a lot to spare while Tanay Gaikwad of Pune, finished second once again, way behind the winner. Sidharth Sajan of Coimbatore came third. Ishan Shanbag won the Red Bull Road to Rookies Cup of 10 laps while the other rookies could complete only 9 laps.

Mira Erda (centre) who won the ladies class on Sunday. Twitter @JKTyreRacing

Popular Indian woman racer Mira Erda won the women’s category. The MSport driver pushed Mega KS of Ahura Racing to second spot. Diana Pundole, also of Ahura came third.

Provisional Unaudited Results: Sunday:

Race 5: LGB Formula 4 (Race 2, 14 laps): 1. Raghul Rangasamy (MSport, Chennai) (18:28.329); 2. Vishnu Prasad (MSport, Chennai) (18:31.673); 3. Sandeep Kumar A (Dark Don Racing, Chennai) (18:32.848); Best lap: Vishnu 1:11.413.

Race 6: JK Tyre Novice Cup (15 laps): 1. Mohamed Ryan (MSport, Chennai) (23:44.056); 2. Aaroh Ravindra (Momentum Motorsports, Mumbai) (23:47.212); 3. Mihir Avalakki (Birel Art) (23:47.330). Best lap: Aaroh 1:12.988.

Race 7: JK Tyre Suzuki Gixxer Cup (Race 2, 10 laps): 1. Syed Muzammil Ali (Bengaluru) (14:19.609); 2.Tanay Gaikwad (Pune) (14:25.458); 3. Sidharth Sajan (Coimbatore) 14:27.480. Best lap: SM Ali 1:23.929.

Red Bull Road to Rookies Cup (Race 2, 10 laps): 1. Ikshan Shanbag (Satara) (15:01.223); 2. Prashanth R 3. Aryan Gurav.

Race 8: LGB Formula 4 (Race 3, 15 laps): 1. Vishnu Prasad (MSport, Chennai) (20:02.742); 2. Raghul Rangasamy (MSport, Chennai) (20:02.810); 3. Ashwin Datta (Dark Don Racing, Chennai) (20:05.316). Best lap: Vishnu: 1:11.333.

JK Tyre women’s category (Formula LGB4): 1. Mira Erda (MSport); 2. Mega K.S (Ahura Racing); 3. Diana Pundole (Ahura Racing).

Note: The report is edited after Chirag Ghorpade was disqualified for a jump start.