Ruhaan Alva bags a grand double in F4; Goa Aces JA Racing clinch IRL title
Coimbatore, 17 November 2024: Bengaluru’s racing star Ruhaan Alva of Shrachi Rarh Royal Bengal Tigers closed the championship in style bagging a grand double in the FIA Formula 4 Indian Championship while Raoul Hyman and Gabriela Jilkova not only delivered a 1-2 finish for Goa Aces JA Racing but also helped the team clinch the Indian Racing League championship as the curtains came down at the Kari Motor Speedway, here on Sunday.
South African teenager Aqil Alibhai (Hyderabad Blackbirds) clinched the F4 title. Alva finished second in the Championship as the fifth and final round of the IRL promoted by Racing Promotions private limited concluded on Sunday.
Alibhai, enjoying a successful season with six wins, had two podium finishes (P2 and P3) today which fetched sufficient points to win him the crown.
Alva displayed rare sparks of aggression as he won the day’s first race starting from P5 on the reverse grid easily outpacing Alibhai and Divy Nandan (Bangalore Speedsters). He carried the momentum to win the next from P4 ahead of Canadian Hady Noah Mimassi (Chennai Turbo Riders) and Alibhai. In both races, the 18-year-old came up with a couple of daring moves to notch deserving wins.
An unperturbed Alibhai played it smart. With one eye on the points, he was content to run in P2 behind Alva in the first race as the Indian took the honours by over nine seconds. Alibhai had enough lead on third-placed Nandan to survive a 10-second post-race penalty for a “infringement”.
The P2 finish ensured Alibhai the championship as he led Alva by 29 points going into the final race which had a maximum of 26 on offer.
For the several Indian drivers, the season in F4 was an eye-opener in the context of the level of competition at this level. The championship made it affordable for the home-grown racers to take the next step up in their racing careers and the experience should stand them in good stead going forward.
Alibhai said: “I wanted to finish the season with a win, but it was not to be. But I have had a good season, and I am very happy to win the championship. Going forward, let’s see where this success takes me.”
Indian Racing League
Raoul Hyman and Gabriela Jilkova not only delivered a 1-2 finish for Goa Aces JA Racing but also helped the team clinch the Indian Racing League championship. There was icing on Goa Aces’ cake too as the team also won the car championship to finish the season with a memorable double.
Going into the final race which began after sharp showers, the Goa Aces led Shrachi Rarh Royal Bengal Tigers by just two points, but the latter virtually handed over the championship on a platter within seconds after the race commenced from a rolling start following a crash.
Ruhaan Alva, sandwiched between pole-sitter Hyman and Jilkova in P2, lost the rear of his car, slid across the track and rammed into Akash Gowda (Speed Demons Delhi) just as they approached the start-finish line, leading to their retirement. The Safety Car made a brief appearance before racing resumed.
Thereafter, Hyman and Jilkova cruised along without any serious challenge with the former eventually winning by 28 seconds as they came up with a 1-2 finish for their team which followed yesterday’s win by their team-mate Sohil Shah. Mohd Ryan (Chennai Turbo Riders) completed the podium.
The second Shrachi Rarh Royal Bengal Tigers car, driven by Malaysian Alister Yoong, finished a distant seventh.
“We are very happy for the 1-2 finish. We are grateful to the team for giving us cars that won the races for us. It is their hardwork which enabled us to win the championship,” said Hyman.
The two-day Indian Racing Festival was sponsored by Kingfisher Soda, JK Tyres, Mobil 1 and Megha Engineering & Infrastructure Limited.
The results (Provisional):
Indian Racing League (Race-2, Driver-B) 25 mins+1 lap:1. Raul Hyman (UK, Goa Aces JA Racing) (26:39.020); 2.Gabriela Jilkova (Czech Republic, Goa Aces JA Racing) (27:07.684);3. Mohamed Ryan (India, Chennai Turbo Riders) (27:29.813). Best Lap:Raoul Hyman (01:10.359).
Formula 4 Indian Open (Race-2, 25mins+1 lap):1. Ruhaan Alva (India, Shrachi Rarh Royal Bengal Tigers) (26:55.114);2. Aqil Alibhai (South Africa, Hyderabad Blackbirds) (27:14.880);3. Divy Nandan (India, Bangalore Speedsters) (27:24.987).Best Lap:Ruhaan Alva (01:06.492).
Race-3:1. Ruhaan Alva (India, Shrachi Rarh Royal Bengal Tigers) (27:00.884);2. Hady Noah Mimassi (Canada, Chennai Turbo Riders) (27:10.373);3. Aqil Alibhai (South Africa, Hyderabad Blackbirds) (27:16.425).Best Lap:RuhaanAlva (01:06.386).
