CHENNAI, India – After almost a five-month break in the action, Anindith Reddy from Hyderabad moved into a clear lead in the MRF Formula 1600 Championship following a pair of wins this weekend at the MMRT (Madras Motor Race Track) in Sriperumbudur.
Reddy (pictured), after slipping to third at the start of the eight-lap race, managed to fight his way back into the lead of the opening race on Saturday after front-runner Raghul Ramaswamy was docked a drive-through penalty for jump start and Chetan Korada ran wide. Reddy then hung on to the slender lead to win from Chennai youngsters Korada and Sandeep Kumar.
“It was a tough race,” said Reddy. “I had a bad getaway and lost two places behind Raghul and Chetan. However, Chetan made a mistake going into the back ‘D’ and it allowed me to move up one spot. In the next lap, Raghul went in for a drive-through penalty for jump start and I broke clear.
“Thereafter, I concentrated on keeping my track position and only once Chetan came close which was when I set my fastest lap. I am happy that it all came together today and it should be fun in the next race on Sunday with the reverse grid start.”
Kumar, who started on the front row for the first of two races on Sunday, overcame some wheelspin to take the lead on the opening lap. He then controlled the pace to secure his second win of the season. Reddy overcame Korada to finish second.
In the third race of the weekend, it was Reddy’s turn to fight his way through the pack and survive a spin after coming into contact with race leader Korada who thus dropped out of contention. Kumar took advantage to finish second ahead of Kolkata schoolboy Singh.
“It was a good weekend overall, but it wasn’t clear-cut as the results would suggest. I am happy to come away with two wins and a podium,” said Reddy, who has four wins in seven outings which put him firmly in front in the championship, the winner of which earns a chance to compete in the Mazda Road To Indy Scholarship Shootout in the United States later this year.
The results (Provisional – all 8 laps):
Race 1: 1. Anindith Reddy (Hyderabad), 13:51.925; 2. Chetan Korada (Chennai), 13:52.904; 3. A Sandeep Kumar (Chennai), 13:53.497.
Race 2: 1. Kumar, 13:47.962; 2. Reddy, 13:48.564; 3. Korada, 13:55.975.
Race 3: 1. Reddy, 14:00.875; 2. Kumar, 14:02.022; 3. Arya Singh (Kolkata), 14:05.415.
About Madras Motor Sports Club:
The Madras Motor Sports Club has been the pioneer in developing and promoting motorsport in India since 1953, and we look to further improve in the years to come. It is the club’s endeavor to provide more opportunities for competitors and to this end, it has chalked out a progressive program for 2016. From the days of Sholavaram , MMSC built its own racetrack which was inaugurated in 1979 and secured its FIA Grade-2 international certification in 2015, making it the only club which owns such a facility. The club has organised the Porsche Super Cup, Formula Campos, Formula Asia, Asian touring car championships, Formula 3, Tata Prima Truck racing championship, the Asian 2-wheeler racing championships besides a host of other motorsport events over the years. The club also has active participation for its events from vehicle manufacturers who also use the Madras Motor Race Track (MMRT) extensively for testing their products.