Synopsis
The opening round of the Meritus Cup karting competition witnessed exceptional performances from local talents Ishaan Madesh and Rivaan Dev Preetham. Both racers secured victories in their categories, showcasing their skills and confidence after recent international exposure. This thrilling event not only highlighted their potential but also marked a significant step in the growth of karting in India.Key Takeaways
- Ishaan Madesh secured victories in both Senior Max Sprint races.
- Rivaan Dev Preetham dominated the Mini Max category.
- The event marked an important step for karting in India.
- New class OKJ Junior introduced for junior drivers.
- MSPORT team showed strong performances with multiple drivers.
Bengaluru, April 28 (NationPress) Emerging local star Ishaan Madesh from Peregrine Racing and Rivaan Dev Preetham from MSPORT showcased exceptional abilities in their respective divisions during the inaugural round of the Meritus Cup karting competition held at the MECO Kartopia track.
Ishaan displayed dominance in the Senior Max class, securing victories in both Sprint races and topping the qualifying session to amass the highest points, placing him at the top of the leaderboard.
In a similar vein, Rivaan claimed both Sprint victories in the Mini Max category, successfully fending off fellow Chennai racer Rehan Khan. The confidence of these two MSPORT teammates was evident, especially after their recent international experience in the Champions of the Future Academy Program.
Completing the top three was Hamza Balasinorwala from Crest Motorsport in third place.
From Hyderabad, Shiv Tummala of Peregrine Racing also achieved a double victory in the Micro Max category, winning both Sprint races.
Arafath Sheikh from Pune remained undefeated in the newly introduced OKJ Junior class, which was incorporated into the Meritus Cup in 2023 as part of the India Karting Academy Trophy (Junior Class). This initiative aims to provide Indian junior drivers exposure to the FIA OK-J engine, mirroring the FIA Karting Academy Trophy that utilizes the FIA homologated OK-J engines and OTK Chassis.
Results:
Senior Max – Sprint Race 1 (14 laps): Ishaan Madesh (Bengaluru, Peregrine Racing) (13mins, 08.334secs); 2. Arafath Sheikh (Pune, Crest Motorsport) (13:10.090); 3. Neythan McPherson (Pune, Crest Motorsport) (13:14.558).
Sprint Race 2: 1. Ishaan Maadesh (13:09.827); 2. Arafath Sheikh (13:11.029); 3. Nikilesh Raju (Bengaluru, MSPORT) (13:11.454).
OK Junior (15 laps): 1. Arafath Sheikh (Pune, Crest Motorsport) (14:12.912); 2. Kairav Roberson (Chennai, MSPORT) (14:14.878); 3. Eshanth Vengatesan (Chennai, MSPORT) (14:17.251).
Micro Max – Sprint Race 1 (10 laps): Shiv Tummala (Bengaluru, Peregrine Racing) (10:17.782); Jishnu Seralathan (Bengaluru, Peregrine Racing) (10:30.299); 3. Shivneel (Coimbatore, MSPORT) (10:30.531).
Race 2 (12 laps): 1. Shiv Tummala (12:43.633); 2. Jishnu Seralathan (12:46.972); 3, Zidaan Arshaan Anees (Bengaluru, Peregrine Racing) (13:09.008).
Mini Max – Sprint Race 1 (10 laps): 1. Rivaan Dev Preetham (Chennai, MSPORT) (09:56.463); 2. Rehan Khan R (Chennai, MSPORT) (09:58.279); 3. Yatharth Gaur (Faridabad, Leapfrog Racing) (10:07.925).
Race 2 (12 laps): Rivaan Dev Preetham (12:15.500); 2. Hamza Balasinorwala (Crest Motorsport) (12:15.941); 3. Rehan Khan (12:20.841).
