Grassroot karting in India got a fillip with the launch of the IAME India Series at the CoASTT circuit here on Sunday.
Event Context
The series is promoted by RA Motorsports and uses two IAME (Italian American Motor Engineering) engine specs across the following categories: mini under-10, mini (X30 Water Swift 60cc Engine), junior (125cc Junior X30 Engine), and senior (125cc Senior X30 Engine).
In the junior class, Adithya Prathap and Rehan Khan Rasheed shared the honours, winning the points-scoring Super Heat and Finals, respectively.
In the mini class, Coimbatore’s Shiv Neel, son of India’s first Formula One driver Narain Karthikeyan, topped the Super Heat after race winner Aaruthran Prabu (Karkrew Motorsports) received a time penalty for infringements and was demoted to second.
Action from IAME Series India in Coimbatore on Sunday. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The top-two finishers in each category at the end of the five-round series will get an entry into the IAME Asia Finals, scheduled to be held at the Macau International Circuit in December.
Danie Ling, Executive Director of IAME Series Asia, said he was pleased at how quickly the National series was put together. “RA Motorsport has done a great job of quickly sealing the deal after initiating talks. It was in Macau last year that they met officials from IAME Asia, and here we are, just five or six months later,” said Ling.
“By offering this opportunity, we are creating a pathway for Indian drivers to progress to the international level. If the National series is strong enough, drivers will naturally graduate to higher levels,” he added.
The results (Provisional): Juniors – Super Heat (14 laps):
Finals (16 laps): 1. Rehan Khan (12:38.306); 2. Arjun Prasad Srihari (NKRA with KKM) (12:55.235); 3. Adithya Prathap (12:58.208).
Mini – Super Heat (12 laps):
1. Shiv Neel (NKRA with KKM) (10:11.110); 2. Aarathran Prabu (Kartkrew Motorsports) (10:19.755); 3. Ayansh Patil (MSPORT) (10:20.896).
Finals (13 laps): 1. Ayansh Patil (11:19.265); 2. Shiv Neel (11:21.249); 3. Rudra Gokulnath (NKRA with KKM) (11:30.158).
Seniors – Super Heat (14 laps):
Finals (16 laps – 2 finishers): 1. Swarnav Das (12:31.404); 2. Raunak Srek (12:54.487).
(The writer was in Coimbatore at the invitation of RA Motorsports).
Match Outlook
1. Adithya Prathap (Momentum Motorsports) (11:13.821); 2. Rehan Khan Rasheed (Momentum Motorsports) (11:15.358); 3. Yasvinraam Rajamanickam (Momentum Motorsports) (11:27.999).
1. Swarnav Das (Momentum Motorsports) (11:13.821s); 2. Raunak Surej (Kartkrew Motorsports) (11:31.897); 3. Balaprasath (Momentum Motorsports) (11:45.827).