Back to back - 2021 TVS Young Media Racer programme Race 2 feature

So far, the 2021 TVS Young Media Racer programme has brought its fair share of thrills and spills. From qualifying first, having never ridden on track before, to almost throwing away the win in Race 1 due to my over eagerness, it’s been quite a ride!

Race 2 of our championship was set to take place during the third race weekend of the 2021 Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship (INMRC) at the same venue as before – the Madras Motor Race Track near Chennai. While the whole setting was now familiar to me, from the track to the bikes and my competitors, there was a notable difference this time around. The authorities had introduced digital flags around the track and a digital timer at the start/finish line, much like we’ve seen on FIA Grade 1 circuits across the world.

FAMILIAR TERRITORY

The weekend followed the same format as last time, with the practice and qualifying taking place on Saturday and the race on Sunday. The 30-minute long practice session gave me a chance to get reacquainted with the race-spec TVS Apache RTR 200 4V and, to my surprise, it didn’t take me long to get up to speed. Within a few laps, I was feeling confident enough to start pushing for faster lap times. By the end of the practice, my fastest lap of 2:20.9 was quicker than my fastest lap in Race 1, which was a 2:21.4. And there was still plenty of time to be found, I felt. 

The practice even gave me a chance to figure out the race start. After my fiasco at the start of Race 1, I was determined to not make the same mistake this time around. So, after a brief masterclass with TVS Racing’s Harry Sylvester, I finally managed to get the race starts right.

Body positioning is far from perfect in the corners, but I feel like I’m getting better.

Qualifying saw me improving my lap times further as I had predicted. I qualified on pole position this time around too, with a 2:18.7 time and my nearest competitor being 1.4secs adrift. The new digital timer on the start/finish straight also helped me to keep a track of the time remaining in the session, which made it easier to decide on which laps to push.

IT’S RACE DAY!

Race day was here and we ended up going to the track slightly early to witness some of the INMRC races. The talent on show was incredible, with plenty of wheel-to-wheel racing and close finishes to the races. After this, it was time to suit up for our race.

Unfortunately, our race was scheduled to start at 2pm in the sweltering heat. By the time I had even sat down on the bike to go to the grid, I was completely drenched in sweat. It’s important to load up on fluids before setting off as there’s always a high chance of getting cramps in the latter part of the race.

I took my position on the grid and waited for the start. The five red lights went out soon after and this time around, I nailed the race start. The front tyre even managed to lift off the ground slightly! I felt really fulfilled in the moment, having practised the starts throughout the weekend and then getting it right at the time of asking. But, there was no time to dwell on that.

Like me, even the competition had now become accustomed to the setting, so it wasn’t going to be as straightforward as the first race.

That winning feeling never gets old. I hope to replicate it in the final race as well.

For the first few corners, I had to keep an eye over my shoulder as the riders in P2 and P3 were close behind. But, by the end of the first lap I had settled into a rhythm and started to pull out a gap slowly. During the race, I even managed to put a knee down on the tarmac for the very first time. Sure, it was unnerving at first, but it soon felt natural and even a quicker way to tackle a corner after that.

My fastest lap during the race was a 2:16.5, marking a 2sec improvement from my qualifying time and a near 5sec improvement over my fastest lap in Race 1. And I crossed the finish line first, about 10secs ahead of my nearest competitor.

While the improvement was encouraging, I was quite a way off the times set by the professional racers on the same machinery. And even though I know they have trained and practised for years, my competitive side won’t let me rest on my laurels. I will definitely be trying to get as close to their times as possible during our final race weekend. 

TIME TO REFLECT

Overall, I was reasonably happy with my performance during this second race weekend. It took me very little time to get accustomed to the bike and the track and many things that I had to consciously think about earlier – like my body positioning and keeping my toes on the footpegs – had almost become like muscle memory.

Still, I feel there is room for improvement with my racing lines and braking, which is where I feel that I’m still losing time. But, I’m glad I came away with the win, which gives me the best possible chance of winning the championship at the next round. 

For now though, it’s a long and agonising wait till February for our final race. Till then, I hope to keep working on my fitness, while continuously honing my riding skills out on the highway (within reason!).

Also see:

Lights Out! - 2021 TVS Young Media Racer programme Race 1 feature

Learning Curves - 2021 TVS Young Media Racer programme qualifier round

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