Team-BHP - INRC - Bangalore, 17

MAI Indian National Rally Championship 2007
-Official Press Release-

Bosch K1000 Rally Final Day's report
Team MRF's Gill drives to third consecutive win

Yelahanka (Bangalore): The machine was not at its best in the end, yet the man behind the machine managed to coax the very best out of it to maintain the momentum and finish the fastest in the super special stage, the finale of the Bosch K 1000 Rally in New Yelahanka Town, Bangalore on Sunday. Team MRF's Gauravsingh Gill swept through the twists and curves of the super special stage with ease to finish the three loops in 3.38 mins, adding nine seconds to his overnight lead over second placed Vikram Mathias. Gill, thus drove to his third overall title in the MAI's INRC, opening up an unassailable lead over the field in his quest for the National title.

Gill and co-driver Moosa Sherif have tallied 48 points, while teammate Arjun Rao Aroor (Satish Kumar Rajagopal) remains a distant second with 17. Another MRF driver, Arjun Balu (Kumar Ramsswamy) is in third place overall with 13 points. Team Red Rooster's Vikram Mathias (Nikhil Pai) made an impressive return to rallying by finishing second and is now in fourth position with Lohit Urs, both with 12 points.

Gill and Sherif finished the 13 special stages in a timing of 1:11.22, a minute and 10 seconds ahead of Mathias and Pai. (1:12.32). Lohit Urs (Jaidas Menon) finished in third place in 1:18.27, while 1400 cc drivers Amitrajit Ghosh and Shreshta Patil wrapped up a good showing over three days by finishing fourth and fifth overall.

Amitrajit Ghosh (co-driver Sourabh Chaudhary) drove to their second consecutive win in the 1400cc category, while Mazdayar Vatcha (Madhu K C) took first place in the Rally Star Cup, improving on their third place win
in the last round at Chikmagalur. The Gypsy Cup saw Suresh Rana emerge winner in 1:26.23.

"The car was not at its very best, but I managed to hold on to my first day's lead. Though not pushing it to the limits, I managed to win, which was satisfying," said a composed Gill after his third consecutive victory.

Vikram Mathias, making a return to rallying was also satisfied with the second-placed finish and said, "this round is more like a learning curve for
me. We are looking to make a strong statement next year."

Following are the provisional timings:
Overall category: Gauravsingh Gill/Mosa Sherif (Team MRF, 2000cc Mitsubishi Cedia) 1: 11.22; Vikram Mathias/Nikhil Pai (Team Red Rooster, 2000cc Mitsubishi Cedia) 1:12.32; Lohit Urs/Jaidas Menon (Team MRF, 1600N+ Ford Fiesta) 1:18.27; Sourabh Chaudhary/Amitrajit Ghosh (1400cc Esteem) 1:21.10; Sreshta Patil/Ramesh Kumar (1400cc Esteem) 1:23.30.

1600cc: Rahul Kanthraj/Vivek Bhatt (Baleno) 1:27.28.

1400cc: Sourabh Chaudhary/Amitrajit Ghosh (Esteem) 1:21.10; Sreshta Patil/Ramesh Kumar (1400cc Esteem) 1:23.30; Prithvi Domnic/Jeevarathinam (Esteem) 1: 24.30 .

Rally Star Cup: Mazdayar Vatcha/Madhu K C (Esteem) 1:23.37; Deepak Paul Chinappa/Shri Karunya S (Esteem) 1:25.16; Abhijeet Pai/Prajval Pai (Esteem) 1:25.51.

Gypsy Cup: Suresh Rana (H S Bawa) 1:26.23; Sandeep Sharma/P V S Moorthy 1:29.08; Surendra Babu/Sheraz Ahmed 1:31.52.