SEPANG , MAR 10,
The IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team officials couldn’t contain their joy after their riders put up a great show with a best-ever finish in the Asia Production 250 category of the Asia road racing championship here. In the first round and the first race at the Sepang International Circuit on Saturday, Rajiv Sethu and rookie C. Senthil Kumar finished 11th and 14th. While Rajiv grabbed five points, Senthil collected two for his effort. Rajiv’s previous best in the last two editions at the ARRC has been a 13th in 2017 in Chennai and 14th in Buriram (Thailand) last year. “I feel very happy. I still feel I could have done better. I slowed down in turn 2 of the first lap after a minor collision between Suttipat Patchaeetron of Thailand and Muhammad Izam Ikmal of Malaysia. I lost quite a bit of time. Only from the third lap I started to ride my own race,” said Rajiv.
Eighteen-year-old Senthil said he was very happy to get points in his first season at the ARRC. “I am thrilled and disappointed a bit at the same time. I had a chance in the eighth and final lap on turn 9 to overtake Anggi Setiawan. Had I done that I would have finished a spot higher,” he said.
Prabhu Nagaraj, Operating Head & Vice-President, Brand and Communication, Honda Racing India, was ecstatic. “2019 is the year when Indian motorsport is coming of age. Technically, our CBR250RR bikes are tweaked to be more competitive with improved cowl giving added advantage to our boys.
Additionally, our boys have the strength of the entire team and the coach behind them,” he said.
