Volkswagen Motorsport India kicked off the 12th edition of the MRF MMSC Volkswagen Polo National Racing Championship. The one-make series returns to the track after a year of virtual racing and the first round was held in Chennai at the Madras Motor Race Track (MMRT). The opening round of the season turned out to be a closely-fought affair from the start to the finish. Bengaluru's Aditya Swaminathan remained consistent from the start of the race till the podium.
On the podium - Aditya Swaminathan, Anmol Singh and Saurav Bandopadhyay
Aditya got the perfect launch and he made sure not to be intimidated by Bangladesh's Aiman Sadat on the opening lap. Aditya then went on to build a comfortable lead with Aiman, Anmol and Saurav fighting it out for the second and third place respectively. Delhi's Anmol Singh however, emerged on top bagging second place while Mumbai's Saurav Bandopadhyay claimed third in Race 1. The race also saw Diana Pundole, the only female driver on the grid, crash into the barricade while avoiding making contact with Shreyas Dimate.
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Race 2 Winners - Praik Sonawane, Ritesh Rai and Sidharth Mehridatta
In Race 2, the reverse grid formation ensured there was plenty of action right from the start. The winners of Race 1 were at the back making it a tad bit difficult to take the podium again. Starting out front was Chennai's Ritesh Rai followed by Pratik Sonawane in second place. Pratik had a good start and was quick to take the lead in the race in the opening lap and held on to the position till the chequered flag was brought out. Following him on the grid were Chennai's Ritesh Rai and Ghaziabad's Siddharth Mehdiratta.
The next round is scheduled between December 10-12, 2021, at the MMRT
Commenting on the occasion, Sirish Vissa, Head of Volkswagen Motorsport India said, "I am happy to be back on the track for our 12th edition of the MRF MMSC Volkswagen Polo National Racing Championship. The race weekend turned out to be eventful and power-packed as we witnessed some exhilarating performances and I would like to congratulate, both Aditya and Pratik, winners of the race 1 and 2 of round one. Like always, eagerly looking forward to the second round of the MRF MMSC Volkswagen Polo National Racing Championship 2021."
With six different racers on the podium, the opening round of the 2021 VW Polo National Racing Championship had ample drama and impressive performances from experienced and rookie drivers alike. The second round will now take place between December 10-12, 2021 at the MMRT once again.
