Asia Road Racing Championship: Honda Racing India’s Rajiv Sethu finishes tenth

Buriram [Thailand], November 21 (ANI): Making a significant mark on international soil, Honda Racing India – a solo Indian team in FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) finished the 2022 season on a positive note.
Showcasing consistent performance and bringing laurels to the country, India’s ace motorbike rider Rajiv Sethu finished the final race of the Asia Production 250cc (AP250cc) class of ARRC in top 10. After the 18th position starts on the grid, Rajiv moved up by a position in lap 1 itself. Taking advantage of the wet race and a few crashes, he continued to gain positions and reached at 10th spot in Lap 8. From thereon, he maintained positive momentum and crossed the chequered line at 10th position, thus adding 6 points in his kitty.
Meanwhile, today was a day of struggle and then a massive recovery for Senthil Kumar who after his seventh position start went out of track in Lap 2. But Senthil showed his determination and came back on track with more power and a challenging spirit. Competing fiercely with the international riders, Senthil finished today’s race at 14th position, achieving two points, a Honda India release said.
After the final round, Rajiv Sethu closed the 2022 championship with 37 points finishing in the top 15, while Senthil closed it with 13 points. Overall Honda Racing India closed the 2022 season in the top 10.
Expressing his views on the performance of Indian riders, Atsushi Ogata – Managing Director, President and CEO, of Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India said, “Racing is in Honda’s DNA. For us Motorsport is not just an event, it’s a culture which helps us to enhance our quality and meet the overall vision of the brand. Today, I was thrilled to experience the riding performance of our Indian riders, especially the young ones.
“After a gap of two years due to COVID-19, our riders were confident and motivated to take on all the challenges and displayed exemplary performances throughout the season. The zeal of our riders and the progress of the team on the international platform show that we are on the right track in promoting motorsports in India and supporting to develop future international champions from India. I thank all the team members for their outstanding contributions and wish them good luck for the next season.”
Speaking on riders’ performances and overall results, Prabhu Nagaraj, Operating Officer – Brand & Communication, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India, said “We are satisfied and happy with this year’s performance. Despite the challenging environment, our riders delivered their best results and achieved a better position for the team in this season. In 2022, not only Rajiv and Senthil but our young guns in Thailand Talent Cup have also shown some good performances. The first time our riders have not only finished in the Top 10 but also have clinched a podium in this season of the Thai Talent Cup. Ending this season of races with high spirit, our team will return with new young talent in future as well.”
“Today was the final race and I had no option other than delivering my best. With the wind and rainy weather, all our proportions and mathematics got changed. My focus was not to rush but maintain a steady position in the race. From my previous experience and training, I countered all the challenges and achieved points and positions for the team. Taking all the learnings home, I shall be practising more and creating new strategies to mark another achievement for the team, ” India rider Rajiv Sethu said after the race.
“It was a tough and exciting race for me. The weather was not in favour which created hurdles for all the riders. My agenda was to avoid any mistakes and be on track to gain points for the team. I am happy with my today’s performance as I was able to compete well with all the challenges as well as the other experienced riders. We will be returning next season with enhanced strategies for better results, ” said Honda Racing India rider Senthil Kumar.(ANI)