The IDEMITSU Honda Racing India, a lone Indian team competing in the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC), made a huge impression on foreign soil and had a successful season in 2022.
The Riders
Rajiv Sethu, an expert rider from India, placed in the top 10 in the final race of the Asia Production 250cc (AP250cc) class of the ARRC, displaying consistency in performance and bringing honour to the nation. Rajiv advanced one position in the first lap after starting the race in 18th place on the grid. He kept moving up the standings, reaching 10th in Lap 8 by taking advantage of the rainy race and little incidents. From that point on, he kept moving forward and crossed the finish line in 10th place, earning himself an additional 6 points.
Senthil Kumar, who started the day in seventh place, struggled today until making a significant comeback in lap two. Senthil, though, proved his will and refocused with more force and a competitive attitude. Senthil, who strongly competed with the international riders, came in at 14th place and earned 2 points in today’s race.
Rajiv Sethu finishes the 2022 tournament with 37 points, placing in the top 15, while Senthil does so with 13 points after the penultimate round. Honda Racing India finished the 2022 season overall in the Top 10.
Official Statement
Expressing his views on the performance of Indian riders, Mr. Atsushi Ogata – Managing Director, President & CEO, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter Indiasaid,“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.”