New Delhi: Akhil Khushlani did India proud when he finished sixth in his first race back in the JK Racing Asia Series at the Buddh International Circuit on Saturday. The Meritus.GP driver completed the nine lap race in 18 minutes, 48. 550 seconds.
Austrian Lucas Auer won the race to claim the Rookie Cup championship after collecting two pole positions. The fifth round of the JK Racing Asia Series is being run as a support event to the inaugural Indian Formula One Grand Prix.
Despite not racing for the past year and a half, Khushlani managed to get back in the groove immediately. Khushlani was happy with the result and said he managed to achieve what he set out to do in just his first race.
“It went quite well, as planned and I made up a couple of positions,” Khushlani said. “I didn’t qualify well because of a lot of traffic and we didn’t get our setups right to a certain extent but we got the race right at least. We made consistent progress in positions and finished where we had to.
“I’ve been a little rusty for not having raced in the last one and a half years. I had done some practice but not race practice so I am quite happy that I ended up here. I think tomorrow should be better but my second fastest lap wasn’t very good so I am starting 13th and hope to get a top five tomorrow,” he added.
Visnu Prasad also impressed the grid when he completed a hard race in eighth after starting the race at the fourteenth place. “It was my first race and my main aim was to finish in the top ten or the top eight and I managed to do that,” he said.
“I had to fight throughout the race, there was a bunch of five guys entering the corner at the same time. It was the first time I experienced anything like that,” Prasad added.
“I achieved what I needed to achieve, tomorrow I’m starting twelfth so I’m hoping to finish seventh or sixth”
For Series registered driver Raj Bharath, it was a mixed day “It was not good but it was okay. In the start I screwed up, I dropped to twelfth or thirteenth. Then I caught back up to ninth then I got hit by a car but my timing was good, so I was catching up to the guys in front but then it was chequered flag, so it was too late,” Bharath said.
“I am aiming for a top eight tomorrow, so let’s see how it goes. I’m really confident,” he added.
Auer made an impressive start and immediately opened up a gap in the action-filled race. The mid pack changed positions numerous times and there were also a few incidents to keep the audiences on their toes.
“I think my start was not too bad but at the first couple of laps I did not have such a good pace,” said Auer after the race.
“After the laps I found my line again there is no grip outside because of the Formula One but at the end I could manage to get good speed and gain the quickest lap” he added.
Italian Lucas Camplese of Eurointernational claimed second after Nabil Jeffri, who was running in second ran wide and spun on the dirty part of the track. Malaysian Jeffri of Petronas Mofaz Racing rejoined the race to finish in third.
The JK Racing Asia Series continues tomorrow, Sunday 30th October 2011 at Buddh International Circuit with Round 14 at 12 noon.
JK Tyre & Industries, the leading tyre manufacturer in India, is the title partner for the JK Racing Asia Series. The Series is also supported by AirAsia, Asia’s leading low-cost carrier.
The JK Racing Asia Series is currently the only Junior Formula that provides a unique opportunity where the drivers are given a platform to compete in front of the Formula One fraternity. On three occasions the JK Racing Asia Series will support Formula One Grand Prix, in Malaysia, Singapore and the newly built circuit in India.
