Narain8217;s Formula too potent for opponents

Indian ace wins both legs with 10 seconds to spareChennai, Jan 31: Young Narain Karthikeyan made nonsense of the opposition by winning bo...

Indian ace wins both legs with 10 seconds to spare

Chennai, Jan 31: Young Narain Karthikeyan made nonsense of the opposition by winning both the legs with great authority and assurance in the Formula-Three class in the MRF Grand Prix motor races, here today.

The difference between Narain, driving a Honda-Miguel powered machine, and the rest was so telling, it reduced both the 10-lap rounds to a virtual one-horse race. Narain was so awesome, smooth and near-flawless that the others appeared like stragglers.

Be it in cornering, acceleration or braking, Narain, supported by Kingfisher and JK Tyre, had no peers on the day. Barring the one puff of smoke in the first round when he locked the brakes on the tight right-hander, Narain hardly made a wrong move.

That he spared nearly 10 and eight seconds to the second-placed drivers in both the rounds was ample evidence, if one was needed, of the Indian8217;s class and calibre.

Like Narain, Japan8217;s Koji Amemiya, riding a Yamaha TZ, reigned supreme in the othermain event of the day, the 10-lap, two-round race for 250cc Group A8217; bikes. The 28-year old Japanese champion opened up huge leads in both the rounds. 8220;I think, I can improve on my timings next Sunday the second-leg of the GP now that I know the track better. I managed only a few laps of practice on Saturday since my bike arrived here only on Friday night,8221; he said.

Meanwhile, there was action aplenty in the Group N8217; Esteem class which witnessed a few collisions. Driving his mother8217;s car, young Gaurav Dalal went off the track in the first round which was won by Radha Selvarajan.

Results

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Formula-3 Cars 10 laps, 1st round: Narain Karthikeyan India 1 16 mins, 15.236 secs; Jeremif Dufour France 2 16:25.289; Charles Hall England 3 16:38.903; John Ingram Eng 4 17:46.811; Stephen Young Eng 5 18:02.336. 2nd round: Karthikeyan 1 16:13.927; Dufour 2 16:21.106; Martin O8217;Connell Eng 3 16:46.358; Young 4 17:44.487.

250cc Group A bikes 10 laps, 1st round: Koji AmemiyaJpn 1 16:35.306; Marty Nutt GBR 2 16:37.086; Carsten Kurz Ger 3 16:43.830; Max Neukirchen Ger 4 17:21.295; Guido Eultgem Ger 5 17:33.095; Aspi Bhathena Ind 6 17:50.278. 2nd round: Amemiya 1 18:36.331; Nutt 2 18:41.756; Kurz 3 18:44.141; Neukirchen 4 18:45.724; Eultgem 5 19:34.220; Bhathena 6 19:48.895.