..were candy and nuts, we would all have a merry Christmas
Story: Anvay Mahajan
Photography: TVS Motor Company
I was invited to the TVS Young Media Racer Program training and selection rounds this year, which marked the programme’s 10th edition. The initiative originally came into being to give budding automotive journalists a taste of racetrack riding, though in recent years, content creators have also become a part of it.
As the dates approached, I was both nervous and excited. Everyone in the office kept advising me to stay hydrated because of the Chennai summer, but, more importantly, they reminded me to simply enjoy the experience. After all, not everyone gets the chance to ride on a proper racetrack.
I reached Chennai on 14 May, with the trials scheduled for the following day at the Madras International Circuit. A total of 26 riders had been shortlisted and divided into two batches. I was placed in Batch II, which had the afternoon sessions.
Walking into an international racing circuit for the first time felt surreal. TVS had arranged top-quality riding gear, including racing suits, air vests, helmets, gloves, and boots. The motorcycles had also been upgraded from the TVS Apache RTR 200 4V to the more powerful TVS Apache RTR 310. The day was divided into five classroom sessions and five track sessions.
We began with a briefing about the circuit, safety protocol, and the motorcycle. Batch II then waited while Batch I headed out. Conditions looked ideal initially—hot and humid, but with excellent visibility. However, just before our session began, dark clouds started gathering over the circuit.
Watching professionals like Marc Márquez or Jorge Martin attack a wet racetrack may seem thrilling on television, but for rookies riding on a track for the first time, rain changes everything. Our opening session involved riding entirely in third gear without using the brakes. It sounded simple, but it taught me a lot about engine braking and throttle control. During this session, I noticed the motorcycle’s front end bouncing excessively. After giving feedback, I learned that the front tyre was indeed overinflated.
The second session focused on following the instructor to understand racing lines and vision techniques. It was an educational session of the day. I learned where to look while approaching a corner and target fixation. One lesson that really stayed with me was: where you look is where you go.
After that came one of the most useful classroom sessions of the day—body positioning and gear selection through corners. It genuinely transformed my confidence. By the third track session, I felt significantly quicker and more composed on the bike. At that moment, I was convinced I could make it to the top 10.
The next classroom focused on race starts and braking techniques, but it was rushed because rain seemed quite imminent. After a quick practical demonstration, we were sent straight on to the track for practice laps.
We had been instructed not to overtake recklessly and to move aside only under blue flags. While I followed those instructions, a few rookies struggled to understand flag rules. During some of my faster flying laps, riders ahead interfered with my rhythm and compromised my timing. I knew practice had not gone perfectly, but I still believed the qualifiers would give me another chance.
Then came the twist. As I returned to the pits after practice, TVS officials announced that rain was imminent. The best lap-times from either practice or qualifying would now determine the final selection. Because of the worsening weather, riders were sent out immediately for qualifying, one after another. That meant I had one rider a few seconds ahead of me and another close behind.
I was about to complete one lap and it started drizzling. I crossed the main straight at around 8,000 rpm in sixth gear, carried the same gear through C1, shifted down to fourth for C2, and just before entering C3, I noticed a yellow flag. Instinctively, I backed off, assuming someone had crashed. I searched for the fallen rider, only to realise there was none. It was a hazard signal for riders as the track was wet. By then, I had already lost crucial seconds.
I tried rebuilding pace, but the drizzle quickly made the track slippery. By the time I approached C8 or C9, the session was red-flagged after multiple riders crashed in the wet conditions. Back in the pits, I already knew my lap would not be enough. The results confirmed it. I finished 17th with a best time of 2:42.994, while only the top 14 advanced.
On the drive back to the airport, my mind was filled with “what ifs”. What if I had been in the first batch? What if my practice lap had gone cleanly? What if there had been separate boards for wet and dry sessions? What if I knew my benchmark? Maybe, things would have been different.
But motor sport, much like life, is not always fair. Eventually, you learn to make peace with it and appreciate the experience itself. And when I looked back at the photographs from the day, I realised I had still achieved something special: learning new riding techniques, riding flat out on a racetrack in rain, and, most of all, living to tell the tale. For a motorcycle enthusiast, that alone was unforgettable.
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