We got a wildcard entry at the TVS Young Media Racer Programme (YMRP) 10.0 and scored a point
Report: Anvay Mahajan
Photography: TVS Motor Company
My previous visit to the Madras International Circuit for the TVS YMRP 10.0 proved quite disappointing. This was primarily due to three factors: exhaustion, the inability to achieve a flying quali-lap due to rainy weather, and interference from other riders. I felt disheartened about not getting qualified. Fortunately, as the wise words from Shahrukh Khan in Om Shanti Om suggest, if you desperately love something, the universe begins to pave the way for you. And, indeed, the universe worked its magic. Upon receiving a call from TVS, informing me that some riders had withdrawn and that I was next in line, I immediately requested them to arrange my travel to Chennai.
Round one was set for the 15th and 16th of August. On day one, vehicles were handed out by drawing chits. I ended up with the “lucky” vehicle number 13. But, hey, I was still pretty stoked. A week before, I wasn’t even in the running, and now I was among the top 13.
The first session was practice, and I felt really good riding the race-spec TVS Apache RTR 310. The bike had Eurogrip Protorq Racing slicks on it now, which was a first for both me and YMRP. I hit a 2:27:140 and landed P8 in practice. The results were pretty satisfying.
The initial session took a significant toll on me, triggering my migraines and resulting in severe headaches. Despite the qualifying session being scheduled for later in the evening, the pain became unbearable. Nevertheless, I continued to hydrate and maintain my composure.
Qualifying kicked off at around 4.00 pm. The tyres were seriously grippy, like super glue. At first, I honestly wasn’t sure if I could lean any further. But once I got the hang of the bike, it became my best buddy for the whole weekend. I managed a 2:25:811. That’s a whole second shaved off. As a rookie, I felt super proud. The day came to an end with me qualifying P10 for the race.
Race day was super hot and humid. Even though I’d become used to my racing suit, no one really knew what we were in for. The race kicked off around 11.50 am. Surprisingly, I had an awesome start. I passed three other riders, but then got pushed back at C1 because some guy tried to overtake me from the inside.
On lap two, a significant crash occurred, leading to a red flag incident that I witnessed from P9. We subsequently entered the pits, remaining on our bikes throughout. The race was then restarted, maintaining the original grid positions.
Unfortunately, I stalled at the launch, causing me to lose all my initial positions and drop to last place. However, just one lap later, the rider directly ahead of me experienced a severe crash at C2. The incident unfolded right in front of me and was quite alarming, as the rider was thrown from their vehicle in a manner reminiscent of Marc Márquez.
The session was red-flagged once more, with the restart scheduled to occur within minutes. Initially, we received verbal instructions indicating a direct race start without a formation lap. However, the situation on the track proved entirely different: a formation lap preceded the lights-out signal with four laps remaining.
I started the race from P10 again, executing a robust start. With one rider ahead of me retiring, I was effectively elevated to P9. Following this, I successfully overtook one or two competitors, placing myself in either P7 or P8. During this period, two distinct incidents involving rider crashes occurred in separate sectors. Upon observing the yellow flag, I promptly reduced my speed. However (from my perspective), two riders behind me capitalised on this moment to overtake me during yellow flag, resulting in a loss of positions. Unfortunately, no footage is available to substantiate this specific incident.
As we approached the third-to-last lap, I went into the grass at C2, which caused a further time loss. Motivated by the unpenalised yellow flag infringement by the two riders ahead, I intensified my pace. My subsequent performance led to a personal best lap time of 2:22:694. By the final lap, I had closed the gap to the rider ahead. At C10 on the last lap, as I was poised to overtake, the rider unintentionally moved closer and slowed me down.
So, that was it. I secured P9 for the race, putting one point on the board for me. When I got to the pits and saw my best time, I was blown away. I’m pretty sure I’ll be even quicker next time around. And the bike? It was absolutely perfect; it really felt in sync with me. The next round has been scheduled for October 2026.
