Team Yokohama wins Indian Rally Championship in 2000cc and 1600cc categories
Published On 06-Jun-2016
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Team Yokohama[/caption]
Team Yokohama won the recently-concluded 2015 Indian Rally Championship (IRC). In the 2000cc category, the duo of Rahul Kanthraj and co-driver Vivek Bhatt claimed the top spot on the leadership board. In the 1600cc class, pair of Karna Kadur and co-driver Vivek Ponnusamy came out on top. Bangalore-based Rahul Kanthraj gave a commendable example of his consistency by dominating the 2000cc class by winning all 4 IRC rounds back-to-back.
The Indian Rally Championship (IRC) is organised by Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI). The 2015 IRC consisted of four rounds- Nashik, Coimbatore, Bengaluru and Chikmangalur.
Mr Sanjay Chatterjee, Yokohama India's General Manager Sales and Marketing, said, “2015 has been a wonderful year for us. Yokohama India has had podium finishes at all rally races the company has participated in. We launched Team Yokohama in the month of June this year. Team Yokohama has won in both the categories, the 2000 cc and the 1600 cc, that it competed in. This gives us further incentive to continue with the same combination. We started supporting only one car during the 2007 Raid De Himalaya and now we have a winning combination.”
Yokohama has been involved in Indian motorsports since 2007. Since that time, it has went on to win the Himalayan car rally races for three consecutive years in 2009, 2010 and 2011. Rahul Kanthraj said, “Since this is the first year that we are participating as a team, we wanted this to be special. We have had a podium finish in all the races for this season.”
Over the years of its involvement in motorsports, Yokohama has become synonymous with the same. Since 2006, Yokohama has been the sole tyre supplier to the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC). Additionally, Yokohama is also the sole tyre supplier to Formula 3 Macau round for 31 consecutive years.