First edition of KTM RC Cup wraps up at the MMRT Chennai
All participants of the KTM RC cup were provided with the ready-to-race RC 390 GP edition by the company at all stages.
Key Takeaways
- Qualifying rounds of the KTM RC Cup were organised in eight centres across India
- Podium finishers get an opportunity to visit KTM headquarters in Austria
- The event was culminated by a friendly race for the country’s top automotive journalists
KTM organised the first edition of the RC Cup in India which recently came to an end at Madras Motor Race Track (MMRT) in Chennai with the final race on March 26. The Austrian brand announced the championship in December last year which kicked off with qualifying rounds conducted in eight cities.
Over the last 3 months, KTM experts travelled the length and breadth of the country to find and train KTM owners with a passion for racing via its Racing Academy. The inaugural RC Cup witnessed over 1,000 KTM-owned participants from all across the country.
KTM RC Cup finale at MMRT, Chennai
RC Cup 2023 details
For the competition, 80 individuals were shortlisted from the qualifying rounds, based on lap timings. These top 80 racers were then mentored by the ex-MotoGP racer Jeremy McWilliams and 7-time INMRC championship winning Emmanuel Jebaraj. Of these 80 racers, 20 made it through the demanding qualifiers,pushing their limits for the final race at the MMRT, Chennai.
The first edition of the RC Cup witnessed Navaneet Kumar from Puducherry, claiming the top spot whereas Amarnath Menon from Kozhikode and Allwin Xavier from Thrissur took the second and third positions, respectively. All three podium finishers will get an opportunity to visit the brand’s global headquarters—KTM Motohall– in Austria where they’ll receive race training from its experts.
KTM RC Cup 2023 winners: Navaneet Kumar (centre), Amarnath Menon (left) and Allwin Xavier (right)
They will also be able to interact with top riders from KTM’s Racing Factory and experience a Track Day with Jeremy McWilliams, and as well as attend a MotoGP race at the Red Bull ring in Austria. The event was wrapped up with a friendly race at the MMRT which saw top auto journalists from India test their riding skills.
RC 390 GP and the media race
Throughout all stages of the KTM RC Cup championship, participating KTM owners raced with the company provided KTM RC 390 GP. This machine boasts high-level components like a trellis frame, WP APEX suspension and sophisticated technology like MTC, and cornering ABS.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this race weekend. The feedback from the racers and their progression in the past 3 days has been truly outstanding. I am particularly pleased to see how the racers have internalised the advice I’ve offered and then delivered on track,” said Jeremy McWilliams, Race Director, KTM RC Cup.
Jeremy McWilliams, Race Director, KTM RC Cup
The RC Cup is a part of KTM Pro-XP’s endeavour to offer KTM owners experiences that makes them pro riders. In the last 70 years of motorsports, KTM has won over 334 world championship titles across all racing formats, like Dakar, MotoGP, Motocross (MX), Supercross (SX), and Enduro.
(Images courtesy: KTM)
Edited by Akanksha Sarma