TVS Young Media Racer Programme at MIC: Battling the odds

The second round of the TVS Young Media Racer Program (YMRP) once again unfolded at the Madras Motor Race Track or MIC, but this time, the challenge for me began well before the visor dropped. A lingering fever meant I had to approach the weekend differently, conserving energy while still trying to put in competitive laps on the TVS Apache RTR 200 4V.

The first outing for my practice laps was a reality check. While I had managed a 2:19 in the closing race of Round 1, the stopwatch now read 2:27. Clearly off my old pace, I treated practice as a warm-up, more about familiarising myself with the track again than chasing outright lap times and over- exerting myself.

As before, we were provided with KYT’s flagship helmets and all the gear we’d need, including an airbag vest by Alpinestars. After each session, the team took notes from each of us about faults or issues with the bikes, if any.

By the time qualifying rolled around, things improved ever so slightly. I found a bit of rhythm and managed to cut four seconds off my practice lap. A best of 2:23 placed me 10th on the grid, which wasn’t ideal, but given the circumstances, it was a small morale boost heading into the race.

Though I had my sights set on 8th place, I couldn’t quite reel in the rider ahead before the chequered flag dropped. Compared to my 5th-place finish in Round 1, 9th was disappointing. But considering I was unwell throughout, I’m still glad I managed to fight back into the top 10. The RTR 200 4V, running on fresh tyres for this round, once again proved predictable and consistent, even if I couldn’t extract the best out of it.

Round 2 may not have gone my way, but it underlines the value of every race weekend and the need to adapt, learn, and come back stronger. With Round 3 scheduled for early next year, that’s exactly what I plan to do.

Also see: Back in the saddle: TVS Young Media Racer programme qualifier round