Navaneeth Kumar wins inaugural KTM RC Cup India

Navaneeth Kumar, 25, emerged victorious in the KTM RC Cup finale held at the Madras Motor Race Track (MMRT) in Chennai. Amarnath Menon and Allwin Xavier finished second and third, respectively.

• Nearly 1,000 riders participated in the inaugural KTM RC Cup
• Navaneeth Kumar wins, Amarnath Menon second, Allwin Xavier third

What is the KTM RC Cup?

Selection rounds for the inaugural India edition of the KTM RC Cup were held across the country from January to March 2023. KTM’s expert panel visited Mumbai, Vadodara, Delhi, Ranchi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Coimbatore and Chennai to find and train the best KTM owners across the country.

Eighty racers, shortlisted based on their lap times, were then mentored by McWilliams and seven-time Indian National Motorcycle Racing Champion Emmanuel Jebaraj. After a series of qualifiers, 20 riders progressed to the finale at the MMRT.

Participants raced on company-provided KTM RC 390 GP Edition bikes throughout all stages. The GP Edition is mechanically identical to the updated RC 390, with a 373.2cc liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine making 43.5hp and 37Nm. The engine is mated to 6-speed gearbox with a slipper clutch.

The GP Edition does, however, get a MotoGP-inspired paint scheme and cosmetic additions like all-black cast alloy rims and a tinted visor.

Kumar, Menon and Xavier victorious

Overall winner Navaneeth Kumar, along with runners up Amarnath Menon and Allwin Xavier have won the chance to participate in a track day in Austria with former MotoGP racer Jeremy McWilliams, along with other special prizes. They’ll also watch the Austrian MotoGP race live at the Red Bull Ring and visit the KTM Motohall.

Commenting on the inaugural India edition of the series, Jeremy McWilliams – Race Director, KTM RC Cup – said, “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this race weekend. The feedback from the racers and their progression in the past three 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.”

“Jeba [Emmanuel Jebaraj] and his team have worked hard to up the standards and got a good base setting for the racers now. The KTM Race Cup is delivering exactly what it set out to do and I am already looking forward to season two.”

Sumeet Narang – President (Probiking) – at Bajaj Auto Ltd added, “With the KTM RC CUP, we have provided a platform for over a thousand KTM racers to learn and showcase their racing talent, making this India’s largest racing championship. We are thrilled by the never seen or heard before participation in India by any manufacturer to date for a one-make-championship.”

Also see:

Where to watch MotoGP in India