Sarthak Chavan scripted history last month when he became the youngest rider to win the premier Pro-Stock 300-400cc national title as a 17-year-old in the Indian National Motorcycling Racing Championship.
After finishing third last year in the same class, Sarthak got the job done in dominant fashion this year to clinch the championship with nine wins. He also finished third in the Pro-Stock 165 cc class.
The rider from Pune, who turned 18 recently, has now set his eyes on leaving a mark on the international scene as he charts his path to Moto GP, the pinnacle of motorcycling racing.
After success in the one-make series with Honda, TVS Racing signed him as part of their factory team. Sarthak is currently racing in the Asian Road Racing Championship in the TVS Asia One Make Championship.
The teenager has also participated in the Asia Talent Cup on the Honda NSF 250R bikes. The races happen alongside the MotoGP event during the Asian swing, and Sarthak says a good performance here could help him get on the path set by Dorna, the commercial rights owners of Moto GP.
“I can manage my pace well, conserving my energy and pushing later in the race. I think I can improve my race starts,” says Sarthak, describing his strengths.
Explaining the challenges for Indian riders, Sarthak highlighted that a lack of track time is a major concern. “Seat time is the main issue. I had been in Japan for training, and they looked for accuracy in everything. Those guys do a 20-minute session, have a break and go back again. They train four days a week and work a lot on fitness. I dont have any track near Pune that is big enough for me to practice on,” he added.
Regarding his future, the mechanical engineering student said, “My goal right now is to cement my third place in the standings in the ARRC and win this title next year.”
“I would like to race 600cc bikes in Malaysia or Thailand, and my ultimate goal is to race world championship-level races like Moto3 in the next few years,” said Sarthak.
Comments
SHARE