Honda Racing India closes 2019 ARRC in top 9 teams

With 30 riders from 20 teams battling for AP 250 championship in the finale race, FIM 5 position penalty on exceeding track limits in turn 12 of final 10th lap race turned the fortune of 5 riders. Despite being the first to cross the chequered flag, Md. Muzakkir was pushed back to 6th position. Astra’s Honda Lucky Hendiransya’s 7th finish in race was amended to 12th. Similarly, Senthil and Rajiv too lost 5 positions from their 11th and 13th race finish to 16th and 18th positions in final results, leading to no points for Honda’s solo Indian team despite a double top 15 finish.

Starting 16th, Rajiv’s good start took him to 10th spot ending lap 1. Lap 3 erased his gains, pulling him back to 16th. Thereon, Rajiv made a fantastic recovery to 15th by lap 4, 13th by lap 5 and climbed up to 11th position by lap 6 when Top 12 riders were fighting in a 1.8 second gap. By lap 8, Rajiv overtook 2 riders to enter into top 10. A wide cornering in turn 12 of final 10th lap saw Rajiv finish 13th in race 2, only to bear the brunt of 5 positions penalty which put him 18th on the official race2 result.