Chennai, Oct 22 (IANS) Though he was denied a ninth-straight win, Rajiv Sethu, the 25-year-old from Chennai, crowned himself champion in the premier Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open category on debut as the fifth and final round of the MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2023 concluded at the Madras International Circuit here on Sunday.

Also clinching the National titles were: Hyderabad’s Vignesh Goud of Race’ists Motorcycle Club (Novice - Stock 165cc) and Puducherry’s Lani Zena Fernandez of RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate (Girls - Stock 165cc).

The championship standings in the Pro-Stock 165cc Open category were not declared pending the settlement of a disputed result in Round 4.

Even as Sethu, nursing an injured left shoulder, delivered a third-straight rider championship to his team, RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate, in the Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open category, it was young Sarthak Chavan, the 16-year-old from Pune from the TVS Racing stable who scripted a stirring win after starting from P17. 

He passed a flagging Sethu on the last lap for the biggest victory of his blossoming National championship career. 

Finishing second behind Sarthak was his teammate, the 16-year-old Bengalurean Chiranth Vishwanath, after a good move on Sethu who settled for third place. The P3 did not matter for Sethu as he had already taken an unbeatable lead in the points table going into the race.

Later, Sethu finished the season by winning the Pro-Stock 165cc Open race in style despite starting from P10, with Sarthak and Chiranth coming in second and third, respectively. The race was reduced to five laps following a crash (rider okay) leading to a red flag and re-start.

Lani Zena Fernandez also finished the season on a victorious note, winning the Girls (Stock 165cc) race with ease. The race was reduced to three laps from the scheduled five following a stoppage due to pile-up (riders okay) in the very first lap and was re-started. It was her fourth win in nine starts.

Meanwhile, Bengaluru’s Savion Sabu gave a rousing finish to his season by achieving a double in the Novice (Stock 165cc) race, but his winning burst did not stop Vignesh Goud from clinching the championship in this category.