Heading into the new season of the Volkswagen Ameo Cup, many involved in the series expected an interesting battle for the title. Little did anyone know that their expectations would be surpassed to such an extent…
Motorsport is a bit like life; you have your highs and you have your lows, all in the search of a surge thrill that takes you away from the all the monotony and normalcy. Some can be happy and satisfied with less while the other strive for perfection, even if they’re far ahead of the rest and above all, it can be a tad bit unfair at times.
Being the extravagant fashion show for some of the most technologically advanced and mind-blowingly fast race cars in the world, racing is definitely not anywhere close to the top in the list of frugal hobbies. With drivers often having to struggle hard to arrange budgets for a full season that start from five figures (in Indian currency) and can go all the way to infinity and beyond, it is no secret that monetary constraints have put a shutdown on a large number of promising careers.
While most struggle to find the funds to race for the whole season while financing their travel, lodging and spares for their cars, it can be quite exasperating to see someone with a much larger pool of funds getting a seat at a better performing team or getting access to more spares and a better car, even if they may not be as talented as many others on the grid. But as with most things in life, you simply have to digest the facts, accept the unfairness and try and make do with all that you have.
A genuine one-make series that offers an equal platform
That said, motorsport isn’t always as unjust – the aforementioned problems may dog you all the way in your single seater career (even in a few one-make series) but that isn’t necessarily the case in touring cars and definitely not in the Volkswagen Ameo Cup.
The VW Ameo Cup offers an equal racing platform at reasonable costs while not compromising on speed and competition
Being a genuine one-make series, all drivers have access to exactly the same resources in the Ameo Cup, which, if you were to ask me, is quite a refreshing thing to see. This means that all drivers are put up on a level pegging field and perhaps the only differentiating factors are your skill, your mental and your physical fitness. Naturally, the cream rises to the top and only a select few end up fighting for the championship towards the end. Generally, heading into the final round, only a couple of drivers are realistically fighting for the title, maybe three in a competitive year. This season, however, the magic number of competitors is five; that is astounding.
With three crucial races left to go till the end of the season, every point matters. More so considering that the Top 3 in the championship are split up by merely eleven points in a series where the race winner is awarded a massive 50 points. “Who is racing then,” is probably the burning question that you have in mind and if that is the case, we’ve got you covered!
The competitors for the Ameo Cup Title
Saurav Bandyopadhyay, the championship leader, has been in the hunt for the Ameo Cup championship for a few years now. Is this his year?
Saurav Bandyopadhyay leads the way with 305 points, owing to two stunning weekends in a row. In the last two rounds, Saurav has taken two race wins (including a stunning drive in which he won from P11 on the grid) and a couple of podiums to complement them too. He has been in pursuit of the Ameo Cup title for a while now. Could this be his year? Behind him in the points tally is Siddharth Mehdiratta, who has quietly sneaked his way in to the Top 3. Siddharth hasn’t won a race this season but his remarkable consistency has seen him score 298 points this time out. His efforts on the simulator definitely seem to reflect on the track and if there is someone with a chance, it definitely is him.
Pratik Sonawane has been quite a force to be reckoned with this season. The driver from Pune has been a revelation this year, taking two brilliant victories and a few podiums along the way too. Although a great number of drivers have put in standout performances this season, Pratik’s drives have been particularly memorable. Momentum is on his side: in a soaking wet Race 7, Pratik crashed out from the lead due to an ABS failure and almost totalled the car. A few hours later, with great help from his mechanics, he was standing on top of the podium for Race 8. Can he take it one step forward and seal the deal in Chennai?
Jeet Jhabakh is the man with the most wins this season with three of them and his last win in the wet conditions of Round 7 came after he inherited the lead due to Pratik’s unfortunate appointment with the barriers. He has been impressive all year but with 284 points, his chances look slightly slimmer than the other three. However, three strong performances from him in the forthcoming races could crown him as the champion. It is bound to be a big weekend for him.
Finally, Anmol Singh Sahil has also had a season similar to that of Siddharth; both of them have discreetly moved themselves into championship contention without any race wins. Anmol had a terrific first round of the season in Coimbatore; add that to his consistent performances in Chennai and you get a points total of 266. Indeed, he is a few points behind the others but with so many points on offer in the next three races, Anmol definitely has a chance, albeit an outside one.
(L-R) Anmol, Jeet and Pratik are all in the hunt for the 2019 Ameo Cup Title.
The final round of the season promises to be the most exciting one by a margin – although the finale may not be as spectacular as last season’s held at the BIC, the MMRT will yet again play host to three of the most intense races on the Indian motorsport calendar. With all five of these drivers slugging it out against each other and the rest of the start-studded field, the adrenaline levels are bound to shoot up through the roof.
The battle for the Ameo Cup, is well and truly on.
Image Credits: MMSC / VW Motorsport
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