Navaneeth Kumar Clinches Inaugural KTM RC Cup in India

In order to democratise racing in India, KTM announced its customer racing programme, the KTM RC CUP, in December last year. Over the past three months, KTM experts have travelled across the entire country in search of KTM owners who have an enthusiasm for racing. Through its Racing Academy, KTM has trained these owners and has shortlisted the top 80 racers based on their lap times. Then, Emmanuel Jebaraj, a seven-time INMRC champion, and former MotoGP racer Jeremy McWilliams mentored these top 80 contenders. The first-ever KTM RC CUP customer racing event has now come to an end at Chennai's Madras Motor Race Track (MMRT). The KTM RC CUP, by far the biggest racing competition ever held in India, featured the best racers from 8 different cities competing for top spots.

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KTM RC Cup: Key Details

From January to March 2023, selection rounds for the KTM RC Cup's first India edition were held all over the nation. The best KTM owners in the country were found and trained by KTM's expert panel, which travelled to Mumbai, Vadodara, Delhi, Ranchi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Coimbatore, and Chennai. Following a shortlisting based on lap times, McWilliams and seven-time Indian National Motorcycle Racing Champion Emmanuel Jebaraj mentored 80 racers. After a couple of qualifying rounds, 20 riders advanced to the MMRT final.

For all the rounds, competitors rode KTM RC 390 GP Edition bikes provided by the brand. The 373.2cc liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine in the GP Edition produces 43.5bhp of maximum power and 37Nm of peak torque and shares all mechanical components with the updated RC 390. A 6-speed slipper clutch-equipped gearbox is linked to the engine. The GP Edition does, however, receive a paint job that is inspired by MotoGP as well as aesthetic upgrades like tinted visors and all-black cast alloy rims. One of the most advanced and performance-focused kits, including a trellis frame, WP APEX suspension and technology, cornering ABS, and MTC, are also included with the bike.

KTM RC Cup: Top Three Winners Announced

Navaneet Kumar, a 25-year-old racer from Pondicherry, took home the title. Amarnath Menon, from Kozhikode, and Allwin Xavier, from Thrissur, came in second and third, respectively. All three of the 2023 season's champions will travel to Austria, the home of KTM, and partake in a track day with Jeremy McWilliams. The winners will also receive other treats, such as tickets to see a MotoGP race live at the Redbull Ring in Austria and visits to the illustrious KTM Motohall.

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KTM RC Cup: Official Comments

Commenting on the occasion, Jeremy McWilliams, Race Director - KTM RC CUP, remarked, “I have 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 have offered and then delivered on track. Jeba 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 2.” 

“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,” said Sumeet Narang, President (Probiking), Bajaj Auto Ltd.