We are always on the lookout for opportunities to ride on the racetrack, especially at the Buddh International Circuit. After all, a racetrack is the only place where you really get to find the limits of yourself and your motorcycle… and then push them. A world-class racetrack like the Buddh International Circuit only makes the experience sweeter.

We got this opportunity thanks to R.A.C.R. (Rajini’s Academy of Competitive Racing) powered by Castrol POWER1. We have been a part of their track days earlier as well. This time, they collaborated with Ducati India for a 2-day open track programme, along with Level 1 and Level 2 training sessions conducted by expert instructors from the academy.

Riding on the racetrack fast and properly requires one to hone their skills. One does that with practice. But even before that, said skill needs to be endowed upon one by people who are already ahead on the curve, so to speak. R.A.C.R. provided us with the perfect opportunity to not only hone our skills but also gain new ones.

From WSBK to MotoGP and from Formula One to the preferred tyre brand for some of the most sought-after brands in the world, there is a reason why Pirelli is everywhere: it’s simply the best.

To that end, we made it to the Buddh International Circuit with the best from the xBhp Garage. While Sundeep Gajjar / MotoGrapher and Dr Manan Chaturvedi / Shuttervedi rode the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R and TVS Apache RR 310, both powered by Castrol POWER1 ULTIMATE, Ankita Arora / HighHeelsMotorcyclist took it to the racetrack aboard her Ducati Monster 821.

Rajini Krishnan & Sundeep Gajjar at Buddh International Circuit.

Rider :: Dr Manan Chaturvedi / Shuttervedi | Bike :: TVS Apache RR 310 Powered by Castrol POWER1 15W50
Rider :: Sundeep Gajjar / MotoGrapher | Bike :: Kawasaki ZX-10R powered by Castrol POWER1 10W40

Rider :: Ankita Arora / High Heels Motorcyclist | Bike :: Ducati Monster 821

First off, a little bit about R.A.C.R. One has to be living under a rock if they do not know who Rajini Krishnan is. Widely regarded as the fastest Indian on two wheels, his greatest achievement, in addition to his plethora of trophies, is his academy. After more than a decade of racing in India and abroad, Rajini found his calling in training the future generation of Indian riders to go racing. To that end, he started R.A.C.R. in 2015.

They have trained thousands of students so far, but the R.A.C.R. team also has a knack for spotting talent. They choose the best of the best and then train them further to take part in various championships. With racing at its core, the R.A.C.R. racing team made their debut in the National Championship in 2015 and the Malaysian Superbike Championship in 2018. So far, they have 5 INMRC Team Championships while finishing as runner-ups on four occasions.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank Castrol POWER1 as well. Not only for being one of xBhp’s major supporters, but also for supporting the growth of motorcycling as a whole. Racing is an expensive sport, and when R.A.C.R. was looking for supporters, Castrol POWER1 stepped up to keep the team and the good work they were doing going. In addition to the financial support, Rajini also told us that with quality products from Castrol POWER1, their machines too have had an edge over others in terms of performance.

Before we went riding, the track officials and the R.A.C.R. team taught all the participants about the important flags and signals. This included the briefing about the layout of the track, along with the rules and regulations of riding on the track. This was followed by the procedure of how and when one gets on and off the racetrack. After that, the riders received their theoretical and practical training from Team R.A.C.R.

Level 1 is a one-day training programme that has 6 classroom sessions and 6 ontrack sessions. This level is aimed at teaching the students about the basics of body positioning, counter-steering, braking, and a few other skills. Level 2 is also a one-day training programme that has 6 classroom sessions and 6 on-track sessions. This level is aimed at imparting techniques like advanced body positioning, race-start drills, overtaking, attacking and defending lines, and some other things. Then there is Level 3, which aims to correct the major and minor mistakes, followed by the next level called One-to-One. This level is for those who are willing to take up racing full-time and includes sessions from the instructor of your choice.

About our time during the open-track session, it was predictably awesome. In addition to being a learning experience, riding on the racetrack is a lot of fun, where both man and machine can test their limits and push them further in a safe and controlled environment. Ankita took the Ducati Monster 821 onto the track, making the most of the open track day to brush up on skills and push her limits after completing Level 3 training. While she did that, Ducati NSA, Delhi, made sure that her motorcycle was in perfect running order. While she put her Ducati through the wringer (in the best way possible), Sundeep and Manan put the ZX-10R and the Apache RR 310 through their paces.

Maximum performance lap after lap requires the engine to have access to clean and abundant air. Our ZX-10R was running on BMC Air Filter, one of the key contributors to our track-bred beast’s stellar performance.

This experience was all about getting the ring rust off first and then refinement. From body position to the right lines through all types of corners, it was about incremental betterment. With its technical yet flowing nature, the Buddh International Circuit proved to be a challenge for Team R.A.C.R.’s experienced trainers, who helped all three of our riders improve progressively. With the knowledge and the confidence gained, all three of them made the most of the power-packed track day. During his multiple outings on the racetrack, Sundeep applied all the learnings, honing and perfecting his lines, going for faster and faster lap times with each passing lap and session.

Front Tyre: Pirelli Diablo Superbike SC2 120/70 R17 | Rear Tyre:  Pirelli Diablo Superbike SC2 190/55 R17

While our riders pushed their machines to the maximum while pushing their limits, we had the assurance that Castrol POWER1 ULTIMATE was taking good care of our machines in the process. Castrol POWER1 ULTIMATE 10W40 powered our Kawasaki ZX-10R, while Castrol POWER1 ULTIMATE 15W50 backed our TVS Apache RR 310. Throughout the gruelling test that we put both of these motorcycles through, the engines just kept asking for more. Castrol POWER1 ULTIMATE is what you get after years of distilling the experience and knowledge gained in global competitions. The revolutionary Full-Synthetic 5-in-1 Formula provides a motorcycle with the ULTIMATE of everything, be it protection or performance.

While we had a great time with all three of our machines, the cream of the crop was obviously the ZX-10R. After all, it is a full-fledged superbike that belongs on the racetrack. Sundeep, armed with the confidence gained from the training, pushed the ZX-10R further and further, lap after lap, with the sweet howl of that inline-4 egging him to keep going. His confidence was further buoyed by the Pirelli Diablo Superbike SC2 slick tyres.

When it comes to tyres, Pirelli is one of the best in the business. They have supplied tyres for WSBK for as long as we can remember. And now, MotoGP, the pinnacle of motorcycle racing, will also have Pirelli as the official tyre supplier from 2027. The Diablo Superbike SC2s worked wonders on our ZX-10R. They come up to temperature quickly, and after that, there’s grip for days. From the compound used to the profile of these tyres, everything is aimed at giving the rider confidence to push those lean angles further and further. A set of these tyres costs INR 60,000/-, but then again, after using them on the BIC, we’d say the grip and confidence are well worth the price paid.

That was the story from our time at this open-track session, and we’d again like to thank Team R.A.C.R. and Castrol POWER1 for making this happen and allowing our riders to further brush up their racetrack skills. Before we sign off, we also got the opportunity to talk to the man himself, Rajini Krishnan, along with his son K.R. Kabilesh, who is following in his father’s footsteps and already a racer with a ton of potential.

Rajini Krishnan

Rajini Krishnan is the only Indian to win 3 International titles in 3 different categories (150cc, 600cc, and 1,000cc). In a career that started in 2002, followed by his first National Championship title in 2003, he has 10 Indian National Championships and is well on his way to securing his 11th title. He is also the only Indian to have raced in the 24 hrs World Endurance Championship and the only one with a podium in the Asia Road Racing Championship (600cc).

At 45 years of age, he still might very well be the fastest Indian on two wheels. As we talked to him, he told us that he started R.A.C.R. to fill the gaps in the infrastructure that he found when he started racing. His goal was to make sure that every aspiring racer in India gets a platform to not only train in the art of motorcycle racing but also the support and knowledge needed to keep moving forward in their pursuit. He also talked about how Castrol POWER1 has been integral in the sustenance of R.A.C.R., as motorcycle racing is expensive, and without proper support, running an academy like R.A.C.R. would have been very difficult. He also emphasised that the government must play a part in the nurturing and growth of the sport. He finished up by saying that while we still have ways to go, in the next 10 years, we can positively hope to see someone representing India in Moto3, Moto2, and even MotoGP.

K.R. Kabilesh

Boy Wonder in every sense of the word, we also got an opportunity to talk to K.R. Kabilesh, Rajini’s 15-year-old son, who is already making waves in motorcycle racing. He started by saying that he is who he is only because of motorcycling. His love for racing comes from his love for speed, and like a true warrior, he also mentioned that he likes the wars racers go through when they duke it out on the racetrack. So far, he has already participated in various championships such as INMRC, TVS Rookies Cup, and more. A big fan of Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia, he aims to move up to the Asian Championships, followed by the Red Bull Rookies Cup, on his road to Moto3, Moto2, and MotoGP.

And based on his choice of riders, he looks up to, it was no surprise that his favourite motorcycle is the Ducati Panigale V4S. He also emphasised the importance of studies in addition to his racing ambitions. Up to 9th standard, he studied in a regular school but switched to the National Institute of Open Schooling to have a more flexible schedule so that he could dedicate more time to racing. Giving his own example of how his parents have supported him right from the beginning, he advised parents to support their children if they want to go racing. Being a little boy with big brains, he won our hearts when he told us that he’d like to tell everyone who rides motorcycles to practice safe riding and invest in proper riding gear and helmets.