For someone who had never ridden on a race track before, getting an opportunity to participate in TVS Motor Company’s Young Media Racing Programme (YMRP) was a completely new experience. The 10th season of the programme brought together 40 journalists from different publications across India, with only the 14 fastest riders getting selected for the championship.
The event was held at the Madras International Circuit, and right from the beginning, the focus was on helping us understand the basics of track riding. Since many of us came from different riding backgrounds, the TVS Racing team conducted classroom sessions before we got on the bikes. These sessions helped us understand important things like racing flags, track corners, racing lines and basic track etiquette.
The classroom sessions were followed by practice sessions on the circuit. This was probably the most important part of the entire programme for me. Riding on a race track is very different from riding on the road, and I had to learn how to position myself properly on the bike, especially while entering and exiting corners. The TVS Racing team was constantly around to guide us and point out the areas where we could improve.
As the practice sessions continued, I started getting more comfortable with the track and the bike. Every lap taught me something new, whether it was about braking later, carrying more speed through a corner or simply getting my riding position right. The feedback from the TVS Racing team also helped me understand where I was losing time.
The qualifying sessions were where things became really interesting. Out of the 40 journalists participating in the programme, only 14 would make it to the championship. Despite having no previous track racing experience, I managed to set the second-fastest time among all 40 participants. Finishing second in the qualification was a very special moment for me because I had gone into the programme simply wanting to learn and understand track racing.
The entire event at the Madras International Circuit was also organised very smoothly. From the classroom sessions to the practice runs and qualifying, everything was well planned, which made it easier for us to concentrate on learning and improving our riding.
The Young Media Racing Programme turned out to be much more than just a racing event for me. It gave me an opportunity to experience track racing from a completely different perspective and understand how much precision and technique goes into riding fast on a circuit.
As a rookie on the track, finishing second among 40 participants was definitely a proud moment. More importantly, the experience gave me a lot to take back from the circuit. The 10th season of YMRP was an exciting learning experience, and it has certainly made me look at motorcycle racing with a lot more respect and interest.
