Chennai, February 2: Bengaluru’s Ashish Ramaswamy of Arka Motor Sports team set the benchmark by qualifying for pole position among saloon cars as the first round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Racing Championship commenced at the MMRT circuit, here on Friday.

Meanwhile, two 17-year olds Indonesian Presley Martono and championship leader Felipe Drugovich from Brazil, qualified for the front row in the fourth and concluding round of the MRF Challenge as the top six drivers finished within a second of each other to set the stage for some thrilling battles over the next two days during which four races will be run.

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Drugovich, coming off a brilliant run in the previous round in Abu Dhabi where he won all four races, started the day strongly by topping the first of the two free practice sessions, but Martono who trails the Brazilian by 86 points, responded by claiming the honours in the second outing before carrying that form into the qualifying session to grab pole position.

Read more: Pole for Presley Martono, Ashish Ramaswamy

• Upgraded Paddock complex unveiled at MMRT
• Second Paddock on western side with own circuit
• VIP Hospitality suites, 20 spacious garages

Chennai, February 2: In keeping with its reputation as an institution always on the move and in step with the swiftly changing times, the Madras Motor Sports Club on Friday unveiled a significant upgrade to the Paddock and related facilities. A new pit complex with garages and hospitality suites has been developed at a cost of over Rs 20 Crore, at India’s first FIA-licensed track here.

In a matter of a year, the MMSC carried out massive development work with 20 pit garages, a spectator viewing terrace and VIP hospitality suites that can accommodate up to 400 people along the the pit-lane on the eastern side, thereby creating a truly international-standard facility at the MMRT in Irrangattukottai, near Sriperumbudur.

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The development work has already received rave reviews from the competitors and aficionados. The spacious garages for the teams allow the competitors and their teams to have plenty of space to work on their cars and bikes.

The new pit complex follows on from the upgrade done to the race control room with state-of-the-art hardware installed last year as well as India's first and only bespoke a drag strip. A second paddock on the western side with its own short circuit allows the MMSC to effectively split the track into two and host two separate events concurrently.

Read more: New Paddock complex at MMRT inaugurated

Results : Overall : INRC 2: INRC 3: FMSCI 2WD Cup           Supplementary Regulations