THE FIFTH AND FINAL ROUND of the MRF MMSC FMSCI Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2025 is set to get underway at the Madras International Circuit, where India’s leading riders and manufacturers will make a last push for championship honours. The three-day event begins on 9 January, marking the return of competitive action after a three-month break.
With titles still undecided across all six National Championship categories: Pro-Stock 301–400cc Open, Pro-Stock 165–200cc Open, Stock 301–400cc (Novice), Super Stock Intermediate (165cc), Stock 165cc (Novice) and Girls (Stock 165cc); the weekend promises intense competition and high drama.
A similarly open picture remains in the one-make championships, which together feature 21 races and 139 entries. Apart from Chennai’s Jagathishree Kumaresan, who has effectively secured the Girls (Apache RTR 200) crown, the remaining Petronas TVS One-Make Championship titles: Open, Rookie and Electric are still up for grabs. The championship in the Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup (Honda CB300F) will also be decided at the final round.
One of the standout narratives this season has been the close-fought battle in the premier Pro-Stock 301–400cc class between Hyderabad’s Rahil Pillarisetty (28) and Petronas TVS Racing’s 19-year-old Pune-based rider Sarthak Chavan. Adding to the intrigue is a three-way contest for third place involving seasoned local Rajini Krishnan of RACR Castrol Power1 and teenage Petronas TVS Racing riders Chiranth Vishwanath (Bengaluru) and Rakshith Dave (Chennai), further raising the stakes in the category.
Another storyline to watch is in the Stock 165cc (Novice) class, where Lal Nunsanga (Motul Sparks Racing) from Aizawl is in contention to become the North-East’s first-ever national champion. The 23-year-old will need to overturn a 22-point deficit to championship leader Rajender Beedani of MAI Racing in one of the most competitive classes on the grid.
The weekend will also see international participation, with a group of 12 riders from Nepal, including two reserves, taking part as part of the ‘Racing Beyond Borders’ initiative. The riders will contest two practice sessions on Saturday and a six-lap race on Sunday aboard the TVS Apache RTR 200, as MMSC continues its efforts to promote regional collaboration through racing, karting and marshal training programmes.
Chairman of the event and race director Manoj Dalal said, “At the outset, we welcome the contingent of riders from Nepal who are part of the ‘Racing Beyond Borders’ initiative between the two neighbours. Hopefully, their participation in one race, besides two practice sessions, will contribute to their development as racers. That apart, the current season which started in June, has been among the best in recent years. Wheel-to-wheel racing up and down the grids, close finishes and intense rivalry in every category have been the standard. With a three-month break, the teams have had time to prepare well for the final round which I am sure will not be short on excitement and thrills as we look forward to identifying the champions for the 2025 season.”
