
It all began with the thought that this time,
I would leave everything on the track for the final race of the season. I wasn’t going to win the championship anyway and my aim to reduce my weight had also fallen short. So be it, I will see what happens. Those were the exact thoughts I had in my head in the days leading up to the race. It was tough to gulp down that P5 position. I felt like I was being too conservative on the track and I did not use all the tools that were at my disposal. So, this time, I tried to make up my mind to win the race, regardless of what may come. There should not be a reason that I do not try to win the race.
The weekend approached and all of us flew down to Pleasant Days Hotel. Now that hotel has become sort of a home for this racing family. It was enjoyable to see so many people from the auto industry, all under one roof, all tied up together by the racing experience that lay ahead. First came the practice day. The sun was bright and the track was dry, we were eager to get our hands down and ride motorcycles on the tarmac without any restrictions.
Denne historien er fra November 2024-utgaven av BBC TopGear India.
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Denne historien er fra November 2024-utgaven av BBC TopGear India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på

JOY STICK
A road rally along some of the most spectacular Alpine roads celebrating the manual gearbox? We've just the car for the job...

INDIA'S NEXT BEST-SELLING LUXURY EV?
BMW has been in the car-making business for quite some time now. Over the years, it has given us some truly brilliant machines, the 3 Series, 5 Series, and the magnificent M cars.

FAMILIARITY GOES ELECTRIC
The Hyundai Creta, a nameplate as ubiquitous as a cup of chai at an Indian railway station.

HATCH IS DEAD.LONG LIVE THE HOT HATCH
The hot hatch is at a crossroads, with the old guard being run out and the new electrified era only just being ushered in. Is there hope left?

The OG Japanese tuner
From kitchen hand to one of the founding fathers of the Japanese tuning industry. Meet VeilSide founder Hironao Yokomaku

ROUTE ONE
All you need for a roadtrip is a car, a destination and an excuse. Over to our man in Japan to stretch that brief to its limit...

END OF DAYS
If the hot hatch's halcyon days really are numbered, what better send-off than thrashing our top five on an icy Welsh B-road...

DAIMOND IN THE ROUGH
The Octa is the biggest, baddest version of the Defender yet-conquering the South African wilderness should be a walk in the park...

LOUD, FAST, AND SOPHISTICATEDLY ANGRY
656bhp! Ten shy of that devilish trio. 800Nm of torque. And a 0-100kmph sprint in a scarcely believable 3.5 seconds, all culminating in a top speed of 325kmph from a 4.0-litre twinturbocharged V8.

FAMILIAR STRENGTHS, NEW CHALLENGES
Can the Kylaq turn the key to unlock Skoda's winning formula?