Interview: Sarath Kumar, Honda Asia Dream Cup racer

  • Aug 28, 2014
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We get into a chat with racer Sarath Kumar, India's first Moto3 racer about racing in India and his future plans

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How did you get into racing?

First I was like any other normal person. I just came to watch racers. I was interested in biking and I used to do wheelies, on a TVS-50 moped. Later, some of my friends, actually they are about 7-8 years elder to me, they used to race, and I used to come and watch them here, around 2007. Then I also got interested and wanted to start racing. In 2008, I started racing, but it’s not like these days. Now, Honda, Yamaha and TVS all provide bikes for racing in the One Make Races, you only have to pay 1000-1500 bucks to participate.

Those days, it wasn’t like this, you have to build your own bike. Only TVS was providing bikes those days. It was around Rs 500 per entry, and I participated with newcomers. It was in January or February, 2008. TVS said they will select good performers from those races. There were experienced riders as well in my first race and out of 20 riders, I finished in second place. Afterwards, TVS Racing gave me a call and that’s how I got into racing.

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How did Honda happen to you?

When I first started racing, TVS was the only company supporting riders. And Honda entered the scene that same year.  After Honda’s entry into the racing scene, every year they improved a lot, as compared to other manufacturers. Everyone knows that – Honda is spending money, they have interest, passion for the sport, everything.  Every year, Honda is providing some improvement. First year they introduced the Honda Stunner, and they realized the footpeg is not working properly, so they changed the footpeg position to a racing type. Then they introduced the CBR150 carburetted version – this is not available in the market now. Now, CBR150 fuel injected is available. Honda brought that carbureted CBR150 into racing.  Then later they entered with the CBR250, and now they provide that bike. This 250cc category is tough and intensely competitive. 

Next, the big thing they did is tyres. Because in India, you didn’t get racing tyres – soft compound tyres. In Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, everywhere you get soft compound tyres, it’s available, but here it was not available. If you wanted to buy also, it was very expensive. So, Honda has introduced soft compound tyres in collaboration with MRF. So, that is a very big thing for racing. Unless you’re comfortable with your tyres, only then you push yourself, otherwise you don’t. Another big opportunity is the Asia Dream Cup – the one we are riding now. So, if you’re a racer in India today, and if you perform well, then Honda will take you to the next level, that is the Asia Dream Cup. On your own it’s not possible to participate because you have to spend at least Rs 30 lakh to participate there. But if you perform and if you’ve got age on your side, then Honda will provide that opportunity to participate in the next level. 

Every year, I’ve seen the last 5-6 years, Honda is improving. They are getting trainers from Japan. But every time you can’t also get trainers from Japan. Then there are the beginners, who don’t know the basics. They come for the One Make Race but don’t even qualify. It’s disheartening for them. So, for people who want to join racing, you can join the Honda Ten10 Racing Academy, you will get the knowledge.  These guys get the experience, how to handle the bike, how to understand the basics.  So, Honda did two sessions at the Ten10 Academy, I’m also one of the trainers at the academy. And people who have spent some time at the Ten10 Academy, they are performing very well at the One Make Championship. There’s one racer here, who did the last course, and this time he did a lap time of 2:08. So, this course is very helpful. It makes them learn fast. Otherwise a person will spend the entire season learning, what one can learn at the academy in one course. Now, this guy has started competing with the top guys. So, you get more confident.  That base is provided by Honda to the racers – they are providing bikes, they are charging very nominal amount.

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You competed in Moto3. How was that experience?

In 2012, I was part of the Monlau Competicion team for Spanish Moto3. It was a totally different experience. These bikes here we use are production bikes that we make some changes and race on. There the bikes are prototypes, they are built specifically for racing. I learnt a lot over there. There were 55 riders, and I qualified in top 13. If you qualify in the top 15 or 20 over there, you can compete in the World Championship. The Spanish Moto3 riders are as good as the World Championship riders. Next year, unfortunately I could not get sponsors. Alex Marquez is one of the top guys, and has several podium finishes. He finished second or third last year. On some tracks, what his lap record was, I was slower by 0.5 or 1 second. I got lots of confidence, I got good training, a good bike and that made me quite confident. Training and a good bike are very important at that level. 

Finally, I couldn’t get sponsorship and I was very disappointed. I was the first Indian at Moto3 also so it was very disappointing. But I hope to compete at that level once again. It’s a different world and totally different experience. Here, we are used to riding at 40 degrees heat, there we have to ride at 10 or 12 degrees – in Spain and Europe.  So you have to adapt to those conditions as well. Sometimes when you are going at 230 or 235 kmph speed, sometimes your fingers will freeze due to the cold, but you have to adapt to those conditions.

Sarath Kumar at the pits
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What next?

My immediate plans are to concentrate on the Asia Dream Cup. Last year, in Malaysia, I came fifth, but the riders there in Indonesia and Malaysia have some advantages over us as well. First, they are smaller in stature, so they are at least 10-15 kg lighter than us. Then, the bikes. They are used to using the same racing tyres, same suspension, local knowledge – they use the same bikes otherwise also, they know what lean angle to take, and so on. When we go to race there, we get about 40 minutes or so of practice time on those tracks. But for them, they get practice time every weekend or so. So, these riders from Malaysia, Thailand, Japan – the bikes they use to race, the same bikes they ride in their hometown also – as in, the bikes have the same racing setup. But we aren’t lagging behind so much. If you look at the timings, we are only behind by 0.3 or 0.4 seconds. Hopefully, we’ll do even better in future.

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