The 2022–23 MRF Formula 2000 season was the eighth running of a Formula 2000-level single-seater championship in India. Previously known as the MRF Challenge, it was last held up until early 2020, before being cancelled for two seasons because of the COVID-19 pandemic. For the 2022–23 season, it was restarted without support of the FIA and simply called MRF Formula 2000, with the field consisting of domestic drivers rather than foreign racers competing over the European and Northern American off-season.
The season began on 8 October 2022 and was run over four weekends until January 2023. Sai Sanjay won the championship after taking eight podiums in twelve races.
Drivers The following drivers contested the championship: DriverRounds1 Chetan Korada2–410 Arya Singh3–411 Shahan Ali Mohsin117 Yash Aradhya124 Sohil Shah3–426 Rishon Rajeev133 Sai SanjayAll36 Chirag GhorpadeAll43 Dillion Zachariah2541, 3–445 Mohamed RyanAll55 Divy NandanAll70 Kyle Kumaran1–2Source:
Calendar and results After a two-year hiatus, the calendar featured no events abroad India and consisted only of races held at Madras Motor Race Track. The second race of each weekend saw the top eight finishers of race one start in reverse order. As the last race of the first event had to be cancelled because of heavy rain, a fourth race was added to the second round. This fourth race, however, was postponed to the third round when the race weekend was stopped out of respect after a crash during a Saloon Car race resulted in the death of a competitor. The original calendar was supposed to consist of three events, but a fourth event was added later on. RoundCircuitDatePole positionFastest lapWinning driverSupport bill202211 Madras Motor Race Track, Chennai8 October Rishon Rajeev Sai Sanjay Sai SanjayFormula LGB 1300Indian Touring Car National ChampionshipMRF Saloon CarsMRF Super Stock CarsR29 October Chirag Ghorpade Chirag GhorpadeR3cancelled due to heavy rain20232R1 Madras Motor Race Track, Chennai7 January Sai Sanjay Mohamed Ryan Divy NandanFormula LGB 1300Indian Touring Car National ChampionshipMRF Saloon CarsMRF Super Stock CarsR2 Sai Sanjay Sai SanjayR38 January Chirag Ghorpade Chirag GhorpadeR4cancelled due to a fatal crash in another race3R1 Madras Motor Race Track, Chennai21 January Sohil Shah Sohil Shah Sohil ShahFormula LGB 1300Indian Touring Car National ChampionshipMRF Saloon CarsMRF Super Stock CarsVW Polo CupR222 January Sohil Shah Dillon ZachariahR3 Sohil Shah Mohammed RyanR4 Sohil Shah Sai Sanjay4R1 Madras Motor Race Track, Chennai28 January Sohil Shah Sohil Shah Sohil ShahFormula LGB 1300Indian Touring Car National ChampionshipMRF Saloon CarsMRF Super Stock CarsVW Polo CupR2 29 January Sohil Shah Sohil ShahR3 Sohil Shah Sohil Shah
Season report After the 2019–20 MRF Challenge ended in February of 2020, there was practically no communication by any promoter or governing body about the future of the category in India for over two years. This changed when it made a surprising return as part of the Indian National Car Racing Championship in early October of 2022, albeit without FIA support and not under the MRF Challenge moniker.
Nine drivers took part in the opening round of the series simply called MRF F2000. Rishon Rajeev claimed pole for the first race, but he had a bad start and was overtaken by eventual race winner Sai Sanjay, as well as Shahan Ali Mohsin and Yash Aradhya, who formed the rest of the podium. Reverse-grid polesitter Mohamed Ryan also struggled at the start of race two, allowing Chirag Ghorpade to claim the lead. Divy Nandan then made a mistake in third, bringing out a safety car. Ryan came under attack from behind him at the restart, eventually losing out to multiple drivers in the final stages of the race. He ended up finishing sixth, with Rishon Rajeev and Dillion Zachariah claiming the podium spots behind Gorpade. Race three was cancelled when a heavy rain storm hit the circuit, ending the weekend with Sanjay four points ahead of Ghorpade.
Championship leader Sanjay topped qualifying this time, but once again pole was not the place to be, as he fell behind Divy Nandan and Ryan. This order would stay the same until the end of the race. The reversed grid for race two saw Ghorpade on pole, but he stalled. This gifted Chetan Korada the lead, before he got a drive-through penalty and Sanjay, who had fought his way up the order after starting fourth, inherited first place. He won the race, ahead of Ghorpade and Nandan. Sanjay was then on pole for the third race, while Nandan mistakenly lined up at the back of the grid instead of next to him. Still, Sanjay could not hold the lead, as he was passed by Ghorpade and had to be content with second place. Ryan completed the podium. The second round then also came to an early end, when the final race was cancelled after saloon driver K.E. Kumar died after a crash in another race. Sanjay remained in the lead of the championship, growing his advantage to eleven points.
Round three saw newcomer Sohil Shah qualify on pole, and this time pole was finally converted to victory as he led Ryan and Sanjay home in a lights-to-flag drive. Zachariah started the reversed grid race two from the front, and once again no one was able to get past the poleman. Ghorpade alongside him was less fortunate and dropped back during the race, leaving Nandan and Ryan to pick up the remaining two podium places. Shah was then on pole for race three, courtesy of the fastest second-best qualifying lap, but Ryan had a brilliant start that catapulted him from fourth into the lead by turn one. A safety car and subsequent restart also could not trouble him, as he led home Shah and Nandan to win. Finally, a race to replace the washed out third race of round one could be held, and Sanjay won that race by over seven seconds ahead of Shah and Zachariah. With Ghorpade off the pace all weekend, Sanjay was able to grow his points lead to 28 points, now ahead of Ryan and Zachariah.
Shah continued his one-lap pace into the final round, that was only announced to happen after the third round had finished. Race one was rather reminiscent of the round before, with Shah converting another pole into an unchallenged victory. Sanjay came home second ahead of Nandan. The reversed grid race was where Shah showed all of his prowess, starting in seventh and last place and climbing through the field to win the race. Ryan and Zachariah completed the podium, while Sanjay cruised to a fourth place that was enough to secure his championship title. The last race was another lights-to-flag win by Shah, completing a clean weekend sweep and also securing third in the standings. Sanjay and Korada closed their seasons with another podium finish.
Sai Sanjay won three races but was consistent enough to win the title. The championship picture might have looked very different had Shah done the whole season or maybe not. With the organizers stating that there are plans to revive the MRF Challenge in the next years, a return to an official FIA series will hopefully bring back the interest of international entries and races at multiple venues.
Championship standings
Scoring system
Position1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th10thPoints251815121086421 Drivers' standings
DriverCHE1CHE2CHE3CHE4Points1 Sai Sanjay15C312C36412422012 Mohamed Ryan86C253C23144251653 Sohil Shah1422111 1484 Divy Nandan5RetC135C42363641485 Dillion Zachariah63C444C615373Ret1386 Chirag Ghorpade71C621C55Ret55DNSDNS1227 Chetan Korada5DSQ6CWDWDWDWD653518 Rishon Rajeev42C309 Yash Aradhya34C2710 Shahan Ali Mohsin27C2411 Kyle Kumaran9RetCWDWDWDC2 — Arya Singh WDWDWDWDWDWDWD—DriverCHE1CHE2CHE3CHE4Points
References
External links