TVS YMRP 2025 Round 3: The Dream Finish That Never Came

Adrenaline was off the charts when I arrived for Round 3 of the 2025 TVS Young Media Racer Program. After two tough rounds filled with mistakes and lessons, this final weekend felt like my chance for redemption. I was excited, determined, and ready to end the season on a high (which in hindsight I did quite literally but more on that soon).

I wasn’t exactly in the best of health, though. The seasonal flu symptoms of cough, cold, and a sore throat meant I walked into the paddock feeling far from 100 percent. But the moment we entered the pits, all that weakness disappeared. Parked there was the brand-new race-spec TVS Apache RTR 310. And when it was confirmed that we would be riding this machine for Round 3, I instantly forgot I was even ill.

Getting To Know The Beast

Practice began cautiously. It had been a while since I was back on track, and jumping straight onto a faster, more powerful motorcycle meant I needed to respect it first. The session went smoothly. I focused on understanding the new bike, marking my braking points and turning references. Compared to the TVS Apache RTR 200 4V we rode in the earlier rounds, the 310 felt like a massive upgrade in every possible way.

It was quicker, braked harder, and handled differently. Everything happened at a higher speed, which meant I had to get to grips with more sensations rather rapidly. By the end of practice, I felt comfortable and confident. 

Strategy, Speed And A Big Step Forward

Being a nearly-stock race bike, the one issue I noticed immediately was that the stock footpegs were scraping far too easily. My 95kg heft and additional weight courtesy the leather suit and other riding gear, didn’t help either. The TVS Racing crew were kind enough to increase the rear preload for me – and the difference was night and day. The bike felt more stable mid-corner, and while the pegs still scraped occasionally, it was far more manageable than before. 

That’s when Dhanil from MotorBeam and I came up with a simple but effective strategy – drafting behind each other on the straights to reduce drag and improve lap times. And it worked brilliantly!

We were at least five seconds faster than our practice pace. For the first time this season, I genuinely felt competitive. When qualifying ended, I found myself sixth on the grid – my best position of the year. Things were finally looking up.

The Race That Ended Too Soon

The race start brought a familiar mix of excitement and nerves. After everything I had gone through in Rounds 1 and 2, I was desperate for a clean, strong finish. This time, everything seemed in my favour – better pace, a better bike, and a better starting position.

Lights out. Decent start. Decent first lap. I neither gained nor lost a position, but I felt comfortable and in control.

And instantly on lap 2, at the one of the only two slowest left handers on the Madras International Circuit, my weekend ended rather abruptly and in grand fashion. In the sharp left-hander C3, I got a little too eager with the throttle. And the pegs dug into the tarmac.  In a split second, the rear stepped out, gripped again, and the bike violently high-sided.

I was launched off the bike and hit the ground hard, a noticeable bump on my helmet. In that moment, the only thought that crossed my mind – I messed up. I was enjoying the race, loving the new bike, and didn’t want it to end. For a brief moment, I even thought about continuing. But one look at the Apache told the whole story – broken levers, snapped footpegs, and a badly damaged machine. I had also suffered a slight concussion.

My journey in the TVS YMRP season was over, in a cruel fashion, all because of me becoming a bit greedy.

More Than Just A Race

The lonely walk back to the pits was one of the hardest moments I’ve experienced on a racetrack. Disappointment, frustration, and regret all hit at once. But along with that came gratitude.

Gratitude for being given the opportunity to be part of the Young Media Racer Program. Gratitude towards Team TVS for their support. And gratitude to my seniors and mentors who trusted me enough to send me here. YMRP is an event every motorcycling journalist dreams of experiencing, and despite the crash, I was thrilled to have experienced every single moment of it.

Three Rounds, Countless Lessons

Looking back now, the three rounds of the TVS Young Media Racer Program have changed me in ways I never expected. Yes, there were mistakes. Plenty of them. There were crashes, false starts, mechanical troubles, and finally a race-ending fall. But there was also growth, learning, and progress. I’m leaving the season a better rider – not just on track, but on the road as well. 

More patient. More aware. More respectful of the machine. I may not have ended Round 3 the way I wanted, but I finished the season wiser, tougher, and hungrier than ever. And that, in its own way, feels like a win.