Prashanth Tharani won the opening race in the premier class of the Volkswagen Polo R Cup in China last weekend for his maiden international race victory. The Chennai-based driver was participating in his first sprint race in almost three years after having switched to endurance racing. Tharani finished 12th in race 2.
Participating as guest driver of Golden Racing Team, Tharani qualified fourth for race 1. Tharani chose slick tyres for the opening race held in damp and greasy conditions due to overnight showers. “The gamble paid off,” he was quoted as saying in a press release.
Tharani moved to third place by the second corner and to second spot by the seventh corner. The Indian kept the pressure on the driver ahead before successfully taking the lead later with a move in the fifth corner and holding on to it for victory.
The second race saw the Indian move up to seventh from 11th by the end of the opening lap and into the third with three laps remaining. Considering that he was the only driver on old tyres, Tharani decided to drive easy, the release stated, although he attempted a move for the first position but the car lost drive in the final lap.
