They do not boast of having any major international exposure but Indian riders are determined to make their mark at the 10th Yamaha ASEAN Cup Race, starting with the qualifying round here tomorrow.
Led by Shyam Shankar of Chennai, the five-member Indian team is hoping to pose a stiff challenge to seasoned campaigners from host Indonesia and Thailand besides Philippines and Malaysia.
Except for Shankar, who has participated in international competitions, for the others Indians -- Vivek Pillai, Ananth Raj, Akash Dingare and Lal Rindika -- the region's premier one-make championship is their maiden international event.
A total of 41 riders, in two categories, will battle it out for the title of the best in the ASEAN region at the Sentul International Circuit, around 50km south from here.
The Indians will be participating in the ST (Sport) Class using the 'YZF-R15' model of the Japanese auto giant. The other category is the MT (Manual Transmission) Class with 'Jupiter Z1' model.
While Vivek and Ananth have competed in 'expert' category at the national circuit, Akash and Lal have turned pro for the first time in this competition.
"2013 has been good for me. It's a great opportunity to compete in an international competition at a young age. It will give me some chance of making a career in bike racing," said 20-year-old Akash.
"Motor racing is yet to be taken seriously as a sport in India. Without sponsors, it is impossible to achieve big. I am hoping for an impressive finish here," said Akash, who works as Test Rider for an online automotive video content provider, Power Drift.
