Indian two-wheeler major TVS Motor Company has made its European debut with the TVS Racing International Championship (TRIC).
The event was held at one of the motorsport’s iconic circuits – the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli in Italy, from October 2 to 4, 2026. This is the first time that an Indian manufacturer has organized an international one-make racing series in Europe. TVS is looking to expand its racing footprint across the globe while taking on European and Japanese marques on the international circuit.
14 Riders, 12 Nationalities, 4 Continents: The Grid
The event saw the participation of 14 riders belonging to 12 nationalities across four continents – Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
The line-up featured a mix of experienced and young racers including the three Indian riders – Sarthak Chavan, Chiranth Vishwanath, and Rakshith Srihari Dave, and 11 international riders from Malaysia, Spain, Colombia, South Africa, Portugal, Thailand, Nicaragua, Vietnam, Mexico, Italy, and Korea.
As part of the Coppa Italia racing weekend that also featured superbike racing and one-make cups from Yamaha R7 and Aprilia RS 457, TVS Racing managed to secure a prime slot on the European motorsport radar.
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Race-Prepared TVS Apache RR 310: The Weapon Of Choice
The racers took to the circuit on TVS Apache RR 310 – an already proven race-winning platform in many national and international racing series. Underneath the fairing, the RR 310 features a 312cc liquid-cooled, single-cylinder motor that makes about 40 HP in the stock spec. However, the race-spec motor has been tweaked to deliver more power and torque.
Apache RR 310 ticks all the boxes for a one-make racing series including relatively light weight, powerful engine, and reasonable cost of maintaining and repairing the bike.
The combination of twisty streets and long straights makes the Misano circuit one of the most challenging in Europe. The 4.226 km long track has 17 corners requiring riders to brake sharply and turn into the corners and then accelerate out of them.
Action-Packed Weekend With Italian Dominance
The racing action commenced with two seven-lap races on Saturday and Sunday. It did not take long for the home crowd to get behind their favorite – Cristian Borrelli. The Italian racer left no chance for his rivals and took P1 in both races. Borrelli came close to clocking a new lap record at Misano on Sunday. On the other hand, not many would have expected a podium finish for the Indian riders.
However, Sarthak Chavan did not disappoint the fans back home as he scored a P7 in Race 1 and P6 in Race 2. What makes Chavan’s performance even more special is the fact that he had to start from the back of the grid due to a crash in the qualifying session. He battled through the field to finish second in the Race 2 grid. In fact, the gap between Borrelli and Chavan was just 1.973 seconds in the second race. The other two Indian riders – Chiranth Vishwanath and Rakshith Srihari Dave also performed well by finishing in the top 12.
TVS Eyes Expansion With Showdown In Europe
This was the first time that the TRIC racing series was being held outside Asia and TVS Racing wanted to make its mark in Europe. The company aims to build brand equity and expand its footprint in the region by participating in global motorsport events. Organizing a race in Europe also helped the company in attracting international talents to race on TVS machinery.
Importance Of European Racing For Indian Manufacturers
From the perspective of an Indian manufacturer, racing in Europe has several advantages. First, it helps the brand in building brand image and credibility. Second, it creates sponsorship opportunities. Third, the exposure in the European market helps in selling motorcycles in the region.
The European circuit has always been a coveted one by Indian manufacturers looking to build their brand. However, the competition in the region is significantly higher than in other regions like Asia. With this recent event, TVS Racing has managed to hold its ground in the European racing circuit.
The company will most likely expand its racing footprint in 2027 by organizing the TRIC series in some of the European circuits. It will not be the first time that TVS Racing is participating in Europe – the company has plans to expand its racing programs overseas.
TVS Racing’s debut in the European racing circuit was a huge milestone for the company as well as the country. It sent a clear message that Indian manufacturers are willing to take on international challengers on the global front. The event saw a diverse grid of international riders. The company has chosen the right platform to expand its racing footprint – the Apache RR 310 is a fantastic race bike.
The event has also given a fillip to young Indian riders like Sarthak Chavan who got a chance to compete on an international circuit. In fact, this kind of exposure might get Indians noticed on a much bigger stage. It was just the beginning for TVS Racing and the global motorsport scene.
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