Hyderabad’s motorsport riders delivered multiple wins and podium finishes at Round 3 of the MRF MMSC Indian National Racing Challenge 2W 2026, held at the Madras International Circuit in Chennai from October 30 to November 1.

The event drew 130 entries across several categories. Sixteen racers from Telangana were on the grid, including one woman, and they represented two Hyderabad-based outfits: Motorsports Academy India, known as MAI Racing, and Racehouse Motorsports. For a state that does not always get headlines in national two-wheeler racing, the weekend was a loud statement.

Rookie category: Akarsh Jangam and Pothu Vignesh take the fight to the front

Akarsh Jangam and Pothu Vignesh of MAI Racing lined up in the Petronas TVS Apache RTR 200 Rookie category. Akarsh qualified fourth with a lap time of 2 minutes 10.784 seconds. Vignesh was quicker, qualifying second with 2 minutes 10.183 seconds.

In Race 1, both riders made strong starts and quickly moved into the top two. They got caught in an intense battle for the lead with Dev Agastya of Bengaluru. The three riders swapped positions several times until the final lap. Vignesh made contact with Akarsh while attempting an overtake on the last lap and crashed out. Akarsh kept his nerve, pressed Dev in the closing corners and took the win.

Race 2 was just as fierce. Akarsh and Vignesh again launched well and found the top two. Dev and Godwin joined them, and the race became a four-rider fight. Akarsh went down in the penultimate lap after his front tyre clipped Dev’s bike. That left the lead to Vignesh, who had already moved past Dev, and he went on to win the race.

Novice class: Yashwanth Varma wins, Akarsh bounces back

Yashwanth Varma of Sparks Racing and Akarsh Jangam of MAI Racing also entered the Stock 130-165cc Novice category. They qualified fourth and fifth, with lap times of 2 minutes 9.382 seconds and 2 minutes 7.440 seconds.

Yashwanth got off the line well in Race 1 and began picking off riders with a string of clean overtakes. By the end of the first lap he was in the battle for the lead alongside Surya and Dev. The three traded positions again and again before Yashwanth came out on top. Akarsh, who started from the back of the grid, worked his way forward with several clean passes and finished 10th.

Race 2 brought a different kind of drama. Yashwanth was locked in a fight with Surya, and local rider Hariharan joined the contest. The trio raced hard until the final lap, when Yashwanth crashed and the race was red-flagged. The restart covered three laps, and Akarsh grabbed the opening. He finished second.

Women’s class: Hannah Akkineni holds her ground

Hannah Akkineni was the only woman racer from Hyderabad in the event. She competed in the Petronas TVS Apache RTR 200 Women’s category and qualified third with a lap time of 2 minutes 16.660 seconds on the 3.7-km circuit.

She made a strong start to move into second place, then battled Drishya Nair of Pune for that position. Hannah finished third. Her run is a clear sign of what Telangana’s women riders can do when they get the chance to race at this level.

Superstock and Prostock: Peddu Sri Harsha and Rajender Beedani

Peddu Sri Harsha, founder and owner of MAI, raced in the Superstock 400cc Open category for Gusto Racing India. He qualified third with a lap time of 1 minute 54.199 seconds.

In Race 1 he was locked in a close contest with Chennai riders Kabilesh and Kamal Navas. The trio exchanged positions several times, and Sri Harsha crossed the line fifth. In Race 2 he got a good start, battled Kamal and Kabilesh again and made several clean overtakes. He also took advantage of mistakes and technical trouble among his rivals to finish third. Sri Harsha was returning to racing after a break of several years, which makes that podium especially satisfying.

Lupin Takkallapalli of MAI Racing also deserves a mention for finishing fifth in Race 2 of the Superstock 400cc Open category.

The biggest story belonged to Rajender Beedani, the 2025 National Champion in the Novice category. Representing MAI, he took pole position in both of his classes, the Prostock 200cc Open and the Petronas TVS Apache RR 310 Expert. His pole laps were 1 minute 57.336 seconds and 1 minute 53.745 seconds.

Race 1 of the Prostock 200cc Open did not go to plan. Rajender made a strong start but crashed before completing the first lap. The incident triggered a chain reaction that involved three other riders, and the race was red-flagged. Damage to his motorcycle meant he could not restart.

Returning to racing after a break of several years, he put up a commendable performance.

He started from the back of the grid for Race 2 and launched hard. He carved through the field with clean overtakes and crossed the line fourth.

Race 1 of the Petronas TVS Apache RR 310 Expert category gave him another test. He had an intense duel with Hariharan of Coimbatore, and though the earlier crash still hurt, he fought on to finish second. Then came the statement. In Race 2 of the Expert class, Rajender set the fastest laps and pulled away from the rest of the field to take the win.

Why the weekend matters for Telangana

This round was more than a set of results. Hyderabad’s riders came to Chennai, raced against a 130-entry field and returned with wins, podiums and fast laps. Several of them rode for MAI Racing, a Hyderabad-based academy, and their results show that local talent can compete with the best in the country on a demanding circuit.

Rajender Beedani’s double pole and Race 2 victory in the Expert category stand out. So do Vignesh’s Rookie win, Yashwanth Varma’s Novice win in Race 1 and Akarsh Jangam’s comeback to second in the Novice restart. Even when crashes and red flags stripped away chances, the Telangana contingent kept pushing. Those are the habits that build champions.

Round 3 is over, but the momentum carries forward. For a group of riders who travelled to a national stage and held their own against stiff competition, the message from Madras International Circuit is clear: Telangana has real speed, and it is not waiting for permission to show it.