CHENNAI: Kavin Samaar Quintal is turning out to be a trailblazer for motorcycle sport in India. After becoming the first Indian rider to compete in the last year's World Supersport 300 Championship in Czech Republic, he has achieved a best-ever result for an Indian in Spain's prestigious Copa de Espana de Velocidad in Jerez on his Superbike Debut this year.
Astride a BMW M1000R with the EasyRace team, the 20-year-old from Chennai finished fourth and seventh in two races, which took place on Tuesday (October 7).
Kavin recounted his experiences riding on the historic Jerez circuit. ''It was an amazing and completely new experience for me. It was my first time on a Superbike, so everything felt different. the speed, power, and handling. The team and everyone around me were really supportive and helped me a lot to get through the weekend. Riding with the BMW EasyRace team in such a professional setup gave me a lot of confidence and made it a weekend I'll never forget,'' he told this daily from Malaysia, where he is partaking in the Asia Road Racing Championship.
The Jerez track, which has seen some of premier motor sport's fiercest battles, has a big fan in Kavin. "It's one of my favourites," he said, before adding, "I had only ridden there twice before, more than a year ago. So, I was a little nervous at first because it had been a long time, but also excited. It's such a fast and flowing track, which suits my riding style. Having said that, some technical sections really test a rider's rhythm and precision. I could feel why it's a favourite among MotoGP riders. Each lap was a learning experience, and I gradually built my confidence through the sessions," he recollected.
The 4.4 kilometre track, which is known to put riders to the limit, did not spare Kavin, too, as he suffered a crash. However, the fact that he got back on the track and finish in the top-10 is a remarkable feat. ''There was definitely some pressure since it was my first time on a Superbike and also my race debut with it. But I tried to focus on my riding and the feeling with the bike instead of the pressure. I had to calm myself down and take it one step at a time. Once I found my rhythm again, I just put my head down and focused, and managed to finish P4 in Race 1, which was a good result considering the circumstances,'' he insisted.
Reflecting on his competition, he admitted the real battle was within himself.
"To be honest, my biggest challenge was controlling myself. I wanted to go fast right from the start, but that's not the right approach when you're on a new bike. Once I calmed down and focused on my own riding, taking it step by step, my lap times started improving, and so did my results. So, I wasn't thinking too much about the 24 other riders who entered the fray. I knew that once I got comfortable with the bike, I could be fast on it,'' said Kavin.
After his Superbike debut, Kavin had a tough weekend in Sepang in Malaysia, where he finished P16 in race 1 and P21 in race 2. "It was a difficult weekend coming off the Superbike high," Kavin said after Sunday's race. "Overall, we struggled to find a good setup as the track conditions weren't ideal and kept changing. But we learnt a lot and will continue to push harder. I hope to get a better result at Round 6 in Thailand and will train hard to perform at my best for the final races of the season," said Kavin.
He credited Gaman Racing, based in Teruel, Spain for helping him prepare for the race weekend. "Gaman Racing were the ones who actually made this opportunity possible, from arranging the bike to setting up my training. Without their help and guidance, none of this would have happened,'' he added.
