Rustom Patel and M Shiva Kumar Win Castrol Power1 Throttle Max Championship

Jaipur, Rajasthan, India , 2006-06-22

After a thrilling battle which saw a three way tie in the 126 - 250 cc cateogry, Rustom Patel of Mumbai (126 to 250 cc) and M Shiva Kumar of Bangalore (upto 125 cc) were declared the Castrol Power1 Throttle Max Champions 2006. In the 126 - 250 cc category, Akshay Rathod of Jaipur, Rustom Patel of Mumbai and Pinkesh Thakkar of Pune, all scored 52 points and thus a tie breaker rule had to be applied which was the total cumulative time of all three events. Rustom beat Pinkesh by a slim margin of .09 seconds and claimed the title.

Rustom and Shiva Kumar will now accompany Castrol's brand Ambassador – Actor John Abraham to the Valencia Moto GP being held in Spain in October 2006. The riders will also get to interact with the Gressini racing team.

Sixteen of India's top bikers fought it out at the finals of the Castrol Power1 Throttle Max Championship 2006 held in Jaipur today. A crowd of over 2000 including John Abraham and MTV VJs Sophie and Nikhil Chinnappa, cheered the riders as they went through the tough course, fighting hard for the title of India's most skilled rider.

Speaking on the occasion, V Srikant, Vice President - Marketing, Castrol India Limited, said, "Castrol has been associated with motor sport since the inception of the sport and has a record breaking winning performance in all forms of motor sport worldwide. The Castrol Power1 Throttle Max challenger series is a test of skill and control and it attracted over 400 passionate bikers in the preliminaries which were held across eight cities. Castrol is the market leader in the two wheeler lubricant segment and we perfectly understand the relationship that a biker has with his machine. That's why we offer brands like Castrol Power1 with its unique power releasing formula, which meets the demanding high performance requirements of passionate bikers."

Congratulating the Castrol Power1 Throttle Max Champions, John Abraham, Castrol's brand ambassador, shared his insights into the unique bond that exists between bike and biker. According to John, 'My bike is an extension of my persona and one of the most precious things in my life. Nothing can compare with the sheer adrenalin that you feel when you are on your bike. The contestants I saw today have demonstrated mastery over their machines and I complement each and every one of them on the superb control. I am sure the two winners of the Castrol Power1 Throttle Max challenge will have a great experience during the time they spend in Spain . So like all smart and savvy bikers know, it pays to fill 'er up with Castrol Power1, always".

Sharing his elation at being crowned the winner who will fly to Valencia later this year, Rustom Patel, winner in the 250 cc category said, "I am absolutely thrilled at being crowned the Castrol Power1 Throttle Max Champion. I was completely motivated by the once in a lifetime opportunity to go the Valencia GP and that too with John Abraham! So I practiced really hard and was determined to get on the winners rostrum. This is the stuff dreams are made of and I cannot thank Castrol enough for making my dream come true. Only Castrol can give bikers an opportunity like this. Spain , here I come"!

M Shiva Kumar who won the upto 125cc category, echoed similar sentiments. Speaking to the media shortly after the event, Shiva Kumar said that "I still can't believe I am the Castrol Power1 Throttle Max champion! The competition was really tough and it took a lot of skill and control to come through as the winner. I am now eagerly looking forward to going to Spain and seeing a live Moto GP event as a guest of Castrol. All in all, the Castrol Power1 Throttle Max event was great and I'm sure I will be back next year to defend my title".

The winners were crowned by John Abraham and V Srikanth. The competition was followed by a mega entertainment event featuring top MTV VJs and musical performances by leading singers.

About Castrol Power1 Throttle Max:

Castrol Power1 Throttle MAX is an 8 city mega event organised by Castrol India . The event aims to discover the most skilled rider in the country. The Castrol Power1 Throttle Max champions (one in each category – up to 125 cc and between 126 – 250 CC) will get an opportunity to be Castrol's guest at the Valencia Moto GP in Spain.

About Castrol Power 1:

Castrol Power 1 is a top grade bike lubricant specially engineered to meet the high performance requirements of latest 4 stroke bikes.

Castrol has been associated with Moto GP – the ultimate contest of man and machine in the biking world, for several years. Castrol Power 1 – which is available globally in over 30 countries, incorporates all the learning that Castrol has gained over the years while developing racing technology. Along with a unique Power Release formula it incorporates Castrol's trade marked Trizone technology, which ensures optimum protection for a bike's three most critical parts – engine, clutch and gear.

For enthusiast bikers, Power 1 makes the difference.

About Castrol India Limited:

Castrol India Limited is a public limited company in which 70.92 % of the paid-up capital is held by Castrol Limited, U.K which is a part of BP Group worldwide. Starting off as a trading unit in India, Castrol has grown to become the largest lubricant company in the retail automotive segment. Castrol has constantly demonstrated its commitment to Indian consumers by offering world-class products, backed by the highest level of customer service. Castrol India is acknowledged as the technology leader in the Indian lubricant industry.

For more on Castrol India , visit www.castrol.co.in

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