New Delhi: Suresh Rana of Team Maruti is leading on Day One, while top-seeded Gaurav Gill incurred heavy penalty on the first stage of the 11th Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm, which was flagged off from Delhi on Monday.
In its 11th edition, the Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm will go through the Thar Desert and the entire span of the dune country. It will run through the wild outback of Bikaner and Jaisalmer and traverse 2,200 kilometers to end at Jaipur on February 23.
Out of a total 52 teams in Rally Xtreme, which is all about top speed, only 36 are left in the fray. Gaurav Gill’s Mahindra XUV 500 developed serious mechanical issues in the night stage which set off from Sardarshahar in Churu district on Monday night. As other rallyists sped on, Gill was delayed considerably, and had to incur two hours of penalty.
Jayesh Desai, the Clerk of the Course for Xtreme and Motoquad, said that while Gill is technically still in the race, he has been heavily sanctioned because of the delay. If he joins the rally on Day Two, Gill will be given a start an hour later than the rest of the competitors. The other notable drop-downs of the day are the two teams from Australia of the ‘Aussie Sand Surfers’, led by Niaz Ali, and Gaurav Chiripal of Delhi.
In the Enduro Category, which follows the Xtreme route but follows the Time-Speed-Distance (TSD) format, Somdev Chand of Team Maruti and K. Prasad also of Team Maruti are leading on Day One. Raj Singh Rathore of Jaipur, riding the Polaris RZR 800, is leading in the Quad category. Rathore, who rides for Team Polaris, is the first competitive quad rider of India, and has ranked at the top at the toughest motorsport events of the country.
In the Bikers category, Mohan Lal Sharma of Jaipur met with an accident and fractured his leg. Within a few minutes, he was evacuated and taken to a hospital.
The first competitive stage of the event for Rally Xtreme and Rally Ndure, which ran through the night, saw many twists and turns for even seasoned rallyists. Almost 50 per cent of the rallyists got stuck in the treacherous desert sand, and had to be pulled out. Rallyists admitted that the route was tough and despite GPS and the rally road book, they got lost and went around in circles, trying to find their way. A total of 263 rallyists from all over the country and also abroad fighting for top honours in one of the most prestigious motorsport events of the country.
Mayank Pareek, the Managing Executive Officer of Maruti Suzuki, said that from a two-day rally over a decade ago, the Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm has evolved into a motorsport event of massive proportions. “Our endeavour is to give our buyers diverse experiences, and fulfil their need for adventure in a safe, regulated environment. Maruti Suzuki Motorsport is one of the ways we connect with the youth, and the youthful spirit of all those who love driving,” highlighted Pareek.
On Wednesday, the difficulty quotient of the rally will get significantly upscaled. The rally will traverse in the Bikaner-Jaisalmer belt, and will give a fair indication of the final placing of the competitors. After that the fight will be primarily for position.