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Author: David Bodapati
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47th edition of the famed South India Rally begins on Friday: INRC Round 1
Chennai, 13 March 2024: There is heightened expectations and excitement ahead of the 47th MMSC South India Rally to be run here from March 15 to 17 and which has attracted 52 entries.
The three-day event, organized by the Madras Motor Sports Club, and promoted by Blueband Sports, doubles up as the first round of AVT Gold Cup FIA APRC South India Rally – Asia Cup which has received 10 entries, all from India, and the Blueband fmsci Indian National Rally Championship (52 entries, including the 10 APRC contenders) to be contested over 137 Kms of 13 Special Stages and covering an overall distance of about 446 Kms.
The Madras International Circuit is the hub of most activity, including the Super Special and Track Stages. It will also house the Service Park, the Rally Headquarters and Media Centre.
The Asia Cup entry list is headlined by Mangalorean Aroor Arjun Rao (co-driver Satish Rajagopal), the 2023 Overall National champion, driving a Maruti Suzuki Baleno and representing Mandovi Racing. Rao also heads the INRC field which includes Delhi’s Harkrishan Wadia (co-driver Kunal Kashyap), the 2023 INRC 2 champion, and Chandigarh-based Jahaan Singh Gill (Suraj Keshav Prasad) of SNAP Racing who has moved up to INRC 2 after capturing the INRC 3 and JINRC titles last season.
A notable absentee is multiple APRC and INRC champion Gaurav Gill who had originally entered, but withdrew at the last minute due to delay in getting his Ford Fiesta shipped from Dubai in time for this weekend’s event.
The seven-round INRC comprises various classes that include Overall (INRC), INRC 2, INRC 3, Junior INRC (below 26 years of age) and Women, besides the FMSCI Challenge Cup, a non-championship category for Maruti Gypsy vehicles.
The weekend action will witness seven female competitors, including five drivers – Pragathi Gowda (Bengaluru), Harshitha Gowda (Bengaluru), Phoebe Nongrum (Arunachal Pradesh), Anushriya Gulati (Pune, 2023 women’s champion) and Tarushi Vikram (Chikkamagaluru), besides two co-drivers Trisha Alonkar (Bengaluru, 2023 National co-driver champion) and Shivani Parmar (Mumbai).
Pragathi, sponsored by SIDVIN, will be setting a milestone in Indian motorsport. She is poised to become the first female from India to pilot a four-wheel drive car, the 300bhp Subaru Impreza shod with MRF Tyres, with Malaysian Karamjit Singh, the former World Rally champion (Production Cars), tutoring her.
“I am very excited and looking forward to the South India Rally. I am even more grateful that a legend like Karamjit Singh has taken time out to train me to drive this powerful car and SIDVIN for supporting me. I haven’t had any seat time in this car, and it will be a learning curve for me,” said Pragathi who will be partnered by co-driver Trisha Alonkar.
FIA Observer, Dale Moscatt from Australia, was all praise for the organisers and the Special Stages. “I did a recce of the Kelam Stage yesterday. The organisers have done a great job in putting together so many kilometres into such a small place. It is fully fenced off area and so security and everything is fantastic in the Stage. It will be challenging to all competitors. Today, we went to the other Stages (Aavisa and Track) which are the same as last year. Lots of turns and bumps, and so, very challenging. The facility here at the race track (Madras International Circuit) is great.”
Taking an overview of the event, Clerk-of-the-Course (CoC) Manoj Dalal, who is also the secretary of MMSC, said: “You can expect an action-packed weekend as the field, rich in youth and experience, is extremely competitive. There are many familiar faces and a few relatively new entrants. As organisers, MMSC has taken every precaution and all permissions to ensure a safe and successful event which is a showpiece in the INRC calendar. We extend our thanks to all the sponsors, the promoters, the Media and, of course, the competitors, for their whole-hearted support and involvement.”
The competitors are scheduled to do a reconnaissance of all the Special Stages on Thursday and Friday morning. The competition will commence on Friday afternoon with the Spectator Special Stage at the Madras International Circuit. The following two days will witness the competitors negotiating the other Special Stages (Track, AAVISA and Kelam). The Rally will conclude on Sunday afternoon with prize-distribution ceremony at the MIC.
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TVS Asia one-make event going strong for third year: ARRC
Bengaluru, 9 March 2024: TVS Asia One Make Championship (OMC) under TVS Racing will mark its presence for the third consecutive year at the upcoming Idemitsu FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC). Once again, the one-make series will see the inclusion of a multi-region rider participation in its bid to showcase excellence within the motorsports industry, a release received here said today.
Replicating its domestic record, and continuing its international success after the first-ever TVS Asia One Make Championship (OMC) in 2022, TVS Racing is back with the third edition of the championship with more vigour and determination to create new records. Following its sheer dominance in domestic two-wheeler racing, TVS Racing is now geared up to host this flagship racing event this year alongside the FIM Asia (ARRC). Backed by four decades of racing pedigree, previous year’s championship demonstrated the product prowess of TVS Motor’s flagship motorcycle – TVS Apache RR 310 as it created a milestone for TVS Racing, setting a new top speed record of 215.9 kmph in its class at Chang International Circuit, Thailand. With a rich history and undisputed leadership in two-wheeler motorsports, TVS Racing has been instrumental in flourishing the racing performance culture and engineering the TVS Apache series through the company’s “Track to Road” philosophy.
The season opener of the racing series scheduled to be held at Chang International Circuit, will be entertained by representatives from nine countries including new entries from Germany and Korea. Top three achievers, Md Muzakkir Mohamed of Malaysia, Hiroki Ono of Japan and Vorapong Malahuan of Thailand will be back once again for a full-season alongside selected riders from India and Indonesia as well as six newcomers for the season in the race category. The rider line-up will consist of fifteen riders in total.
Commenting on the championship, Vimal Sumbly, Head Business – Premium at TVS Motor Company said, “Celebrating our third year at the Idemitsu FIM ARRC alongside TVS Asia OMC marks a significant milestone for TVS Racing. It’s a testament to our enduring dedication to motorsport, excellence and innovation. Our continued participation underscores our commitment to pushing the limits of engineering and performance, while also providing an exciting platform for our riders to showcase their skills on the international stage. The data obtained during the races are pertinent in gauging the impact of our product modification and showcasing our strengths and transformations. As we embark on another thrilling season, we are eagerly excited by the opportunity to continue our legacy of success and to bring the thrill of racing to fans around the world. We look forward to another exciting year of competition, camaraderie, and, most importantly, the relentless pursuit of victory, and wish our racers luck for this season.”
Ron Hogg, Promotions Director of Two Wheels Motor Racing said, “TVS Asia OMC has been instrumental in the expansion of ARRC and since their debut in 2022, we have garnered vast support and recognition from our fanbase and motorsports community which has impacted the championship positively. This year, we are proud to mark the entries of two additional countries in the one-make series which I believe would also serve to broaden our brand proposition and incite new interests in the future. As we move forward, our goal remains the same which is to ensure our reach to a wider demography while alleviating the standards of Asian motorsports.”
The riders of TVS Asia would also experience a new safety feature this season – the Alpinestars air-bag system, equipped in their racing suit this year. The air-bag is expected to further accentuate the safety functions while enhancing confidence among its riders for better performance. The Idemitsu FIM Asia Road Racing Championship will commence with Round 1 on 15th March 2024 with no changes to its racing format. The season will move forward with six rounds for year 2024.
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Indian team on podium in FIM e-Xplorer World Cup; Sandra Gomez excels for Indian team
E-Xplorer season opener dominated by newcomers with Team HRC and INDE Racing in the top three.
Honda Racing Corporation (Team HRC) has claimed victory in its native Japan at the opening round of the 2024 FIM E-Xplorer World Cup, stamping its authority in electric off-road racing in only its first competition.
As a new entry in the all-electric off-road motorcycle series, Team HRC entered the competition surrounded by formidable opponents, many of whom have an entire year’s worth of experience in the inaugural 2023 championship.
However, with consistently strong performance throughout the day of racing in Osaka, Team HRC managed to not only keep up with its rivals but also finish Round 1 at the top of the tables.
Team HRC’s competitors were not giving the newcomer an easy ride however, and with 132 championship points, Round 1 was secured by the factory team by just one point.
Hot on their heels and finishing the weekend in second place was Robbie Maddison Racing (renamed from Madwill in 2023) achieving 131 points. RMR riders Zaragoza and Germond pushed Team HRC right to the end but were ultimately pipped to the post.
Just behind RMR in third place came the second of the new 2024 teams, INDE Racing with 121 points. Achieving a podium position on debut laid down a strong marker for the Indian-based outfit and they will look to retain their pace throughout the season.
HRC riders Francesca Nocera and Tosha Schareina battled 14 other riders over three individual races at Osaka’s Expo ’70 Commemorative Park, putting in consistently fast times despite the unique conditions and challenges.
Despite the cold weather, Hirofumi Yoshimura, Governor of Osaka prefecture joined the inspiring crowd of 1750 motorsport fans who attended the Expo ’70 Commemorative Park to watch E-Xplorer Season 2 kick-off.
The success of the event must also be credited to the cohesive relationship between the FIM and FMJ who sanctioned Round 1.
In the rider stakes, INDE Racing’s Sandra Gomez took the honours as the weekend’s fastest female rider, while RMR’s Jorge Zaragoza stood on the top spot as the fastest male rider.
Topping off a momentous day, Gomez taking the honours in the female standings marked the first victory for an FIM-sanctioned Indian motorsport team in a global series.
With close racing from start to finish, there was all to play for in Japan and the result came down to the final race in both male and female categories.
Despite Osaka’s narrow track, the male riders managed a clean and tidy start with all riders making it onto the main track without incident. With a near-perfect start, RMR’s Zaragoza got to the front and stayed there for a clear win.
Congestion at the start of the women’s first of three races caused an altercation between AUS-E rider Jess Gardiner and Team HRC’s Nocera, pushing both riders to the back of the pack. That left Gravity’s Tanya Schlosser and Gomez to fight it out for first with the INDE Racing entry crossing the line first.
With another clean start, Schareina led at the start of the men’s second race but had the lead snatched from him at turn two as a dominant Zaragoza capitalised on small errors. As the RMR rider defended the front spot, a second battle emerged in the mid-pack with Alex Andreis of Gravity, Bonnell rider Dylan Woodcock and INDE’s Spenser Wilton exchanging places right up to the line.
German rider Schlosser’s consistently fast and flawless starts shot the Gravity rider into the lead during the second of the women’s heats, but Nocera’s aggression and experience soon closed the gap and the Italian rider passed to take the lead, while Gomez also managed to push past into second.
However, Nocera held onto the lead and claimed a win in the second heat, securing Team HRC’s first-ever win in an electric series and a historic milestone in the venerable brand’s motorsport story.
An unstoppable Zaragoza quickly established the lead in the third and final Men’s race, finding his way to the front and staying there. Despite a consistently paced ride from Schareina and Woodcock, the Spanish RMR rider pulled out an impressive 20-second lead over the eight-minute race.
The women’s final race for the day appeared to be a carbon copy of the second with Schlosser blasting into the lead at the start before being hunted down and passed by Nocera. Simultaneously, a fired-up Gomez overtook third-place Bonnell rider Kristie McKinnon for wall-to-wall action across the track.
In the individual standings, Gomez dominated for an overall first place, Nocera finished the day in second, while Schlosser was the day’s third fastest female rider.
Both Gomez and Schlosser ran on Stark, giving the manufacturer a double podium in the Women’s individual category.
With almost unbeatable pace, Zaragoza was the fastest male rider, Schareina ended the day in second place while Woodcock took third place on the podium – a particularly impressive feat given the British rider had switched to a less powerful spare bike for the day.
With the first round of the 2024 FIM E-Xplorer World Cup successfully wound up, all eyes look to round two which returns to Europe and Norway in early May.
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Aussie Reid Taylor stars for Big Rock; After fireworks Jordi-Matt duel ends in peace
Ahmedabad, 11 February 2024: Top Australian motocross rider Reid Taylor of Big Rock Motorsports stole the show with a double and a second place to turn out as the Best rider of the day in the second round of the CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League (ISRL) which was inaugurated by the Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel at the Eka Arena, here on Sunday.
However, it was the big fight between the nine-time Australian champion Matt Moss of Big Rock Motorsports and French rider, two-time former World champion Jordi Tixier, of BB Racing that reached a crescendo as both shared honours winning a Moto each, but not before a tough tussle on the track and a war of words off it.
Tixier, the current ISRL leader in the individual leaderboard, trailing in the feature All-star race, boxed the Aussie rider in an aggressive move and his back tyre hit the front of the Big Rock rider. Moss took a tumble as a result and lost the lead and was visibly disturbed. Jordi Tixier won the race but the duo had an ‘exchange of words’ at the finish line but soon Tixier, explained his case and rendered an apology. Moss, was clearly denied a double win today but the Australian accepted the apology and thanked his team, Big Rock Motorsports, for the wonderful bike and all the arrangements. “I am pleased with the Ahmedabad track here and happy to see a huge crowd. We have prepared well and I am very happy to take the lead in the team championship,” said Moss, after the races.
Seven motos were held on Sunday. There were two motos for the 450cc bikes for international riders. Then there were two motos each for the 250cc international riders and 250cc motos for a mix of Asia and Indian riders. The final race was the All Stars Race for both 450cc and 250cc riders.
The BigRock Motorsports continued to dominate the team championship table as its riders took many podium places. Matt Moss, the star athlete of BigRock Motorsports, riding the Kawasaki KX450S, secured first place in the 450cc international race. Reid Taylor, also from BigRock Motorsport, astride a Kawasaki KX250, won the 250cc international race and went on to take a second-place in the all-star race, competing against 450cc bikes. Punching above his weight, Taylor kept Big Rock in good stead after Moss had a fall and his second place points helped the team very much. Ben Prasit Hallgren of Mohite’s Racing riding the Kawasaki won the 250cc India Asia Mix category. The electrifying races drew a crowd of over 8,000.
French rider Thomas wins the First moto of the day
French rider Thomas Ramette, astride a Kawasaki KX450S, began with a bang winning the first moto of the day in the 450cc SX1 for international riders. He took the hole shot and kept a marauding Matt Moss as bay for the initial laps and won with a comfortable race at the end. Germany’s Nico Koch also on a similar bike came third making it two podiums for Reise, which is now second in the team standings.
In the second moto of the day for the 250cc Asia and India mix of riders, Thailand’s Thanarat Penjan, who won a double in the first round in Pune, began with a win beating compatriot Ben Prasit Haligren but Ben came back and took the victory in the second moto. Athison Ruadero, another Thai rider, who stood third in the first moto, took another podium with a second place in the second moto. While Penjan had a hole shot and lead all the way, Athison gave a scare Ben and almost pipped him in the final lap, but fell short, losing time just before the flag.
French rider Thomas Ramette, astride a Kawasaki KX450S, begins the day with a big win in the 450cc International race Moto1 on Sunday. Grand double for Reid Taylor
In the 250cc race for International riders, Reid Taylor got good points for Big Rock Motorsports with a double win. He got the hole shot in the first moto and won comfortably. However, in the second moto, after leading the race and building up a gap, he lost the front and took a nasty fall, but recovered quickly and still emerged as the race winner. French rider Julien Lebeau of Mohite’s Racing came second in both the motos.
Chief Minister thrilled
Earlier, Chief Minister, Bhupendrabhai Patel, inaugurated the second round of the three-round franchise based league, the first of its kind in the world. Patel said:”Today, it is thrilling to witness this Supercross event in Ahmedabad. Gujarat is honored to host the CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League, showcasing our commitment to sportsmanship and excellence. This event ignites passion, inspires champions, and elevates Gujarat’s global standing in motorsports.”
Veer Patel, Managing Director Lilleria Group and Co-Founder of CEAT ISRL, said:“I’m grateful to Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel and the Gujarat Sports Ministry for their invaluable support in promoting motorsport. Their visionary leadership and passion helped us to organise this event successfully. The crowd’s enthusiasm was unmatched and it is our vision of establishing India as a global hub for Supercross.”
Freestyle motocross stunt riders thrilled the audience at a packed stadium.
ISRL Ro2 Ahmedabad Provisional Results:
A freestyle rider, Paul, thrills the audience. 1. SX1:- 450cc International, Moto1:
1. #206 Thomas Ramette, France, Reise Motorsports, 7:14.634; (Kawasaki KX450S);
2. #102 Matt Moss, Australia, Big Rock Motorsports; 7:16.648; (Kawasaki KX450S);
3. #20 Nico Koch, Germany, Reise Motorsports, 7:23.810; (Kawasaki KX450S);
Fastest lap: Matt Moss 36.930sec;
2. SX2: 250cc India Asia Mix, Moto1:
1. #71 Thanarat Penjan, Thailand, Big Rock Motorspors, 6:54.686; (Kawasaki KX250);
2. #31 Ben Prasit Haligren, Thiland, Mohite’s Racing Team, 6:57.710; (Kawasaki KX250);
3. #112 Athison Ruadero, Thailand, BB Racing, 7:11.274; (Honda CRF250R);
Fastest Lap: Ben Prasit 38.925sec; Penjan 38.976 seconds.
3. SX3: 250cc International Moto1:
1. #86 Reid Taylor, Australia, Big Rock Motorsports; 7:52.289; (Kawasaki KX250);
2. #259 Julien Lebeau, France, Mohite Racing; 8:03.738; (Kawasaki KX250);
3. #851 Clement Briatte, France, Gujarat Trailblazers; 8:06.223; (KTM 250SX-F);
Fastest lap: Reid Taylor 36.968 sec;
4. SX4: 250cc India Asia Mix, Moto2:
1. #31 Ben Prasit Haligren, Thailand, Mohite’s Racing Team, 7:43.652; (Kawasaki KX250);
2. #112 Athison Ruadero, Thailand, BB Racing, 7:44.459; (Honda CRF 250R);
3. #71 Thanarat Penjan, Thailand, Big Rock Motorspors, 7:54.527; (Kawasaki KX250);
Fastest lap: Ben Prasit Haligren 39.347sec;
5. SX5: 250cc International Moto2:
1. #86 Reid Taylor, Australia, Big Rock Motorsports; 7:19.866; (Kawasaki KX250);
2. #259 Julien Lebeau, France, Mohite Racing; 7:24.126; (Kawasaki KX250);
3. #335 Enzo Polias, France, Gujarat Trailblazers; 7:27.215; (KTM 250SX-F);
Fastest lap: Reid Taylor 36.958sec;
6. SX6 – Moto2: 450cc International (12 laps/7minutes +2 laps):
1. #102Matt Moss, Australia, Big Rock Motorsports, 7:50.077; (Kawasaki KX450S);
2. #911 Jordi Tixier, France, BB Racing, 7:51.621; (Honda CRF450R);
3. #491 Paul Haberland, Germany, Mohite’s Racing Team, 8:03.206; (Kawasaki KX450S);
Fastest lap: Matt Moss 36.320 seconds.
7. SX7: All Stars Race
1. #911 Jordi Tixier, France, BB Racing, 9:49.543; (Honda CRF450R);
2. #86 Reid Taylor, Australia, Big Rock, 9:52.635; (Kawasaki KX250);
3. #225 Charles Lefrancois, France, Mohite’s Racing; 9:55.992; (Kawasaki KX450S);
Fastest lap: Jordi Tixier 36.743sec;
Chief Minister, Bhupendrabhai Patel, (centre) and Veer Patel (to CM’s left) in the VIP gallery on Sunday. -
Historic victory for Harith Noah in Rally2 class at Dakar 2024
Yanbu (Saudi Arabia), 19 January 2024: Sherco TVS Rally Factory team rider Harith Noah clinched a historic victory at Dakar Rally 2024 by winning the Rally 2 category in the Motorcycle section at the coveted cross-country rally which concluded here on Friday.
“It’s amazing. It’s amazing stuff. Crazy. It’s crazy to do what I have done. I am so happy,” is the immediate exclusive reaction of Harith Noah from Saudi Arabia after he realised his Rally2 victory.
He clocked an overall 54hours, 24minutes and 44seconds for the 12 gruelling stages in 14 days and finished an overall 11th place in the general ranking and also won his class, the Rally2 class which saw 110 riders take the start.
The 30-year old from Kerala, Harith Noah, concluded his good run at the mighty Dakar 2024 with a cautious 5th place in the 328-km 12th stage in the Rally2 class today and managed to retain his 11th position in the overall general rankings in the main class. His victory in the Rally 2 class is the first by an Indian rider. With the dominating performance in one of the most-demanding and toughest cross-country rallies in the world, the Sports Science graduate from Shoranur in Kerala, entrenched himself in the annals of Indian motorsports with a milestone achievement.
Astride a 450SEF Rally bike tuned by Sherco TVS rally factory team, Noah began the prologue on January 5 in a cautious way finishing 29th but increased the tempo to finish P22 in the very first Stage, the next day. He managed to improve his riding with stunning results after each stage and each day, thereafter. Staying put in the top-20, he delivered a killer punch in the toughest Stage 6, that had two days of ‘48-hour Chrono’ marathon rallying. Noah, made the best use of the difficult conditions to shoot to P13 overall.
On Jan 15, with four days to go he touched his peak dishing out his career-best with an Overall P5 and a stage win in his class, the Rally2 category. Later, he won the stage again in the penultimate round and clinched the issue on the final day with a Rally2 victory. He also got a note-worthy 11th place in the main Motorcycle category that saw 142 riders from all over the world take the start.
Noah is sponsored by Sherco TVS Factory Rally Team, TVS Racing, Red Bull and Casio. In 2021, he became the fastest from India at Dakar finishing in 20th place and became the third Indian to finish the prestigious Dakar rally.
“I’m happy that I’ve finished. That was the main goal. I’m really blessed to be here. I learned a lot this year, especially during the second week. I felt really strong and it’s something to build on for next year. I tried to not have any expectations. I just tried to ride every kilometre, one at a time. It’s a really nice feeling to get fifth overall in Stage 10 and to know that you have it in you. It feels good to win. I hope it motivates other riders, younger riders, to do the same or try to pursue their dreams and grow the sport. I never thought when I was a child that I would be here on the Dakar. Then I did my first Dakar, then I finished in 2021, which was amazing, and now here I am winning my Rally 2 class. I’m happy,” said a jubilant Noah, before the result got confirmed. A racer of different breed, Harith Noah does not look at the results after every stage, lest they disturb his rhythm.
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Harith Noah leads Rally2 general ranking; logs overall P11: Dakar Stage 11
Yanbu (Saudi Arabia), 18 January 2024: The 30-year old from Kerala, Harith Noah continued his good run at the mighty Dakar 2024 and managed to escalate his position to the top of the table in the overall general rankings of the Rally2 class with a splendid Stage 11 parformance in one of the most-demanding stages near to the end of this edition of the Dakar on Thursday. The riders took over part of the 2023 route with the same very rocky course that was very complicated and prone to causing punctures.
The top rider from India was cautious. After the stage, Harith Noah said: “I knew it would be a tough day with very rocky and difficult trails. I felt pretty good at first but once we started entering the rocks, I had two small falls. I tried to concentrate on navigation and stayed on two wheels for the rest of the stage. The race is not finished yet, there is still one more stage left tomorrow.”
Today’s course represented the most demanding sporting challenge of the second week of the race and was likely to disrupt the rankings in all categories. Spanning more than 400 kilometers, the special took place mainly on hostile and challenging terrain. This is the last physical challenge to overcome.
Harith Noah continued his momentum with another victory in Rally 2 and a eleventh place overall. He thus gained time over his closest competitor R. Dumontier, he now leads the Rally 2 standings.
At kilometer 12, his teammate Rui Goncalves fell, resulting in a deep injury to his left arm. After seeking medical assistance from the organization, he was quickly transferred to Alula Hospital. An intervention surgery was essential to treat his wound, and he remains under observation tonight. No Noah is the only Sherco rider left in the field.
Harith Noah is the last rider still in the race for the Indo/French outfit. He is currently in 11th position in the general classification. Tomorrow marks the final stretch to hope for a TOP 10 finish!
Stage 11 ranking
Harith Noah: P11
Rui Gonçalves: DNFProvisional general classification
Harith Noah: P11
Rui Gonçalves: DNFTomorrow, is the last day of the 2024 Dakar, the riders will set off for 328 km including 175 km of special and 153 km of connection with an arrival in Yanbu.
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Saneem Sani-Musa Sherif, all set for Middle East Rally full season
Mangalore, 18 January 2024: Star driver Saneem Sani and multiple National winner and celebrated co-driver Musa Sherif, are all set to take part in the full season of the Middle East Rally Championship (MERC) 2024. The duo is the first pair from India to take part in a full season of MERC. They will begin their campaign with a UAE Sprint Rally on Jan 20, to acclimatise and it will also be the 75th international appearance for Sherif.
The prestigious Championship will begin with the Qatar International Rally from February 1 to 3 and will have four more rounds in Jordan (May 16 to 18), Lebanon (Sep. 6 to 8), Cyprus (October 4 to 6) and Oman (Nov 28 to 30). They will be driving a Ford Fiesta Rally4 spec in the MERC4 category.
Saneem, who made his rally debut in 2008, won three UAE Rally championships in the FWD class with Musa Sherif, a seven-time National INRC champion co-driver and winner of 22 championships. Saneem from Thrissur is now based in Dubai. They will be receiving vehicle service backup from Sharjah’s Toolbox Auto team and are supported by MRF Tyres, VIBGYOR Real Estate, Dubai, CLIVET Air condition Middle East, Alankar Hotels, Thrissur and Blueband Sports.
“Though we have been taking part in the UAE Championship, this will be another chance to represent India and bring laurels to the country. It is always a proud moment to drive for my country. We will give all our best and we are looking forward to the first round,” said Musa Sherif, a top Indian co-driver from Kasargod, who has completed 309 rallies including 74 internationals and is in his 32nd consecutive rally season. Currently, the rally veteran is supporting Blueband Sports, the Promoter, as Vice-President Operations INRC.
The Qatar International Rally in a revised three-day format will have 13 timed special stages traversing through 622.49 km.
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Stunning Harith Noah posts Dakar’s top-5; Second Rally2 stage win in 3 days: Stage 10
Al Ula (Saudi Arabia), 17 January 2024: Ace rider from India, Harith Noah, dished out stunning stuff to not only claim a historic second stage win in three days in the Rally 2 class but achieved a mind-boggling Overall fifth in the general rankings of the Motorcycle class in the tenth stage that was shaped by tricky navigation on Wednesday.
Performance of the Day
The heroic show by the Sherco TVS Rally Factory rider was hailed at the “Performance of the Day” by the Dakar 2024 team.
“I can’t believe it!” It is how a visibly-pleased Harith Noah said after the stage. “I had almost perfect navigation and I felt good on the bike. There was a lot of dust today, and I had to be patient. I got a little lost at the end but overall, I did well. One more day is done and two to go. Tomorrow, it will be more complicated with more rocks. I have progressed since last year, but that is not my favourite terrain,” he concluded.
With only 106 of the 142 riders that took the start in the Prologue, surviving the 12 day, the 30-year Kerala rider took a historic fifth place among the 106 riders. He is only the second rider from Rally 2 class who cracked the tough top-5 in Dakar 2024. Bradley Cox (BAS World KTM Racing) had already taken fourth place in Stage 1. On Wednesday, it was the Sherco factory rider Harith Noah, astride a 450 SEF Rally, the Sherco TVS Rally Factory rider came in fifth. It was a career-best performance for the Indian, who is racing in his fifth Dakar and has only managed to complete the rally once.
Third Indian to finish Dakar
Harith Noah at Dakar – INDIAinF1 image Back in 2021, he became the third Indian to finish the race, which he did in 20th place. Indian pioneer CS Santosh became the first Indian to finish Dakar in 2015 when he toiled for two weeks and came in 36th place. In 2019, another Sherco TVS rider, Aravind KP, became the second Indian to finish Dakar in 37th place, in his third attempt.
First from India in top-5
In 2023, Noah hurt his back and escaped a serious injury to the spinal cord and returned to competition in the Baja Aragón last January. He is now second overall in his class, just 4min 31sec behind Romain Dumontier. The inclusion of a rider from India in the line-up of the French brand Sherco can be traced back to their rally-raid partnership with the Indian maker TVS. India, represented by Harith and the constructor Hero, is making its mark on the Dakar scene. None of its entrants had ever-finished so high up in a stage of the Dakar before.
Today’s loop – a tough one for navigation
Harith Noah prides himself in his navigation and loves when it is tough. Fresh memories never lie. Seeing the loop carved out near Al Ula, starting and finishing at the bivouac where he had gathered less than two weeks ago, it was a given that this special was going to be a wild ride. The timed sector stretched for 371 kilometres on sandy terrain with a need for speed, either on the track or off-track, sometimes through rocky areas, but almost invariably with nuances to decipher in the road book. The showdown among the leading competitors was shaped by tricky navigation in the motorbike race and Noah cracked it with ease before a small hiccup in the end, but managed to stay safe and stayed on the top. It was a very nice loop around Al ULa, and the route offered exceptional landscapes with huge rocks but the riders had no time to enjoy any of it. They had to slalom through these rock formations, searching for the right track through the middle of the canyons. It was a magnificent stage, including a special that was over 370 km, which was announced as being less technical.
His performance today was his best result in this most prestigious of rally-raids. He is now in second place in the provisional ranking of the Rally2 category and with two days remaining he is expected to do much better than his target – an Overall P15.
Sherco teammate Goncalves’ heroics
Harith Noah wins Stage 10 in Rally2 category, his second stage win in his class in three days. Noah’s teammate from Sherco, Rui Goncalves had bad visibility in the morning as it was greatly reduced by the presence of the sun. Gonçalves suffered a significant fall at kilometer 5, damaging his motorcycle and severely twisting the handlebars. He also suffered physical injuries, requiring stitches to his elbow and he received a large hematoma on the thigh. Despite these difficulties, he managed to accomplish an impressive special stage. After his fall, he was in 24th position, but he persevered and eventually finished in 11th place, covering 365 km with twisted handlebars. This result is remarkable considering the difficult conditions!
Rui Gonçalves said: “After my fall I knew that the day was going to be long and that I had to grit my teeth. This is what I tried to do throughout the whole day even though I was in a good amount of pain, I didn’t give up and we’re getting closer to a top-10 result. I went for a medical check-up at the end of the day. I will try to recover for tomorrow. The whole team is working to get prepared for the next stage. I want to thank everyone for all your encouraging messages which help me every day to get to the finish.”
Stage 10 ranking
Rui Gonçalves: P11
Harith Noah: P5 (P1 in Rally2 class)
Provisional general classification
Rui Gonçalves: P24
Harith Noah: P12
Tomorrow – Penultimate Stage 11
On Thursday, the riders will compete in the penultimate stage of the Dakar, from Alula to Yanbu, covering 527km, including 420km of special stages and 107km of liaison stages.
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Harith Noah conquers another day, stays P13 in general ranking: Stage 9
Al Ula (Saudi Arabia), 16 January 2024: Sherco TVS Factory Rally team rider Harith Noah continued his quest for a second Dakar finish safely negotiating the brutal Stage 9 with a 436-km Special and managed to remain in the top-15 in the bikes class of the Dakar Rally 2024 on Tuesday. Three more days are left in the gruelling event which ends on Jan 19.
The 30-year Kerala rider finished the Overall general ranking after 12 days in 13th place after a P14 rank today. He also managed to ride safe and retain his third place in the Rally2 class with a P4 finish in Stage 9.
For this ninth day of racing, the riders set off from Ha’il towards Al Ula for a stage of 435 km. The start of the special was very fast with sandy tracks and it also had some mountains of sand. Navigation becomes complicated when you must guess the tracks rather than following them visually, and riding on rocky plateaus requires both confidence and technique to maintain an ideal pace.
The expedition back to Al Ula has surely brought back some memories. However, it was not a return to square one, because the situation has evolved considerably since the prologue. The return journey spared the competitors from the volcanic rocks, instead opting for the northern route from Al Duwadimi, which nevertheless shared some common ground with the previous visit. Over the majority of the 436-kilometre special, the riders, drivers and crews had to be doubly vigilant, by carefully riding or driving to avoid punctures on the rocky portions and then by paying extreme attention to reading the roadbook when faced with the wealth of tracks in front of them. Noah, who is strong in his navigation was able to adapt and retained his position in the top-15 riders.
Noah’s Sherco teammate, Rui Gonçalves finished 11th overall on the stage. “It was a strange day. The first part where I navigated alone went well. Then I rode with D Sanders and S Svitko. Like many, we wasted a lot of time trying to find the way.” said Harith Noah after the stage.
Tomorrow, the riders will set off for the tenth stage of the Dakar, from Al Ula to Al Ula, a total of 612 km including 371 km of special and 241 km of liaison.
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Historic stage win for Harith Noah in Rally2 class; Overall 11th in Stage 8: Dakar Rally 2024
Hail (Saudi Arabia), 15 January 2024: Sherco TVS Factory Rally Team rider Harith Noah created history by becoming the first from India to win a Stage in any class at the Dakar Rally as he won the 678-km Stage 8 in his class, the Rally2 category for Bikes, here on Monday. Four more days are left in the gruelling Dakar 2024 edition which concludes on Jan 19.
The 30-year Kerala rider covered the technically-challenging stage of 458-km Special and 220-km Liaison from Al Duwadimi to Hail in 3 hours, 42 minutes and 12 seconds on Monday. He was third overall in the general ranking for the Rally2 class while he is in Overall P13 after eight stages in the general ranking. Today, he finished Stage 8 in a creditable P11, just 07minutes 09seconds from the overall leader in Dakar Bikes section.
The rider from Shoranur, thus beat his own record, a P20 he set in 2021, to become the fastest rider from India in the Dakar Rally history with 11th place in Stage 8. With four more days to go, he is taking it day by day to keep his cool to complete his fifth attempt in a successful manner. He became the fastest at Dakar in 2021 when he completed the dreaded rally in 20th place beating the Indian record of pioneer CS Santosh’s P36-finish. In this edition, he also got a top-3 finish in Rally2 class in Stage 3. The Sports Science graduate is sponsored by Sherco TVS Factory Rally Team, TVS Racing, Red Bull and Casio.
Harith Noah in action during Stage 7 on Sunday. Photo by Sherco Rally Factory team Thankfully for the riders, stage eight at Dakar lessened the intensity a little with the 458-kilometer timed special split into two sections, a 179-kilometer liaison joining the two very different halves. The first leg consisted mainly of sandy tracks and dunes, but the second half posed more of a challenge with stones and rocks covering much of the final 119 kilometres leading to the finish in Ha’il.
“Felt good on the bike and my sickness is getting better too. I guess everything feels good when you do good. I am focussed on navigation and pushed when comfortable. I lost some time trying to find the way in the second part. Tomorrow is another day and the Dakar is far from over,” said Harith Noah from Saudi Arabia.
Earlier on Sunday in Stage 7, Noah finished the Stage in Overall general ranking of P13 and P5 in his class, Rally2 despite a running nose throughout the day. Tomorrow, the stage 9 would be from Hail to Al Ula.
Tomorrow, the riders will set off for the ninth stage of the Dakar, from Ha’il to Alula, a total of 639 km including 417 km of special and 222 km of liaison.
