INDIA in F1

Tag: Gaurav Gill

  • Sizzling Gaurav Gill wins Robusta Rally, back in contention for INRC title

    Sizzling Gaurav Gill wins Robusta Rally, back in contention for INRC title

    Ammathi (Kodagu), 24 Nov. 2024:Seven times National champion Gaurav Gill displayed enough speed and skill to emerge triumphant in the Robusta Rally, the fifth and penultimate round of the Blueband Sports fmsci Indian National Rally Championship 2024 organised by Robusta Adventure and Sports Academy here, on Sanday.

    Notching up his second straight win after the success in the Rally of Hyderabad last month, Arjuna Awardee Gill, along with co-driver Aniruddha Rangnekar, was in superb form and exhibited controlled aggression on the final day for a comfortable win and bagged full 40 points.

    The win saw Gill drawing closer to table topper Karna Kadur (Musa Sherif) of Arka Motorsports, who finished second overall. 2021 champion Aditya Thakur (Virender Kashyap) upped the game in the last stage to pip local favourites Jason Saldanha (Thimmu Uddapanda) by a second to take overall third place.

    “It is a nice feeling to win back-to-back. I must thank my team, probably the smallest with just four mechanics, who have put in a lot of hard work to give me a perfect car. JK Tyre also deserves commendation for the tyres they specially developed for my car. I think I am getting better as a driver. I would say I was in total control in both Hyderabad and here. My first aim this season has been to bring the car home and I am happy that I managed to do that in two consecutive rallies this season.”

    Himachal Pradesh duo Aditya Thakur and Virender Kasyap won the INRC2 class beating the Karnataka pair of Jason Saldanha and Thimmu Uddapanda while Mangaluru’s Dean Mascarenhas (Gagan Karumbaiah) powered his way from 11th to third in the class.

    In INRC 3 class, Daraius Shroff (Mumbai) and Arjun Dheerendra of Chettinad Sporting, the championship leaders won by over a minute to stay at the top. Gurugram-Bengaluru pair of Arnav Pratap Singh and Rohin N of Snap Racing came second and Jeet Jhabakh of Hyderabad with Sekar of Erode as co-driver, also from Chettinad Sporting, pushed his way to the third place. Arnav Pratap also won the Junior INRC.

    Dehradun’s Anushriya Gulati (co-driver Karan Aukta) won the Ladies class followed by talented Nikeetaa Takkale (Raghuram Saminathan) in second and Shillong’s Phoebe Nongrum (Nash Ross).

    Provisional Final Results:

    INRC Overall:

    1. Gaurav Gill (privateers, Delhi)/ Anirudha Rangnekar (Pune) (01 hour, 40 minutes, 36.6 seconds);

    2. Karna Kadur (Arka Motorsports, Bengaluru)/ Musa Sherif (Kasargod) (01:41:57.0);

    3. Aditya Thakur (Chettinad Sporting Solan) / Virender Kashyap (Shimla) (01:44:27.3);

    INRC2:

    1. Aditya Thakur (Chettinad Sporting Solan) / Virender Kashyap (Shimla) (01:44:27.3);

    2. Jason Saldhanha (Arka Motorsports, Hassan)/ Thimmu Uddapanda (Kodagu) (01:44:28.5);

    3. Dean Mascarenhas (Pvt. Mangaluru)/ Gagan Karumbaiah (Virajpet) (01:44:51.8);

    INRC3:

    1. Daraius Shroff (Chettinad Sporting, Mumbai)/ Arjun Dheerendra (Bengaluru) (01:45.02.4);

    2. Arnav Pratap Singh (Snap Racing, Gurugram)/ Rohit N (Bengaluru) (01:46:10.3);

    3. Jeet Jhabakh (Chettinad Sporting, Hyderabad)/ V. Sekhar (Erode) (01:46:53.8);

    Ladies Class:

    1. Anushriya Gulati (Arka Motorsports, Dehradun)/ Karan Aukta (Jubbal) (01:52:20.9);

    2. Nikeetaa Takkale (Pvt, Pune)/ Raghuram Saminathan (Coimbatore) (01:55:07.3);

    3. Phoebe Nongrum (Snap Racing, Shillong)/ Nash Ross (Hyderabad) (02:05:49.0);

    Junior INRC:1. Arnav Pratap Singh (Snap Racing, Gurugram)/ Rohit N (Bengaluru) (01:46:10.3);

    2. Abhin R Rai/ Arvind Dheerendra (Ideal Racing, both Bengaluru) (01:47:53.2);

    3. Arjun Rajiv (Chettinadu Sporting)/ Vinay Padmashali (Both Bengaluru) (01:49:14.6);

  • Gaurav Gill back to winning ways; Clinches Rally of Hyderabad: INRC Round 4

    Gaurav Gill back to winning ways; Clinches Rally of Hyderabad: INRC Round 4

    Hyderabad, 20 October 2024: Celebrated motorsports driver Gaurav Gill displayed high skills and admirable car control to come out triumphant in the Blueband Rally of Hyderabad, the fourth round of the Blueband FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship 2024, which concluded in Shamshabad, near here, on Sunday. The round of the Nationals was organised by Telangana Motors Sports Foundation and promoted Blueband Sports.

    The only Arjuna Awardee in motorsports, Gill, along with co-driver Anirudha Rangnekar, supported by JK Tyre, began the second day with a blistering run in the first stage and the seven-time National champion, eased off to nurture the car with superb consistency thereafter, and notched a well-deserving victory. “This is one of the hottest rallies and the terrain is treacherous. So, we were calm and consistent and that paid rich dividends. We had some new upgrades and new compounds and JK Tyre has been supporting me with a lot of faith and we are happy to get back a win in the middle of the year,” said a visibly happy Gill. When asked if this win can change the fortunes, he paused for a second. “You never know. A win always changes the path to a positive one. If you have noticed, this season we had different winners in all the rallies. And two more rallies with more than 70 points to win. Despite not getting good results, JK has backed me thoroughly and it is time to get back to winning ways,” was his parting shot.

    Former champion Chetan Shivram and co-driver E Shivaprakash of A & A Motorsports took an admirable overall second, with two stage wins, and they also won their class, INRC2. Kerala’s ace driver, Fabid Ahmer and co-driver Milen George, supported by MRF, showed great resilience to grab an overall podium pipping a marauding Arka Motorsports pair, Karna Kadur and co-driver Musa Sherif, by a mere two seconds. However, Karna and Musa, supported by MRF, took the overall lead in the INRC 2024 championships with two more rallies to go.

    Gurugram’s Arnav Pratap Singh and co-driver Rohit of Bengaluru won the INRC3 class and also came out on top in the Junior INRC. Anushriya Gulati of Dehradun with Karan Aukta as co-driver won the Ladies class while the Chikmagalur-Bengaluru pair of Dr Akarsh Sundar and co-driver Ravikumar won the gypsy class.

    “The husband-wife duo of Aneeshnath and Amitha Aneesh from A & A Motorsports won the FMSCI Classic Challenge Cup. ‘We are very happy to clinch victory in this tricky rally,’ said the Bengaluru pair. When asked about having his wife as a navigator, Aneesh replied, ‘It has been wonderful over the last few rallies, and she has played a big part in my success. We share great chemistry both inside and outside the car,’ he quipped, adding a sparkle to the eyes of his life partner.”

    Out of the 55 that took the start, 12 cars logged a DNF as the terrain proved treacherous for many drivers. The next rally will be in Coorg followed by season finale, the popular K-1000 at Tumkur, also in Karnataka.

    Final Provisional Results:

    INRC Overall:

    1. Gaurav Gill (privateers, Delhi)/ Anirudha Rangnekar (Pune) (01hour, 48 minutes, 18.7 seconds);

    2. Chetan Shivram/ E Shivaprakash (A&A Motorsports, Both Bengaluru) (01:49:39.4);

    3. Fabid Ahmer (Chettinad Sporting, Palakkad)/ Milen George (Kottayam) (01:51:06.1);

    INRC2:

    1. Chetan Shivram/ E Shivaprakash (A&A Motorsports, Both Bengaluru) (01:49:39.4);

    2. Fabid Ahmer (Chettinad Sporting, Palakkad)/ Milen George (Kottayam) (01:51:06.1);

    3. Jason Saldhanha (Arka Motorsports, Hassan)/ Thimmu Uddapanda (Kodagu) (01:51:14.0);

    INRC3:

    1. Arnav Pratap Singh (Snap Racing, Gurugram)/ Rohit (Bengaluru) (01:51:46.1)

    2. Daraius Shroff (Chettinad Sporting, Mumbai)/ Arjun Dheerendra (Bengaluru) (01:51.59.4);

    3. Arjun Rajiv (Chettinadu Sporting)/ Vinay Padmashali (Both Bengaluru) (01:52:00.2);

    Ladies Class:

    1. Anushriya Gulati (Arka Motorsports, Dehradun)/ Karan Aukta (01:55:26.0);

    2. Nikeetaa Takkale (Pvt, Pune)/ Arvind Dheerendra (Bengaluru) (01:58:23.3);

    3. Phoebe Nongrum (Snap Racing, Shillong)/ KP Aravind (Bengaluru) (02:11:00.7);

    Junior INRC:

    1. Arnav Pratap Singh (Snap Racing, Gurugram)/ Rohit N (Bengaluru) (01:51:46.1)

    2. Arjun Rajiv (Chettinadu Sporting)/ Vinay (Both Bengaluru) (01:52:00.2);

    3. Abhin Rai (Ideal Racing)/ Moideen Jasheer (both Chikmagalur) (01:53:08.3);

    Fmsci Classic Challenge:

    1. Aneeshnath S (A & A Motorsports)/ Amitha Aneesh (Both Bengaluru) (02:03:48.0);

    2. Shaik Hussain Pasha (Addons Motorsports, Hyderabad)/ Ashfaque Afrid (Sattupalli, AP) (02:30:43.9);

    3. Praveen Dwarakanath (Pvt., Bengaluru). Arun V (Tirupur) (02:39:38.7);

    Fmsci Gypsy Challenge:

    1. Dr Akarsh Sundar (Pvt., Chikmagalur)/ Ravi Kumar (Bengaluru) (02:02:51.2);

    2. Baljinder Singh Dhillon (A & A Motorsports, Delhi)/ Goutham CP (Chikmagalur) (02:04:39.8);

    3.Sachin Singh (Pvt., Hyderabad)/ Anand Raj (Erode) (02:05:47.5);

    Star of Hyderabad:

    1. Uday Pilani (Chettinad Sporting)/ Sheraz Ahmed (01:58.48.7);

    2. Amit Sanghi (Arka Motorsports)/ Dinky Varghese K (02:04:10.9);

    3. Sravan Kumar Kuttoor (pvt.)/ Nash Ross 02:04:32.7).

  • Gaurav Gill cruises into comfortable lead: INRC- Rally of Hyderabad

    Gaurav Gill cruises into comfortable lead: INRC- Rally of Hyderabad

    Hyderabad, 19 October 2024: Arjuna Awardee Gaurav Gill began with a bang and cruised into his wonted form to take the lead navigating the tricky and rough stages in the Blueband Rally of Hyderabad, the fourth round of the Blueband FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship 2024, which began at the Special Stages around the Liberty Statue in Shamshabad on Saturday.

    Gill, along with co-driver Anirudha Rangnekar, took the overall lead while the pair of Daraius Shroff and Arjun Dheerendra are leading the INRC3 class and Chetan Shivram and Shivprakash, INRC2 class.

    The final stage, SS4 was red flagged after only four cars crossed the finish flag as a few cars toppled out. Three top guns, 2021 champion Aditya Thakur, defending champ Arjun Rao Aroor and INRC2 leader Harkishan Wadia, suffered causalities. Daraius Shroff is leading INRC3 after three stages and Chethan Shivram tops the INRC2 class, also after three stages.

    Earlier, Delhi’s speed maestro and 7-time National champion, Gill, clocked the fastest time in the first Special Stage and took a commanding lead of 17 seconds on former champion Chetan Shivram (co-driver Shivaprakash) of Bengaluru with Arnav Pratap Singh and Gulbarga’s Rithesh Guttedar following the top guns in the first stage. Gill kept his momentum with a combination of caution and aggression in the next three stages to cruise into a comfortable lead after Day 1. Chethan was fastest in JVR2, the second Special Stage, by 6.2seconds, by Gill bounced back with another 15 seconds margin on Chethan in the third stage and retained his overall lead.

    Of the 55 cars that took the start, 15 cars failed to finish Day 1. However, 13 of them will take a restart on Sunday.

    Provisional Results: (Day 1) (All times after SS3 only)

    INRC Overall: 1. Gaurav Gill (privateer, Delhi)/ Anirudha Rangnekar (Pune) (00hour, 52 minutes, 11.9 seconds); 2. Chetan Shivram/ E Shivaprakash (A&A Motorsports, Both Bengaluru) (00:52:36.0); 3. Jason Saldhanha (Arka Motorsports, Hassan)/ Thimmu Uddapanda (Kodagu) (00:53:29.5);

    INRC2: 1. Chetan Shivram/ E Shivaprakash (A&A Motorsports, Both Bengaluru) (00:52:36.0); 2. Jason Saldhanha (Arka Motorsports, Hassan)/ Thimmu Uddapanda (Kodagu) (00:53:29.5); 3. Ritesh Guttedhar (Pvt. Gulbarga)/ Suraj M (Bengaluru) (00:53:47.9).

    INRC3: 1. Daraius Shroff (Chettinad Sporting, Mumbai)/ Arjun Dheerendra (Bengaluru) (00:54.13.0); 2. Shashank Jamwal (Arka Motorsports, Himachal)/ Aseem Sharma (Chandigarh) (00:54.03.8); 3. Arnav Pratap Singh (Snap Racing, Gurugram)/ Rohit (Bengaluru) (00:54:07.6)

    Ladies Class: 1. Anushriya Gulati (Arka MS, Dehradun)/ Karan Aukta (00:56:43.2); 2. Nikeetaa Takkale (Pvt, Pune)/ Arvind Dheerendra (Bengaluru) (00:58:14.7); 3. Phoebe Nongrum (Snap Racing, Shillong)/ KP Aravind (Bengaluru) (01:06:35.6);

    Junior INRC: 1. Abhin Rai (Ideal Racing)/ Moideen Jasheer (both Chikmagalur) (00:54:55.6); 2. Arjun Rajiv (Chettinadu Sporting)/ Vinay (Both Bengaluru) (00:54:26.1); 3. Ajay Sankar (Pvt. Coimbatore)/ Vybhav Mukund (Bengaluru) (00:56:06.5);

    Note: Only five cars finished the SS4, the final stage of the day before the stage was red flagged. So all the rest of the cars were given scratch times based on SS2 times.

  • Gaurav Gill tops time-sheets on tarmac Super Special: INRC Nashik rally

    Gaurav Gill tops time-sheets on tarmac Super Special: INRC Nashik rally

    Nashik, 31 May 2024: Arjuna Awardee and three-time APRC winner Gaurav Gill, along with co-driver Aniruddh Rangnekar topped the timesheets with a blistering run in the Super Special Stage in the Rally of Maharashtra, the second round of the Blueband fmsci Indian National Rally Championship here on Friday.

    A total of 53 cars, including a guest driver in Daksh Gill, took the start in Triple S. There are six cars led by Gaurav Gill in the top INRC class. Western Indian Sports Association, popular as WISA, is conducting an INRC round after 2016. The outfit headed by Ashwin Pandit boasts of a dedicated team and is known to excel in good organisation and conduct of the rally both for the drivers and spectators.

    The Delhi daredevil, Gill, has been going through a difficult period for want of a well-prepared machine, has recently partnered with a new co-driver in Pune’s Aniruddh Rangnekar and is raring to go in one of his favourite destinations on tarmac at the Nashik rally, which is held on picturesque foothills of Sahayadri hill ranges. Backed by JK Tyre, the seven-time INRC overall champion, Gill, showed glimpses of his prowess on tarmac clocking more than six seconds faster time than the nearest rival Mangalore’s Aroor Arjun Rao and co-driver Satish Rajagopal of Bengaluru, the defending champions. Rao and Rajagopal of Mandovi Racing team, did well to beat seasoned Amittrajit Ghosh and Ashwin Naik to third, while INRC 3 driver Arnav Pratap Singh along with Rohit N came a stunning fourth in the Overall classification and first in his class, INRC 3.

    Jason Saldanha and Thimmu Uddapanda topped the INRC 2 class and also came a creditable sixth in Overall classification after the 2.10km Super Special Stage. Pragathi Gowda in MRF colours, along with new co-driver Sujith Kumar BS came second in the INRC2 class. Trisha Alonkar, her regular navigator, who underwent a surgery recently is still under recovery and rehab. Delhi’s Philippos Matthai and PVS Murthy, also in MRF colours, were third today, but are expected to give a fight on the actual stages from tomorrow.

    Defending champions Aroor Arjun Rao and Satish Rajagopal were second fastest in the Super Special Stage at Nashik on Friday. Photos by Srinivasa Krishnan
    Arnav Pratap Singh and Rohit N were a creditable overall fourth and also topped their class INRC 3. Super Special Stage is a short 2.10km tarmac sprint that is designed to attract spectators.

    In INRC3, Arnav Pratap Singh and co-driver Rohit N came out triumphant setting the top time while another youngster Arjun Rajiv along with Vinay Padmashali were second. Venunath V and Arun V were third fastest in the Super Special.

    Veteran Sanjay Agarwal and co-driver Dheeraj Manae clocked the top time in the Gypsy class.

    Former champions Aditya Thakur and Virender Kashyap during SSS.
    Philippos Matthai and PVS Murthy, overall 8th in Triple S.

    Including a liaison distance of about 263 km, the total rally distance will be 384.35km. There will be three Special Stages namely, Amboli which is 5.96km long, Dandwal, 22.25km, the longest stage and Poshera stage of 9.31km. All the three stages will be run twice on Saturday. On Sunday, Amboli will be run twice and the two other stages will be run once each making it 10 special stages. This year, there will be no INRC 4 category but NR4 class is included. Since the wear and tear is expected to be negligible on a tarmac stage, Amboli will be run four times with special permission. That will make the rally meet the required distance of Special Stages.

    As the real test begins tomorrow, another 118.52km of Special Stage distance needs to be conquered on Saturday and Sunday to claim the honours.

    Pragathi Gowda and Sujith Kumar BS, who is sitting for injured Trisha Alonkar, did well in MRF Colours to take the 7th spot in Triple S. The times are only ornamental in nature as real battles start on Saturday. PHOTOS by Srinivasa Krishnan
    Dean Mascarenhas and Gagan Karumbaiah during SSS.

    Provisional SSS Results: Overall:

    1. #4 Gaurav Gill/Aniruddh Rangnekar 1min, 34.5seconds;

    2. #1 Aroor Arjun Rao/Satish Kumar Rajagopal 1:40.7;

    3. #11 Amittrajit Ghosh/ Ashwin Naik 1:42.3;

    4. #43 Arnav Pratap Singh/ Rohit N 1:44.8;

    5.#31  Younus Ilyas/ Nitin Jacob 1:44.9;

    6. #9 Jason Saldanha/ Thimmu Uddapanda 1:45.9;

    7. #23 Pragathi Gowda/ Sujith Kumar 1:46.0;

    8. #64 Philippos Matthai/ PVS Murthy 1:46.8;

    9. #7 Arjun Rajiv/ Vinay Padmashali 1:47.0;

    10. #26 Jahaan Singh Gill/ Suraj Keshav Prasad 1:47.2;

    INRC

    1. #4 Gaurav Gill/Aniruddh Rangnekar 1min, 34.5seconds;

    2. #1 Aroor Arjun Rao/Satish Kumar Rajagopal 1:40.7;

    3. #11 Amittrajit Ghosh/ Ashwin Naik 1:42.3;

    INRC 2

    1. #9 Jason Saldanha/ Thimmu Uddapanda 1:45.9;

    2. #23 Pragathi Gowda/ Sujith Kumar 1:46.0;

    3. #64 Philippos Matthai/ PVS Murthy 1:46.8;

    INRC3

    1. #43 Arnav Pratap Singh/ Rohit N 1:44.8;

    2.  #7 Arjun Rajiv/ Vinay Padmashali 1:47.0;

    3. #41 Venunath V/ Arun V 1:47.7;

    Gypsy Challenge

    1. #47 Sanjay Agarwal/ Dheeraj Manae 2:00.3;

    2. #52 Dr Akarsh Sundar/ Ravi Kumar 2:03.4;

    3. #45 Baljinder Singh Dhillon/ Goutham CP 2:04.5;

    Classic

    1. #44 Praveen Dwarakanath/ Kariappa KB 2:05.0;

    2. #45 Aneeshnath S/ Amitha Aneesh 2:08.4;

    3. #55 Shaik Hussain Pasha/ Roshan Claver Crasta 2:13.3;

    ends

  • Gaurav Gill-Molly end up in 9th place: APRC Otago rally

    Gaurav Gill-Molly end up in 9th place: APRC Otago rally

    Dunedin, 14 April 2024: The Otago International Classic Rally has been won by Irishmen Kris Meeke and Noel O’Sullivan, with their Sunday speed capping off a fine weekend. Ace Indian driver Gaurav Gill from Delhi, backed by JK Tyre and Vamcy Merla Sports Foundation and co-driver Molloy in a Ford Excort M2, fell behind on the final day and ended up 9th.

    The pair won all but one gravel stage on Saturday and followed it up with another impressive performance today in a Ford Escort RS1800 that’s been driven by some of the sport’s greats.

    Meeke is a five-time World Rally Championship event winner and on his debut on New Zealand roads, added his name to the list of internationals to win the Otago Rally.

    That list includes the likes of Jimmy McRae, Pasi Hagstrom, Markko Martin and Mikko Hirvonen, and Meeke was grateful for his experience at the Dunedin-based event.


    Second to Meeke on the leaderboard throughout the entirety of the weekend was longtime Otago Rally competitor Deane Buist.


    Buist has won the International Classic Rally in three different types of cars over the years and used his trusty Escort to get himself another fine results.


    John Silcock and Donna Elder rounded out the podium in their crowd-pleasing Mazda RX7.

    Silcock’s Mazda was the only non Ford Escort to appear in the top nine positions and got there after a great drive all weekend long.


    Richie Dalton made it three Irishmen near the top with his drive to fourth. After competing at the Otago Rally in four-wheel-drive cars previously, Dalton made the switch to a rented Ford Escort RS1800 this year and his result showed his talent behind the wheel.


    He held off a fast-finishing Ally Mackay who, despite overheating issues, battled hard to reach a fine fifth overall in his Mk 1 Escort, ending just 6.2 seconds off fourth.


    Mackay and co-driver Mikko Johnstone ended the event in great form, finishing the final three stages with top four stage times in the classics field.


    Losing out in that day-long battle for the fifth position was Graham Ferguson, however, he’ll surely be content with his top six placing.

    Tim McIver was seventh, while first-time Otago Rally competitor, Queenslander Tristan Carrigan, overcame brake problems on Saturday to finish in eighth place.

    Stephen Gill was ninth, followed by the giant-killing performance from Jake Thomas’ Toyota Levin in tenth.


    Day two of the Otago Rally was held in fine and sunny conditions near Waihola, with little attrition affecting competitors throughout Sunday’s action, meaning many of the top positions remained unchanged.


    The Rally is grateful for the support of Dunedin City Council Premier Event funding.

    Otago International Classic Rally | Provisional Results

    1. Meeke/O’Sullivan, Ford Escort RS1800, 2hr 25m22.7s

    2. Buist/Celeste, Ford Escort RS1800, +3m37.3s

    3. Silcock/Elder, Mazda RX7, +8m24.4s

    4. Dalton/Hudson, Ford Escort RS1800, +9m20.3s

    5. Mackay/Johnston, Ford Escort Mk1, +9m26.5s

    6. Ferguson/Moody, Ford Escort RS1800, +10m22.4s

    7. McIver/McDonald, Ford Escort RS1800, +12m55.8s

    8. Carrigan/Wooley, Ford Escort RS1800, +13m13.2s

    9. Gill/Molloy, Ford Escort Mk2, +13m19.0s

    10. Thomas/Webber, Toyota Levin, +13m36.3s

  • Gaurav Gill all set for return to APRC at Otago rally

    Gaurav Gill all set for return to APRC at Otago rally

    Internationally renowned rally driver, Gaurav Gill, will drive Hayden Paddon’s Hyundai i20 Rally2 in the upcoming Central Machine Hire Otago Rally on the weekend of April 12 -14.

    28 March 2024: Gill is a three-time Asia-Pacific Rally Champion and a seven-time Indian Rally Champion, with young Kiwi co-driver, Jared Hudson, calling the pacenotes for him.

    In Paddon’s hands, the Hyundai i20 Rally2 is the reigning Otago Rally winner and has not been beaten in New Zealand. It will be run in the Otago Rally by Paddon Rallysport.

    “I’ve been keen to compete in the Otago Rally for some time now, and am delighted to have this opportunity,” Gill said. “The roads will be fast this year, it’s going to be exciting.”

    Paddon Rallysport is a top-ranked team, the car is state of the art, and this gives me the opportunity to really give it everything.

    “The top Kiwis know these roads well and are in quality cars, it’s going to be a huge challenge. I can’t wait!” Gill will only contest the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) component of the rally and won’t be eligible for Brian Green Properties New Zealand Rally Championship honours. His entry is primarily being supported by JK Tyre Motorsport, with assistance from Vamcy Merla, who is also backing the Asia-Pacific section of the rally for the second year running.

    “I’m grateful for the support of JK Tyre Motorsport and Vamcy Merla, they’re doing a lot for the sport.”


    The Indian has competed in New Zealand before, but never in the South Island. He was a regular at the Rally of Whangarei during his successful APRC years, but his visit to Dunedin is another huge boost for the Otago Rally.


    “We are thrilled to receive Gill’s entry.  He’s a top-class driver with a huge track record in the APRC, and will be driving a state-of-the-art Rally2 Hyundai,” rally promotions manager, Roger Oakley, said.

    “This is a great boost to the event.  Along with Kris Meeke (Ireland) and Brandon Semenuk (USA), we now have top-level international drivers competing for the win in the APRC, Classic 2WD and Classic 4WD categories.


    Gill’s rivals for APRC honours in the Central Machine Hire Otago Rally include Ben Hunt (Skoda Fabia), Robbie Stokes (Ford Fiesta) and local star Emma Gilmour in a Citroen C3.

  • Gaurav Gill to take part in WRC2 at Acropolis Rally of Greece

    Gaurav Gill to take part in WRC2 at Acropolis Rally of Greece

    New Delhi, 5 Sept. 2023: Indian rally ace Arjuna Awardee Gaurav Gill, is all set for another World Rally Championship (WRC) outing in the 2023 season as he is all set to take part in one of the world’s toughest rallies, the Acropolis Rally of Greece scheduled from September 7 to 10.

    Widely hailed as the ‘Rally of Gods’, the event will cover a total distance of 1,235 km, including 15 special stages stretching across 307 km over four days this weekend. This year as well, the spectators will witness 72 teams fighting it out for their spot in the grueling event.

    The only Indian among the world’s best rally drivers, Gill will compete in the 30-car WRC2 category in a specially-prepped Škoda Fabia R5 alongside his French co-driver, Florian Barral. Supported by a potent pit crew team of Italian team Delta Rally, Gill will try to set new benchmark for himself. The rally will also be featuring previous Acropolis winner and current WRC2 championship leader Andreas Mikkelsen along with title rivals Yohan Rossel and Sami Pajari.

    The Skoda Fabia R5 Rally 2 spec car with a 5-speed, sequential, manual gearbox, that enables a driver to shift gears in milliseconds. The R5 is geared to touch a top speed of 200 km/h

    Seven-time national champion and three-time APRC champion, Gill, will be in his element around the hot, dusty, and rock-strewn stages of the Rally Acropolis. Gill had put on a dazzling display of speed to finish sixth in a 35-car WRC 2 field last year.

    On his participation this season,Gill said, “I’m really looking forward to driving in the Rally Acropolis. The sweltering heat, the dust, the rocky mountain passes and loose gravel all combine to make this one of the most punishing rallies on the calendar. This event is not for the faint-hearted but these conditions play to my strengths. I expect to be in my element this weekend and I’m going to give it everything to bring home a strong result.”

    Last year, Gill, a master of gravel, finished his campaign just about 1 second per km behind WRC 2 leader E. Lindholm, while recording some of his best performances against seasoned WRC top category competitors, like T. Neuville. Putting himself and his car to the ultimate test in a low-visibility situation in the previous year, Gaurav is all set to take on the challenge this season as well.

    The action starts post the ceremonial flag-off in Athens on Thursday as the teams will be ready to take on the brand new EKO Super Special Stage located in and around the city’s waterfront spanning 1.48kms. World’s top Rally drivers will run one at a time displaying their mean machines in front of thousands of fans. 

    Fans cheering for Gill can watch the event live on www.wrc.com     

  • Dhrumil Patel and Gaurav Gill to own Gujarat Trailblazers: Supercross League

    Dhrumil Patel and Gaurav Gill to own Gujarat Trailblazers: Supercross League

    Vadodara, August 29, 2023: Arjuna Awardee Gaurav Gill and Gujarat businessman Dhrumil Patel have acquired the franchise for a team in the CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League, announced the ISRL on Tuesday.

    The induction of the “Gujarat Trailblazers” as one of the league’s franchise team for the upcoming season makes it the second team. The team, which marks a significant milestone in the league’s journey, will be owned by Dhrumil Patel, a Vadodara-based entrepreneur with Indian motorsport icon Gaurav Gill.

    Dhrumil Patel’s illustrious profile is a testament to his exceptional dedication to excellence and diverse achievements across the business landscape. A distinguished graduate from BITS Pilani, Purdue University, and Harvard, Mr. Patel has charted a unique trajectory spanning Real Estate, Heavy Engineering, Retail, IT, Hospitality & F&B, and Trade and commerce. He has a proven track record in steering a wide array of ventures to remarkable heights within their respective industries.

    As a co-founder, director and venture capitalist, he has been instrumental in developing ventures like Nilamber Group, Adroit Engimach Pvt Ltd, Hyatt Place Vadodara and been a support pillar for startups like WFC & Fantasy Akhada. 

    Arjuna Award winner Gaurav Gill is a motorsport icon with a career spanning over two decades. Among his exceptional achievements are his remarkable debut performance in the 2000 INRC Season, two consecutive wins at the Indian Formula Rolon and Maruti Racing Championships in 2004 and 2006, and seven wins at the Indian National Rally Championship. Internationally, Gill has been a three-time Asia Pacific Rally Champion and secured 11 stage wins in his debut World Rally Championship.

    Expressing his enthusiasm for this new venture, Dhrumil Patel stated that, “Joining the CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League with Gujarat Trailblazers is an exhilarating step forward. The league’s innovative approach resonates with my entrepreneurial drive, and I am excited to bring that energy to the world of supercross racing. Through Gujarat Trailblazers, I aim to channel my passion for excellence and determination to create a formidable team that competes at the highest level.”

    Sharing the excitement, Gaurav Gill, stated, “I’m thrilled to enter the realm of Supercross Racing. As a racer myself, this holds immense importance for me. I’m eagerly looking forward to the opportunity to channel my enduring passion for motorsports into this new pursuit. I’m truly excited about establishing a great team and anticipate a season filled with exhilarating experiences.”

    Veer Patel, Co-founder and Director of Supercross India Pvt. Ltd, welcomes the addition of Gujarat Trailblazers: “We are filled with joy as we extend our warm welcome to Mr. Dhrumil Patel and the esteemed Gujarat Trailblazers, integrating them into the dynamic fabric of the CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League. This moment is marked by tremendous pride as we unite with Mr. Patel, whose progressive vision and diverse expertise effortlessly align with the core values of our league. Through Mr. Patel’s support, we discover a source of profound value that not only enhances the league’s essence but also plays a vital role in our collective ambition to redefine the motorsports arena in India”

    Mr. Sujith Kumar, Chairman of the Supercross Racing Commission of the FMSCI, shares his perspective: “The incorporation of the Gujarat Trailblazers introduces a fresh facet to the league’s arena of competition. The unwavering commitment to excellence demonstrated by Mr. Patel, coupled with his remarkable entrepreneurial journey, serves as a profound source of inspiration. We eagerly anticipate observing the trajectory of the Gujarat Trailblazers and Mr. Patel’s substantive contributions to the realm of Supercross racing.”

    ABOUT DHRUMIL PATEL:

    Dhrumil Patel stands as a dynamic entrepreneur and visionary, graduating from BITS Pilani and holding credentials from Purdue University and Harvard. His entrepreneurial journey encompasses a spectrum of industries, including Real Estate, Heavy Engineering, Retail, IT, Hospitality & F&B, and Trade & Commerce. As a Co-founder of MyProp Property Management Services and a Director of Nilamber Group, he’s forged a legacy of innovation. Notably, his role as Co-Owner and Developer of Hyatt Place Vadodara showcases his commitment to world-class hospitality.

    Beyond his ventures, Dhrumil’s support for startups like ‘Fantasy Akhada’ and WFC highlights his role as a venture capitalist and mentor, fostering business excellence and inspiring future leaders.

    ABOUT GAURAV GILL:

    Gaurav Gill stands as a remarkable Indian motorsport icon with an exceptional track record. His history-making moment arrived in 2019 when he became the first-ever motorsport athlete to be honoured with the esteemed Arjuna Award by the President of India. Notably, Gill’s prowess extends to securing an unmatched three Asia Pacific Rally Championship titles, a feat that solidifies his position as an unparalleled force in the sport. Additionally, he etched his name in the annals of history by venturing into the World Rally Championship (WRC) in 2018 as the sole Indian driver in this prestigious league. With over 80 international rallies under his belt, Gill’s legacy reverberates both on the track and in the pages of Indian motorsport history.

    ABOUT THE PROMOTERS:

    Team Supercross India (SXI), the parent company of CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League, is at the helm of a groundbreaking initiative led by former international racers, Veer Patel (a two-time national SX Champion), Eeshan Lokhande and Aashwin Lokhande. Drawing upon their extensive personal experience and unwavering passion for the sport, they have meticulously conceptualized, identified crucial gaps, and delivered a League that is set to redefine Supercross racing on a global scale. With their deep understanding of the sport and relentless pursuit of excellence, they are paving the way for a new era of Supercross that will captivate audiences worldwide.

    ABOUT CEAT INDIAN SUPERCROSS RACING LEAGUE:

    The CEAT Indian Supercross Racing League (CEAT ISRL) is the world’s first franchise-based Supercross league. This groundbreaking initiative is set to revolutionize the way sports are perceived in India. It is here to create a global extravaganza, an awe-inspiring spectacle that will captivate Indian spectators like never before. CEAT ISRL have signed up with athletes around the world to compete in a variety of formats and categories, pushing the limits of their skills and inspiring Indian riders to reach new heights. Prepare to be amazed as our stage performers break records with their charismatic engagement, adding an extra layer of excitement to this premier motorsport event. The league is committed to providing a safe and competitive environment for riders of all ages and skill levels. The league also believes in giving back to the community and partnering with local organizations to promote youth development and environmental sustainability.

  • Gaurav Gill raring to go; Arjun Rao keen to keep the lead; 23 Ammyfied cars

    Gaurav Gill raring to go; Arjun Rao keen to keep the lead; 23 Ammyfied cars

    Coimbatore, 28 July 2023: Arjuna Awardee Gaurav Gill and co-driver Aniruddha Rangnekar are eager to bounce back while championship leader Aroor Arjun Rao and Satish Rajagopal are looking to looking for a decent finish to garner as many points as possible to keep their title fight alive as the third round of the Blueband fmsci Indian National Rally Championship (INRC) for four wheelers begins at the Kethanur Windmill farms here on Saturday.

    A total of 76 cars are in fray for the rally organised by Coimbatore Auto Sports Club, one of the oldest and founder clubs of fmsci, the Indian federatioin. Though this high number is not a National record, it is one of the events with highest number of competitors in fray. Of these, 23 cars are fielded by Ammyfied Rallying which is sponsored by businessman Vamcy Merla through his sports foundation.

    After the ceremonial start at the traditional Jenneys club on Friday evening, the drivers looked confident with the recce under their belt and Philippos Matthai who just managed to log in some important points in the slippery mountains of Itanagar is raring to go all out in the fast stages of Coimbatore in INRC2 class. The Arka Motorsports driver from Delhi in a rally-tuned Polo will have a fight in hand with Kerala drivers and former champions Dr ‘Speed’ Bikku Babu (Milen George) and advocate Fabid Ahmer (Sanath G).

    Jehan Singh Gill and co-driver Suraj Keshav Prasad, dominated with their raw speed last year but became victims to some errors by the tuners. This year Jehan Singh Gill is expected to showcase his talent to be in the frontrunners not only in INRC3, his class, but is capable of beating the higher-spec machines. Arnav Pratap Singh (Arjun SSB), Darious Shroff (Shahid Salman) and Vishak Balachandran (Anil Abbas) will be vying with each other to be on the top in INRC3 which has a huge number of 28 cars.

    The cars to watch out for in the INRC4 class are Abhin Rai and co-driver Uday Kumar, Ruthuparna Vivek and co-driver Athreya Kousgi, and Jagpreeth Singh Nirwan and Karanpreet Singh Mattu, who are leading the championship in that order.

    The Gypsy class, which is a non-championship Cup event, has attracted more numbers thanks to the generosity of Vamcy Merla.

    Both the Junior INRC and Ladies class will also have stiff competition with the season getting into the midway mark.

    The windmill stages are fast and have two physical stages namely the 8.4km SM Agro and 10.4km BBS which will be run thrice each on Saturday. On Sunday, the longer special stages of Black Thunder (18.2km) and Thunder World (14.99km) will be run twice in the same direction.

    The next round of the six-round calendar, K1000, is expected to be near Bengaluru in August.

  • Amittrajit Ghosh takes lead after two Stages; Gill in striking distance: INRC

    Amittrajit Ghosh takes lead after two Stages; Gill in striking distance: INRC

    Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh) June 14, 2023: Double INRC champion Amittrajit Ghosh and co-driver Ashwin Naik of Arka Motorsports took a narrow 7.2-second lead at the end of two stages on Day 1 of the Rally of Arunachal, the second round of the Blueband fmsci Indian National Rally Championship here on Wednesday.

    Overnight rains made the hilly tarmac terrain challenging and the Special Stages started late. Keeping in view the safety aspects and lack of time, the final two Special Stages scheduled for the evening were cancelled. However, the short 4.1km Super Special Stage (SSS) will be held in the night for the benefit of the local spectators.

    After the completion of two special stages, Kolkata’s Amittrajit Ghosh along with Mangaluru’s co-driver Ashwin Naik took the lead with consistent times in both the stages. However, first round winner of the South India Rally,  Aroor Arjun Rao and co-driver Satish Rajagopal, who began with a blistering pace winning the first stage, played safe in the next stage, and were in third place after the finish of two Special Stages.

    Arjuna Awardee and three-time Asia Pacific Winner, Gaurav Gill (Aniruddha Rangnekar) who skipped the first round to take part in APRC Asia Cup qualifier that were held together, overcame initial hiccups and clocked the fastest time in Special Stage 2 and stood overall second after two Special Stages. He lost about 20 seconds to the front runner Arjun, in Chimpu SS1, but is back in the game to mount a challenge as four special stages are slated for tomorrow in Ziro.

    Suhem Kabir and co-driver Jeevarathinam of Ammyfied Rallying were leading the INRC2 class while Sheshank Jamwal (co-driver Aseem Sharma) of Arka Motorsports is in the top spot in INRC3 category. In the INRC4 class, the pair of Abhin Rai and Uday Kumar was heading the field with another Ammyfied Rallying pair topping the Gypsy Challenge after two stages is Samrat Yadav and Arvind Dheerendra.

    Talented Jahan Singh Gill is leading the Junior INRC while International lady driver Anushriya Gulati posted a comfortable lead over Nikeetaa Takkale in the Ladies class.

    Aditya Thakur (centre) and Virender Kashyap, the 2021 INRC overall champions praise the fast and flowing stages of Itanagar before the start of Super Special Stage on Wednesday.

    After the 4.10km Super special Stage tonight, the rally caravan will travel uphill to Ziro mountains on Thursday for four more Special Stages. The Prize Distribution will be held on June 16 at the Ziro resort.

    Provisional Unaudited Results (Day 1): Overall and INRC:

    1. Amittrajit Ghosh/ Ashwin Naik (Arka Motorsports) (18minutes, 59.6seconds); 2. Gaurav Gill/ Aniruddha Ragnekar (Privateer, Delhi/Pune) (19:06.8); 3. Aroor Arjun Rao/ Satish Rajagopal (Mandovi Racing) (19:07.8);

    INRC2:

    1.Suhem Kabir/ Jeevarathinam J (Ammyfied Rallying) (19:38.2); 2. Chetan Shivram/ E Shivaprakash (Snap Racing) (19:56.8); 3. Dr Bikku Babu/ Milen George (Chettinad Sporting) (20:04.2).

    INRC3: 1. Sheshank Jamwal/ Aseem Sharma (Arka Motorsports) (19:43.0); 2. Jason Saldanha/ Thimmanna Uddapanda B (Dark Don Racing) (20:14.400); 3. Jahaan Singh Gill/ Suraj Keshav Prasad (SNAP Racing) (20:14.9).

    INRC4: 1. Abhin Rai/ Uday Kumar (Ammyfied Rallying) (21:28.5); 2. Vivek Ruthuparna/ Sanjay Agarwal (SNAP Racing) (22:20.8); 3. Hage Chada/ Pramod Raman (pvt, Itanagar/Bengaluru) (23:10.2).

    Gypsy Challenge: 1. Samrat Yadav/ Arvind Dheerendra (Ammyfied Rallying) (20:54.2); 2. Amanpreet Ahluwalia/ Amber Udasi (Pvt. Delhi/Chanigarh) (21:34.7); 3. Baljinder Singh Dhillon/ Goutham CP (Pvt. Delhi/Chikmagalur) (22:48.8).

    Junior INRC: 1. Jahaan Singh Gill/ Suraj Keshava Prasad (Snap Racing) (20:14.9); 2. Arvan Pratap Singh/ Arjun SSB (Ammyfied Rallying) (20:30.8); 3. Abhin Rai/ D Uday Kumar (Ammyfied Rallying) (21:28.5).

    Women’s class: 1. Anushriya Gulati/ Arjun Dheerendra (Dark Don Racing) (21:32.5); 2. Nikeetaa Takkale/ Venu Ramesh Kumar (Ammyfied Rallying) (21:48.8); 3. Shivani Parmar/ Dr Vani Parmar (Chettinad Sporting) (22:00.6).