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Tag: Musa Sherif
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Jason-Srinivasa Murthy, Chandan-Musa shine at RAAT Thailand Rally Championship Round 2
Lopburi (Thailand), 26 May 2025: Indian rally driver Jason Saldanha and co-driver PVS Murthy clinched the RC2.1 class victory while Chandan Manchegowda and experienced co-driver Musa Sherif took a podium in RC2.2 class, in the second round of the RAAT Thailand Rally Championship, held in the picturesque Khok Samrong district of Lopburi on Sunday.
This event marked Chandan’s international rally debut, a significant milestone in his burgeoning motorsport career.
Piloting a Suzuki Swift Sport for Team Insight & Ally, the duo showcased exceptional skill and coordination, clocking a total time of 1 hour, 7 minutes, and 58 seconds. Their performance not only secured them the top spot in their Super 2500/1500 Turbo RC2.1 class but also earned them an impressive second place overall, finishing only behind the RC1 class winners, Mana Pornsiricherd and Kittisak Klinchan of the Fast Forward Sport team, who drove a powerful factory-developed Toyota CHR.
In another notable performance, the Indian duo of Chandan Manchegowda of Bengaluru and veteran co-driver Musa Sherif from Kasargod, representing Gen-R Rally Sport, secured third place in the RC2.2 (Super 2000) class, completing the rally in 1 hour, 26 minutes, and 20 seconds, and finishing 14th overall.
This victory adds to Saldanha’s growing list of achievements in the international rally scene. Earlier this year, he, alongside co-driver Thimmu Uddapanda, won the first round of the RAAT Thailand Rally Championship in Nakhon Ratchasima, marking their second consecutive victory in the series. The duo also made history in April 2023 by becoming the first Indians to win a title in their class in the Thailand Rally Nationals.
Back on home soil, Saldanha has demonstrated consistent performance in the Indian National Rally Championship (INRC). Notably, he secured a second-place overall finish and clinched first place in the INRC 2 class at the Blueband K1000 Rally in December 2024. His commendable performances at the Blueband Rally of Hyderabad and the Robusta Rally further underscore his prowess and dedication to the sport.
Musa Sherif, a stalwart in Indian rallying, boasts over three decades of experience, with more than 300 rallies under his belt, including 69 international events. A eight-time INRC champion, Sherif has been instrumental in mentoring emerging talents like Chandan, guiding them through the rigors of international competition.
With these commendable performances, Indian rally teams continue to make their mark on the international stage, showcasing skill, determination, and the spirit of competition. The next round of the RAAT Thailand Rally Championship is scheduled to take place in Sa Kaeo, Thesaban Mueang, from July 18 to 20.
Provisional Results (Round 2):
Overall 2WD winner: 1. Jason Deepak Saldanha – P.V. Srinivas Murthy;
RC2.1 (Super 2500/1500 Turbo): 1. Jason Deepak Saldanha – P.V. Srinivas Murthy (Team Insight & Ally – Suzuki Swift Sport) 1hr,07min, 58sec; 2. Natthapon Angrittanont – Ittipon Simaraks (Toyota Gazoo Racing Thailand – Toyota Yaris Cross) 1:20.17;
RC2.2 (Super 2000): 1. Surarat Prapussorn – Thadakorn Prapussorn (Gen-R Rally Sport – Toyota Yaris) 1:13.34; 2. Visarut Lorkham – Yuttachai Poomploy (Suzuki Ciaz) 1:20.47; 3. Chandan Manchegowda – Musa Sherif (Gen-R Rally Sport – Toyota Yaris) 1:26.20; 14th place overall;
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Karna Kadur, Musa Sherif clinch APRC Round 1, along with INRC for a grand double
Chennai, 27 April 2025: After a lapse of three years, Bengaluru’s reigning National champion Karna Kadur of Arka Motorsports won a round of the FIA-Asia Pacific Rally Championship 2025 at the Madras International Circuit, here on Sunday.
It was a near-flawless drive in the Volkswagen Polo by the 36-year-old Kadur who was greatly aided by his experienced co-driver Musa Sherif from Kasargod as the duo combined beautifully to also clinch the crown in the first round of the Blueband Fmsci Indian National Championship 2025.
Finishing second in APRC was Kadur’s team-mate and England-based former National champion Amittrajit Ghosh (co-driver Ashwin Naik, Mangaluru) while Delhi’s Harkrishan Wadia (co-driver Harish KN, Bengaluru) completed the APRC podium after Philippos Matthai (Harish KN), who was running third, retired with a mechanical problem about five Kms from the finish of the day’s last Special Stage.
Wadia, who drove brilliantly today, made a lot of ground to make up a two-minute penalty he had received yesterday for an early check-in at the Start Time Control to win the Junior APRC (28 years and younger) class ahead of overnight leader Arnav Pratap Singh (Rohit N) and Abhin Rai (Moideen Jasheer KM).
Kadur attributed his success to a judicial blend of caution and aggression. “After a long time, we had a trouble-free run. The car was great and just about everything fell into place. We had carefully planned our strategy, and it was executed flawlessly. We could have gone faster, but in view of the rising temperature, we had to exercise some caution. A few competitors suffered as they did not back off and having seen this, I kept something in reserve in case I needed to push hard. Anyway, it’s a good start to the season. Also, my co-driver Musa’s calls were spot-on, and it greatly helped,” he said.
Ghosh had to overcome a misbehaving VW Polo which was put together about three days before the event after his Mahindra XUV 300 packed up during testing. “We had issues with the car throughout the weekend. Today, we lost the clutch, and it slowed us down. But considering everything, including having only a few days to prepare this VW Polo, we did pretty well.”
Wadia could hardly believe his luck in finishing third in APRC and topping the INRC2 category. “The two-minute penalty I copped yesterday for early check-in at the start, hurt me a lot. Though I was on pace through the two days, two minutes kept getting added to my time. However, I guess, I got lucky in the end with Philippos retiring while I made 50-plus seconds on my rivals today.”
Another notable performance came from Bengaluru-based Tarushi Vikram (Vybhav Mukund Rao) who took the honours in the Women INRC class, displaying good pace and control.
Out of the 49 cars that started the rally, 13 cars failed to finish.
Provisional Final classification:
FIA-APRC (Asia Cup): 1. Kadur / Musa Sherif (Arka Motorsports) (02 hours, 03 mins, 44.0 secs); 2. Amittrajit Ghosh / Ashwin Naik (Arka Motorsports) (02:04:35.8); 3. Harkrishan Wadia / Kunal Kashyap (Arka Motorsports) (02:07:38.5) (including 2min penalty).
Junior APRC: 1. Harkrishan Wadia / Kunal Kashyap (Arka Motorsports) (02:07.38.5); 2. Arnav Pratap Singh / Rohit N (SNAP Racing) (02:09:25.9); 3. Abhin Rai/ Moideen Jasheer KM (Pvt.) (02:10:16.9).
INRC Overall: 1. Kadur / Sherif; 2. Ghosh / Naik; 3. Fabid Ahmer / Milen George (Chettinad Sporting) (02:06:09.5).
INRC1: 1. Kadur / Sherif; 2. Ghosh / Naik; 3. Suhem Kabeer / Vinay Padmashali (Pvt.) (02:12:15.2).
INRC2: 1. Fabid Ahmer / Milen George (Chettinad Sporting) (02:06:09.5); 2. Pragathi Gowda/ Chandramouli M (Pvt.) (02:07:23.5); 3. Wadia / Kashyap;.
INRC3: 1. Arnav Pratap Singh / Rohit N (SNAP Racing) (02:09:25.9); 2. Vishak B / Chiranth Jain (Chettinad Sporting) (02:09:27.4); 3. Abhin Rai / Moideen Jasheer KM (Pvt.) (02:10:16.9).
INRC 3T (Turbo): 1. Ramcharan C / Vignesh Mahalingam (Falkon Motorsports) (03:15.3); 2. Naveen Puligilla / Santosh Ritchy Thomas (Pvt.) (02:28:34.9); 3. Jeet Jhabhak / Sekar V (Pvt.) (02:59:09.9).
Women INRC: 1. Tarushi Vikram / Vybhav Mukund Rao (Chettinad Sporting) (02:17:07.0); 2. Phoebe Nongrum Dale / Nash Ross (Pvt.) (02:20:17.9); 3. Anushriya Gulati / Karan Aukta (Arka Motorsports) (02: 48:58.8).
Junior INRC: 1. Abhin Rai / Moideen Jasheer (Pvt.) (02:10:16.9); 2. Ajay Shankar / Venu Ramesh Kumar (Falkon Motorsports) (02:11:47.0); 3. RB Kharbirymbai/ Dhanush CP (Snap Racing) (02:14:26.1).
Fmsci Gypsy Challenge: 1. Sanjay Agarwal / Dheeraj Manae (Pvt.) (02:22:23.0); 2. Kariappa Mekerira / Supreeth Sagar (Pvt.) (02:24:49.7); 3. Pankaj Dutt / Jibran Ahmed (Pvt.) (02:33:15.9).
Fmsci Classic Challenge: 1. Pramod Raman / Dheeraj KV (Pvt.) (02:21:01.0); 2. Siddhartha Santhosh / Sawan Satyanarayan (Pvt.) (02:22:13.6); 3. Satish P / Dr. Dinesh S (Pvt) (02:31:54.8).
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Naveen Pulligilla and Musa Sherif make history as the first “all-Indian pair” to drive WRC
Nairobi, 27 March 2025: Hyderabad’s Naveen Pulligilla and co-driver Musa Sherif of Kasargod, created Indian motorsports history, as they became the first “all-Indian team” to participate in the World Rally Championship (WRC). The duo competed in the iconic Safari Rally Kenya 2025 from March 20 to 23 and won the RC3 Kenyan National Rally Championship.
Naveen and Musa, driving a Ford Fiesta Rally3 machine for the Africa Eco Motorsport team, were leading the WRC3 class with just two stages to go and were on the verge of a fairytale debut. But their luck failed as they encountered mechanical issues with the lower arm and were forced to pull out. Thankfully, by that stage, they had already clinched the RC3 class Kenyan Rally Championship title, which ran concurrently and concluded after 19 stages.
“Competing in the Safari Rally Kenya was an incredible experience. The terrain isn’t just challenging, it’s a shock for any first-timer, with boulder-strewn routes and unpredictable conditions. Despite that, we managed to maintain pace and stay within three minutes of the top WRC cars. The rally, the breathtaking countryside, and the wildlife made it unforgettable. I’m coming back in 2026,” said Naveen, who is planning to take part in two more WRC rounds in Saudi Arabia and Sardinia. “Competing in Kenya was a test of endurance, skill, and determination. The terrain was brutal, but we pushed through to make history as the first all-Indian team in WRC,” concluded Musa Sherif.
Naveen Pulligilla: A Rising Star in Indian Motorsport
Hailing from Hyderabad, Naveen Pulligilla is an accomplished off-road driver with a growing reputation in the rallying community. His international experience includes participation in the Asia Pacific Rally Championship in New Zealand in 2024. Known for his precise and aggressive driving style, Naveen has been an active competitor in the Indian National Rally Championship, consistently showcasing his skill and determination on challenging terrains.
Musa Sherif: India’s Most Decorated Co-Driver
Musa Sherif, from Kasaragod, Kerala, brings over 33 years of rallying experience to the partnership. As India’s most decorated co-driver, he has participated in more than 332 rallies, including 92 international events, and has secured 10 national championship titles. Musa’s journey in motorsports began in 1993, and since then, he has become a stalwart in the field, known for his meticulous navigation skills and strategic acumen.
The Safari Rally Kenya 2025: A Formidable Challenge
The Safari Rally Kenya is renowned for its demanding terrain, unpredictable weather, and breathtaking landscapes. The Indian duo completed 19 of the featured 21 challenging stages, which are the course par for the Kenyan Rally. The competitive distance was 383.10 km within a total rally distance of 1,381.92 km. Stages such as Camp Moran, Loldia, and Hell’s Gate are particularly noted for their technical complexity and natural beauty. For WRC, the distance was extended by two more Special Stages.
Preparation and Performance
In preparation for this formidable event, Naveen and Musa underwent pre-rally testing in Indonesia with technical assistance from MRU Motorsport, Malaysia. They also conducted additional testing and reconnaissance runs in Kenya to familiarize themselves with the challenging terrain. Their goal was to finish strong and gain valuable experience on the world stage.
Historical Context and Future Aspirations
Earlier, Indian rally drivers like Gaurav Gill and Naren Kumar took part in the World Rally Championship but had co-drivers from abroad, making the Safari Kenyan Rally the first WRC event which saw an all-Indian pair.
The Safari Rally Kenya is renowned for its demanding terrain, unpredictable weather, and breathtaking landscapes. The first Indian duo completed 19 of the 21 challenging stages, which had 383.10 km of competitive sections in a total rally distance of 1,381.92 km.
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Naveen Pulligilla, Musa Sherif set for historic WRC Safari Rally Kenya 2025 debut
Nairobi (Kenya), 19 March 2025: Indian motorsport marks a significant milestone as Naveen Pulligilla and Musa Sherif are set to become the first all-Indian team in WRC as they compete in the iconic Safari Rally Kenya 2025, a round of the World Rally Championship (WRC), from March 20 to 23.
Competing for Africa Eco Motorsport team, the duo will take part in the WRC3 ARC3 class (African Rally Championship) in one of the most-gruelling events in the WRC calendar. Based in Naivasha, Kenya, the rally will feature 21 challenging stages spanning a competitive distance of 383.10 km, with a total rally distance of 1381.92 km, testing endurance and skill.
“The Safari Rally is one of the toughest challenges in motorsport, but we are prepared for the grind. Our goal is to finish strong and gain valuable experience,” said co-driver Musa Sherif.
“This is a dream come true. Competing in the WRC Safari Rally is a huge honour, and we are ready to showcase what Indian rallying is capable of,” added driver Naveen Pulligilla, who recently completed pre-rally testing in Indonesia in a Rally3 car, with technical assistance from MRU Motorsport, Malaysia.
Pulligilla, an accomplished off-road driver from Hyderabad, competed in the Asia Pacific Rally Championship in New Zealand last year. His co-driver, Musa Sherif from Kasargod, is India’s most decorated co-driver with over 33 years of experience, ten national championship titles, and participation in 331 rallies, including 91 international events. Both actively compete in the Indian National Rally Championship. Naveen’s precise and aggressive driving style, combined with Musa’s seasoned navigation and strategy, sets the stage for a landmark Indian presence in WRC.
The 2025 Safari Rally Kenya, the third round of the WRC season, is renowned for its demanding terrain, unpredictable weather, and breathtaking landscapes. The rally will include stages such as Camp Moran, Loldia, and Hell’s Gate, known for their technical complexity and natural beauty.
This historic participation marks a proud moment for Indian motorsport. “Hope it paves the way for greater recognition of Indian rallying talent, and hopefully inspires more Indians to race abroad,’’ concluded Naveen and Musa.
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Karna-Musa finish 2nd in Thailand Rally Championship; Anushriya wins Ladies title
Bangkok, 9 February 2025: Reigning Indian National Rally champions, Karna Kadur and Musa Sherif added one more feather in their decorated cap, finished second in the Thailand Rally Championship which concluded its final round here on Sunday.
The top Indian duo was invited to drive for the Toyota TCD Asia team formerly known as TRD in their second car – as Driver / Co-driver pair in a Toyota CHR 4WD.
Thailand Rally championship attracts a little over 58 entries and is a 4-round championship bringing drivers from neighbouring countries like Indonesia , Malaysia , Singapore, Vietnam, China , Japan , India and Thai drivers.
Competing against fellow teammate in a Toyota CHR there were other teams and privateers alike running 4wd cars like the Mitsubishi EVO 9 , EVO 7, Subaru Impressa among other custom Honda Civic and Suzuki Swift Sport built from Europe vying for top honours.
Karna and Musa had consistent podium finishes and won the runners up title despite missing a round of the Thai Championship as it coincided with their Indian Rally Championship Round 3. In their first international outing together as a pair, they have managed to win the Indian National Rally Championship (INRC 2024) as well as finish a second in the Thailand Rally Championship.
Anushriya Gulati wins Ladies title at Thiland
Anushriya Gulati, along with co-driver Karan Aukta won the Ladies class and was presented the title by the King of Thailand. She won all the four rounds of the RAAT Rally of Thailand to bag the Ladies title comfortably.
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Karna Kadur-Musa Sherif duo clinches Rally of Maharashtra in style: INRC Round 2
Nashik, 2 June 2024: Bengaluru’s Karna Kadur, a two-time Overall National champion, along with experienced co-driver Musa Sherif, switched up gears and annexed the Rally of Maharashtra in style, as the second round of the Blueband Sports fmsci Indian National Rally Championship for four-wheelers successfully concluded here on Sunday.
With seven-time National co-driver champion Musa Sherif calling the pace notes, Karna Kadur, trailing in third place by a good two minutes on Saturday, focussed on consistency and gained advantage with skilful driving to win the Overall honours on Sunday. Overnight leaderd, Fabid Ahmer and co-driver Milen George of Chettinad Sporting, lost over five minutes in Special Stage 9 which pushed them down to overall 8th place in the final standings.
Karna Kadur, left, and Musa Sherif of Arka Motorsports, after winning the Rally of Maharashtra in Nashik on Sunday. INDIAinF1 photo by arrangement Kolkata-Mangaluru pair of Amittrajit Ghosh and Ashwin Naik, a former two-time National champions, also managed to secure a well-deserved second place ahead of young guns Arnav Pratap Singh and Rohit N. Apart from a noteworthy Overall third, the New Delhi-Bengaluru duo from SNAP Racing topped their Class, INRC3.
Kerala’s Fabid Ahmer and George Milen of Chettinad Sporting won the INRC2 class while talented lady driver Pragathi Gowda came second. Pragathi roped in co-driver Sujith Kumar BS, a veteran multiple National champion and sports administrator, who sat for stand-alone rally. Pragathi’s regular navigator, Trisha Alonkar, is recovering after a surgery. Privateers Shaik Hussain Pasha and co-driver Roshan Claver Crasta won the Classic class while Arnav Pratap Singh also bagged the Junior INRC. Nikeeta Takkale of Pune and co-driver Shivani Parmar of Mumbai won the Ladies class while Baljinder Singh Dhillon and Goutham CP clinched the Gypsy Challenge.
The four stages today were completed by 11 O’clock and provided enough challenges for the drivers on the tarmac roads which were broken and narrow at many places. Of the 53 cars, 13 logged DNF.
From left: Premnath K Promoter presenting trophy to Karna Kadur while Ashwin Pandit, right, CoC and founder of WISA presenting trophy to Musa Sherif, co-driver. Provisional Unaudited Overall classification (final)
1. #3 Karna Kadur/ Musa Sherif (Arka Motorsports) 01hours, 47 minutes; 52.9seconds;
2. #11 Amittrajit Ghosh/ Ashwin Naik (AART) 01:49:08.0;
3. #43 Arnav Pratap Singh/ Rohit N (SNAP Racing) 01:49:29.2;
4. #5 Jeet Jabhakh/ V Sekar (Chettinad Sporting) 01:49:45.5;
5. #17 Daraius Shroff /Arjun Dheerendra (Chettinad Sporting) 01:49:53.6;
6. #21 Dean Mascarenhas/ Gagan Karubaiah (DB Motorsport) 01:50:08.7;
7. #40 Abhin Rai/ Moideen Jasher (IDR) 01:50:14.9;
8. #29 Fabid Ahmer/ George Milen (Chettinad Sporting) 01:51:10.7;
9. #49 Nikhil J/ Arvind Dheerendra (Pvt.) 01:54:23.5;
10. #23 Pragathi Gowda/ Sujith BS (Chettinad Sporting) 1:59:32.1;
INRC 2
1. #29 Fabid Ahmer/ George Milen (Chettinad Sporting) 01:51:10.7;
2. #23 Pragathi Gowda /Sujith Kumar BS (Chettinad Sporting) 01:59:32.1;
3. #16 Yashas M Nayaka/ Sudhindra BG (Pvt.) 01:59:40.5;
Pragathi Gowda and co-driver Sujith Kumar in action at Nashik. Photo courtesy Sujith FB INRC3
Arnav Pratap Singh and co-driver Rohit N, who won INRC3 in action. Photo by Srinivasa Krishnan 1. #43 Arnav Pratap Singh/ Rohit N (SNAP Racing) 01:49:29.2;
2. #5 Jeet Jabhakh/ V Sekar (Chettinad Sporting) 01:49:45.5;
3. #17 Daraius Shroff /Arjun Dheerendra (Chettinad Sporting) 01:49:53.6;
Gypsy Challenge
1 #45 Baljinder Singh Dhillon/ Goutham CP (Pvt.) 01:58:12.3;
2. #52 Dr Akarsh Sundar/ Ravi Kumar (A & A Motorsports) 01:59:07.7;
3. #37 Sachin Singh/ Prakash M(Pvt.) 02:04:25.5;
Classic
1. #55 Shaik Hussain Pasha/ Roshan Claver Crasta (Pvt.) 02:27:50.9;
2. #45 Aneeshnath S/ Amitha Aneesh (A&A Motorsports) 02:42:22.5;
Junior INRC
1. #43 Arnav Pratap Singh/ Rohit N (SNAP Racing) 01:49:29.2;
2. #40 Abhin Rai/ Moideen Jasher (IDR) 01:50:14.9;
3. #42 Nikeeta Takkale/ Shivani Parmar (Pvt.) 02:00.17.5;
Ladies Class
1. #42 Nikeeta Takkale/ Shivani Parmar (Pvt.) 02:00.07.5;
2. #34 Phoebe Nongrum/ Rahul Sancheti (SNAP Racing) 02:05:24.4;
3. #14 Harshitha Gowda/ M Srivatsa (A & A Motorsports) 02:19:26.7;
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Indian duo of Saneem Payyaakkal and Musa Sherif win MERC4 category
LUSAIL (Qatar), 3 Feb 2024: Indian rally drivers Saneem Payyaakkal and co-driver Musa Sherif won the Rally4 category in the Middle East Rally Championship which concluded here today. Another Indian pair of Fabid Ahmer and co-driver Milen George Cherian, did well and were leading in the second place, when disaster struck as their car stopped and could not start the Super Special Stage. The resulting 10-min penalty for a re-start cost them heavily and they ended up finishing overall 12th. Saneem and Musa, were overall 14th but won their class which had only one vehicle.
In the main class, Pierre-Louis Loubet and Loris Pascaud delivered a masterclass performance on their desert debut and overcame late damper issues and a couple of time penalties for contact with stage surround fencing to secure a memorable victory at the Qatar International Rally on Saturday.
Norway’s Mads Ostberg and his Swedish co-driver Patrik Barth delivered a late charge over the afternoon loop of three short stages but missed out on the win by just 4.6 seconds.
Loubet became only the second non-Arab driver since Björn Waldegård in 1986 (Vojtĕch Štajf – 2018) to win the event outright. Sports Racing Technologies (SRT) duly earned a 1-2 finish with their Škoda Fabia RS Rally2s.
Loubet said: “We can be very pleased with what we have done. It has been a great time, a great rally and I really enjoyed it. Thanks to everybody. We had a damper issue and we are happy to be at the end. It has been tough and very demanding.”
Østberg won nine of the 13 special stages. He added: “We had to do the afternoon with a completely different setting of the car. It was really hard. Pierre (Loubet) had a problem as well. It was dramatic for both of us. We had a good afternoon and we pushed as much as we could. It was another very enjoyable weekend.”
Abdullah Al-Rawahi and his Jordanian co-driver Ata Al-Hmoud proved that winning last year’s regional title was no fluke and they climbed from fifth to the bottom step of the podium in an Autotek-run Škoda, the Omani picking up valuable MERC points into the bargain.
Al-Rawahi said: “This result is good for the championship and good points. Today was fantastic. We did some small mistakes yesterday but we managed to get back from fifth to third. We pushed hard. It is a good result. The team worked really hard to give me a better car today and it worked.”
The result meant that no Qatari crew featured on the podium on their home event for the first time since the mid-1990s.
QMMF-backed Qatari Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari and Irish co-driver James Fulton slipped back from third to finish fourth in their Sarrazin-supplied Volkswagen Polo GTi. Former event winner Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya and Lebanon’s Ziad Chehab were a distant fifth in their Motortune Ford Fiesta MkII.
An overnight 30-minute time penalty obliterated Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah’s chance of winning his home event for an 18th time but the Qatari and his co-driver Giovanni Bernacchini pushed hard to climb through the tail end of the field. Nasser made it as far as ninth overall but the finish in Lusail Boulevard was a bridge too far and the winner of three stages broke a damper and retired on the last stage to cap a miserable weekend.
Al-Attiyah said: “I was really disappointed with the decision (time penalty). It was completely wrong. We couldn’t really stop in the middle of the highway otherwise someone could hit you. We decided to move. I am really disappointed. It is not a professional way. We tried to make some good points. I did my best to jump at least two or three positions and to have a good time.”
The Jordanian crew of Shaker Jweihan and Mustafa Juma completely dominated the MERC2 category in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X. They finished sixth overall and 9min 04.5sec ahead of their nearest production class rivals, Shadi Shaban and Samer Issa.
Husam Salim and Nancy Al-Majali came home in eighth and third in MERC2 and Qatar’s Rashid Al-Muhannadi teamed up with Omani Taya Al-Zadjali to finish ninth. The Jordanian duo of Ihab Al-Shorafa and Yousef Juma rounded off the top 10.
After Khalid Al-Muhannadi withdrew with broken front suspension on his Polaris and Stefano Marrini (Can-Am) stopped for a time in SS12, Filippo Epis (Yamaha) pressed on to snatch victory in the T4 category from his Italian rival. He finished 11th overall.
Emirati-based Indian Saneem Payyaakkal and his co-driver Musa Sherif have registered for the MERC and are competing in the new MERC4 category for two-wheel drive machines in their Ford Fiesta Rally4. They finished 14th, one place ahead of the QMMF-backed Khalid Al-Suwaidi and Ross Whittock, who had retired with electrical issues early on Friday and were too far back to mount a serious challenge on Saturday.
Saturday – as it happened
Loubet headed into the opening stage to the northwest of Al-Khor with a 22.7-second lead over Østberg after Al-Attiyah had incurred his 30-minute time penalty and plummeted down to 18th and out of contention on Friday evening. Al-Kuwari was 39.6 seconds adrift in third.
Al-Attiyah was permitted to start the first stage from sixth on the road as he aimed to amass as many MERC points as he could. The only non-starters were Kuwait’s Jassim Al-Muqahwi, who had succumbed to differential woes on Friday, and Oman’s Zakariya Al-Aamri, who failed to leave the service park. Lebanon’s Ahmad Khaled stopped on the road section to the opening stage.
Loubet laid down the gauntlet with a time of 8min 50.5sec but Østberg was in no mood to take any prisoners and the Norwegian shaved 2.8 seconds off the Frenchman’s overall advantage. Al-Rawahi managed to beat Al-Kuwari by 10 seconds and reduced the Qatari’s grip on third to 21.4 seconds. With the sole aim of driving as fast as possible to make up as much ground as he could, Al-Attiyah won the stage by 1.6 seconds.
Loubet was then penalised a further five seconds by rally officials for brushing the stage fencing and his lead was down to 14.9 seconds. T4 runner Khalid Al-Muhannadi stopped his Polaris in the stage with broken front-right suspension.
A blast through the 15.93km of the Ras Laffan stage was next on the agenda. Loubet responded with his first stage win of the campaign and beat Østberg by 9.9 seconds to extend his advantage to 24.8 seconds, although the Norwegian had sustained a broken damper. Al-Rawahi continued to eat into Al-Kuwari’s hold on third place and the Omani whittled that lead down to 13.5 seconds. Al-Attiyah was second fastest.
Al-Thakhira (13.48km) was the last stage of a rapid-fire morning loop. Loubet stayed clear of trouble to lead the event after the morning’s loop. Østberg took a wrong route from the stage finish but it mattered not because the rear damper issues had cost him even more time and he trailed Loubet by 41 seconds before the Frenchman was penalised 10 seconds for another brush with the fencing. Al-Rawahi continued to eat into Al-Kuwari’s hold on third place and Al-Attiyah was fastest again. Issa Abu Jamous stopped in the stage, as Jweihan romped clear of Shaban in MERC2.
Loubet said: “It was a good morning for us. We can be pleased with what we have done. Let’s hope it can continue. Now we need to be clever and do the same.”
Østberg added: “We have a broken rear damper quite early on the second stage. We had to drive slowly. This was a shame because we had a good rhythm today. We feel that something happened on the rear damper and we checked it and it’s broken. With these short stages and also a bit of lack of confidence with the car, we know the stages quiet well. We did them last year. I was a bit surprised that we damaged the car. This time it’s on the wrong side for us. We have to fix the car and never give up. We came back from two minutes yesterday so everything is possible. We have to try again and cross fingers…”
The afternoon loop began with a re-run of Al-Khor. Østberg had three short stages to try and squeeze 31 seconds out of Loubet and gain a first win in Qatar at his third attempt. Loubet was 2.3 seconds quicker than his morning’s run but he dropped 9.7 seconds to his determined rival, who benefitted from a replaced rear damper and reduced the lead to 21.3 seconds.
Al-Rawahi delivered a stunning time that eclipsed the one set by Loubet and it was enough for last year’s joint regional champion to displace Al-Kuwari and move into third place. Al-Attiyah was fourth quickest. T4 leader Marrini stopped his Can-Am for a short time in the stage and lost the lead to rival Epis.
The Ras Laffan stage was where Østberg had broken a rear damper in the morning but the Norwegian needed to push as hard as ever on the second pass. Loubet was 1.5 seconds slower than his morning’s pass that had won the stage and he haemorrhaged another eight seconds to stage winner Østberg. He headed to the final Al-Thakhira stage with a lead of 13.3 seconds. Al-Rawahi strengthened his grip on third place.
Could Loubet hang on to seal a memorable win? He clocked a time of 7min 04.9sec and it was sufficient to fend off a charging Østberg, who was only able to beat the Frenchman by 8.7 and missed out on the win by just 4.6 seconds. Al-Rawahi and Al-Kuwari held on to seal third and fourth but Al-Attiyah’s charge through the field ended prematurely with a broken damper on his Volkswagen.
2024 Qatar International Rally – positions after SS13 (unofficial @16.10hrs):
1. Pierre-Louis Loubet (FRA)/Loris Pascaud (FRA) Škoda Fabia RS 1hr 46min 37.9sec
2. Mads Østberg (NOR)/Patrik Barth (SWE) Škoda Fabia RS 1hr 46min 42.5sec
3. Abdullah Al-Rawahi (OMN)/Ata Al-Hmoud (JOR) Škoda Fabia Evo 1hr 48min 18.5sec
4. Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari (QAT)/James Fulton (IRL) Volkswagen Polo GTI 1hr 48min 50.2sec
5. Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya (QAT)/Ziad Chehab (LEB) Ford Fiesta Mk II 2hr 01min 12.4sec
6. Shaker Jweihan (JOR)/Mustafa Juma (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 2hr 06min 56.0sec
7. Shadi Shaban (JOR)/Samer Issa (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX 2hr 16min 00.5sec
8. Husam Salim (JOR)/Nancy Al-Majali (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 2hr 16min 11.6sec
9. Rashid Al-Muhannadi (QAT)/Taha Al-Zadjali (OMN) Subaru WRX-STI 2hr 20min 59.0sec
10. Ihab Al-Shurafa (JOR)/Yousef Juma (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX 2hr 22min 32.9sec
11. Filippo Epis (ITA)/Gabriele Zanni (ITA) Yamaha YXZ 1000R (T4) 2hr 22min 36.0sec*
12. Fabid Ahmer (IND)/Milen George Cherian (IND) Subaru WRX-STI 2hr 25min 09.5sec
13. Stefano Marrini (ITA)/Stefano Tiraboschi (ITA) Can-Am Maverick X3 (T4) 2hr 25min 54.2sec*
14. Saneem Payyaakkal (ARE)/Musa Sherif (IND) Ford Fiesta Rally 4 2hr 33min 41.0sec
15. Khalid Al-Suwaidi (QAT)/Ross Whittock (GBR) Volkswagen Polo GTI 2hr 36min 59.4sec
16. Mohammed Al-Atteya (QAT)/Savvas Laos (CYP) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 2hr 48min 01.4sec*
* denotes driver NOT registered for the MERC
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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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Gaurav Gill wins 7th K1000 title; 300th rally cap for Musa Sherif
Bengaluru, 13 March 2022: A damaged windscreen, electrical and turbo issues besides brake failure did not stop Gaurav Gill and co-driver Musa Sherif from winning the 45th Karnataka-1000 Rally, the second round of the FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship 2021 with MRF Tyres as the Associate Sponsor, on Sunday near the town of Gubbi, about 100 Kms from Bengaluru.
Delhi-based Gill, the seven-times National champion and thrice winner of the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally titles, exercised all his experience and driving skills to bring the Mahindra XUV 300 back to the Parc Ferme, something he couldn’t in the first round at Coimbatore last month. In the process, the Arjuna Award winner successfully countered a strong challenge from Younus Ilyas (Anirudha Ranganekar) of Race Concepts who finished Overall second, about 15 seconds behind, while Fabid Ahmer (Sanath G) was placed third.
It was Gill’s seventh K-1000 title while for Sherif, from Kasargod, it was a memorable victory that marked his 300th Rally milestone.
Ahmer topped in the INRC-2 category while the Himachal combination of Aditya Thakur and co-driver Virender Kashyap, Overall winners in Coimbatore, last month, took the honours in the INRC-3 category, and Mumbai’s daughter-mother pairing of Shivani and Vani Parmar won in the INRC-4 class. The Junior INRC category had just two finishers with Coimbatore’s Raghuram Saminathan (Bharath SM, Bengaluru) winning ahead of Shivani Pruthvi from Davangere (Ruthvik Praveen, Tiptur).
“Undoubtedly, today’s win is very satisfying considering the difficult weekend we had and the non-finish in the Coimbatore round. We had electrical problems, a damaged windscreen when the bonnet flew open in the very first Stage. So, we lost a bit of time as we had to stop and lock the bonnet. Then, in the last Stage, I had to negotiate the last six-seven Kms without brakes which again cost us time. But in the end, I am happy we finished the Rally and won,” said Gill.
Chandigarh’s Samrat Yadav (M Chandrashekar, Bengaluru) emerged champion in the non-championship FMSCI Gypsy Challenge category.
Of the 53 entrants, 31 completed the two-day Rally. The final day’s proceedings were delayed due to interruptions of SS-8 following mishaps.
Classification (Provisional):
Overall / INRC: 1. Gaurav Gill (Delhi) / Musa Sherif (Kasargod) (01hr, 38mins, 37.800secs); 2. Younus Ilyas (Kollam) / Anirudha Ranganekar (Pune) (Race Concepts) (01:038:53.200); 3. Fabid Ahmer / Sanath G (both Palakkad) (01:43:50:900).
INRC-2: 1. Fabid Ahmer / Sanath G (both Palakkad) (01:43:50:900); 2. Sahil Khanna (Gurugram) / Harish KN (Bengaluru) (01:46:21.600); 3. Lakshay Veer Dabas (Delhi) / Arjun Dheerendra (Bengaluru) (01:51:33.100).
INRC-3: 1. Aditya Thakur / Virender Kashyap (both Himachal) (Chettinad Sporting) (01:46:29.700); 2. Kuber Sharma / Karan Aukta (both Himachal) (01:47:21.200); 3. Sanampreet Sekhon (Chandigarh) / Suhan Kabeer (Kodagu) (01:48:05.300).
INRC-4: 1. Shivani Parmar / Vani Parmar (both Mumbai) (02:14:56.700); Deepak Chandra / CG Raghuram (both Bengaluru, SNAP Racing) (02:16:01.500); 3. Prakhyat Shirole /Arjun SSB (both Bengaluru, Ammyfield Rallying) (02:17:19.000).
Junior INRC (2 finishers): 1. Raghuram Saminathan (Coimbatore) / Bharath SM (Bengaluru) (02:02:07.300); 2. Shivani Pruthvi (Davangere) / Ruthvik Praveen (Tiptur) (02:14:23.800).
FMSCI Gypsy Challenge: 1. Samrat Yadav (Chandigarh) / M Chandrashekar (Bengaluru) (01:49:49.000); 2. Rupender Sheoran (Gurugram) / Mohit Malik (Faridabad) (01:57:01.300); 3. Venkatapathy Mettuchetty / Santosh Kumar Selvaraj (both Coimbatore) (01:59:41.500).
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Musa Sherif-Mansoor Parol, 2nd in Al Thaid Rally Ro5
Al Thaid (UAE), 10 Dec 2021: Ace Indiannavigator who is inching towards his 30th consecutive year in rallying has teamed up with Mansoor Parol as Team Minti Motorsport and won the Overall second position in Round 5 of the 3rd Al Thaid Rally held here recently.
Organised by Emirates Motorsports Club, the Indian duo driving the Mitsubishi Evo 10 car excelled in their class but had to be content with a second place. Thus, Musa Sherif, who bagged Overall third in the co-driver class, also bagged the FWD class championship for the fourth time with Saneem Sani. Earlier, he got the honours in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021, with 2020 being hit by the pandemic.
Currently in Visakhapatnam for Rally de Vizag, the first round of the Indian National Rally Championship, the experienced navigator increased his kitty to 22 championship wins. The Kasargod rallyist will be entering his 30th year in 2022 and the Vizag leg happens to be his 299th rally, if held. Then it would be a grand homecoming for the K1000, where he is expected to complete 300 rallies, becoming the only navigator in Asia to complete a triple ton.
Musa Sherif, who calls the pace notes for Gaurav Gill in Indian circuit, had made his debut way back in 1993 in the Karavali Mandovi rally and the then Mangalore, and got hooked to the sport, taking home many laurels in the last 30 years.
