INDIA in F1

Tag: W2RC

  • Harith Noah all set to make a return at the South African Safari Rally

    Harith Noah all set to make a return at the South African Safari Rally

    Sun City, South Africa,  17 May 2025: Dakar star and celebrated motorsports rider Harith Noah is set to take part in the third round of the FIM World Rally Raid Championship (W2RC) 2025, the inaugural South African Safari Rally, here from May 18 to 24. This is his first competitive return to rally raid events after an injury-led exit at the Dakar Rally, earlier this January. Noah registered for the Rally Raid World Championship for the first time but logged no points in the first round due to his exit and the injury kept him out for the next round at Abu Dhabi.

    Noah, part of the Sherco TVS Rally Factory, had a crash during Prologue at Dakar 2025. He fractured his wrist forced him to go for immediate surgery. Now, just four months later, he’s looking forward to tackling the unforgiving South African landscape and getting back in the mix for his 2025 campaign, and can still salvage a decent position with two more rounds to go.

    “After Dakar, I needed time to recover from the injury, but everything went well and I’m back to full fitness now. This is my first race since the crash, so there are definitely some nerves, which is normal. But the South African Safari Rally is a new challenge for everyone, the route is unfamiliar territory across the board. The key is to stay calm, get used to the bike again, and take it one kilometre at a time,” said Harith Noah.

    South African Safari Rally brings the W2RC to South Africa for the very first time, promising a groundbreaking addition to the championship and offering one of the most challenging, scenic, and diverse rally routes yet. With extreme terrains and rapidly changing climates, the Safari Rally is poised to become a standout fixture on the W2RC calendar.

    The 2025 W2RC season features five rounds across three continents, pushing riders through a wide spectrum of terrains and conditions. The year kicked off with the legendary Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia, followed by the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. Now, the championship heads into uncharted territory with the debut of the South African Safari Rally. The final two rounds will take riders to Portugal for the BP Ultimate Rally Raid in September, before culminating with the iconic Rallye du Maroc in October.

  • Sherco TVS Rally team signs up Bradley Cox to join Harith Noah and Lorenzo Santolino: W2RC

    Sherco TVS Rally team signs up Bradley Cox to join Harith Noah and Lorenzo Santolino: W2RC

    Bengaluru, 7 May 2025: The Sherco TVS Rally Factory Team announced on Wednesday the signing of South African rider Bradley Cox, who will join the ranks alongside seasoned competitors Lorenzo Santolino and India’s trailblazing rally star, Harith Noah. This strategic addition aims to fortify the team’s presence in the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) as they gear up for the upcoming Safari Rally in South Africa, scheduled from May 18 to 24, according to a press release received here from Sherco team.

    Bradley Cox: Rising Star in Rally-Raid

    At 27, Bradley Cox has rapidly ascended the rally-raid hierarchy. After clinching the Rally2 World Cup title in 2024, he now steps up to the premier RallyGP category. Cox is set to make his official debut with Sherco TVS at his home event, the Safari Rally.

    “I am very excited to be joining the Sherco Factory Racing Team. It is a dream come true to ride for a Factory team, and I am looking forward to what is to come,” Cox shared enthusiastically.

    Harith Noah: India’s Trailblazer in Rally-Raid

    Harith Noah, hailing from Shoranur, Kerala, continues to make significant strides in the rally-raid arena. In the 2024 Dakar Rally, he etched his name in history by becoming the first Indian to win the Rally2 class and securing an impressive 11th place overall, the highest finish by an Indian rider in the event’s history. Noah’s journey has been marked by resilience; after overcoming a serious, injury in 2022, he returned stronger, showcasing his determination and skill.

    His accolades include multiple stage wins in the Dakar Rally, notably in Stages 8 and 10 of the 2024 edition. Beyond Dakar, Noah has demonstrated consistent performance in international rallies, including a class victory at the 2023 TransAnatolia Rally in Turkey.

    Despite a setback in the 2025 Dakar Rally, where he had to withdraw due to a wrist injury sustained during the prologue, Noah remains a pivotal figure in the Sherco TVS lineup. His experience and tenacity continue to inspire and elevate the team’s competitive edge.

    A Formidable Trio for Sherco TVS

    With the addition of Bradley Cox, Sherco TVS Rally Factory Team now boasts a dynamic trio poised to make significant impacts in upcoming rally events. The combined experience of Santolino, the groundbreaking achievements of Noah, and the fresh vigour of Cox position the team as formidable contenders in the rally-raid circuit.

    As the team prepares for the Safari Rally, fans and enthusiasts eagerly anticipate the performances of this strengthened lineup, confident in their potential to achieve remarkable results.

  • Indians Harith Noah, Jatin Jain in fray; Hero Motosports’ Ross Branch leads RallyGP

    Indians Harith Noah, Jatin Jain in fray; Hero Motosports’ Ross Branch leads RallyGP

    Grandola (Portugal), 3 April 2024: Scrutineering for the inaugural edition of the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal wound to a close in Grândola on Tuesday. The 55 vehicles in the W2RC field (out of 148 FIA/FIM vehicles in the race) were cleared to start the race on Wednesday morning.

    Among the 27 motorbikes and quads on the FIM start list, will be two Indians, Harith Noah of Sherco, the Rally2 class winner of 2024 Dakar and Jatin Jain, a Kove rider. Besides, the Indian manufacturer, Hero MotoSports, will have the leader of the Rally GP competition, Ross Branch, who will feel the heat from Adrien Van Beveren (Monster Energy Honda), his closest pursuer at only 26 points back.

    Jatin Jain

    The popular Indian with the Supercross fraternity is a two-time National 2-wheeler rally champion in 2018 and 2019, and multiple times Supercross champion in different categories. Before this, he completed the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, the second round of the W2RC on his Kove 450 Rally Pro. The Nagpur rider made his international debut in 2020 in the Hispania rally in Spain with a creditable fifth place in his class, and also took part in the Abu Dhabi Baja in 2023. But despite his best preparations, the privateer could not raise the sponsorship to take part in Dakar 2024.

    Among the 28 FIA crews in the W2RC, Carlos Sainz (Mini JCW) holds the championship lead by just 9 points over Nasser Al Attiyah (Nasser Racing by Prodrive) and 12 over Guerlain Chicherit (Overdrive Racing).

    Tomorrow, in a historic first for the W2RC, the prologue and stage 1 will be held on the same day, taking the competitors from Grândola to Santiago do Cacém and back. There will be live coverage of the finish.

    The list of 169 entrants in the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal includes competitors from 30 different nationalities, a fact that reveals the global nature of the Automóvel Club de Portugal event.

    As you might expect, the debut of the World Rally-Raid Championship in Portugal has attracted competitors from all over the world, who will be concentrating next week on Grândola and the trails of the Alentejo, Ribatejo and Spanish Extremadura.

    The impressive list of 169 entries for the car, motorcycle and quad races has competitors from 30 different countries: in addition to Portugal, also South Africa, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Belgium, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Czechia, Chile, Ecuador, Slovakia, Spain, United States of America, France, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Lithuania, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Qatar, Kyrgyzstan, Seychelles and Switzerland are represented.

    The pride of a nation

    In motorcycles, World Rally-Raid leader Ross Branch is one of Botswana’s rare representatives in motorsport at the highest level. Branch represents an Indian manufacturer, Hero, and bikers from that Asian giant are also starting to emerge, such as Harith Noah, an official Sherco rider, or Jatin Jain, who rides for a Chinese brand, Kove.

    The Sunshine After The Rain

    The route of the rally had to be tweaked due to the unseasonal rains that drenched its host regions last week, but its overall character remains very much the same. In the end, the FIM race will stretch for 1,735 km and its FIA counterpart for 1,866 km, with 1,039 km of specials for both. The start will be hectic!

    In a historic first for the W2RC, the prologue and stage 1 will be held on the same day. The first competitors will get the prologue going just 15 minutes after the sun peeks over the horizon. After that, they will set out to tame the 100 km special 1 before noon. The entire field will be brought together shortly before the finish line to provide live coverage of the last 3 km. The final sprint will be broadcast for the first time on Sport TV, the broadcaster of the premier sports events held in Portugal. Live footage with expert commentary will also be streamed on W2RC social media for the rest of the world. Tune in tomorrow at 3:25 pm (UTC+1) for the motorbike finish and 5 pm (UTC+1) for the car finish on YouTube W2RC or Facebook W2RC pages.