Hyderabad — India’s premier rally driver, Gaurav Gill, showcased his extraordinary skills and impeccable car control as he clinched victory at the Rally of Hyderabad, the fourth round of the FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship (INRC) 2024. The event, held in Shamshabad, concluded on Sunday, marking another remarkable achievement for Gill, who is the only Arjuna Awardee in motorsports. Gill, alongside his co-driver Anirudha Rangnekar, started the second day of the rally with an impressive performance in the first stage.
The seven-time National champion demonstrated a strategic approach by maintaining consistent speed and nurturing the car throughout the challenging terrain, ultimately securing a well-deserved victory. "This is one of the hottest rallies, and the terrain is treacherous. We stayed calm and consistent, which paid off in the end," Gill expressed after the race. He acknowledged the support of JK Tyre, highlighting the importance of new upgrades and compounds that contributed to their success.
"We are delighted to return to the winner's circle midway through the year." The rally also saw strong performances from other competitors. Former champion Chetan Shivram, along with co-driver E. Shivaprakash from A and A Motorsports, finished a commendable second overall, clinching two stage wins and topping their class, INRC2. In a thrilling contest for the podium, Kerala's Fabid Ahmer and co-driver Milen George demonstrated resilience, securing third place overall by narrowly beating the Arka Motorsports duo, Karna Kadur and co-driver Musa Sherif, by just two seconds.
Despite finishing fourth, Kadur and Sherif retained the overall lead in the INRC 2024 championships, with two rallies left in the season. The event saw Gurugram’s Arnav Pratap Singh and co-driver Rohit from Bengaluru winning the INRC3 class while excelling in the Junior INRC category. In the Ladies' class, Anushriya Gulati from Dehradun and her co-driver Karan Aukta emerged victorious, while Dr. Akarsh Sundar and co-driver Ravikumar claimed first place in the Gypsy class.
Additionally, the husband-wife team of Aneeshnath and Amitha Aneesh from A & A Motorsports took home the FMSCI Classic Challenge Cup, expressing their happiness over triumphing in such a challenging rally. Out of 55 participants, 12 cars failed to finish, testament to the rally's demanding conditions. The next rally is set to take place in Coorg, followed by the season finale at the famed K-1000 in Tumkur, Karnataka. Gaurav Gill's victory not only elevates him in the INRC standings but also reinforces his status as a leading figure in Indian motorsports, setting the stage for exciting challenges ahead.