Gaurav Gill, the 2016 Champion and current title holder of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) has just returned to his home base after winning the penultimate round of this year’s APRC round in Japan and consequently, notching up a tally of 136 points, six ahead of his team mate Ole Christian Veiby; Both Gaurav and Ole drive for Team MRF in the factory prepared Skoda Fabia.
The title fight goes into the final rally of the 2017 season, with the Rally of India to be held during the November 24-26 weekend at Chikmagalur.
2016 was the perfect year for Gaurav Gill, winning all six rounds and claiming his second Asia-Pacific Rally Championship title. A long-term MRF factory driver, Gill had won his first APRC event at the 2008 Rally of Indonesia. And the change to a Skoda Fabia has brought greater success, with his first championship in 2013. For 2017, Gill teams up with the experienced Stephan Prevot as his co-driver.
Formula One may be the pinnacle of motorsports for many racing enthusiasts. But, there is another motorsports activity that is even more gruelling, challenging and a perfect fusion of man and machine — rallying! While, in the Formula One arena, India did produce two drivers — Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok, neither of them have scored high in their personal championship standings in F1.
In the world of rallying, besides World Rally Championships, the APRC — Asia Pacific Rally Championship stands out as premier event that tests the endurance and stamina of many a driver and his car.
“Both events are equally important in the realm of rallying, in respective regions of the globe. Since we as drivers and teams are sponsored by brands who are dominant in certain parts of the globe, we benefit from their brand presence. For instance, MRF is quite strong in the Asia Pacific region, besides some other parts of the world as well. But, if I were to participate in WRC, I will be bound by the tyre companies that are part of that championship and it will not augur well for MRF to sponsor me while I drive on, say Pirelli tyres. Hence, my continued presence in APRC. But, there are one-off events that I take part in to improve my standing in the world of rallying. For instance, I will take part in the Dakar Rally in 2019,” says Gaurav.
Gaurav Gill has been in the rally scene since 2010, prior to which he has taken part and won several circuit racing championships in India. “Besides the APRC which has become a regular feature in my rally calendar, I have won many Indian National Rally Championships, too. In 2013, I won three of the six rally events in the APRC, which gave me the championship. But, last year was even more satisfying as I won all six events and the Championship. So far, in this year’s APRC, the going has been good and I hope to nail it when the Indian round happens,” says a confident Gaurav.
Gaurav Gill is the only Indian motorsports personality to have achieved this distinction, and that too in a very demanding and gruelling sport. If there is one grouse that he has, it is the lack of recognition from the Indian government for such international achievements. “When my name was proposed for the Arjuna Awards, it was turned down with the explanation that Rallying was not an Olympic sport! Is cricket an Olympic sport? In an era where India is poised to become one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, wouldn’t it benefit the country by recognising someone like me who has won an international motorsports event like the APRC, twice?” asks a disgruntled Gaurav Gill.
India has the distinction of having hosted one Formula 1 event at Delhi. Two Indian drivers have driven full seasons of Formula 1. Several Indian youngsters are currently making waves in international motorsports events around the world. Indian tyre majors are reputed brands in several foreign countries. India is already a hub for car manufacturers who export their products to the outside world. “Sadly, it is the lack of awareness for a sport among the powers that be in the sports ministry and the awards deciding bodies. Sporting associations like FMSCI is doing their very best to represent to the government for better recognition of motorsports and sportsmen, but the onus is on the government to take it up and encourage youngsters to achieve more in the field of motorsports,” concludes Gaurav Gill.
BOX
The FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship is spread through a diverse range of 2017 Calendar countries, climates, cultures and a huge population base of over 2.5 billion people. In 2017 six events made up the championship starting in New Zealand with the fast and smooth roads of Rally of Whangarei, followed by Australia’s Rally Queensland based on the beautiful Sunshine Coast. The APRC’s next round should have been in China but problems with logistics and shipping forced the organisers of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship and the China Rally to cancel this year’s event in Zhangye, originally scheduled for 7-9 July. The next event of the championship was the very hot and humid Malaysian Rally run through the Palm Oil Plantations of Johor. Japan came next with the fast forestry and public roads of Rally Hokkaido. The final event of the year - the India Rally, will be held on the coffee plantations roads of Chikmagalur in November.
Date: 24 - 26 November 2017 Location: Chikmagalur, in the foothills of the world famous Western Ghats. Coordinates: 13.32°N 75.77°E Population: 1.2 billion Nearest Intl Airport: Bengaluru (Bangalore), 5 hours. Website: www.mscc.org.in Average temperature: 30°C Description: Gravel and dirt roads held on a huge coffee plantation with the colours and cuisine of India.
