12th Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm flagged off

 

Manohar Bhat, Vice President Marketing, Maruti Suzuki, flags off the 12th Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm

from New Delhi on February 24, 2014 

New Delhi, February 24: The 12th Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm was flagged off from Delhi today, with 250 champion rallyists from all over the country and also abroad fighting for top honours in one of the most prestigious motorsport events of the country.

The ceremonial flag- off of the six-day marathon motorsport event was done by Mr Manohar Bhat , Vice President Marketing, Maruti Suzuki. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Bhat said that this year, the rally will run from February 24 to March 1. It will begin from Sardarshahar and will end at Jaipur, covering about 2,200 kilometers.

Mr Bhat added that from a two-day rally over a decade ago, the Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm has evolved into a motorsport event of massive proportions that now traverses the Thar Desert and the entire span of the dune country.

As the dense fog in the capital cleared and gave way to a sunny morning, top rallyists of the country drove up for the flag-off in the specified start order. The headstart for the flag-off was taken by Suresh Rana of Team Maruti, winner of Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm 2013.

Rana is considered the most formidable competitor in the Xtreme category. He is nine-time winner of the Maruti Suzuki Raid De Himalaya, and has won the Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm thrice – in 2009, 2012 and 2013.

Rana is aiming for a hat-trick this year. His strategy for the Desert Storm is that of a hardened, experienced rallyist. The biggest challenge, Rana said, is the treacherous desert terrain. “To finish first, you must finish,” he stated.

The who’s who of Indian motorsport is competing at the Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm, considered to be India’s mini-Dakar. Top competitors in Rally Xtreme (4X4) include three-time APRC champion Karamjit Singh, a Malaysian of Indian origin; APRC 2013 winner Gaurav Gill, Amanpreet Ahluwalia, Lohit Urs, Sunny Sidhu, Sandeep Sharma, Harpreet Bawa, Major Amarinder Singh Brar, Lt Col Shakti Bajaj, Sarika Sehrawat, Amartej Pal Singh Buwal and Gaurav Chiripal.

Rana and Karamjit Singh will drive for Team Maruti. They are driving Grand Vitara for the rally.

In the Xtreme Moto (Motorcycles) category, Helmut Frauwallner, a 55-year-old Austrian and CS Santosh, a 30-year-old from Jaipur, are going to begin their six-day battle to determine who is India’s top marathon off-road biker.

Santosh, multiple national supercross and motocross champion, is raring to salvage his reputation as India’s best biker at the Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm.

Dakar-finisher Frauwallner, popularly known as Helly, has been big on the Indian motorsport circuit in the last few years. He was first in the Moto category at India’s iconic motorsport event, The Maruti Suzuki Raid De Himalaya in 2010 and 2013. In 2012, Santosh narrowly beat Helly and topped the Moto category at the Raid. But in 2013, Santosh had to bow out of the Raid on the third day.

Santosh admits that he was “dethroned” by Helly last year. “Yes, I have to salvage my reputation at the Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm. I’m carrying a lot of a weight on my shoulders, and luckily I’m strong,” said the feisty 30-year-old.

Both Santosh and Helly are riding foreign bikes at the Raid. Santosh is riding a Suzuki RMX 450, and Helly a Yamaha WR450F. The other major contenders for the Moto crown at the Desert Storm are defending champion Mohit Verma (riding a KTM Duke 390), Suresh Babu (Suzuki RMS 450Z), Gurinder Rahal (KTM 500 EXC), Jes David (KTM Duke 200) and Mohan Lal Sharma (Yamaha RX 135). David and Sharma are former Desert Storm (Moto) winners.  

Jayesh Desai, president of Northern Motorsport, which organizes the Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm, said the the number of rallyists this year is the highest-ever in the 12-year history of the Desert Storm. It stood at 220 last year.

The 2014 edition of the Desert Storm will have 55 teams in Rally Xtreme (4X4) and 35 teams in Rally Moto (Motorcycles). These two categories are based solely on fastest timing.

In addition, there will be 35 teams in Rally Ndure and 25 in Rally Xplore. Both these categories follow the Time-Speed-Distance format. Rally Ndure is the more challenging category here, since it follows the Xtreme route. The Xtreme (4-wheelers), Endure and Xplore teams comprise two rallyists each – the driver and the navigator.

Press release