Volvo Cars has introduced a new Polestar-developed software upgrade that increases torque distribution to the rear wheels of Volvo cars equipped with all-wheel drive (AWD), for more dynamic driving.

The optimisation software, developed by Volvo Car Group’s new electric performance brand, Polestar, increases the amount and frequency of torque distributed to the rear wheels, improving steering with enhanced turn-in, better control and engagement when cornering, and improved traction when pulling away, delivering a more engaging drive.

“We are always fine-tuning the driving experience of Volvo cars, and this upgrade makes the all-wheel drive both smoother and more dynamic,” said Henrik Green, Senior Vice President of Research and Development at Volvo Cars.

The AWD optimisation is engaged simply by selecting the Dynamic drive mode, or when the Electronic Stability Control is disengaged.

The new rear-wheel torque distribution feature adds another optimisation area to the latest Polestar software upgrade. The five existing areas include sharper throttle response, faster off-throttle response, quicker gear changes, optimised gearshift points and in-corner gear holding, as well as increased engine output.

The Polestar AWD optimisation will be available for petrol and diesel models of the Volvo 90 series, 60 series and XC40 cars, from August 2018 onwards.

Infiniti has released a second teaser image of its concept car due to be revealed at the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Its striking concept named Prototype 10 is a daring electrified speedster that provides a window into the brand’s desire to deliver driving pleasure and thrilling performance from electrified powertrains.

In creating the single-seater they have re-imagined the classic speedster with a cool, clean, forward-looking design. The concept is a natural evolution of the form language first seen in the Infiniti Q Inspiration and hints at future design cues for the brand.

According to Karim Habib, Infiniti Executive Design Director the Prototype 10 echoes the layout and design of some of the most evocative car designs of all time, where power was celebrated through high-powered single-seat competition cars. The new concept speaks of an electrified future, something which is reflected in its form and details. It is appropriate that we found inspiration in an optimistic bygone era in which cars were characterised by the simple love of driving.

Infiniti plans to electrify all of its new production cars from 2021 onwards.

India Yamaha Motor has launched its new brand campaign ‘The Call of the Blue’ with the aim of drawing a parallel to its product planning, marketing and customer engagement strategies with the brand’s global image of ‘excitement, stylish and sporty’.  This initiative will comprise of the entire spectrum of Yamaha’s business in India and will be graphically represented with ‘Yamaha Racing Blue’ colour in the background. The campaign will also offer multiple engagement platforms with the objective to involve every Yamaha owner of India with the brand’s core identity, thus propagating the brand’s thrill and excitement.

‘The Call of the Blue’ is aimed to build up the exhilaration of racing as it introduces YZF-R15 Version 3.0 (155 cc) Moto GP Limited Edition and Yamaha FZS-FI (149 cc) with rear disc brake in two new colours. The campaign will follow its fundamental publicity through electronic commercials and digital campaigns pan India. It will be based on ‘Yamaha Racing Blue’ colour and will stimulate with an ‘anthem’ that draws attention with a probe – “When did you hear the Call of the Blue?” Yamaha’s further drive to instrument the campaign through distinguishing visual identity will also be carried across all Yamaha authorised dealerships. The company also plans to conduct several on ground activities in order to manifest the objectives of the brand campaign. A long background of Yamaha’s excitement in India that started with the legendary RX 100 and further continuing with R Series and FZ Series testifies its commitment of offering two wheelers that adds up to the global spirit of Yamaha Racing.

On this occasion, Chairman of Yamaha Motor India Group of companies, Motofumi Shitara said, “Yamaha’s global corporate mission of realizing kando should be expressively achieved through all of its products or related experiences. Being a #CustomerFirst brand, it is our duty to create delightful experiences for customers that can enrich their lives in the long run. The launch of “The Call of the Blue” should convey Yamaha customers or any customer of two wheelers about the brand’s commitment to provide highly advanced technology as well as treasuring style through its two wheelers. The launch of new products under the campaign launch will offer exciting experiences put together by the Yamaha uniqueness.”

The introduction of the all new YZF-R15 Version 3.0 Moto GP Limited Edition in ‘Yamaha Racing Blue’ colour gets Yamaha Moto GP branding on the fairing, tank and side panels that outlines its R-DNA pedigree. Retaining the same mechanical features of YZF-R15 Version 3.0, the YZF-R15 Version 3.0 Moto GP limited edition priced at Rs. 1,30,000 (ex-showroom Delhi).

The weather forecasts predict a generous shower of love from the rain gods this monsoon. And while the thought of rain and cooler weather tickles the romantic in us, motorist must exercise extra caution while they are on the road. Driving during the monsoon can be very demanding and also get tricky at times. It requires motorists to be more focused and attentive while driving, especially when it pouring heavily.

Digit Insurance shares some handy tips to help you and your car weather out the storm:

• Steer clear of roads that are more prone to being water-logged during showers.
• Park your vehicles in high-rise areas.
• Avoid driving at high speeds, and turn on the hazard warning lights to improve visibility of your car.
• Try to drive at the centre of the road, because the sides are usually lower and that is where all the water accumulates.
• Maintain a 5-second gap between your car and the vehicle ahead.
• Apply windshield wax products. They repel water, mud and insects.
• If you are stuck in a flood and unable to open the doors, use the front seat’s headrest, or glass cutter/hammer to break out through the windshield.
• Hydrolock, or water entering your engine and causing it to seize, is one of the greatest risks during monsoons. Avoid accelerating to prevent water entering through your air intake, and maintain a consistent RPM in the 1st or 2nd gear.
• Watch out for submerged medians. Just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean it isn’t there.
• Have a fully charged phone and keep emergency numbers handy.

Renault Sport Formula One Team has confirmed that Daniel Ricciardo will join the team from the 2019 season. He will team up with current driver Nico Hulkenberg.

Twenty-nine-year-old Daniel, who hails from Perth, Australia, joins Renault Sport Formula One Team for the next two seasons.

Daniel has secured seven Grands Prix wins and stepped onto the podium 29 times. He is already very familiar with the Renault family, having driven in Renault junior series between 2007 and 2011 and has been powered by Renault engines in F1 since 2014.

Jerome Stoll, President, Renault Sport Racing, said: “Renault decided to come back to Formula One to fight for World Championships. Signing Daniel Ricciardo is a unique opportunity for the Groupe Renault towards this objective that could not be missed. We welcome Daniel’s arrival to our team, still in the making, but more motivated than ever.”

Cyril Abiteboul, Managing Director, Renault Sport Racing, commented: “Daniel’s signing underscores our determination to accelerate our progress towards the forefront of the sport. It is also a recognition of the work accomplished over the past two and a half seasons. Daniel’s undoubted talent and charisma are a huge bonus and statement for the team. We will have to repay his faith in us by delivering the best car possible. We welcome him to our growing team in 2019 with a great deal of pride, but also humility.”

Daniel Ricciardo, said: “It was probably one of the most difficult decisions to take in my career so far. But I thought that it was time for me to take on a fresh and new challenge. I realise that there is a lot ahead in order to allow Renault to reach their target of competing at the highest level but I have been impressed by their progression in only two years, and I know that each time Renault has been in the sport they eventually won. I hope to be able to help them in this journey and contribute on and off track.”

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (M&M), named its eagerly awaited global model, codenamed U321, as Marazzo. Derived from Basque, a sub-language of Spanish, the word ‘Marazzo’ means shark and is linked to the vehicle’s shark-inspired design.

The Mahindra Design Studio and Italian design house Pininfarina have collaborated closely during the design development process — as a result the Marazzo reflects a design language that is an integral part of Mahindra’s new generation of vehicles. Its shark-inspired design is evident in the streamlined and aerodynamic shape, in the overall silhouette and in the front grille inserts which resemble shark-like teeth and adds to the vehicle’s aggressive stance. The design cues further flow into the tail lamps that are inspired by the tail of a shark.

Marazzo is a globally developed product, engineered through a collaboration between Mahindra North America Technical Centre (MNATC) and Mahindra Research Valley (MRV) in Chennai. The pedigree and global product development capabilities of the MNATC team of engineers and the young team of experts at MRV have been instrumental in bringing a new level of refinement and engineering excellence to this model. Marazzo comes with a patented architecture, for a unique balance of smooth ride, agile handling, space and quiet cabin.

Speaking at the name reveal, Dr. Pawan Goenka, Managing Director, M&M Ltd. said, “The shark-inspired Marazzo symbolizes the next generation of aspirational Mahindra vehicles. A collaborative effort of Pininfarina, Mahindra Design Studio, MNATC and MRV, Marazzo is born of a vision to design a global vehicle with quality and refinement keeping in mind the aspirations of our customers.”

Rajan Wadhera, President Automotive Sector, M&M Ltd. said, “The intense process of development and refinement of the Marazzo is comparable to any global vehicle and incorporates a number of innovations. This has delivered better space, smoother ride with a quieter cabin, best-in-class cooling, excellent safety and a tough body construction in the Marazzo. Infact the Marazzo has the largest footprint (wheelbase x front track) of any Mahindra vehicle. I am confident that it will set a new benchmark and become a game-changer in its segment”.

The Mahindra Marazzo has been benchmarked against global standards of quality, technology, testing and validation norms, safety, regulations and emission. It underwent the most rigorous testing any Mahindra vehicle has ever been subjected to. It will be manufactured at the company’s manufacturing facility at Nasik, in Maharashtra and is gearing up for a commercial launch before the end of Q2 FY2019.

After a week-long grueling offroading action, last moment surprises and unprecedented ups and downs on the leader board, veteran rallyist Jagat Nanjappa and co-driver Chetan Changappa of Coorg’s Team V5 Offroaders have emerged as the ultimate champions of Isuzu RFC India 2018. They have won the fifth season of India’s toughest international off-road motorsport competition with a total score of 2006 points out of 2600. With this win, Jagat and Chetan have become the second Indian, and the first offroader from South India, to win the coveted title ever since its launch in the country in 2014.

As the RFC India 2018 Champions, Jagat and Chetan will represent the country at RFC 2018 Global Series Grand Finale. The total benefits they have received amount to USD 10,000, including the entry fee, airfares as well as support towards car rental in Malaysia.

The overall second position was held by Malaysian driver Mervyn Lim (co-driver Alex Tan) of Team G.O.A. Fairmont with 1849 points. Defending RFC India Champion Gurmeet Virdi (co-driver Kirpal Singh Tung) of Gerrari Offroaders Chandigarh clinched the third spot on the podium with 1800 points. Sanbir Singh Dhaliwal (co-driver Gurpartap Singh Sandhu) of Gerrari Offroaders Chandigarh was at the fourth spot in the competition with 1742 points, while Dr Chaitanya Challa (co-driver Shabarish Jagarapu) from Hyderabad, also representing Team G.O.A. Fairmont, secured a spot in the top five with 1668 points.

After missing the title by just one rank last year, Jagat was elated upon completing the ‘unfinished task’ this year. He said, “This is an incredible feeling. I would like to thank my co-driver, my service team and my buddy – the Jeep – all of whom put up a fantastic performance. We enjoyed every moment of this competition, specially the challenging ones. We were prepared for a tougher and more competitive event this time and we knew that we had to maintain the lead from the very start. The conditions of the competition were highly unpredictable and kept varying from contender to contender. In the end, I think these conditions worked in our favor and piloted us to the victory.”

A nine-time Indian National Rally Riders Champion from 1986 to 1996 in the motorbike section, a Great Desert Rally Champion in 1988, Coimbatore Rally Champion of 1992, MASA Rally Mumbai Champion of 1993 and 1994, Jagat has had an illustrious motorsport career spanning four decades. Claiming the only remaining gem in his string of pearls, Jagat has finally added the RFC India title to the list of his achievements in the third attempt at the competition.

Jagat, alongside other podium finishers, category winners and special award winners, were felicitated at a glittering prize distribution ceremony held at the International Centre Goa in Dona Paula in the presence of Luis J.A. Wee (Founder & Creator, The Rainforest Challenge International), Ken Takashima (Deputy Managing Director, Isuzu Motors India Pvt. Ltd.), Capt. J. Shankar Srinivas (Vice President – Service, Customer Relations, EA & PR, Isuzu Motors India Pvt. Ltd.) and Ashish Gupta (Founder & Director, Cougar Motorsport Pvt. Ltd.).

According to Ashish Gupta, the organiser of Isuzu RFC India 2018, “We witnessed an unprecedented intense level of competition this year. Given that we continuously upgrade the toughness quotient of the Special Stages every year, with a supplementary addition of night stages this time around, I had expected the competition to be highly challenging. I am extremely happy that our contenders have managed to sail through such tough challenges as well. This proves that Indian off-roading is now attaining maturity and our off-roaders are no less than their international counterparts. I would like to congratulate and applaud all the competitors of ISUZU RFC India 2018 for their exemplary display of offroading skills, valor, hard work and determination throughout the course of the competition.”

On this occasion, Luis J.A. Wee was felicitated with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his unparallel contribution to the off-roading community. Wee launched the Rainforest Challenge in Malaysia in 1997. Today, it is counted among the top ten toughest motor races in the world and has 51 editions being held across 21 countries. According to Wee, “This award comes as a very pleasant surprise. I started the Rainforest Challenge over two decades ago with the objective of bringing the best off-roaders of a country on a single platform so that they could share knowledge and skills. It is gratifying to see the growth that RFC India has witnessed in merely five years since its launch and I am extremely happy to see the improvement in the competitors’ skills.” Wee also announced the extension of RFC Internationals’ agreement with Cougar Motorsport for another three years. Since Cougar Motorsport already has the franchise rights for RFC India till 2019, with this extension the organisation now has the rights to the event till 2022.

The other key awards that were announced include the Team Spirit Award to MOCA from Arunachal Pradesh, the Jungleman Award to Dushyant Khosla from Team G.O.A. Fairmont, the Most Unique 4X4 Award to Ranjith Babu and co-driver Gibin Vaidyan from Kerala Adventure Sports Club (KASC), the Environment Award to Eric Benny from Gerrari Offroaders Chandigarh, the Best Service Team Award to V5 Offroaders from Coorg, the Recovery Champion Award to Raju Paul from KASC and the Team Award to Gerrari Offroaders Chandigarh. The ‘Rookie of the Event’ award went to Chow Ujjal Namshum and his co-driver Ingpeng Mein for their brilliant performance at their debut in the competition this year.

With the top contenders breathing fire down each other’s neck at the Isuzu RFC India 2018, Day 5 of the week-long event saw the points-gap getting even narrower. At the time of the announcement of provisional results for Special Stages (SS) 18 to 21, veteran rallyist Jagat Nanjappa (co-driver Chetan Changappa) of Coorg retained his position at the top of the leader board with 1614 points out of 2100. This feat included being the top performer in two of the four stages for the day, thereby securing a straight 100 points in both the stages.

Defending RFC India Champion Gurmeet Virdi (co-driver Kirpal Singh Tung) from Chandigarh, who secured the second spot in the competition for the first time yesterday, also held on to his position in the points table with 1490 points. Malaysian driver Mervyn Lim (co-driver Alex Tan), who is driving for Team G.O.A. Fairmont, climbed one spot up to claim the third position with 1411 points. Chandigarh’s Sanbir Singh Dhaliwal (co-driver Gurpartap Singh Sandhu) and RFC India debutant Chow Ujjal Namshum (co-driver Inpeng Mein) from Arunachal Pradesh ended Day 5 at the fourth and fifth positions with 1366 and 1324 points respectively.

Jagat Nanjappa of Coorg’s V5 Offroaders said, “The competition over the last couple of days was defined by two things – participants’ luck and the mercy of the rain gods. While some people got certain stages in day time, others got to do them at night. We ourselves didn’t expect to be in the lead. It’s difficult to hold on to the ladder now that we have reached here, but we plan to somehow cling on to it.”

Nanjappa’s co-driver Chetan Changappa, who has played a pivotal role in the team’s success at the competition, remarked, “The main thing about this form of sport is the trust and the co-ordination between the driver and the co-driver. We excel on both these parameters and these have always been the core strengths of our team. The plan ahead would be to stay careful, give away no penalties or DNFs (Did Not Finish remarks) and keep our vehicle safe.”

Gurmeet Virdi and co-driver Kirpal Singh Tung, who are representing Gerrari Offroaders Chandigarh, were the second fastest in two of the stages for the day, because of which it seemed likely that they might narrow the points gap considerably. Unfortunately, they ended up getting a DNF in SS20, which hugely impacted their final scores for Day 5. Gurmeet Virdi said, “Yesterday’s performance substantially helped me gain some ground. The jinx that I had been carrying since day 1 was finally broken yesterday and I did some good stages. We are now trying to reduce the gap between us and the leading vehicle. Our aim today was to not get a DNF in any stage but SS20 was a tough one and we could not finish it within the 15 minutes time limit. There are 5 more Special Stages over the next couple of days before the competition gets over and we are going to give it our best shot.”

Gurmeet was the winner of the 2016 and 2017 editions of this mega off-road motorsport competition. When asked if he feels any pressure on being the defending RFC India Champion, Gurmeet replied, “There is no pressure as such. But I won’t deny that I really want to make it a hat-trick of straight wins!”

SS18 at Isuzu RFC India 2018 required the competitors to go straight from the start point; then take a right; climb up on a small incline; take a right again; then winch up; followed by a slight turn and winching down towards the finish box. In SS19, the contestants had to enter a 6-feet deep water pit; get out of it from the other side and winch-up another 6-feet tall wall, while passing through a gate; then get into a box while reversing the car; once the car was stationary, participants had to lift up the driver’s rear wheel to about one inch above the ground; take out the spare-wheel and go around the vehicle with the wheel; put the spare wheel back; lower the vehicle; secure the lift-jack; and move towards the end box.

Despite being only a 20-meter long stretch, SS 20 turned out to be the most difficult stage of the day with 5 of the top ten teams in the score board getting a DNF in this Stage. It was a very technical stage requiring participants to start by traversing a series of boulders; after which they had to take a sharp U-turn and come back. SS 21 required participants to go upstream in the water stream, with all four tyres in the water; after which they had to winch up a 90 degree climb; get back into the water stream; and move towards the finish box.

RFC India debutant Chow Ujjal Namshum, who is looking to solidify his position at the points table, said, “I had no prior expectations whatsoever before the start of the competition. So, I was happy when I was at the third position, I was happy at sixth and now I am happy being at the fifth position too. However, I will try to put more effort to climb up a few more spots.”

Ujjal and co-driver Ingpeng Mein are representing Arunachal Pradesh’s Team MOCA at the competition. This is North-East India’s first ever participation at RFC India. Ujjal added, “We have travelled over 4,000kms to participate in this event and we certainly want to go back with some sort of an accolade. One of our squad’s team is already out of the competition. So my team is hoping for me to be on the podium. However, I ask them to keep their calm and just wish me well. In return I promise that I will try to do my job to the best of my capabilities.”

The day was crucial for Chandigarh’s Sanbir Singh Dhaliwal, who was sparing no effort to claim his lost glory at the top of the table. He said, “This is RFC India and the change in top ranks is all part of the game. I was doing well for the first two days and was at the top but then I had mechanical issues with my vehicle, because of which I couldn’t complete a few stages and the ranking went down subsequently. If you look at our competition, Mr. Nanjappa is a seasoned offroader while my fellow team-mate Gurmeet needs no introduction; so I understand that it will be really difficult to climb up the ladder ahead of these people.”

He further added, “Even today, I opened the SS20, which is being perceived as one of the toughest by many. My co-driver Gurpartap helped me through to the last obstacle of the stage, where I had to just winch up 10 meters to the finish box. My winch gave up at that point and I was flagged a DNF! So, I believe that it has a lot to do with luck too. Now, I have replaced my winch with due permission from the competition committee. After that, I have completed three stages, of which I was the fastest in one and scored fairly well in the other two.”

The next set of stages, from SS 22 to SS 25, will be held tomorrow at the same location at the Green Hills Agri Farm in Maina, Quepem, after which the competition will move to the Rajiv Gandhi IT Habitat in Dona Paula on 28th of July for the final stage and the announcement of the Isuzu RFC India 2018 Champion.

With the competition becoming more intense every passing day, Day 4 at Isuzu RFC India 2018, the country’s toughest international off-road motorsport competition, only added fuel to the fire as it witnessed some crucial ups and downs in the ranking order. At the time of the announcement of the provisional results for SS 10-17, veteran rallyist Jagat Nanjappa (co-driver Chetan Changappa) from Coorg climbed up to the numero uno spot on the leader board with 1261 points out of 1700.

Defending RFC India Champion Gurmeet Virdi (co-driver Kirpal Singh Tung) from Chandigarh climbed up two spots to claim the second position with 1199 points. Sanbir Singh Dhaliwal (co-driver Gurpartap Singh Sandhu) from Chandigarh, who was till now at the top of the score board, moved down to the third spot with 1087 points. Malaysian driver Mervyn Lim (co-driver Alex Tan) and Chow Ujjal Namshum (co-driver Ingpeng Mein) from Arunachal Pradesh were at the fourth and fifth positions at the end of Day 4 with 1064 and 1054 points respectively.

Jagat Nanjappa, who is representing Coorg’s V5 Offroaders, said, “We rolled-down in the first stage that we attempted today and ended up with a DNF. In the second stage, we faced technical issues with the 4WD setting of our vehicle. But then we pushed ourselves a little extra to make up for the lost points. Thankfully, things took a positive turn and the rest of the day went well for us.”

Gurmeet Virdi of Gerrari Offroaders Chandigarh, who has finally claimed a spot in the top three in Season 5 of RFC India, said, “I had some luck riding by my side today as I managed to perform well in most of the Stages. I had zero DNFs and my timings were also good. The strategy ahead would be to complete all the stages and try to be one of the fastest vehicles, if not the fastest.”

Day 4 at Isuzu RFC India 2018 saw 4 Special Stages, SS 10 – 13, of varying difficulty levels running at Suquerbag in Quepem in Goa. These were followed by 4 more Special Stages, SS 14 – 17, that were held at night at the same location. In SS10, the competitors were required to go down a track; take a left turn in a deep pit; come up from the other side; then enter a box; take a U-turn towards left; come up, only to go down a little again; take a right and winch-up an incline; and then run towards the finish box. SS11 required the contestants to go clockwise after the start point; take a U-turn and climb up a stone wall towards right; while using winch at the first point and anchor at the second.

A short yet technical SS 12 had participants go down from the start point; take a left into the valley; then winch up a slope of around 45 degrees; go down and come back up again; before winching a distance of around 100 meters to the stop box. SS13 too had a drop just after the start point; after which participants had to take a left into the water stream; then go downstream, with all four tyres touching the stream throughout, and then exit a gate; take a U-turn and enter the stream again through the same gate; then trace their way in the stream towards a slope; before eventually winching up towards the finish box.

The night stages added an extra level of difficulty for the contestants as limited visibility meant that they had to be extra vigilant to ensure that they did not take a wrong step, which would lead to loss of points or damage to their vehicle.

RFC India debutant Chow Ujjal Namshum of Arunachal Pradesh’s Team MOCA, who started the competition at the third position but then slid down the ranking order, managed to climb one spot up to make a place for himself in the top 5 at the end of Day 4. He said, “As soon as the day ended yesterday, I knew that I was going to drop ranks. It had a lot to do with the rain-gods as well as my luck. I did all the stages, but I was a little slower. The competition still has a couple of more days to go. I have been driving safe and slow till now in order to ensure that I preserve my vehicle till the end. However, I plan to start taking more risks from tomorrow onwards.”

Another RFC India debutant Shruti Ranjan Pai, who leads the only ladies team at the competition, remarked about her journey so far in the competition, “I came here to learn and enjoy the sport. I perceived it to be all about adrenaline rush and speed but it turned out that it requires a lot of techniques as well as knowledge about the dynamics of your car. The first day of the competition was a bit of a shocker for me; it was like you are put in a deep-end, you don’t know how to swim and they are expecting you to float! It was raining continuously and the tracks were flooded with slush. So, I was apprehensive about going in some stages, but once I went inside, nothing mattered and I started enjoying it.” Shruti (co-driver Sara Fanning) is currently at the 29th position with 264 points.

The next set of stages will be held at the Green Hills Agri Farm in Maina, Quepem on 26^th and 27^th of July, before the culmination of the event at the Rajiv Gandhi IT Habitat in Dona Paula on 28^th of July.

After a tough start to the competition amidst heavy rainfall as well as a night stage on the inaugural day of Isuzu RFC India 2018, followed by a rest day to allow the contestants to recover, a clear weather and four more Special Stages (SS) greeted the competitors on the third day of India’s toughest international off-road motorsport event. At the time of the announcement of the provisional results for SS 6-9, Sanbir Singh Dhaliwal (co-driver Gurpartap Singh Sandhu) of Chandigarh remained at the top of the leader board with 687 points out of 900.

Veteran rallyist Jagat Nanjappa (co-driver Chetan Changappa) from Coorg also held on to the second position with 669 points while Malaysian driver Mervyn Lim (co-driver Alex Tan), representing Team G.O.A. Fairmont, jumped up eleven spots to claim the third position with 567 points. He was closely followed by the defending RFC India Champion Gurmeet Virdi (co-driver Kirpal Singh Tung) from Chandigarh with 565 points while Hyderabad’s Dr Chaitanya Challa (co-driver Shabarish Jagarapu) was at the fifth position with 526 points at the end of Day 3 of the competition.

Sanbir Singh Dhaliwal, who is representing Chandigarh-based off-road club Gerrari Offroaders, seems unfazed by the results on the scoreboard. He said, “There is no pressure on me whatsoever to retain the top position. I am just happy with how things have gone for me so far. I am not taking the rankings seriously as a large part of the competition is still remaining. My agenda in the coming days would be to complete all the stages without breaking my vehicle and enjoy the sport. I am hoping that my vehicle endures all the stress that I am putting on it.”

Jagat Nanjappa commented, “We are having a good competition so far, but it is too early to comment on anything. In our three years at RFC India, I have come to believe that things can change suddenly even at the end! So, we are just holding our horses and taking care of our machine.”

Day 3 at Isuzu RFC India 2018 saw 4 Special Stages of varying difficulty levels running at Suquerbag in Quepem in Goa. In SS6, the competitors had to go down through an ‘S’-shaped track; then climb up through two gates, using a winch. SS7 involved going down towards a track, where the contestants had two ascents in front of them; they had to first take the right slope; climb up; take a U-turn and come back down to the same spot; then take the slope towards the left; climb up and move towards the stop box.

SS8 required participants to speed-run for around 100 metres, after which they had to climb a 3.5-feet tall wall; go down an incline; make a U-turn; come back up; then climb up a steep slope of around 60 degrees and speed-run towards the stop box. In SS9, hailed as the toughest Stage for the day owing to large number of obstacles, the competitors started through a water pit; descended down a drop; then climbed up an incline using a winch or a sand-ladder; followed by another incline; then went through a gate and climbed up a slope yet again before moving towards the finish box.

RFC India debutant T Santosh Goud from Hyderabad, who is currently at the 24th position in the competition, remarked, “Since I had been a spectator at the previous edition of RFC India, I was expecting the event to be tough, but not so tough right from the first day itself! My aim right now is to survive and complete the event.”

Another RFC India debutant Chow Ujjal Namshum (co-driver Inpeng Mein) of Arunachal Pradesh’s Team MOCA, who surprised everyone on Day 1 of the competition by emerging on the third position in the ranking tables, slipped down to the sixth position at the end of the third day. He said, “I had nothing to lose on the first day of the competition as nobody had any expectations from me. So there was no pressure to perform. That really helped me to be me and do well. Having reached the top of the table on the first day, even my personal expectations have shot up. Going forward, I want to run every stage and try to get as less penalties as possible. I would play it safe for another day or two after which I will try to bring more speed in my efforts.”

The next set of stages will be held at the same location today and then at the Green Hills Agri Farm in Maina, Quepem on 26th and 27th of July, before eventually culminating at the Rajiv Gandhi IT Habitat in Dona Paula on 28th of July.