Since the year 1998, Maruti Suzuki Motorsports has been fuelling the adrenaline of adventurous rally drivers and has been promoting motorsports in India for 18 years. The Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm Rally this year, saw record-breaking participation, bringing together more than 200 rally enthusiasts from India and abroad. This also included the highest number of female participants (13 participants including three all-women teams) in a rally in India. The seven-day extreme event covered a distance of 2,100 km from the National Capital Region to Jodhpur, and was divided into four categories — XTreme, NDure, XPlore and Moto — enabling enthusiasts to use vehicles of their choice, suitable to the corresponding terrain and format.
The rally also saw several new inclusions, with 12 out of the 13 stages of the run being completely new. It included part-participation and a flexi format in the Xplore category which was divided in two parts, and gave participants an option to either take part for all six days or opt for a shorter duration. There was also a night leg of 120 kms from Bikaner to Jaisalmer, held on the last day of the rally.
Team Maruti Suzuki made a mark in the races with their Grand Vitara winning the Xtreme category race with Suresh Rana. Maruti Suzuki Swift won the Xplore category which was followed in the second position by the newly-launched Vitara Brezza. An Austrian Biker team participated in the rally along with CS Santhosh, one of India’s most accomplished off-road biker who represented Suzuki Motorcycles and won the race in Moto category.
Mr. RS Kalsi, executive director (marketing and sales), Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, said: “Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm rally is a true test of endurance. It pushes man and machine to extreme limits as they navigate across the barren, arid and sandy dunes of Rajasthan. Introduced in 2003, the rally fulfils the objective of providing the thrill of off-road rallying to motorsport enthusiasts.”
Kalsi added, "While there is thrill and adventure, the TSD format promotes safe driving habits amongst participants. This year we have tried to take the experience one notch higher by introducing flexi-format in Xplore category. We are confident that such innovations bring value to the motorsport and lead to an increase in the popularity of motorsports in India."
Mr. Vinay Pant, General Manager, Marketing, , Maruti Suzuki India said, “With a focus on strengthening the connect with the youth of India, Maruti Suzuki keeps the thrill and adventure alive in participants and audience through pioneering motorsport rallies"
"We have always strived to promote motorsport in India. Through the rallies our participants get to explore their talent in off-roading while abiding to the safe driving philosophy. Over the years Maruti Suzuki rallies are considered to be at par with international standards; and by introducing new concepts like part-participation/flexi-format in Desert Storm, we are adding innovation and aim to reach out to a wider audience”, he added.