The final round of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) takes places in Team MRF’s home country this weekend, with the running of the Rally of India.
Having already wrapped up the 2016 title in Malaysia at the end of October, Gaurav Gill is aiming for a win on home soil, and his sixth of the season.
Together with co-driver Glenn Macneall, Gill has been unbeatable this season in his Skoda Fabia R5, with only team-mates Fabian Kreim and Frank Christian able to match their incredible speed.
While Gill has had experience of the APRC over many years, Kreim – who recently clinched the German Rally Championship – is tackling the unique rallies in the series for the first time.
“I’m really excited to be competing in the Rally of India in front of my family and friends,” Gill said.
“This is definitely the most important rally of the year for Team MRF, and it would be great to finish the year with another victory.”
Team MRF boss, Lane Heenan, is also keen for the team to finish an exhausting 2016 season on a high.
“The Rally of India is perhaps the most important event of the season for us, as it is being held in MRF’s home country,” Heenan said.
“We’ve shown this year that our cars are the quickest in the championship, and we’ll be pushing hard for another 1-2 result this weekend.
“But nothing in rallying comes easy, and we know that everything needs to go our way. Rallying is a team sport, and that’s never more evident than in a tough championship like the APRC.”
The 2016 Rally of India starts on Friday afternoon with a 2.28km stage, before continuing on Saturday and Sunday.
Competitors will tackle a total of 17 special stages over a distance of 225.42km, the longest of which is the 20.30km Jagirmane test, held twice on the final day.
The event is based in the picturesque city of Chikmagalur Town, 260km north of Bangalore.