Three-time APRC champions Gaurav Gill will look for top honours in the four-wheel category, while CS Santosh would hope to overcome his 2019 Dakar Rally disappointment in the 17th Desert Storm that kicked off here on Wednesday.
India’s most prestigious international motorsports event,the Desert Storm 2019, roared into the scorching sands of Bikaner here onWednesday, with the who’s who of the fraternity ready to whip up a superstormin their quest for honour and glory.
Gill, Sandeep Sidhu, Lhakpa Tsering and Philippos Matthailed the four-wheeler brigade while Dakar Rally exponent Santosh, R Nataraj,Aishwarya PM and Imran Pasha topped the two-wheeler charge, setting the stagefor a battle royale.
The 17th edition of the Desert Storm, an FMSCI-approvedevent, has become the ultimate test for man and machine, with the temperaturesoaring past 50 degrees this summer.
The organisers, Northern Motorsports, have made a rareconcession this year, scheduling the special stages early in the morning andlate in the evening to counter the heat.
As many as 130 participants were flagged off from New Delhion Tuesday afternoon, making it one of the biggest event in the countryalready. This included a staggering number of manufacturers, who have adoptedthis platform to test their cars and bikes. “This is the most amazing line-up that Ihave ever seen,” Gill said at the flag-off. “Almost all the topmanufacturers are here which is the best thing that could have happened to thesport.”