Joaquim Rodrigues has added a feather in his cap by winning the India Baja 2017 in his maiden appearance in an Indian motorsport event. Trailing Rodrigues was Aravind KP followed by his team mate - Abdul Vahid Tanveer.
Conducted over a 430km route through the Thar desert, the India Baja 2017 was conducted over six stages, featuring huge sand dunes and sweltering weather conditions. Having started off with a good lead over the first day, Rodrigues had developed a lead of 18 minutes by the end of the fifth stage. A flawless performance in the Thar Desert over the final stage saw him widen the gap to 25 minutes between him and Aravind. While Rodrigues was racing for Hero Motorsports, Aravind and Tanveer rode for TVS Racing team.
Currently in its second season, the India Baja was established to provide a platform for Indians to showcase their prowess in cross-country rallying. A few weeks ago, the organisers of India Baja, Northern Motorsports, tied up with Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) to get Dakar Challenge status for the rally.
