Gaurav Gill always had the speed, but some misfortune and a costly mistake on his part handed the 2015 IRC title to an equally deserving Lohitt Urs.
2015 was a mixed year for India’s most prolific rally driver Gaurav Gill, as far as his Indian Rally Championship (IRC) campaign was concerned.
Gill started the season on an ominous note, winning the Rally Maharashtra with relative ease from Arjun Rao Aroor, who was driving a customer Volkswagen Polo R2B. He won both legs en route to overall victory, scoring the maximum 34 points.
But those who had presumed Gill would retain the National title were left disappointed as the next two rounds didn’t go according to his plan.
In the second round, Gill retired with driveshaft problems at the end of leg 1, but rejoined in the second leg as per Super Rally format. Six valuable points subsequently scored were his consolation prize.
In Bangalore, Gill only had himself to blame as he slid off the route, incurring extensive damage to his factory Super XUV500. The New Delhi-born driver couldn’t continue any further and was forced to watch the remainder of the rally from the sidelines.
By the time he arrived in Chikmagalur for the curtain-closing round, he was effectively out of the championship. However, that didn’t prove to be deterrent to his spirits as he cruised to his second victory of the season.
Gill’s 2015 IRC campaign was no different to his season in APRC, where repetitive problems prevented him from challenging for the title. The 34-year old was hit by one issue or the other over the six-round season, as he finished third in the standings, scoring half the points of his title-winning teammate Pontus Tidemand.
Tidemand also took advantage of an extensive testing programme, being a factory driver for Skoda.
The consistent Urs
In stark contrast to Gill, Lohitt Urs’ campaign was far more consistent, as he mostly stayed out of trouble and remained virtually free from mechanical gremlins.
After an inauspicious start in round one, where late delivery of tyres forced him to resort to regular street compounds, Urs scored back-to-back wins in Coimbatore and Bangalore, laying the foundation of his maiden IRC title.
Even in Chikmagalur where Gill was at his very best, Urs finished a close second, securing the crown. It was a considerable feat for Urs, considering he beat a factory driver - that too of the calibre of Gill - in his customer Mistubishi Evo III.
Absence of international drivers
A lot of hype was generated when India was included in the Asia Cup calendar in 2015. After the original 2014 date was postponed due to general elections, many saw it as the moment when the wheels would finally start moving in the right direction.
However, with the championship already decided at the previous round in favour of Hitoshi Takayama, none of the foreign drivers arrived in Chikmagalur. MRF, which was fielding Gill in one of its Skoda Fabia S2000s, also didn’t take part.
As a result, the so-called Asia Cup rally consisted of only eight Indian drivers, with Urs taking the top spot, having finishing second overall.
But the real purpose behind hosting an Asia Cup round has been achieved. The Coffee Day rally will be promoted to APRC status in 2016, meaning a truly international event will come to India.
The move would be welcomed by MRF, which runs it own team in APRC. The Indian tyre manufactured successfully tested the Skoda Fabia S5 in Rally China in October, ahead of an expected full-time debut next year.
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