Gaurav Gill retires from Safari Rally Kenya due to engine failure

After clocking the fastest time during the shakedown, three-time APRC champion Gaurav Gill was forced to retire due to engine problems caused by sand intake.

Arjuna awardee Gaurav Gill, who was competing in the World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally Kenya, was forced to retire due to engine problems. The three-time APRC champion fell victim to the deadly ‘fesh fesh’ dust that the course is dreaded for, leaving him with a damaged engine on Friday. Gill, who is backed by JK Tyre, was driving the Skoda Fabia R5 and showed impressive pace in the shakedown, Stage 1, and Stage 3 in the WRC2 category. 

Gill has been performing on the global stage for nearly three years now and was a strong contender for the podium. However, the Fabia came to a halt rather unexpectedly after inhaling vast amounts of sand. 

'Deeply gutted to have dropped out from this legendary rally. But as with all events, this was a great experience; I had the pace to match the front runners. I thank my sponsors for this amazing opportunity and the Kenyan Indian community for all their love and support,” said Gill.

Before retiring from Safari Rally Kenya, Gill clocked the fastest time in the shakedown, which is part of the itinerary for setting up the pace in the WRC2 grid. The 1223km rally started in Central Nairobi on Thursday. 

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