Santosh on 2016 Dakar: 'I have the speed to make it into the top 20'

India’s most prolific cross-country rider CS Santosh believes he has the inherent speed to secure a top 20 finish at the Dakar Rally next month, having undergone an extensive training programme in Spain.

Earlier this year, Santosh became the first Indian to take part in the Dakar, finishing 36th overall in the bikes category. Although he admits that he underestimated the challenge of the South American rally when he competed in it for the first time, he’s confident of his prospects for next year.

“Yeah, in my head, even when I went for the first Dakar, I said top 20,’’ Santosh told autoX in an exclusive interview. “But I didn’t realize how tough it is. But I know I have the speed to make into the top 20.

“It’s just that everything has to come together. You need to be safe, you need to look after the motorcycle, a lot of things have to fall in place. And you need to make good decisions,’’ he added.

2016 will see Santosh ditch KTM for a modified version of the Suzuki RMX 450 off-road bike. Hefty fees charged by KTM and the prospects of receiving technical support from the Japanese manufacturer were stated as reasons behind the move.

“It’s quite expensive to be on a big team (KTM). Suzuki is a smaller team but they have invested in my growth, because they will grow as well. There are people that are supporting me at Suzuki. So it’s a good equation to have with the team,’’ he said.

To prepare himself for a second assault at Dakar, Santosh extensively trained in Spain - something he felt necessary given the lack of training facilities in India.

“I spent some time on the bicycle. Spain is really good to be able to go out and train, not worry about getting hit by somebody. And I spent some time in the gym. And I did a lot of bikes in the mountains, in the Pyrenees. I did hard-enduro, I did some navigation training. So it’s more than what I’ve done in the last few years,’’ he explained.

Santosh will also take advantage of the fact that next year’s route won’t include Chile - a country in which he particularly struggled, given the soft fesh-fesh that formed the terrain.

A potential switch to cars

Asked about Mahindra’s potential entry in Dakar, CS Santosh revealed his intention of eventually switching to four wheels, although he ruled out such a move in the interim future.

“ After I finish my career on two wheels, I’m going to be looking for that drive,’’

“For sure, the best guys in the car class all come from motorcycle. It’s because on the motorcycle the experience we have with navigation and riding, it allows more progression in the car.

“In cars you don’t have to worry about the cold and all that. So much more easier in the cars. I will wait 5 more years to do that,’’ he concluded.