The Raid de Himalaya is India's highest motorsport event

The highlight of the domestic motorsport calendar is almost upon us, as competitors attempt to scale new heights. 

Through desert sand, loose gravel and rain-soaked monsoon stages, the Indian cross-country rally season is finally drawing to a close with the biggest event of them all – the Maruti-Suzuki Raid de Himalaya. The much-anticipated event will turn 19 this year as teams from the factory Maruti Suzuki squad, Isuzu backed drivers and a host of privateers will attempt to brave altitude changes, punishing mountain terrain and extreme cold to be top dogs.

Suresh Rana of Maruti Suzuki has regularly claimed that honour in the Xtreme four-wheel class, while TVS Racing has ruled the roost in the Xtreme two-wheel class of late. It’s an event that tests not only the concentration, skill and daring of the competitors but also the road-worthiness of the machines used in no uncertain terms. 

It is one of the reasons why Indian motorsport fans were excited to see Mahindra enter the fray in 2012 and force Maruti Suzuki into at least giving Rana a Grand Vitara to drive instead of a Gypsy. As trusted a mountain steed as that car is, there are a lot of other cars out there that are ripe to be customized for rally use – even within the larger umbrella of the Maruti Suzuki group. 

Following the conclusion of the Dakshin Dare in July, word was going around that an S-Cross was being prepared for Rana and co-driver Ashwin Naik to use. It was something that Naik was extremely keen on, so here’s hoping that the car will soon be seen on the Raid’s punishing stages. 

Of course, whether it’s a new machine or the old Grand Vitara, keeping Rana’s machine running smoothly will be event partners Mobil 1. The involvement of the engine oil major has been a welcome financial and technical boost for competitors this year. Whether they’re factory teams or privateers, everyone who lines up at the start of these events puts months of preparation on the line. And while no one can ever account for an incident-free motorsport event, having the right equipment at least ensures reliability. 

Competition will be intense at any rate. At the Dakshin Dare, Samrat Yadav mounted an aggressive attack on Rana, and almost beat the seasoned veteran for overall honours. Let’s see who tests their luck the most without pushing it too far, as the stage shifts to India’s literal summit.