For Gurmeet Virdi, a Chandigarh-based businessman and two-time winner of Rainforest Challenge India, off-roading has been his passion for as long as he can remember. In the latest edition of RFC India in Goa, Virdi and his co-driver Kirpal Singh emerged on top, successfully defending the title they won last year.
Both are from Gerrari Offroaders, the Chandigarh-based community of off-roaders that organises outstation trips and events for participants.
The Rainforest Challenge began in Malaysia in 1997, and is one of the most demanding 4x4 extreme off-road events. It is acknowledged as one of the world’s top 10 toughest motor races.
The Indian edition of RFC has been organised since 2014 at various locations in Goa, always during the monsoon, so tackling slippery slopes, crater-like water-logged ditches, large clumps of earth and sheets of rain are all a part of the challenge.
Talking about the event, Ashish Gupta, founder of Cougar Motorsport, the organiser of the Force Gurkha Rainforest Challenge India, says, “We witnessed an unprecedented level of competition this year. With the enhanced toughness quotient of the special stages and night stages, I expected the competition to be intense, and I am happy that that’s exactly what it turned out to be. The superior performance makes me believe that the off-roading culture in our country has matured considerably.”
This year, 38 teams competed across 8 days, for points given on the basis of vehicle handling and recovery skills, teamwork and physical and mental strength under tough conditions.
It’s a testament to the growing popularity of the sport that the inaugural version four years ago hosted 22 teams.
Virdi, who has been hooked on the sport since 2000, says, “Once RFC began in India in 2014, I participated in the first edition as a co-driver. I have been a driver in the last two editions and I am delighted that we have emerged on top on both these occasions.
It has been a great journey. It has made getting off-road equipment easier and has resulted in more people becoming aware of the sport. The past two seasons have resulted in many dealers selling off-road equipment in India. Virdi himself used an ex-army Maruti Gypsy. “It is lightweight, and we did not modify it much. We put in a 1.6-litre petrol engine and incorporated larger 35-inch tyres, but the rest of the equipment, from the suspension set-up to the winch, is standard,” he says. But it’s not just about having a good vehicle.
“It is very important for the driver and the co-driver to be fit. It is a combination of the skills of the driver and the co-driver, with some help from the vehicle. Coordination between the driver and the co-driver is also very important. Both must ensure that the vehicle does not suffer any major damage, especially in the early stages. A damaged vehicle could mean that you run the risk of being eliminated in the initial stages.” Drivers must exhibit a fine balance of being both aggressive and patient at the right time.
“You learn a lot every year. When I slipped down to the second position for a brief duration, there was a lot of pressure to perform well. We did not have any scope to make mistakes.”
The winner of the India leg of RFC gets a chance to participate in RFC Malaysia later this year.
The writer was in Goa at the invitation of Cougar Motorsport Pvt Ltd .
