Dakar 2024 not only saw the first-ever victory in Rally

In the world of motorsports, the Dakar Rally stands as the ultimate test of off-road endurance, where manufacturers and private teams engage in fierce competition across diverse categories, ranging from off-road bikes to off-road cars and even trucks. A rigorous test for both the rider and the machine, the Dakar Rally is gruelling enough that completing the entire championship is hailed as a significant achievement. At this year’s championship, while Honda and Audi clinched titles in the motorcycle and car categories, respectively, the highlight of the Rally, from India’s motorsports’ perspective, has to be the remarkable performances of Hero MotoSport and TVS Racing’s Harith Noah.

After navigating the challenging terrain of the Saudi Arabian desert for two weeks, Harith emerged victorious in the Rally 2 class at Dakar 2024, making him the first Indian to accomplish this remarkable feat. What’s even more impressive that he crossed the finish line in the 11th overall position and was just six minutes shy of the coveted top 10! This feat stands as the highest-ranking achievement by an Indian in the rally, often hailed as the ‘toughest race in the world.’ Simultaneously, Ross Branch of Hero MotoSports clinched the second spot in the 2024 Dakar Rally. By doing so, Hero became the first Indian team to secure a podium finish in this illustrious rally.

Straight from the Horse’s Mouth

Dakar is not easy on the participants, and Harith was no exception to the rule. In the early stages of the rally, the TVS rider battled headaches and cramps in Stage 1. Undeterred, he surged from 29th overall to an impressive 22nd position by Stage 2, followed by a ground-breaking moment in Stage 3, where Harith secured the 3rd position in the Rally 2 Class – a first for an Indian rider. Despite setbacks in Stages 4 and 5, Harith's determination prevailed as he overcame fuel contamination issues, maintaining his position in the overall rankings.

The 48-hour chrono stage became a turning point for Harith, where he consistently climbed the ranks. Despite physical difficulties with a bad case of cold in Stage 7, he finished 16th, preserving his 13th overall ranking. Stages 8 and 9 witnessed Harith's progress to 3rd in the Rally 2 rankings while maintaining his 13th position overall.

In Stage 10, Harith emerged as a leader, setting the fastest times at checkpoints and finishing 5th overall. Stage 11 presented an opportunity, and Harith seized it by winning his first stage at Dakar. Stage 12 was the climax of his journey, as he dominated the stage from start to finish, emerging victorious and ascending to the top of the Rally 2 overall rankings with a lead of under 5 minutes.

Harith's historic triumph stands as a significant milestone in Indian motorsports, making him the first Indian to take top honours in a Dakar category. The championship's reputation as the toughest motorsport event further amplifies the significance of Harith's achievement. His journey serves as a testament to extraordinary resilience and skill, transcending mere personal victory to become a monumental national achievement.

While speaking to us, Harith said, ‘I think everyone was surprised after what I did, including me. So, yeah, everyone is a little bit taking it all in, but, I guess, in a good way, obviously. So, yeah, we are all pumped and happy that we made it to the top of the podium. I mean, it's so insane to be there on the top step holding the huge trophy.’

‘We really improved the suspension a lot this year, so the bike was working well. I also got a new mechanic this year. Every day we worked together as a team, and all we wanted, obviously, was to finish the Dakar, which was everyone's main objective. And to do it by finishing first and 11th overall is a good thing,’ he further added.

A Hero’s Return

Hero MotoSports and Ross Branch achieved a remarkable feat by securing a podium finish in the challenging championship. The Indian manufacturer claimed second place, finishing just over 10 minutes behind the overall winner – Ricky Brabec of Monster Energy Honda. This accomplishment is a significant triumph for Hero and underscores their commitment to the racing program since 2016. The team's journey includes notable milestones, such as a Stage Win at the Dakar Rally in 2022, two Stage Wins in 2023, and a podium finish in the latest edition.

At the start of the 2024 Dakar Rally, Branch quickly established himself as a strong contender for the ultimate victory. He kicked off the rally with a victory in Stage 1 and maintained the top spot until Stage 5. During the following stages, Branch closely followed Honda's Ricky Brabec, consistently demonstrating a strong competitive spirit. Impressively, he secured another stage victory by recording the quickest time in Stage 11.

Following a gruelling event, the South African rider wrapped up the last 174km stage around Yanbu with a solid ninth-place finish. This impressive performance secured his well-deserved second-place overall finish. Branch's first-ever podium finish in the Dakar rally is not only a significant achievement for him but also a crucial milestone for the Indian team.

Tough Luck

While the Indian contingent finished the 2024 Dakar Rally with not one but two achievements, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for Indian privateer Ashish Raorane, who returned to compete in Dakar after a gap of three years but, unfortunately, retired  during the opening stage. Ashish spoke to us recently and said – “With 2 years of prep behind me, I was looking forward to this year’s Dakar and knew I had done my best to prepare for the challenge ahead. I had an unfortunate crash when I hit something buried under the sand which flung me a good distance over the handlebar and when I landed I instantly knew I had broken something. I have walked away from some pretty nasty crashes over the years, but sometimes the simple ones get you. Disbelief was probably the only emotion I had at the time, despite the collarbone being broken into two places but that’s the way the cookie crumbles.”

That must have been a hard pill to digest for Raorane but we are hopeful that he will be back to full fitness soon. We are pretty certain that he's motivated even more and will be aiming to be a part of Dakar celebrations for the Indian contingent in 2025.