Maruti Suzuki organises women car rally in Delhi

Maruti Suzuki recently organised an all women car rally in New Delhi. With an aim of encouraging women participation in motorsports, the company is spearheading multiple intra city rallies. The one-day event in the Capital saw an overwhelming response with 80 Maruti Suzuki cars all piloted by women drivers.

The flagging off the event took place at the company’s Head Office in Vasant Kunj area. The rally covered a total distance of 103km, passing through places such as Mehrauli, Gurgaon, Damdama Lake, Sohna before it was concluded at the start venue in Vasant Kunj.

Commenting on the rally, Manohar Bhat, Vice-President, Marketing, Maruti Suzuki, said, “Maruti Suzuki’s association with motorsports spans across the last 2 decades. With each passing year, women interest in rallies has seen a significant upsurge. The TSD rally is a test of driving as well as planning skills which serves as a stepping stone for women enthusiasts eager to carve their niche in adventure sports. Moreover, it increasingly offers them opportunities to gauge their preparedness for bigger rallies like Maruti Suzuki Raid-de-Himalaya, Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm and Maruti Suzuki Dakshin Dare. This is coupled with the objective of imbibing road discipline and promoting road safety amongst drivers.”

Contestants participating in the event were all provided with a road book with instructions regarding directions, distance and time. The co-driver/navigator had to keep a check on the time based on speed and distance figures given in the road book, and then accordingly guide the driver on the speed at which the car is to be driven. The participants were to remain within average speed, follow traffic rules, and navigate the route correctly while strictly keeping to the prescribed time.

Vaneeta Kumar emerged as a winner in this rally, while Poonam Rana and Rihen Bhardwaj finished at second spot in their Gypsy. Malika Bajaj and Dhruv Dhall finished third spot.