Saldanha and Murthy win RC2.1 class in RAAT Rally of Thailand
Indian rally driver Jason Saldanha and co-driver P.V.S. Murthy dished out a commanding performance in the second round of the RAAT Rally of Thailand to clinch overall second place and a win in the RC 2.1 category to emerge as the front-runners in the 2025 international rally season.
In 2023, Saldanha became the first Indian to win a class title in the RAAT Rally of Thailand and has since continued his upward trajectory.
Behind the wheel of a 1.4-litre turbocharged Suzuki Swift, a 2WD machine, Saldanha was up against a field packed with more powerful 4-wheel drive (4WD) cars.
Yet his strategic driving and relentless pace secured him a place on the overall podium with a timing of 1 hour, 7 minutes and 58 seconds.
"The roads were extremely slippery due to the rains. It was one of the toughest events... Just one mistake could have ended it for us," said Saldanha, who hails from Sakleshpur, a small town in Karnataka.
Veteran co-driver Murthy, with 25 years of rally experience, played a key role with precise pace notes and steady calls, enabling Saldanha to push the limits safely across all stages.
With this result, Saldanha leads the 2025 Overall Championship with a 10-point margin over Thailand's Mana Pornsiricherd, and dominates the RC 2.1 class with 40 points, well ahead of the second-placed driver, who has 15.
Held in the scenic Khok Samrong district of Lopburi, the rally attracted 30 competitors from Japan, China, Korea, India, and Thailand and the challenging terrain and unpredictable weather tested the drivers in the high-stakes rally.
Round 3 of the RAAT Thailand Rally Championship will be held at Sa Kaeo, Thesaban Mueang, from July 18 to 20.
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