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The Hindu
7 days ago
- Automotive
- The Hindu
India's lone female driver in Asia Pacific Rally Championship, Nikeeta Takale aspires to shine in WRC and Dakar
The only Indian female driver in the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC), Nikeeta Takale, who won three podiums in the Sumatera Utara Rally, aspires to participate in the World Rally Championships and the gruelling Dakar Rally after achieving success. Takale, with her co-driver Sudhindra BG won three titles in the third round of APRC which concluded on Sunday, bagging APRC RC4 class, APRC Ladies Class and Sumatera Rally RC4 category. Her exploits have made her eligible to participate in the APRC Finals in Japan scheduled for November 6-8. 'This is my second APRC because two years back, I got qualified in India. But due to some reasons, I could not go to the finals. But this time I made it over here. And Japan is 100 per cent on track,' she told PTI. 'Being in the sport, everyone's goal. This is the dream come true rally for me, the APRC, which I had dreams of in 2022. So, step by step, I really want to do many more internationals. 'I want to gain more experience. I want to train with big trainers. And then obviously the WRC is my dream to drive,' Takale added. Takale, who began her motorsports journey in 2016, was inspired by her uncle, veteran rally driver Sanjay Takale, though she admits they rarely spoke about the sport. 'My first ever autocross I did when I wasn't even 18 years old. I took a three year gap but In 2021, there was autocross back in Pune, when I came there,' she said. 'In that autocross, I got the best amateur, the fastest driver amongst the guys. So that was the real energy that I got that yes, I have to be there in this sport. And that encouraged me a lot.' Takale, representing JK Racing, won her 100th podium in career after winning this rally and wants to increase the number further. 'I started my career in 2021 and it has been up and down,' said the 24-year-old, who is being supported by Vamcy Merla Motorsports. 'I got an opportunity for the Rally Star Hunt event, in which I was selected from Bangalore. So I was very happy. I kept winning, I kept putting my efforts. I had made a century in my podiums after winning this rally.' Takale also emphasised that motorsport is about more than just speed. 'The sport is not only about driving fast. It needs too many techniques. You need to learn the track. As with the track, your driving changes. And yes, I did train. I've trained with many different trainers from India. It has changed me a lot. I have become a more technical and professional driver now,' she said. Takale credits her father and husband as the two key figures behind her continued success in the sport. 'I'm a married woman who's there in motorsports now. If he (husband) wasn't, in these four years, I do not think I would have got into motorsports. It's been one and a half year, I can say now. The moment I entered motorsports, I gave in,' she said. 'No, he always tells me, whenever you take the name motorsports, keep me away. You please go enjoy, because he's a person who loves cars a lot. It's like you're destroying the car. So we are two different personalities in one house. 'For me, to start my motorsports career, the only man behind me was my dad, till the date and will always be him. The second man in my life was my husband. And he will obviously support me till I achieve my dreams.' Related Topics World Rally Championship
New Indian Express
7 days ago
- Automotive
- New Indian Express
Talented Nikeetaa living her dream, one race at a time
MEDAN (INDONESIA): As India signed off from the Sumatera Utara Rally — third round of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship — with stunning podium finishes, it was a day to remember for Nikeetaa Takkale, who finished first in the APRC RC4 and went on to top the Ladies category. The 24-year-old driver from Pune, who is also the only Indian woman in the competition, came into the event with a mission of completing a hundred podium finishes and qualifying for the final in Japan and she did just that. Four years ago, all this was not even in the realm of things for Nikeetaa. Niece of Sanjay Takkale, a veteran rally driver from the country, Nikeetaa got a taste of driving very early on in her life. However, it was not until 2021 that she took racing seriously. "I never went to my uncle's rallies and all. One day in 2021, my dad (Nitin Takkale) called me in the morning, saying that I had to be there for the event. I said, 'I have my college exams.' He said, 'No, you just be here for five minutes'. I went there; it was an autocross event, but then I ran off. The second day, they called me, they filled my form, and they really wanted me to drive," Nikeetaa, who is supported by Vamcy Merla Motorsports and represents team JK Racing, recalls. "I'm a driver who used to drive very fast on the streets. So they wanted to stop my driving on the street and asked me to come to the track. I got the best amateur, the fastest driver amongst the guys," she adds. Not only that, but she also won the Ladies category title. Being in the middle of it all and the fastest amateur driver on both days gave her real energy. "It made me feel, 'I have to be in this sport'. That encouraged me a lot," she says. From then on, life has changed drastically for Nikeetaa. Motorsports became her life. Every minute she spent on or off the track was about motorsports. Much like life, her motorsport career has its share of ups and downs, but Nikeeta has maintained a steady rise. Whether it is becoming the fastest driver in the INAC autocross west zone, stealing the show at The Rally Star Cup or winning the Ladies Cup in Chennai, the 24-year-old has left a notable impression on everything she has touched so far. In all this, the support from her family, especially her father and husband, has been immense. "For me, to start my motorsports career, the only man behind me was my dad, till the day. And, it will always be him. The second man in my life was my husband. He will support me till I achieve my dreams," says the talented racer who switches to a completely different personality when she is off the track. 'Off the track, I'm too much into traditional touch. No one will guess that, 'oh, she's a rally driver'. But when they see me on track, yeah, they will be like, 'oh, cool',' says Nikeeta. For someone who did not want to talk too much about the final in Japan ahead of the event in Indonesia, Nikeeta's goal is to compete at the World Rally Championship and Dakar Rally. "This is the dream come true rally for me, the APRC, which I had dreamed of in 2022. So, yeah, slowly, step-by-step, I really want to do many more internationals. I want to gain more experience. I want to train with big trainers and then obviously my dream is to drive in the WRC," she said. She has ticked off one more step in Indonesia towards her dream. Her next stop, Japan in November.
Hans India
12-08-2025
- Automotive
- Hans India
India's lone female driver in APRC, Nikeeta Takale aspires to shine in WRC and Dakar
Medan (Indonesia): The only Indian female driver in the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC), Nikeeta Takale, who won three podiums in the Sumatera Utara Rally, aspires to participate in the World Rally Championships and the gruelling Dakar Rally after achieving success here. Takale, with her co-driver Sudhindra BG won three titles here in the third round of APRC which concluded on Sunday, bagging APRC RC4 class, APRC Ladies Class and Sumatera Rally RC4 category. Her exploits here have made her eligible to participate in the APRC Finals in Japan scheduled for November 6-8. "Yeah, this is my second APRC because two years back, I got qualified in India. But due to some reasons, I could not go to the finals. But yeah, this time I made it over here. And Japan is 100 per cent on track," she told PTI in an interview. "So, yeah, being in the sport, everyone's goal, I think, will be the same to drive the WRC and the Dakar. Yeah, hopefully planning soon to be there at the WRC round. But this is the dream come true rally for me, the APRC, which I had dreams of in 2022. So, yeah, slowly, step by step, I really want to do many more internationals. "I want to gain more experience. I want to train with big, big trainers. And then obviously the WRC is my dream to drive," Takale added. Takale, who began her motorsports journey in 2016, was inspired by her uncle, veteran rally driver Sanjay Takale, though she admits they rarely spoke about the sport. "My first ever autocross I did when I wasn't even 18 years old. I took a three year gap but In 2021, there was autocross back in Pune, when I came there. I really didn't want it to," she said. "In that autocross, I got the best amateur, the fastest driver amongst the guys. So that was the real energy that I got that yes, I have to be there in this sport. And that encouraged me a lot." Takale, representing JK Racing, won her 100th podium in career after winning this rally and wants to increase the number further. "I started my career in 2021 and it has been up and down," said the 24-year-old, who is being supported by Vamcy Merla Motorsports. "I got an opportunity for the Rally Star Hunt event, in which I was selected from Bangalore. So I was very happy. I kept winning, I kept putting my efforts. I had made a century in my podiums after winning this rally." Takale also emphasized that motorsport is about more than just speed. "The sport is not only about driving fast. It needs too many techniques. You need to learn the track. As with the track, your driving changes. And yes, I did train. I've trained with many different trainers from India. And yeah, it has changed me a lot. And I have become a more technical and professional driver now," she said. Takale credits her father and husband as the two key figures behind her continued success in the sport. "I'm a married woman who's there in motorsports now. If he (husband) wasn't, in these four years, I do not think I would have got into motorsports. It's been one and a half year, I can say now. The moment I entered motorsports, I gave in," she said. "No, he always tells me, whenever you take the name motorsports, keep me away. You please go enjoy, because he's a person who loves cars a lot. It's like you're destroying the car. So we are two different personalities in one house. "For me, to start my motorsports career, the only man behind me was my dad, till the date and will always be him. The second man in my life was my husband. And he will obviously support me till I achieve my dreams."
New Indian Express
09-08-2025
- Automotive
- New Indian Express
Gill's vehicle breaks down, hopes to finish strong on Sunday
MEDAN (INDONESIA): After the first two stages on what was a bright sunny morning in Parapat, it looked like three-time APRC winner Gaurav Gill was going to run away with the Sumatera Utara Rally title. He had cruised with a lead close to 30 seconds and was ready to carry the momentum into the third stage. However, an unexpected mechanical failure at the start of special stage 3 meant he had to retire for the day on Saturday. The brand-new Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo, which Gill was driving, came to a stop about 300 meters into SS3 when a throttle body failed. "We were fastest on SS1, and there was good rhythm and precision for me in stage 2 as well, which worked well. We made some changes to the tyres and suspension. After stage 2, we had almost 38 or 39 seconds lead, quite a big lead. Unfortunately, at the SS3 start, the mechanical failure happened, just 300 metres into the round,' a disappointed Gill said, sitting next to his teammates. The rare mechanical failure dampened the mood a little in the Gill camp, but the Arjuna Award winner is confident of making a comeback and scoring some crucial leg points. "We can have some penalties added to the time format that runs, and we are eligible to continue all day tomorrow. If we can put in some really good time, we can actually be top-3. So I won't be surprised if we end up in a good position,' said Gill. Former rally champion and Head of Operations, JK Motorsports, Hari Singh echoed the sentiment. "Obviously, a big setback for us after putting in so much effort and the cars arriving at the very last minute. It is disappointing when we have a winning car and a winning driver. The combination was perfect, but that's rallying. You win some, you lose some," said Hari Singh, who is JK Racing's team manager at this event. Meanwhile, Nikeetaa Takkale, India's only female driver at the event, had a good day on the track. Competing in Indonesia for the first time, the Pune-based driver delivered a faultless performance and is on course for a rare triple podium in the third round of the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship's (APRC) Asia Cup, held about 32 kilometres from Parapat. She is leading her class, the RC4 and the Ladies class. She is also likely to bag a podium in the Junior APRC. In RC3, Goa's Vaibhav Marathe, co-driven by experienced Ashwin Naik of Mangaluru, topped his class in a Ford Fiesta Rally3 Evo, finishing seventh overall. Bopaiah KM was the best Indian finisher and sixth overall. Provisional results (Saturday Leg 1): APRC Overall and RC2 Class: 1. Ryan Nirwan/ Adi Indiarto (01 hour, 01min, 43.7seconds); 2. Musa Arjanshah/ Mohamad Herkusuma (01:02:05.8); 3. Aldio Oeken/ Respati Adhi (01:02:18.5); RC2 Class Indians: 6. Bopaiah KM/ PV Srinivasa Murthy (Kodagu/Bengaluru) (01:09:27.9); 8. Abhin R Rai/ Srikanth Gowda (Kodagu/Chikkamagaluru) (01:14.55.4); 10. Gaurav Gill/ Florian Barral (Delhi/France) (1:25:27.8) (DNF in SS3) (Penalty awaited). APRC RC3: 1. Vaibhav Marathe/ Ashwin Naik (Goa/Mangaluru) (01:14:15.6); APRC RC4: 1. Nikeeta Takkale/ Sudhindra Gopalakrishna (Pune/Bengaluru) (01:21:20.3); Ladies Class: 1. Nikeetaa/Sudhindra.
Mint
01-06-2025
- Automotive
- Mint
Gautam Singhania meets European royal Prince Albert II: Here's why they met, what they discussed & more
Indian billionaire Gautam Singhania shared a picture with Prince Albert II of Monaco and shared his encounter with the European royalty. 'An absolute honour to meet H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco,' Singhania said in an Instagram post on May 31. According to media reports, Indian billionaire Gautam Singhania was in Monaco for the Grand Prix and had met European royal Prince Albert II of Monaco on the sidelines of the international racing event. Gautam Singhania was cheering on Kush Maini, the first Indian to win the Formula 2 Sprint Race, at the iconic Monaco Grand Prix on Saturday, May 31. Singhania's JK Racing, along with TVS Racing, has been supporting Maini in his racing career from the beginning. He was seen in the pit lane embracing Maini after the monumental win. In an Instagram post, Gautam Singhania said he had a 'warm conversation' with Prince Albert II, who appreciated his outfit for the event. Singhania was wearing an embellished navy blazer, which he said was from his company's Chairman's Collection. He paired it with white trousers and navy blue leather shoes with a prominent lion logo. The company launched its Chairman's Collection in March 2025 to celebrate 100 years of Raymond. The European royal, who was wearing modest formals, liked the Raymond chairman's outfit. 'Grateful for the warm conversation and his kind words on the Chairman's Collection I was wearing. A true moment of pride,' said Singhania in his post, without elaborating further. Prince Albert II of Monaco is the reigning monarch of the Principality of Monaco. He ascended to the throne in 2005 following the death of his father, Prince Rainier III. Born on 14 March 1958, he is the only son of Prince Rainier III and American actress Grace Kelly. He is known for his commitment to environmental causes. In 2006, he established the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation to support sustainable development and conservation efforts worldwide. As of 2025, media reports suggest that Prince Albert II's personal net worth is estimated to be around $1 billion. It is derived from various sources, including substantial real estate holdings in Monaco and France, investments in the Société des Bains de Mer (which operates Monaco's famed Monte Carlo Casino), and inherited assets from his mother, Princess Grace. His financial affairs were under scrutiny recently due to a corruption scandal involving his former financial manager, Claude Palmero. Palmero faced legal action initiated by the prince on accusations of financial mismanagement and corruption. This was the first such move by a Grimaldi in 700 years.
