Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm 2009 flagged off

17 February 2009

New Delhi: The seventh Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm was flagged off in New Delhi today by Shashank Srivastava, chief general manager (marketing) Maruti Suzuki India Limited, from south Delhi. The six-day rally, which has many firsts to its credit, will traverse approximately 2,600km through the interiors of Rajasthan and along the Gujarat coastline before touching the finishing line at Udaipur.

The Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm rally is one of the toughest motor-sports events in India. The rally is a mix of adventure, thrill and excitement for the participants as they drive across uncharted territory and experience the formidable Thar Desert, the rocky and Aravalli ranges of Rajasthan, and the slippery and white sands of the Gujarat's Rann of Kutch.

The route will take 170 rallyists through competitive and transport sections. The competitive section includes tough, off-road terrain that has gravel, sand and rocks, while the transport section is run on inter-city state highways and connecting roads.

Following the ceremonial flag-off in New Delhi, the rallyists will assemble at Shahpura on the outskirts of Manesar in Haryana on the Delhi-Jaipur highway where the first competitive section starts and will be flagged off at midnight from Shahpura to Bikaner in Rajasthan.

Many firsts
This year's Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm rally will have many firsts. For one, this will be the first time when an Indian rally will be conducted at night and second, this is the maiden occasion when rallyists will cross semi-dry river beds in the Aravalli range.

The rallyists will thereafter halt at Bikaner before proceeding towards the sand dunes of Jaisalmer. As the desert sand of the mighty Thar greets the rallyists in the backdrop of the medieval fort, the four-wheel drives will come into play.