For those who do not know, the Otago Rally takes place in the city of Dunedin in southern New Zealand, and it has been held every year since 1976. Gaurav Gill has placed himself in contention for a win, after finishing in the top-three at the end of the first day. Gill and co-driver Jared Hudson were third on the timesheets, a little over 30 seconds behind overall leader Jack Hawkeswood and 11 seconds adrift of second-placed Robbie Stokes.
The drivers navigated through eight special stages on the first day. Gill lost 15 seconds on stage 5 due to an error, but the triple-APRC champion fought back by winning stages 4, 7 and 8. Speaking of the race, he feels it has been a unique experience, with the super-fast stages being very distinct from one another and the fact that they are going up against more powerful cars. Gill hopes to replicate a similar feat tomorrow and ensure a podium finish.
The Indian rally driver is currently piloting the Hyundai i20 N Rally2, which belongs to Haydon Paddon, 2022 APRC champion and 10-time Otago Rally winner. This year, the rally has drawn a field of 117 cars, the largest in four years. A customary mix of challenging sections comprise the 16 special stages that make up the rally. With over 144 km of competitive stages on Saturday, the finale on Sunday will feature another 130 km worth of driving.
