MRF Signs Top Local Driver for APRC

Indian tyre major MRF has signed up popular Indian driver Gaurav Gill to compete in the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) for a full season this year. Addressing a press conference to announce MRF drivers for the championship, K M Mammen, MRF’s chairman and managing director, said “this is the first time that an Indian will be vying for honours in the event by competing in six of the seven legs. Gaurav (Gill) is also the first Indian to register with the FIA for the APRC Series.”

Mammen said MRF would be entering the APRC this year with three teams and the third team would have Gaurav (Gill) and an Australian driver, who is to be decided upon later. Jussi Valmiki and co-driver Jarkko Kalliolepo of Finland and Katsuhiko Taguchi of Japan and Australian Mark Stacey will make up the first two teams.

An enthusiastic Gill, who has previously spent successful seasons rallying motorcycles and racing cars, will be making his debut in the international arena, said, “We are going to try to finish each and every rally and collect the maximum points for the drivers championship for Team MRF.”

The three MRF vehicles Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 9 cars prepared by Perth (Australia)-based Race Torque Engineering. Team MRF will participate in six of the seven rounds of the APRC slated to be held in New Caledonia, Canberra, Hokkaido, Malaysia, Indonesia and China.