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A speed demon in the mould of a champion: GG

He has won on motorbikes, took the 2004 Formula Maruti title. Now, Gaurav Gill is setting the rally championship on fire.

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He has won on motorbikes, took the 2004 Formula Maruti title. Now, Gaurav Gill is setting the rally championship on fire.

NEW DELHI: The speed game unravels across a vast spectrum and few manage to master even one form of motorsport. For someone to have won a round in the national motorcycle rallying championship, then go on to claim the top podium spot in racing and to make it all the more astounding win the first round of the Indian National Rallying Championship this year, speaks of extraordinary talent.

Delhi's Gaurav Gill is the man with the rare distinction of having stamped his ability on three diverse forms of the sport. He is either very good or a maverick living on a prayer.

"All I can say is that I am comfortable with going fast and speed makes me feel truly alive. The results are secondary but they do tend to trickle in when you enjoy what you are doing," smiles the 24-year-old flexing the tattoos on both his broad biceps.

The love affair does extract its price. Every time Gill tries to board a plane, the metal detector goes into overdrive. There are sixteen screws in his frame; 12 hold his ankle together while four reforged his left wrist. The former came from a horrific accident in his third motorcycle rally; needless to say he didn't win that one, while four are the love bites courtesy a super bike crash.

Doesn't all that freak out his family?
"My father only encourages me to go faster," he astounds, "having a motorsport tradition in the family helps."

Gill's cousin Dicky Gill was labelled the crash king of Indian rallying in the 90s and had a reputation for being on the podium if he managed to salvage his car through the full length of an event.

At the Pune event the first week of May where Gaurav Gill reasserted his claim in rallying he was partnered by 46-year-old veteran Farookh Ahmed who has been in motorsports for 28 long years. "His edge comes from superior car control. He is destined to go beyond Indian rallying as long as he keeps his cool and stays disciplined," says the former navigator of seven-time national rally champion Leela Krishnan.

Reigning INRC champ Naren Kumar would not like to concede that Gill threatens his suzerainty but adds: "He's real good, the best of the new generation." Hardened rallyists suggest that the consistency will only come if Gill cools down a bit and learns to save his car over rough patches. The Pune event after all was largely tarmac. "I only know one way to rally — flat out. The car can take care of itself," responds the new speed king on the block.

Adrenaline aside only time will tell the limit of Gill's ability. For now his rise is welcome news in what was threatening to turn into a veteran dominated sport over the last few years.

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