Vikram Mathias-PV Srinivasa Murthy lead on chaotic day

The K-1000 Rally began but the troubles never really went away. After the shakedown was stopped on the first day on Thursday, there were more embarrassing moments as the event saw the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and Asia-Pacific Rally Championship officials leaving the special stages. Obviously, they had had enough of the contender round of the APRC.

However, the organisers of the fourth round of the Indian National Rally Championship maintained that nothing had been confirmed about the permit being withdrawn as yet. But with what has happened till now, getting an APRC round is certainly doubtful.

At the main action, RRR's VR Naren Kumar (co-driver D Ramkumar) was leading after the first two stages coming into the service break. But he hit a stump on the third stage and continued but the ball joint on his car's steering gave way and he had to retire in the fourth stage.  Naren Kumar's team-mate Vikram Mathias (PV Srinivasa Murthy) was trailing the then leader by 27 seconds but eventually ended up taking the lead by the end of the day. MRF's Lohitt Urs (Shrikant Gowda) was second and Arjun Rao Aroor (Satish K Rajagopal) is third.