Indian Debut Triumph: Dean Mascarenhas Shines in French Rallying

Indian rally driver Dean Mascarenhas delivered a remarkable performance in his European debut, securing a second-place finish in the Rally4 class at the 41st Rallye Terre des Cardabelles, a well-regarded French Gravel Rally.

Teaming up with experienced Brazilian co-driver Gabriel Morales, Mascarenhas maneuvered a Peugeot 208 GT Line through the challenging FRC4 group's Rally4 category. The duo completed the course in 1 hour, 37 minutes, and 43.4 seconds, placing 36th overall out of 122 starters. Notably, they performed admirably in one of France's most demanding gravel rallies, which saw 40 retirements and only 82 vehicles reaching the finish line on Sunday night.

Despite facing unfamiliar super-fast and technical stages, Mascarenhas remained undaunted. Reflecting on his debut, he remarked, "The stages were different from what I'm used to in India, making this the toughest rally I've ever competed in." Their success offers significant motivation for future endeavors.