Baja Rally by Northern Motorsport Brings a Taste of Dakar to India

Baja Rally’s might just be the next big thing for Motorsports in India.

A participant in a Polaris at India Baja Rally 2016. (Photo: Northern Motorsport)

Northern Motorsport introduced a new international format of rallying to India with the debut edition of India Baja Rally 2016 recently.

Called ‘Baja’ (pronounced ‘Ba’ha), this short but intense form of rallying packs in an unprecedented amount of action into a short time frame, of less than 24 hours.

India Baja Rally 2016 was a dust filled event. (Photo: Northern Motorsport)

A world class concept originating in the Baja peninsula of North America, it attracts competitors on motorcycles, cars and trucks racing night and day on the same course with mandatory checkpoints along the way.

A modified Maruti Gypsy at India Baja Rally 2016. (Photo: Northern Motorsport)

In Northern Motorsport’s India Baja 2016, 29 bikes and 32 cars rallied non-stop for over 300 km of timed competitive sections or ‘stages’. The total track length was approximately 500 km in the desert region of Bikaner in Rajasthan.

The India Baja set new benchmarks in survivability since only 7 bikes and 10 cars managed to complete all 6 stages and make it to the finish.

There were 29 bikes who competed at the India Baja Rally 2016. (Photo: Northern Motorsport)

While the event promises to pull in international competition from next season, the India Baja edition has already created a buzz to become the next big thing for motorsports in India.

The usual suspect, Pajero, at the India Baja Rally 2016. (Photo: Northern Motorsport).

The organisers are also reportedly in advanced talks with the Dakar rally’s organising team to ensure that India and the India Baja become an event on the world motorsports map.