Sanjay Takale returns to hero's welcome after making history at Dakar

Pune, Jan 20 Top Indian rally driver Sanjay Takale returned home from Saudi Arabia after creating motorsports history as the first Indian driver to finish the 2025 Dakar Rally in the Classic cars category. This groundbreaking achievement puts Sanjay Takale in a rare club of Indians who finished Dakar in their maiden attempt.

Takale returned to the sounds of drums and was garlanded by a huge crowd that danced and shouted slogans at the Pune airport and later attended a reception in his honour hosted by motorsports fans and friends on Sunday.

Along with French co-driver Maxime Raud, the duo represented the Compagnie Saharienne team at the Dakar Classic cars section, a Regularity TSD event. He finished fifth in the final stage with zero penalty points to cap his Dakar journey of 14 stages, which got him an Overall 18th position among 96 cars that took part and a creditable 11th in his class.

He also got an impressive seventh position (P7) early in the event, in Stage 3 and Stage 7. He also chalked out three top-11 finishes in Stages 8, 9 and 11. Participating as part of the French Historic Rally Team, he raced in a Toyota Land Cruiser HZJ78 at the Classic class and became the first Indian to race the Dakar Classic, and the first Indian to finish Dakar in cars.

Born on February 2, 1968, Takale has been a pioneer in Indian motorsport. Starting his career in motocross in the 1980s, he transitioned to rallying in cars, earning accolades such as the Asia-Pacific Production Cup Championship in 2013. His international achievements include competing in the World Rally Championship (WRC) and representing India at the FIA Motorsport Games, where he secured an eighth-place finish in his first tarmac rally.

“This has been an unforgettable journey,” Takale said. “Dakar is the ultimate challenge in motorsport, and finishing it is a dream come true. I am deeply grateful to my team, my co-driver Maxime Raud, and Aerpace for their unwavering support. I hope this achievement inspires more Indians to take on the global motorsport stage.”

Takale's performance in Dakar Rally 2025 is a historic achievement in Indian motorsports and it is hoped that it would pave the way for many more to excel at the global stage.

Source: IANS