The Sherco TVS Factory Rally team
will be participating in the Dakar rally for the fourth consecutive year. In
its 40th edition, the Dakar annual international rally-raid will be held from
January 6 to January 20, 2018 covering three countries starting off in Lima,
Peru and passing through La Paz, Bolivia, finishing off in Cordoba, Argentina. The
riders and drivers will need to cover a total distance of over 9000kms.
The 2018 Dakar rally will mark the
second outing for Indian rider Aravind KP. Last year Aravind was unlucky to
have hurt himself on the first day at the Dakar rally after which he had to
retire from the race. Adrien Metge will be riding out in the Dakar rally for
the third time next year while the squad leader Joan Pedrero will be
participating in the rally for the ninth consecutive time.
This year the team has participated in
four international rallies, namely - Baja Aragon, Merzouga Rally, PanAfrica Rally and OiLibya Rally of Morocco, finishing strong in each one. Arun Siddharth, Vice President Marketing – Premium Two Wheelers, International
Business & TVS Racing, said, “TVS was the first Indian manufacturer to participate at
Dakar, and this year we have stepped up our participation in, and preparation
for, international rally-raids. Races such as Panafrica Rally, Merzouga Rally and
OiLibya Rally have helped us get more exposure, thus helping us improve our
readiness for Dakar. Based on our performance at the other rally-raids this
year, we are aiming for a top-10 finish at Dakar 2018.”
Thomas Teissier, General Manager, Sherco Motorcycles said, “This is
the fourth year of our partnership, and with each passing year our preparation
for Dakar has become more focused and fierce. We have a strong relationship
with TVS Racing, and we have worked together on the existing team structure. We
are excited to have Aravind KP in our team again. The preparation has been good
so far, and I have full faith in the abilities of our team for Dakar 2018. The
preparation in the last two months before the race will be very crucial, and I
am sure that the team will perform to the best of their ability.”