Gaurav Gill: Switching tracks for betterment of Indian rallying

By Anand Philar

Bengaluru, March 30: Like a hitherto dormant volcano slowly coming to life, there are rumblings within Gaurav Gill who is all set to burst forth with a plethora of initiatives and activities while giving wings to his fledgling driving academy which is founded on his intense passion for the sport and an all-consuming desire to contribute to the sport in the best way that he can.

As in his motorsport career, Gill, a restless soul even otherwise, is seeking to move up to the next level that will not only provide a platform to the businessman in him but also help share his experience with the hope that at least one more talent emerges to follow his footsteps.

“I will be happy and proud to see another Indian on the international rally circuit and win laurels,” said the triple Asia Pacific Rally Championship title winner, in the course of several conversations over two days that I spent with him in Coimbatore where he held another round of his Advanced Driving Academy programme, in conjunction with Chettinad Sporting.

With his own rallying career struggling to progress from regional to World stage even after proving over and over again that he belongs to the elite group of rally drivers on the planet, Gill, now on a strict diet and looking leaner than last year, has decided to channel his frustrations rather than drown in them.

Competing against and beating the best of factory-supported European drivers with WRC exposure and seat time as his MRF team-mates, Gill won the APRC title thrice in 2013, 2016 and 2017. Through it all, he hoped and prayed that his achievements will give him a leg up to the WRC stage. Gradually, when the wait prolonged, he realized that it was best for him to focus on the “attainable”.

ADVANCED DRIVING ACADEMY

“Like my driving, I too have evolved as a person. I am at peace with myself and the World at large after realizing that it was pointless for me to fret about things beyond my control. If I am destined to move to the World Rally Championship scene, then it will happen, and until then, I don’t even want to talk or think about it, because it is pointless. I have to move on,” he said, while deftly steering my car through the Coimbatore traffic.

The Advanced Driving Academy is probably a logical step forward. “Through the academy I can share my knowledge and contribute to at least raising the level of rally driving in India,” he added, though it meant getting even busier while still finding time to be with his young family, especially his two boys, the elder of whom is already showing evidence of his father’s driving genes in him!

DABBLING IN BOLLYWOOD AND MODELING!

At 36, Gill is a dealer for Royal Enfield bikes in his hometown New Delhi; has invested in mining property in Goa; is all set to launch a Rally Park sometime in late April; has taken up modeling assignments for a leading fashion designer in Mumbai; will soon be driving premium luxury cars in Bollywood films; working on plans to start pan-India franchise academies for beginners. system. On top of all this, there is this small matter of rallying!

As for his entry into Bollywood, he said: “I will be driving some top-end luxury cars for scenes in some films. Some of these scenes will be shot at the BIS (Buddh International Circuit, Noida). The modeling shoots will also be happening pretty soon.”

“Yes, my plate is getting filled up, but then, I have look ahead to my post-retirement (from motorsport) life too,” he said with a distant and dreamy look.

ADA – LESS EXPENSIVE OPTION FOR INDIANS

Retirement at 36 when he has barely tickled the tip of his potential as a rally driver? When I told him he would be driving competitively even 20 years from now, for, after all, rally drivers get better with age, he responded with a happy chuckle.

“Perhaps, but who knows? For the moment, I am keen that my academy takes off in a big way. It is not just the commercial thing, but like I said, I have the knowledge and experience to share with my compatriots. The Indian rally drivers are generally fast, but there is more to competitive driving than just speed. They can getter better if they iron out certain technical flaws, and that is what I hope to do.

“It is not just about the pace, but there is a lot of science to driving, understanding the limits of the car beside yourself. These are some of the aspects that I dwell on during the training sessions. Also, the academy is a far less expensive option than going abroad to attend driving schools,” said Gill as he shared his vision.

“When I look back on my career, I wish I had an Indian driver with international achievements I could have looked up to and learned from. There was no such icon at that time. I can say without being falsely modest that I have achieved something internationally and in a position to share my experience with young Indian drivers who are trying to make a mark. I started the academy since I am still very much active and fairly well known rather than wait until retirement after which you will be forgotten,” he said.

Further, the academy offers plenty of options and packages depending on the trainee’s budget, beginning with “arrive and drive” where a fully-prepped Rally car along with fuel, tyres and service back-up is offered for hire to bringing one’s own vehicle and merely hiring the support system.

THE RALLY PARK

Besides the ADA, Gill’s other major project is the Rally Park in his hometown Delhi that will be thrown open to all-comers with a formal launch in April.
The Rally Park facilities include:

• 3 Kms of Rally track with timed lap option and available for rent
• 1 Kms of Grade B motocross track
• Off-roading zone for SUVs
• Karting zone

“The Rally Park is on a 15-acre plot and open to people across all age-groups, from eight to 80, besides Corporates and manufacturers who wish to test their products. Also, as we go along, I want to start academies on a franchise basis to tap the talent at the grassroots level. These franchise units will train beginners. There are so many youngsters around who wish to get into rallying and these franchise academies will help them get a start,” he explained, shedding light on his future plans for expansion.

The two days at the ADA in Coimbatore was certainly an eye-opener in many ways. If anything, it gave driving a totally different perspective. Those who attended the sessions were unanimous that they benefitted hugely from Gill’s inputs and shared his belief that there was more to Rally driving than just pedal-to-metal.