Takale finishes 7th in Super Rally format

Pune: High speed gear shifting broke open three engine valves, but Sanjay Takale’s undying spirit to finish the rally saw him run in the Super Rally format after mechanics worked overnight to make the R2-spec Ford Fiesta ready that saw the Pune rally driver finish seventh in his class in the Shell Helix Rally Estonia in Tallinn on Sunday.

Rally Estonia was planned as precursor to his participation in WRC Neste Rally Finland for the second straight year and despite the unlikely result in Tallinn, the hours he spent behind the wheels of Ford Fiesta should give Takale confidence going in to the World Rally Championship round across the Baltic sea.

Takale was running in eighth position when high-speed gear shift broke three valves in the engine. With the car coming to halt in the Stage 3 he had to retire for the day, but decided to take time penalties for the remaining stages and continue the next day in Super Rally format.

“The wizards worked all night and prepared the car for me to re-enter the rally on Sunday,” is how Takale described the mechanics of his team, the Baltic Motorsport Promotion (BMP).

The Sunday start placed him at 23rd position out of 106 cars in fray. His co-driver, Latvian Edgars Svencis’ knowledge of the superfast terrain in the Baltic region did help as Takale narrowed down the gap between those who were ahead of him on time to make a creditable seventh place finish.

“It was a good run on Day 2 .With the repaired engine we kept smooth high speed and avoided driving in high RPM at tight corners,” said Takale.

“A lot of things to learn from this rally,” added Takale, who needed to finish the rally as his BMP teammate Grits Fernandes crashed on Day 2 and team needed to earn some points.