Rallying is at its best when the road fights back, and the ghats delivered a proper fight for the third round of the national championship. Loose gravel, blind crests and a shifting weather front turned a routine event into one of the season’s defining afternoons.
The stages climbed through switchback after switchback, rewarding bravery and punishing the smallest hesitation with a run-off into the scenery.
The lead changes hands
The championship leader started strongest, only to lose over thirty seconds to a slow puncture on the longest stage. That handed the advantage to his nearest rival, who drove the afternoon of his life to hold it.
Behind them, a young co-driver on debut called the notes on a stage none of them had properly reconnoitred, and their crew finished a startling third.
On the ghats you do not beat the other cars. You beat the road, and hope it is enough.
— The round’s winning driver
The standings
With the puncture factored in, the title race tightens to a handful of points with three rounds left. It is precisely the fight the championship needed at exactly the right time.
The circus moves on in a month. On this evidence, it cannot come soon enough.