Interview: Ashish Raorane On His Maiden Panafrica Rally And Chasing the Dakar Dream

It's not very surprising to hear the lack of support crushing motorsport ambitions. From manufacturers to sponsors to spectators, everyone needs to step in a little more to "support the sport" and those who take to the saddle trying to make a difference. But the grim reality is that motorsport isn't easy or affordable and it takes more than just deep pockets and the thrill of adventure to keep going. For Pune's Ashish Raorane, however, motorsport seemed like a far-fetched reality until he decided to make it happen. An unlikely participant, this privateer has finally found a way to keep his passion afloat and at the age of 36 years, the marine engineer will be participating in the PanAfrica rally next month. We caught up with Ashish to find out more about his cross-country rally plans and the ambition to complete the Dakar Rally in 2020.

His First Brush With Off-Roading

While Ashish has been a sportsperson since childhood, rallying or racing was far away from his life. However, after a total disconnect from sports over the years with work commitments, he decided to engage in some activity and find a new direction in life. Motorcycles were always a part of his passions, which led to his first tryst with off-roading on his KTM 390 Duke. Ashish would go on to bring the Triumph Tiger 800 home, on his quest to explore off the tarmac terrain.

(Ashish's first rally was the Nasik Round of the INRC in 2015)

On Taking Up Rallying

With the off-road bug bitten, there was no looking back. In 2015, the marine engineer completed his first rally - the Nasik round of the Indian National Rally Championship (INRC) on his Triumph Tiger 800. Completing the single day rally gave him the much-needed boost to test his skills elsewhere and the rider went on to compete in the Raid de Himalaya the same year. The Raid was followed up with the Desert Storm on a rally-prepped Yamaha 250. When asked about what pushed him towards cross-country rallying, Ashish says, "I loved the experience with the kind of endurance that is needed and the kind of limits that are pushed in a long distance event."

The Desert Storm was a massive learning experience for Raorane with the rally providing him with a first real experience of what a long stage rally was all about. The 200 km long stage not only tested Ashish's mental endurance but also gave him a reality check on motorcycling skills as well as fitness levels. However, it was now time to take things international and that's when he set his sights on the Panafrica Rally 2018.

The First International Cross-Country Rally

Ashish is now preparing to compete in his first-ever international rally in August this year, and this will be a true test of skill and determination for the 36-year-old. With no manufacturer, team or mentor to fall back on, it's been an uphill task for the engineer to pave his way till now. The Panafrica rally will be a mix of long stages with navigation being a major concern, and Ashish is now training regularly for the big event.

Raorane has been training in Spain with Jordi Grau, the same expert who works with Hero MotoSports-backed CS Santosh in understanding the road-book better. "Navigation can make or break your day in a cross-country rally saving you a couple of minutes if done right, or you end up losing precious hours on the wrong route. That's why a combination between speed and navigation is important when traversing through the rough terrain," he said. Ashish adds the process comes down to how good you are at riding. If riding takes up 10 per cent of your capacity, then the other 90 per cent is for your notes. That's where the difference lies.

Competing With Factory-Backed Riders

While stepping out as a privateer is a fantastic achievement in itself, it also means that Ashish's direct competition comes in the form of factory-backed riders. "It's not something that bothers me," he says. "I want to stay consistent, and everything will fall into place. Younger guys recover faster, endure better. However, longer events require a lot of maturity as well."

While he realises that his age will help with the maturity bit, Ashish also understands he would be taking bigger risks than a factory rider. A major injury would hamper his professional life as much as his racing career, which refrains him from being as competitive as he would want to. That said, his competition is also with himself in trying to achieve something more while maintaining a separate professional identity.

Finding Support From Family

There's no passion without support and Ashish's family has been his biggest strength. His wife and parents have been a big support, forgoing all their requirements for the past three years to meet his needs. In fact, Ashish's wife also doubled up as his crew's driver for the Indian rallies. "Rallying consumed my life," he says, pointing towards the smaller things he now has to miss with his family like going on a holiday, spending time over dinner or even attending a family function.

(Ashish is a marine engineer by profession and juggles between the sea and land every 3 months)

On Finding Sponsorship

Being a privateer means sponsors don't come easy and a lot of the investment comes from the rider's bank account. This obviously has resulted in giving up on other commitments for the past three years. With the goal to reach Dakar in 2020, the monetary responsibilities won't ease out either. As Ashish described it, his friends and sponsors have hilariously started using the hashtag #Sofa2020 on social media, a callback to the sofa at his home that needs to be fixed but probably won't get attention before the Dakar dream is complete.

Ashish explains that the current sponsors' support covers only a small percentage of the overall costs, but every bit helps. He is currently supported by Slipstream Performance from Pune, Baycity Speedshop from Mumbai and Big Bad Bikes from Bengaluru that help him with his riding gear. When asked about approaching manufacturers for support, Ashish says he does not want to show up as a half-baked product that manufacturers wouldn't want to bank on. The completion of the Panafrica rally stands with a lot of importance for him then, as completing an international rally will certainly put him on the right map on bringing in the funding.

Preparing For The PanAfrica Rally

With less than a month left for his first international rally, Ashish has completed his work commitments as a marine engineer and is in Pune attending to practice sessions every day. For the Panafrica rally, the 36-year-old has hired a service company that will provide the bike and service crew. His machine is the KTM 450 EXC, which he has also been using for the rallies in India and is serviced by Slipstream Performance in Pune, who are also part sponsors. With the motorcycle taken care of, Ashish is now concentrating on his fitness and finding more and more time on the saddle. While the trails in Pune works as a test bed, his actual training takes place in Spain when he goes for his navigation training. With a number of world-class motocross tracks, it only improves Ashish's skills behind the handlebar.

On the fitness front, Ashish has set a regime as he works his way three months on and off the ship as a marine engineer. He says, "I have a schedule onboard with the idea to achieve a goal at the end of the three month period. So, when I'm back home, I can just hop on to the motorcycle." The disadvantage of working on a ship is that of having no access to a motorcycle for 10-12 weeks, which makes it important for Ashish to achieve his fitness goals on time. When back in Pune, he alternates with one day at the gym and one day on the bike to keep himself active.

The Road Ahead

The idea is to get as much as seat time for Ashish before entering Dakar in 2020. Once the Panafrica rally is complete, the Indian rider will be looking at completing the Baja India rally later this month between August 17-19, 2018; before he heads to Morocco for PanAfrica held between September 8-15. For 2019, the aim is even higher with the Merzouga rally that is considered as a stepping stone to Dakar. Ashish will be hiring a Rally Replica motorcycle for the same that is built for the purpose. Once the Merzouga rally is completed with minimum penalties, he can apply to compete in Dakar. Ashish also plans to participate in another cross-country event around October and November next year, as a precursor to his Dakar plans.

(Ashish aims to finish the Dakar Rally in 2020 and is on the lookout for sponsors to fuel his dream)

The Road To Dakar

The Panafrica rally is just a stepping stone for Ashish as he moves a step closer to the gruelling Dakar Rally. The aim is to make it there by 2020, which means adding a lot of rallies, practice, and most importantly, funding under his belt over the next year and a half. For a privateer to go and complete the rally, the cost is said to be in excess of Rs. 1 crore, something that gets difficult for someone from a regular background to manage. The next few years will mean a lot of training, sacrifices and funding for the rider as he'll not only be competing on the road, but off it too.

What Makes Him Different?

Ask him this question and Ashish will convincingly tell you that his story is different. His aim is to complete the Dakar finish line as a privateer in five years, having started in 2015, as a middle-class Indian man with limited access to resources and funding. And that definitely is an inspiring story for everyone who wants to believe that no dream is too big. It's also his pitch to the sponsors, he jokes.