APRC 2. Ayak — Kadur, Gill'in Yarışı Bırakmasından Yararlanarak Chennai Sıcağında 49. South India Rally Zaferini Aldı

The South India Rally is one of the oldest events on the Asia-Pacific rally calendar. The 49th edition used a mixed gravel and tarmac route around the Madras International Circuit, a modern motorsport facility on the outskirts of Chennai. April in southern India means temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius — demands on cooling systems and tyres that have no equivalent in any rally in the northern hemisphere.

Kadur's turbo lost power mid-way through the second special stage of the final day, costing him nearly a minute and seemingly ending any hope of victory. But in the same stage, championship leader Gaurav Gill — a three-time APRC champion — was stopped by his own mechanical problem and retired from the lead. 'Honestly, I thought it was over,' Kadur said at the finish. 'When the turbo went, my mind went blank.'

Jeet Jabhakh and co-driver Musa Sherif finished second. Third place went to Spain's Edgar Vigo Lopez and Fatima Ameneiro Teijeiro — a touring crew who had travelled to Asia and ended up on the podium in an unexpected result that drew attention on social media.

The victory was the historic first APRC win for Arka Motorsports, Kadur's Indian team. The double-title format — combining APRC and INRC in a single event — reflects how India's motorsport scene is progressively aligning with international standards. Gill's response in the next round will be watched closely.

A technical note on Kadur's turbo issue is worth adding. April conditions in Chennai — temperatures of 35 to 38 degrees Celsius, humidity around 70% — place an intercooler heat load two to three times higher than a typical ERC or WRC venue. The Škoda Fabia Rally2's turbo unit is designed to produce over 300 horsepower at peak, but the relatively low-speed, mixed-surface special stages around Madras create conditions where the cooling system cannot keep up with heat load. Kadur's 'turbo failure' was most likely a sustained power loss from overheating rather than a catastrophic component failure.