TVS Racing’s AW Tanveer recently made his international debut by participating in the Merzouga Rally. Tanveer took the 27th spot in his maiden international rally. We caught up with the young racer to know about his experience at the rally, and his plans for the next iteration of the Dakar. “The complete rally was on a different scale altogether, something that I haven’t done so far,” said Tanveer when asked about the difficulty level and his experience at the Merzouga Rally.
Read all about Tanveer’s experience at the Merzouga Rally below:
Congratulations for your international debut. How was your experience and are you happy with your performance at the Merzouga Rally?
Thank you for the wishes. The last few months have been nothing short of a dream. Winning the Dakar challenge at India Baja has opened avenues for me in the international circuit. Merzouga, was my first international challenge. You experience various emotions when a dream comes true and that is exactly how I felt after finishing Merzouga. It feels good to finally achieve my personal goal; and this achievement has motivated me further – to do better for my next rally. This was certainly an experience that I would cherish forever.
How difficult was it to compete on the international level as compared to the previous rallies that you’d participated in?
I have been able to get podium finish for my team in almost all rally raids in India. The difficulty level, terrains and weather for any international rally is ofcourse much higher and offers extreme challenges. However, my training at TVS Racing has prepared me well for these challenges too. Training schedules planned and facilitated by my team helped me gear up for the rally; the support from my team mates was motivating.
According to you, which was the most difficult stage of the Merzouga Rally?
I won’t say that a particular stage was difficult. The complete rally was on a different scale altogether, something that I haven’t done so far. So many stages, extreme weather, special stages. It was all sort of difficulties served on a platter to the racer and an immense learning experience for me.
How well did you and your motorcycle cope with the grueling conditions of the rally?
I rode the Dakar motorcycle that the team used early this year. It was very easy to maneuver, I could make it run the way I wanted to. It was slightly heavier than the India Baja motorcycle which perfectly suited the terrain we had traversed with the machine.
Any special moment from the Merzouga rally that you’d like to share with us?
At the first stage of the rally on the first day itself I realized that the difficulty level and the competition around was very different from any rally raid I had participated in so far. Though my teammates had told me about this and a lot of preparation was done but still I would say it was an experience to remember. You can’t gauge the difficulty level unless you are into it. Another special moment was when I finished the rally and met my other team members. They rejoiced and seemed to be happier than me at my achievement. I felt very good that I could contribute to the success of the team at the rally.
Now that you’ve completed the Merzouga rally, how well are you prepared for the Dakar Rally?
As of now, I am working on navigation and improving my riding skills as per the plan of the team. I will participate in Indian and international rallies that the team has planned for me. I have a long way to go and so, I am taking one step at a time. My aim for every race is to give it my best. The support and guidance of TVS Racing and my team mates is helping me to prepare for upcoming challenges and I am focused towards learning more and performing better.
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