Kodagu Native Thimmu Uddapanda Secures Class Victory in Thailand National Rally Championship Opener

Competing in a Suzuki Swift 1.4L turbo under the banner of ‘Team Insight & Ally,’ the pair celebrated back-to-back wins at the RAAT.

Nakhon Ratchasima(Thailand): In an electrifying season opener, Kodagu’s Thimmanna Uddapanda and Mangaluru’s Jason Saldanha clinched victory in the RC 2.1 category of the Thailand National Rally Championship (RAAT), held recently in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Competing in a Suzuki Swift 1.4L turbo under the banner of ‘Team Insight & Ally,’ the pair celebrated back-to-back wins at the RAAT. They also secured an impressive second place in the Overall classification, despite an unexpected delay in Special Stage 4 (SS4).

Their momentum was disrupted when they had to stop behind a stalled vehicle in SS4, costing them valuable seconds. Reflecting on the incident, Saldanha and Thimmu shared their thoughts: “Winning our class and representing India on this platform is a proud moment for us. However, losing time in SS4 impacted our chances for the Overall title.”

The final scratch time is yet to be confirmed by rally officials, though provisional results have been released. Showcasing remarkable skill and control, the duo clocked the fastest times in three of the Special Stages (SS), covering an overall distance of 81.50 km. Of this, 38.63 km comprised competitive sections spread across eight SS, with their total rally time recorded at 1 hour, 32.20 seconds.

The Thailand Rally featured three distinct courses—Sanamachai Forest Park, stretching 17.5 km; Rubber Research, spanning 13.4 km; and Wang Nam Sai, measuring 7.73 km.

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Born on March 24, 1987, Jason Saldanha hails from Mangaluru and currently resides in Belur, Karnataka. A rising star in Indian motorsports, he has been making waves in both the RAAT and the Indian National Rally Championship (INRC). His co-driver, Thimmu Uddapanda, born on December 24, 1989, in Ammathi, Kodagu, brings extensive experience and expertise in navigation. He made his competitive debut in Coimbatore in 2018.

Their breakthrough occurred in April 2023 when they became the first Indian team to clinch a class title at the Thailand Rally Nationals. Their achievement with ‘Team Insight & Ally’ earned them widespread acclaim.

Carrying forward their momentum, the duo delivered a stellar performance at the INRC Blueband K1000 Rally in December 2024. Driving a Maruti Baleno RS 1.0 for Arka Motorsports, they secured first place in the INRC 2 category and finished second overall in their home rally.

Earlier in the season, they achieved a commendable fifth-place overall finish and third in their category at the INRC Blueband Rally of Hyderabad. At the 2024 Robusta Rally, they narrowly missed a podium finish, securing fourth place overall and trailing Aditya Thakur by just one second in the INRC 2 category.

With unwavering determination and consistent performances, Saldanha and Thimmu have established themselves as a formidable duo in both national and international rally circuits. Their next challenge awaits at the South India Rally in Chennai, set to take place from April 24 to 27.