Top Indian rally driver and aerpace racer Sanjay Takale has carved a historic milestone in motorsport by becoming the first Indian to finish the legendary Dakar Rally in the Classic cars category. Along with French co-driver Maxime Raud of the Compagnie Saharienne team, Takale showcased exceptional consistency and skill throughout the gruelling competition of nearly 8000km, culminating in a remarkable debut at the world’s toughest rally where he finished 10th in his class and Overall 18th among 96 entries.
The Director of aerpace, partnered with Compagnie Saharienne, a French Historic Rally Team, and raced in a Toyota Land Cruiser HZJ78 at the Classic cars class, a regulatory run. He became the first Indian to race the Dakar Classic, and the first Indian to finish Dakar in cars, along with Maxime Raud, as his co-driver. Incidentally, it was his 75 career rally which created history and put in the elite map of those completed Dakar.
The 47th edition of the Dakar and the 6th in Saudi Arabia was completed in Shubaytah and reached the final finishing line after covering the entire 7,453 km of the route. Pune’s Takale finished a stunning fifth in the final stage with zero penalty points to cap his Dakar journey on a high. His strong performances, included an impressive P7 twice, in Stage 3 after the demanding 48-hour Chrono segment, and another 7th in Stage 7. He also chalked out three top-11 finishes in Stages 8, 9 and 11. After 14 challenging stages, Takale completed the rally 10th in his class for an Overall 18th in the Classic Cars category. Spanish title holder Carlos Santaolalla triumphed to become the first double winner since the creation of the Dakar Classic race category in 2021. Only 80 of the 95 starters finished the race.
Key Moments of Dakar 2025
• Stages 3 and 7: Takale achieved impressive P7 finishes, demonstrating his pace and precision on the challenging terrain.
• Stages 8, 9, and 11: Takale narrowly missed top-10 finishes, placing 11th overall in three stages. In Stage 8, he earned praise for assisting teammate #768, who had toppled their car. The organizers granted him time-loss compensation, highlighting his exemplary sportsmanship.
• Stage 9: Celebrating Sankranti, Takale delivered another strong performance, securing 11th despite a 40-point penalty. His determination and focus remained unwavering.
• Final Stage: A stellar P5 finish capped off Takale’s maiden Dakar run, solidifying his position as one of the most consistent performers in the Classic Cars section.
A Trailblazer for Indian Motorsport
Born on February 2, 1968, Takale has been a pioneer in Indian motorsport. Starting his career in motocross in the 1980s, he transitioned to rallying in cars, earning accolades such as the Asia-Pacific Production Cup Championship in 2013 besides several others. His international achievements include competing in the World Rally Championship (WRC) and representing India at the FIA Motorsport Games, where he secured an eighth-place finish in his first tarmac rally.
Supported by Aerpace, Takale’s historic Dakar finish marks the 75th international rally of his career and underscores his dedication to pushing boundaries in motorsport.
“This has been an unforgettable journey,” Takale said. “Dakar is the ultimate challenge in motorsport, and finishing it is a dream come true. I am deeply grateful to my team, my co-driver Maxime Raud, and Aerpace for their unwavering support. I hope this achievement inspires more Indians to take on the global motorsport stage.” This groundbreaking achievement puts Sanjay Takale in a rare club of Indians who finished Dakar in their maiden attempt. It is a historic achievement in the Indian motorsports and it is expected to encourage and pave the way for many more to excel at the global stage