Dean Mascarenhas Enters French Gravel Rally Championship

Millau, France, Oct 9 (PTI) - Indian rally driver Dean Mascarenhas is gearing up for his first foray into international rallying as he competes in the French Gravel Rally Championship from October 10 to 12. Mascarenhas, who represents TSI Racing, will be piloting a Peugeot 208 GT Line in the Rally4 class of the FRC4 group. He will be the only Indian participant in the event, with seasoned Brazilian co-driver Gabriel Morales at his side. The Rallye Terre des Cardabelles, initiated in 1984, serves as one of the stages in the French Gravel Rally Championship. This year's rally will test drivers over roughly 150 kilometers of timed competitive stages set on the rugged gravel roads surrounding Millau. Mascarenhas arrives fresh from a triumph in the Coimbatore leg of the Indian National Rally Championship (INRC). His transition to the European rallying scene has been facilitated by a collaboration involving TSI Racing, Sidvin Energy Engineering, and MRF Tyres. He will be competing in car number 66, battling it out against 125 other drivers. The competition will unfold over two days across the Aveyron region, featuring both liaison and special stages that meander through rural landscapes and dense forests near Millau.