Though he returned home last week, Sanjay Takale is yet to completely recover. “I am totally shaken and broken,” laughs the 57-year-old. That’s what the Dakar does to you.
The Dakar is the world’s longest, most dangerous yet celebrated rally where riders and drivers traverse approximately 8,000km negotiating loose rocks, slush, deep sand and holes in the dune at around 150kph. One lapse can be fatal with the rally raid having already claimed around 80 lives since its inception in 1979.
Only a handful of Indians have taken part in the off-road endurance race with Takale becoming the first in 2025 to not just compete but also complete the rally on four wheels. Driving a Toyota Land Cruiser and having experienced Frenchman Maxime Raud as his navigator, Takale had finished 18th in the Classic category (vehicles manufactured before 2006). This year, however, his journey ended early as the Punekar retired due to a mechanical failure in Saudi Arabia.
But Takale is already planning ahead, in preparation for Dakar 2027. “I’ll be doing some cross-country rallies in Asia to keep up the speed and spirit for Dakar. I’ll try to get more seat time, do some desert training and work more on my fitness. It’ll all be in preparation for next year,” said Takale.
Motorsport isn’t new to Takale, in fact most of his life has revolved around it. The rallyist started with motocross and supercross back in 1987, winning more than 100 titles in both domestic and international events for 14 years. “Pune was very popular in those times for biking,” he said.
In his mid-30s, he realised he could no longer push his body like earlier, riding the bike in a crouching position for hours with his spine absorbing all the pressure as the bike jumped over obstacles which is when he decided to ditch his first love for four wheelers.
In cars, Takale took part in his first National Championship in 2007, starting with TSD (time-speed-distance) rallies before properly graduating to off-road rallies. After winning laurels at the national level, Takale went international in 2009, taking part in rallies in South East Asia.
Full of confidence, Takale then moved up a grade when he started participating in the Production Cup of Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC), an event he won in 2013 which is when he decided to join the big league. After participating in a couple of rallies in Latvia and Estonia, Takale then took part in a couple of World Rally Championship 3 events in Finland in 2018 and 2019.
Having rallied across categories, Takale had only one target left.
“The final frontier. The toughest rally in the world, the Dakar,” said Takale, who has a construction and airplane charter service business. “It was always about moving to cross-country rallying. No Indian had ever driven in a car. Some boys did it on the bike. So, I thought why not in a car?”
But Dakar is a different ball game altogether. Apart from driving skill and speed, the Dakar tests the patience, physical and mental endurance, and determination of every participant for two-long weeks.
“The conditions are very hostile. It was tough every day. You sleep in a tent. There is a marathon stage of 48 hours. You are not meeting anyone. You are tired the whole day after driving for 12-14 hours. You come back, hardly have time to eat and sleep before getting up at 4am and start driving again,” said Takale, who drives for French team Compagnie Saharienne in Dakar.
“Then you never know if you’re going to come back or not. You might get stuck in the desert or have an engine failure. Many times, I felt like giving up. I was so tired. You get mentally broken. The Dakar teaches you so many things about life.”
To prepare for the torturous rally, Takale started preparing at least a year in advance. He undertook driving courses in Morocco and Dubai to get used to sand and dune driving, something he lacked experience in. He took part in more cross-country endurance rallies in South East Asia instead of conventional rallying to get more seat time.
For fitness, Takale hired a trainer who coach’s athletes for ironman. The 57-year-old would swim, cycle, run, gym and perform yoga on a daily basis to get his body ready for two continuous weeks of attrition and exertion, especially in an event where drivers barely have any time for recovery. The slower you are, the lesser time you get to rest.
“You simply can’t go and start driving in a Dakar. (For energy) we try to take some solubles, electrolyte powders or tablets — a replacement for dehydration. You carry bananas, chocolates, energy bars. Whenever possible, you try to get some rest or sleep in Dakar, like during the liaison stage,” says Takale.
“You have to be brave and consistent. It’s about the mentality. You have to back and believe in yourself. You have to have that never give up attitude. Most importantly, you have to learn to enjoy the grind as most come to Dakar for a pilgrimage. People go to Mecca or Kashi. We go to Dakar.”
