Gaurav Gill of Team MRF scripted a momentous chapter in the history of Indian motorsport by sealing the 2016 FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) title with a round to spare as he won the Malaysian Rally here on Sunday.
It was Gill's second APRC crown following his success in 2013.
Having won the previous four rounds of the APRC this season, the Delhi-based Gill went into the Malaysian Rally with a 42-point advantage over team-mate Fabian Kreim who pulled out on Saturday due to gearbox problems which effectively ended the championship battle between the two.
The 34-year old Gill, driving the MRF Skoda Fabia R5, took no chances and comfortably won the event sparing 31 minutes, 35.7 seconds to compatriot Sanjay Takale (Cusco Racing).
Kreim finished a distant third after Michael Young, who was placed second overnight, crashed out.
The victory took Gill's tally to 184 points as against Kreim's 126 for an insurmountable lead. The APRC season concludes with the India Rally in Chikkamagaluru on December 3-5).
Team MRF also clinched the APRC team championship in the wake of Gill's clean sweep which also helped Skoda to annex the manufacturers' title.
--IANS
ajb/vd
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