Ajgar Ali, Musthafa take lead after first stage of JK Tyre Himalayan Drive 7

Ace Indian TSD driver Ajgar Ali came up with a powerful performance to go ahead of the pack after the opening day of the JK Tyre Himalayan Drive 7 here.

The two-time defending champion along with his navigator Md. Musthafa showed great skills and completed the thrilling night stage from Siliguri to Murti which comprised of dirt sections as well as sharp bends with the least amount of penalty points (311) to take an early lead.

With a total penalty points of 340, the pair of veteran driver Jogendra Jaiswal and his navigator Nagarajan Thangaraj are on the second spot, while the team of V Santosh Kumar and C Sakhtivel with 380 points are placed third and will surely go into the next stages as contenders.

Having navigated through a night leg for the first time in Himalayan Drive, the drivers headed into the stage two; the outcome of which will be very crucial for all the drivers to stay relevant in the title race.

India's only international TSD (Time, Speed, Distance) rally started off from from Murti and the competitors drove through Gorumara National Park via Phuentsholing to Paro in Bhutan.

The stretch from Phuentsholing to Paro posed a real challenge to the drivers as the route blanketed with thick fog due to the temperature dropping below freezing point.

The third leg of the rally will start from from Paro to Kalimpong in the Darjeeling Hills and will be the longest one, covering over 300 kilometers.