Indian rally driver Jeet Jhabakh, 34, and co-driver Musa Sherif, 55, have scripted history by becoming the first all-Indian driver and co-driver pair to win the overall FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) title, finishing the season with 73 points across three rounds — with the China round cancelled. What makes the achievement even more remarkable is that Jhabakh clinched the title in his very first international season, and did so in a two-wheel-drive (2WD) car — a feat never recorded in the championship's 38-year history.

A Historic First in 38 Years

Every APRC overall title before this edition had been won in a four-wheel-drive (4WD) car. Jhabakh and Sherif broke that convention by winning the RC4 class and ultimately the overall championship in a 2WD machine. The final round in Indonesia proved decisive, where the duo focused on a clean, error-free drive to seal the title. 'Motorsport usually doesn't always go to plan, so it just happened to work out for us,' Jhabakh said.

What Jhabakh Said About the Win

Reflecting on the achievement, Jhabakh admitted the magnitude of the win had not fully sunk in. 'Honestly, I don't know whether it's still sunken fully; it is something that I honestly didn't expect to get in such a short duration of my rallying career,' he said. He added that the title had shifted the benchmark for Indian motorsport: 'For Indian motorsport, I think the ceiling moved, which is very interesting.' Jhabakh has been in motorsport for several years but only switched to rallying around two years ago — making this only his third full season in the discipline.

From Circuit Racing to Rally Stages

Jhabakh began his career in circuit racing, winning the Junior Salon Car Racing Championship in 2016 and going on to claim the national title twice. The transition to rally racing presented a steep learning curve. 'In circuit racing, the corner doesn't move — in rallying, the corner does move; a small change in terrain changes everything,' he explained. He described the shift as adding an entirely new dimension to his driving — the ability to read and adapt in real time, rather than rely on rehearsed precision.

India's Talent Gap in International Rally

Jhabakh was candid about a broader gap in Indian motorsport. Despite a strong domestic talent pool, international rally titles have eluded the country. 'We have a lot of great drivers, and there is no dearth of drivers in India, but unfortunately, we don't have too many international titles, which is very weird to me,' he said. He expressed hope that the win would inspire a younger generation to pursue rally racing, saying he would consider the effort worthwhile if even a few young Indians looked at the APRC title and decided to try the sport.

What's Next for Jhabakh

Jhabakh has set his sights on the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) — the top tier of global rally racing — while keeping options open in circuit racing as well. He acknowledged that funding remains the key obstacle, with sponsor conversations ongoing. 'Money is definitely required, so we are talking to a lot of people — sponsors and whatnot — to figure out how we can join hands together and take the step forward,' he said. He added that he intends to compete in both disciplines for as long as he has the competitive pace to do so.